Anxiety causing heart to flip flop

Ok i have posted allot about my anxiety and just when i thort i woes getting on top of things it has seem to come back with full force

The last 2 days i have had this feeling in my chest

It feels like my heart is doing a back flip then a littiel flutter the first 2 times it has happen i fell to my knees and all most past out then to day i have been getting this twitching in my left chest about 2 cm from my nippiel towards my armpit im not to sure if its my heart of just a musical twitching but its frecking me out i went to the hospital the first time it happend thay done some test and all came back fine

I talked to my Psychiatrist and he said he has bever herd of this happening and said its all in my head but it isn't it is VERY real

I just wont to no if this is happening to anyone els as it is starting to worry me as it is happeing 5 to 10 times a day  

[nursegirl6572]

Very likely, you are experiencing something called a PVC, or premature ventricular contraction, which is a benign (harmless) heart symptom.  You can kind of look at it as a jump start on a heartbeat....if you're a football man, "false start"?  Some people will say it's an early beat.  Make sense?

PVCs and other benign cardiac symptoms, like palpitations are totally normal with anxiety.  IF indeed that's what's going on, it is absolutely nothing to worry about.

PVCs are not always easy to diagnose as they occur so randomnly, without any kind of regularity.  A standard EKG will most likely not catch it unless you happen to have one while you're hooked up.  I've experienced them plenty (I have a heart murmur) and they are a scary sensation.  Any sensation dealing with the heart is worrisome to us.  It look me a while before I could shrug them off...and my anxiety was pretty much under control when I first erxperienced it.  

If you continue to experience symptoms, you could always ask for a referral to a cardiologist, who could probably easily reassure you with a simple exam, and maybe a test or two.  A holter monitor is a heart monitor, like an EKG, that you wear for 24+ hours...that's usually how something like PVCs are discovered.  Most liklely, none of this is necessary, but at least you know there are some options if you need some more reassurance.

Obviously, you need to keep working at addressing that anxiety.  It takes time to really get it to a manageable level.  Hang in there buddy!

[cj29]

Anxiety and panic can manifest itself in many ways in my experience with it.  My original experience with it came from my concerns about my heart health.  When I was going through this I felt every little pain, twinge, palpatation, twitch...you name it, I noticed it.  I believe we tend to become so focused in on what our percieved problem is, we will misinterpret every little feeling or symptom that we believe is related to what is bothering us.  I noticed muscle twitches all over my body during this time...probably from stress but I probably also experienced these before I worried...I just didn't pay attention to it.  The 'flip flop' and fluttering experience is quite common in my experience with anxiety.  We become so over-sensitized that we notice EVERYTHING in my opinion.  Do you have a good working relationship with your psychiatrist or do you just use him to manage your medication?  I only ask this, because from personal experience, I had a great psychiatrist that managed medication issues, but I also simultaneously saw a psychologist that talked me through my experiences with panic/anxiety and gave me the knowledge to confront it.  

[riicky92]

thanks for the reply

i no what you r saying im sure be for i started to get anxiety i had theses symptoms but never took notes of it but now every littiel thing gets to me

and yes i have one of the best psychiatrist in Australia we hit it of very good he doesint wont me on meds atm he wont me to try CBT i think it is first if that doesint help then he will try meds

[birdie0907]

Since the doctors say there is no problem with your heart, avoid the meds and focus on accepting their diagnosis. I had chest pains for weeks but after the ECG test came out with no problem that was good enough for me. The next day all the pains were gone. The psychiatrist is a good idea if you can't do this on your own, however it isn't that hard for most people after receiving a clean bill of health.
Everyone is different, however the solution to your problem is kind of simple if you can accept the diagnosis because enjoying life will follow.

[birdie0907]

You could try reading this book. It may halp you realize that there are many things out there that you can catch, but you don't have any of them.

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/0684856484/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=485327511&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0684852802&pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_r=0DXXVYZDDQ0BQE02R7JB

[nursegirl6572]

Very likely, you are experiencing something called a PVC, or premature ventricular contraction, which is a benign (harmless) heart symptom.  You can kind of look at it as a jump start on a heartbeat....if you're a football man, "false start"?  Some people will say it's an early beat.  Make sense?

PVCs and other benign cardiac symptoms, like palpitations are totally normal with anxiety.  IF indeed that's what's going on, it is absolutely nothing to worry about.

PVCs are not always easy to diagnose as they occur so randomnly, without any kind of regularity.  A standard EKG will most likely not catch it unless you happen to have one while you're hooked up.  I've experienced them plenty (I have a heart murmur) and they are a scary sensation.  Any sensation dealing with the heart is worrisome to us.  It look me a while before I could shrug them off...and my anxiety was pretty much under control when I first erxperienced it.  

If you continue to experience symptoms, you could always ask for a referral to a cardiologist, who could probably easily reassure you with a simple exam, and maybe a test or two.  A holter monitor is a heart monitor, like an EKG, that you wear for 24+ hours...that's usually how something like PVCs are discovered.  Most liklely, none of this is necessary, but at least you know there are some options if you need some more reassurance.

Obviously, you need to keep working at addressing that anxiety.  It takes time to really get it to a manageable level.  Hang in there buddy!

