Arrhtthmia and Paxil?

Posted By John on May 19, 1998 at 20:52:28:







Dear CCF;
      My Stepfather was once a department head at CCF, I know that CCF is
up to date on the latest info so here is my story.
      History; I am a 40 year old white male, 6', 205 lbs. I am a smoker,
2 to 3 packs a day for 20 years now, I drink about a six pack of beer each
day, Blood tests ok, chest xray clear, Liver function normal. I had a Thalium
stress test two years ago after my first Panic attack, which I thought was a
heart attack. After a year of suffering these attacks and seeing many doctors
my GP sent me to a Psychiatrist who put me on Lorazepam 4mg per day, which
stopped the attacks, after 18 months on the Lorazepam he added Paxil to the
mix, after about 5 weeks at 10mg per day, I started getting PAC's which again
sent me to the ER at 2AM. The ER Doc said my EKG was normal, but further
monitoring dit show a couple PAC's which he said were benign and although
uncomfortable they were harmless, and not a sign of Cardiovascular disease.
My BP runs around 140 over 90 and my pulse around 100. I can seem to go for days
without PAC's then boom, I feel a few. I was wondering if the Paxil has been known
known to produce PAC's and if so will they continue as long as I am on the drug, or
could it be a short term side effect. When I got my first panic attack I felt
a rush come over my body centered in my chest, I got to the ER just seconds
after the attack subsided and all tests were normal. But I had flu like fatigue
symptoms which lasted for 6 weeks after that first attack. and each subsequent
panic attack would leave me sick for at least a week. No MD I have seen has
ever heard of such a lasting effect from a Panic attack before, have you ever seen
this in a patient??? I deeply appreciate any advice you can give. I would
ask my stepfather but since I am not a calf or monkey looking for an artificial
heart, I will pass!
                                                    Thank you,
                                                             John Brisbin