General
Anxiety
November 5, 2024
in General
Do you feel your anxiety increased after your transplant or did it decrease?
Tagged:
Do you feel your anxiety increased after your transplant or did it decrease?
1 - 13 of 13 Replies
I’m now realizing that my anxiety has increased. When I was on dialysis I was used to having difficulty. I now feel because I don’t have challenges on a daily basis, my anxiety is on overload .
Hi My name is Nahjae and yes I feel as though after transplant anxiety has increased for me due to the fact that I am extra cautious about things and want to stay healthy and do the right thing such as making sure I take medication on time and eating healthy , my anxiety also occurs during appointments at times
Hello! I am 20 months post-heart transplant. Anxiety has definitely increased post transplant. (I was too sick to care before transplant. 🤣) Most days I can tune the anxiety out, but the nagging sliver of dread is always lurking in my sunshine of happiness. It's as if my situation is "too good to be true," and there's some fine print I forgot to read letting me know it's only temporary. I tell my family, "Let's do it," I don't know how long I have left" which generally upsets them, but I figure if I am realistic about the odds, everything in between is gravy. The extra minutes, days, months, years. (yes, I am seeking therapy to help ease the anxiety 😎)
One giant grateful day at a time! ❤️
Hi @Nahjaefr I understand exactly how you feel. Being cautious is the best way to handle anxiety. We are also here to support you. I ask a lot of questions at doctor to reduce my anxiety. I have also developed relationships with my medical teams so that I am comfortable communicating with them. If you have any other suggestions to help others let us know.
I love that saying, "One Giant Grateful Day at a Time". We all understand about missing out on participating in family and life events. I love your mindset about taking every opportunity and living life to the fullest.
Transplant Patient
Hi,
i did have moments of anxiety and I still do. I sometimes wonder if it is related to tac levels but I also realize living w a transplant is not easy.
@Karin It would be interesting to know if it is related to tac levels. I know I have to talk myself through a lot of things now to be okay with it.
Transplant Patient
Depends on the day! I have a lot more tools in my toolbox now to help with anxiety than I did pre-transplant, so that’s helped a ton. I’m not sure if my anxiety really changed, just that I know how to work with it now. I echo what @Karin said, this life isn’t easy! If someone wasn’t anxious at all, that would seem strange to me. Anxiety is a self protection mechanism (even though it sucks sometimes). I’m anxious because I still have skin in the game. I find when I try to find a reason for it, or a fix, I’m often trying to bypass and not allowing myself to be fully in the present. I tend to go with “yeah, this is really hard. Yeah, I’m experiencing anxious feelings/thoughts. And in this moment I’m safe, and here’s how I know I’m safe”
@AliEm14 I am happy you found ways to deal with it. I think we all need a tool box as a resource and remember we can do this. You are safe and we are all here to support one another.
I don’t think I know what anxiety felt like until I was put on the transplant list and now post transplant. It’s crazy but I seem to deal with it with the help of friends and lots of prayers.
Thankful for the people around us. ❣️
Even before, I always have anxiety. I think before and after is the same. I just set my mind about mind over matter.
As far as day to day living, there's been no change in that respect. I have less restrictions than I had before, but that was due to me performing my own hemodialysis. I had to fly to my surgery by myself so once I had arrived and even after my surgery, I had a feeling that maybe this wasn't what I wanted.
I've been through a lot in my life. It sort of makes you jaded in a sense. You've been through worse, and there are people out there worse than you. Some may say that's negative, but it's more a driving force for myself.