[riicky92]

Thanks nursegirl i get what you r saying and can now see how anxiety can cause this just at the time it happend parden the language but it made me **** my self and of cause when it happend i went to my old freind the internet and seen some crasy things about heart flutters and skipped heart beats

I all so have some sort of svt but have never felt this be for so yea but i got my nervs under control now i rang my cardiologist and he said it is ok but he is goin to run sone test just to make me happy :)

[nursegirl6572]

It'sd REALLY time to fire Dr. Google.  You're only throwing gasoline on the fire!  :0)

[riicky92]

YES im goin on a 3 week camp soon with no phones or computers so it should do me some good

[nursegirl6572]

GOOD!!!

[Pam]

Hi

In order to know whether you have benign PVC vs a more serious heart issue, I urge you get yourself a full work-up with a board certified Cardiologist - or ideally with an Electrophysiologist, who can conduct a what is called an EPS (electrophysiology study).   An electrophysiologist is a cardiologist who has additional training in the electrical workings (heart rhythm/beat)  of the human heart.

You just mentioned SVT which is a serious heart issue - please see a specialist as soon as possible.  Also, please understand that Holter Monitors are great for certain things, but unless you have an arrhythmia occur while wearing it, the doctors won't be able to see it.  Often the Holter Monitors are only worn for a day or so.

An Electrophysiology Study (EPS) would be more likely  to find any electrical problems you may have.  I hope this helps.

Pam

[birdie0907]

You have had 2 ER visits and they told you there is nothing wrong.
You fell to your knees and almost passed out twice and that was a while ago, so if there was anything serious enough to do that to your heart, you would have been dead within a few days.

[riicky92]

Hi pam

I hade a full heart work uo about 3months ago just not an ep study my Cardiologist and a electrophysiologist told me the svt woesent serious so i dont no

[riicky92]

I guss thats a good way to put it

[nursegirl6572]

You've already had thorough work-ups from your cardiologist, not to mention other docs, and you're right about the SVT, it's not always serious.  You're obviously continuing to follow up with your cardio, which is what is important.  

He'll determine the best test(s) to do to put your mind at ease about this symptom.  I only mentioned the Holter monitor to explain that some symptoms don't show up on an EKG, and something like a PVC has a better chance of happening on a Holter monitor, which is an easy test to do.  There are all kinds of heart monitors that can be worn outside a medical facility setting, from standard Holter monitors, which are typically worn for about a day or so, to wireless Holters, which can be worn up to a period of a few weeks or longer, and event monitors, which can also be worn for longer periods of time.  Your doc will choose something that is appropriate.

Don't get yourself overly anxious about this...there are many benign cardiac symptoms related to anxiety.  You're under the care of your cardiologist and have been checked out more times than necessary.

Let us know the results of the testing and what the cardio says.  Hang in there!

[riicky92]

Thanks my cardio dr thinks there is nothing wrong but he is still putting me on a 30 day monitor to se if anything happens but I'm just takeing it one day at a time

[nursegirl6572]

Sounds like a plan.  You still going to therapy?  I forget, are you on any antidepressant, or anything for the anxiety?

[riicky92]

No no meds ATM I'm doing CBT and in to weeks I'm goin on a camp with an anxiety grop for 3 weeks but if that and the CBT don't work then we going to try meds but I'm feeling a lil better day bye day but still got all the symptoms like the head an chest pain but I've been told it can take a few months for them to go away

[birdie0907]

The chest pain will go away immediately once you stop worrying about it unless you pulled a muscle which sounds unlikely. Many people live with chronic headaches so don't be too hopeful you will get rid of that problem, however your heart isn't telling your brain it is dying, so they aren't related.

[nursegirl6572]

I'm goin on a camp with an anxiety grop for 3 weeks

That sounds awesome!  In all these years, I've never heard of such a thing.  I hope it works, you're definitely going to have to tell us all about it.  Who organizes such a group?

[JamesAA]

Almost sure you're having PVCs.  Anxiety can cause them or make them worse but they occur in people with no anxieties at all.  They are a normal part of the heart's function and easy to understand...and the VAST majority or totally benign (normal).  It sure as hell feels like something MUST be wrong with your heart when they happen, but you can rest assured, that nothing is wrong.  Mine come and go.  I can go months with little or none, then have 3 week periods where I get hundreds a day...even as many as 5-6 per minutes.  Nerve-racking as hell even though I know they are "normal."  You're ok.  I'd say try to relax when they happen but I know that's WAY easier said than done. LOL

[JamesAA]

P.S.  Get a new shrink.  He sounds like a quack IMO.  All psychiatrists are MDs 1st and what you described is so very obviously classic PVC symptom.  Everyone on this forum even knows that and none of us are Dr's.  

How could he not know that?  Ditch him, if you ask me.  

[riicky92]

If it woes that easy I'm sure there wold be no such thing as anxiety

[riicky92]

I am not goin now as I found out I have a bigger problem then anxiety

[riicky92]

Thank you for the reply glad I'm not the only one

[nursegirl6572]

Sorry to hear that.  There's no way you can make it happen?  Sure this isn't your anxiety making you find a reason you can't go?