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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Racing heart, and palps, and panic attacks? OH MY!
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Racing heart, and palps, and panic attacks? OH MY!
by Happy-Mom, Jan 15, 2005 12:00AM
First, Thank you so much for this forum and the many people who give encouragement and insight. I’ve been visiting this site regularly but this is my first post.
I turned the big 40 this year, a mother of 4 great kids (hoping for one more). Non-smoker, 25 lbs of left over baby fat – I’m working on it…BP 120/60ish…very mild heart murmur with mild valve regurgitation and EF 45. which has me a little worried.
A few years ago I was taking Metobolite, the ephedra diet-pill, one day it gave me palps, that night I had a “panic attack?” and in the garbage it went, but I think it has done something to me - to my nervous system or heart. My heart now races every night, I also have palps on occasion and “sinus tachycardia and/or paroxysmal supraventicular tachycardia associated with symptoms.” Via Holter report. Is this PVC?
It seems many people around here suffer from PVC’s and anxiety/panic attacks. I would consider myself a non-anxious person with mild panic attacks symptoms and a heart that races at night - both appeared at the same time, right after the &*(* Metobolite.
My first doctor that ordered the holter monitor and echo, just told me “You’re out of shape, here take this” – I don’t know what it was, it didn’t make sense to me to take a drug if I was out of shape, I just needed to get some much needed exercise.”. I asked for a copy of the holter monitor report 6 months later when I was still having symptoms. I’m a little upset she never mentioned the results mentioned above. I’m looking for a new doc, and some answers.
If anyone can shed a little light on this, I would very much appreciate it. Thank you all.. Happy Mom
I turned the big 40 this year, a mother of 4 great kids (hoping for one more). Non-smoker, 25 lbs of left over baby fat – I’m working on it…BP 120/60ish…very mild heart murmur with mild valve regurgitation and EF 45. which has me a little worried.
A few years ago I was taking Metobolite, the ephedra diet-pill, one day it gave me palps, that night I had a “panic attack?” and in the garbage it went, but I think it has done something to me - to my nervous system or heart. My heart now races every night, I also have palps on occasion and “sinus tachycardia and/or paroxysmal supraventicular tachycardia associated with symptoms.” Via Holter report. Is this PVC?
It seems many people around here suffer from PVC’s and anxiety/panic attacks. I would consider myself a non-anxious person with mild panic attacks symptoms and a heart that races at night - both appeared at the same time, right after the &*(* Metobolite.
My first doctor that ordered the holter monitor and echo, just told me “You’re out of shape, here take this” – I don’t know what it was, it didn’t make sense to me to take a drug if I was out of shape, I just needed to get some much needed exercise.”. I asked for a copy of the holter monitor report 6 months later when I was still having symptoms. I’m a little upset she never mentioned the results mentioned above. I’m looking for a new doc, and some answers.
If anyone can shed a little light on this, I would very much appreciate it. Thank you all.. Happy Mom
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-MJM, Jan 15, 2005 12:00AM
Hi Happy Mom,
Without seeing the holter report and strips it is difficult to speculate the significance of the finds. I do doubt, however, that the ephedra made permanent changes to your heart. The truth is that paroysmal supraventriular tachycardia is very common. It would be helpful to see the rhythm strip, paying careful attention to the initiation and termination of the heart rhythm helps suggest whether the cause is from anxiety or something more complicated.
Consider taking you holter report AND rhythm strips (most important) to a cardiologist and/or electrophysiologist. They should be able to speculate about the significance of the rhythm or suggest appropriate tests to help answer the question.
Foremost, I agree with the diet and exercise--cut back on simple sugars, diet high in fiber (at least 28 grams per day), and with appropriate mono and polyunsaturated fats. Combine with some exercise and this should help resolve the weight issue. Keep track of how much fiber you eat in a day....this is an interesting exercise, most Americans eat about 8 grams, the recommended total is 28 grams.
Hope this helps answer your questions. Good luck.
Without seeing the holter report and strips it is difficult to speculate the significance of the finds. I do doubt, however, that the ephedra made permanent changes to your heart. The truth is that paroysmal supraventriular tachycardia is very common. It would be helpful to see the rhythm strip, paying careful attention to the initiation and termination of the heart rhythm helps suggest whether the cause is from anxiety or something more complicated.
Consider taking you holter report AND rhythm strips (most important) to a cardiologist and/or electrophysiologist. They should be able to speculate about the significance of the rhythm or suggest appropriate tests to help answer the question.
Foremost, I agree with the diet and exercise--cut back on simple sugars, diet high in fiber (at least 28 grams per day), and with appropriate mono and polyunsaturated fats. Combine with some exercise and this should help resolve the weight issue. Keep track of how much fiber you eat in a day....this is an interesting exercise, most Americans eat about 8 grams, the recommended total is 28 grams.
Hope this helps answer your questions. Good luck.
This is faulty reasoning! There are certainly times when we need a medication of some kind for a particular condition. Being in or out of shape is not always a major factor in that decision. I know it sounds a little tough, but every pill or medication is NOT about your waist line!
I'm just guessing, but your doc might have offered a beta blocker, which can be helpful for the problems you describe.
Anything that is ephedra based has the potential to do things such as you describe. That stuff is so toxic and dangerous...why do you think they pulled it off the market?
Follow your doctor's advice, please! Good Luck.
Standard caveat: I'm not a health care professional of any kind. My opinions are just that...my opinions.
Just to clarify, I have no problem taking medication. I just think it is wise to know what and why I’m taking it. I was not told I had any heart condition, ONLY that I was out of shape. It was only after I asked for copies of the tests that I learned it was more than being out of shape.
When I asked my Dr. if the Metobolite or ephedra could have caused the symptoms I was having she said "No, nothing had been documented."
*Remember, this was a few years ago, before the side effects of ephedra were widely known and made public, before the athlete died. Before it was pulled from the market. This was when Metobolite was advertised as safe and effective.
I took diet pills for quite a while back in my teenage years (I'm now 48) and was convinced ( and ashamed .. and mortified .. at the thought)that I caused my heart problem because of them but now I know I didn't.
It was the mixture of two diet pills, phen-fen, that caused the heart damage, and I think you needed to have taken it for 3 months at least.
So rest easy!
Best wishes with the palps, sorry you're having a tough time, my palpitations increased dramatically when I hit perimenopause aged 40 so that could also be contributing to your palpitations.
Best wishes,
Hope you are feeling better.
Your father died suddenly and there was no autopsy? Was there any reason to believe that he had an irregular heartbeat? As I recall, you have had the standard workup (echo, EKG, bloodwork). Have the doctors ruled out any structural problems?
Are you near Cleveland for a 2nd opinion? I have a wonderful EP in Cleveland. She is incredibly thorough and understanding. Good luck!!
Hey, awesome on the little ones!! I'm close to your age and my youngin's are college-age. They are still great fun, but I sure miss the days when they were little.
Hang in there and good luck with the RX.
Connie