pvc?? heart palps from anxiety??

Ive been having free floating anxiety the last 4 months I would say just about everyday. Usually pertaining to fast or irregular heartbeats. This week I decided to get on meds to treat this anxiety and Im now on 25mg a day - 50 soon , Zoloft and 10 mg, 3 times a day of Buspar. I also still have lorazepam for bad panic attacks (1 mg). This first week on all these drugs Ive been getting weird heart flutters, or feels like it chokes or stutters for a bit. Ive gotten a few a day and wonder if its just my anxiety causing it or if I should have it checked. And if it is indeed PVC's , which my doc thinks it is. Is there treatments or other meds that will help this or will my new meds help these when they actually reach full effect?

[fuzzy882]

Hi
and Welcome,



Hi and Welcome,

As you read through some of these threads you will find that a few of these people on here have the same symptoms, like myself, I have dealt with these off and on for many years. It's that surge of adrenaline that causes the cardiac maniefstations.  But, to be on the safe side go get a physical to establish the proper diagnosis.  Most of the time a dr. will put you on a betablocker to help control the heart flutters/pvc's/pac's. Until you get your anxiety under control.  

Good Luck Elliemay

[iamfaithful]

I too have heart palps, but fuzzy is right, get checked out first and they may put you on a monitor and find out what's going on.  Then if they are still bothering you they can prescribe a beta blocker for the symptoms.  After your PVC's are controlled they can wean you off, it just depends on your cardio.  I have been on my beta blockers for almost 9 months and go back to see my cardio in March.  My pvc's are better than they were when they first started; however, I still have them on and off, some are worse then others, so I don't know when I will be able to wean off of my medication.

Do you feel the other meds are helping you?  I am only taking the beta blockers but have a perscription for Xanax (oh and I take Aciphex for acid reflux).
Hope you feel better and soon!

[Lil711]

As someone who had pvc's and thousands of them from my early twenties on...please have your physician refer you to a cardiologist so you can have a holter monitor (they are light and easy to wear, you wear for 24-48 hours and they record your heart rhythms) and also be sure you have an echocardiogram. Rule out any potential mitral valve prolapse or regurgitation which can contribute to PVCs. Probably you don't have any heart issues but you need to rule them out. Don't panic if you do, they are manageable!  I had open heart surgery six weeks ago! Would you believe I am up, walking 45 minutes a day, working, and going out with friends, so that shows there is life after open heart/bypass pump surgery! I had my mitral valve repaired, and they also learned I had a small hole in my heart (congenital) and I have had a lot fewer pvc's since my surgery. For a gal with panic disorder, who overcame it over the years (still can get anxious at times...) it was amazing to go through major heart surgery and not panic.  Also, IAmFaithful is right...beta blockers are great...I have been on a beta blocker for many many years. I am on metropolol now and these really help with skipped beats/pvc symptoms.  Good luck and you are going to be fine.
Lil711

[eronski]

Hello, I have been on Zoloft for 6 weeks now (the first time I have taken meds for the anxiety I have had for 25 years).  My first few weeks were difficult with some nasty side effects and one of them was my heart felt like it was racing, it was a definite upper for me and I soon realized I needed to take it in the morning because it was impossible to sleep.  I too was to start out on 25mg then after a week go to 50.  Because my heart was racing and I had other side effects I was told by two doctors NOT to double my dose until I have no further side effects.  

I still haven't doubled my dose - the 25mg has worked great for me.  I figure why take more than I need to.  My anxiety is almost completely gone and I have no more side effects.  I did have trouble sleeping up until a week ago but now that too is much better. I take Melatonin at night.  My doctor told me to take Xanax to sleep but didn't want to because that is habit forming.  Getting used to the Zoloft has taken awhile but I figure I can handle anything as long as it's temporary.

I agree you should have it checked and maybe wear a monitor to record your heart beat for a day.  You have nothing to loose because worrying about it will give you the anxiety you are trying to get rid of.  This way you will (hopefully) discover your heart beat is one less thing you need to worry about.  Good Luck - I hope the Zoloft works as well for you as it has for me!  Erin