Long night.. need a talk-down

[MomPOM]

Had my cardio appt. last night.  He listened and heard the palps and saw the EKG from a couple of days ago and said that it's definitely PVC but since I have panic disorder and these are really upsetting me, he was prescribing Toprol XL to regulate them.  I have an echo scheduled for a couple of weeks.  He said it was no hurry.  After the appt. I felt great.  I was having less palps, felt like myself and no anxiety.  Oh and he gave me some Xanax to use at night to try and sleep when the palps are really bad. Went to sleep last night with my Xanax and woke up at 2:30am with super sharp pains in my chest.  They woke me out of my sleep.  I couldn't get them to stop and freaked so off to the ER with hubby and my son.  :(  I had two EKGs, a chest x-ray and a ct of my chest as well as two sets of bloodwork to check for cardiac enzymes.  All negative and fine.  They said I did have the PVCs and mentioned the beta blockers but said they really only gave them to people that were seriously bothered by them.  ME ME ME!!  Now, one would think I would be happy.  You'd think that I'd want to go to bed since we had been in the ER for 7 hours.  But no.  I came home, tried to go to sleep and had the worst panic attack.  I was a sobbingmess and all alone because hubby and son fell asleep. I just feel like I'm never going to feel like myself again and that this is my new life.  I don't want that for me or my son.  I'm going to talk to my GP about upping my Zoloft.  I've had panic disorder for years but it hasn't been this bad since it initially started.

Please tell me there's hope for me.

[nickppatel]

Try to relax. I know it's an annoying thing to hear, since I too suffer from really bad anxiety, but it seems like there's nothing here to fear but fear itself. Toprol can work wonders quick - took me a few days/a week, but it can help others sooner. I think it just depends how you metabolize the drug.

Think positive! and God bless,
Nick

[MomPOM]

This is insane.  I don't know what the hell happened last night but around 8:30 I had almost completely stopped having palps.  Obviously, with that the anxiety left and I felt so much better.  I stayed up until 10:30 incase I had to take the Xanax because I didn't want to be awake at 3am when it wore off.  But, I was hoping that the lack of palps would continue.

Went to bed and sure enough the palps came back.  I wasn't as anxious about it but it was annoying so I just took the xanax.  I fell asleep a little after 11.  Woke up at 1 but was able to fall back asleep.  Woke up again at 3 and fell asleep again. I woke up at 7:30 this morning when my son came in to wake me up.  I've had minimal palps so far this morning.  Of course the anxiety hasn't quite left yet so I'm not feeling myself just yet.  Probably so used to being freaked and wondering when they are coming back, ya know?

This can't possibly be the Toprol working already is it??? I mean, I've only taken one freaking pill yesterday.

[fearfactor]

I can tell you that when I was going through severe anxiety, my palpitations were extremely frequent.  Now that my anxiety isn't so bad they are not nearly as bad.  They only flare up around my period, mostly.  You WILL be ok.  Try to work on getting your anxiety under control.  I know, it is hard to do, and I still haven't gotten mine completely under control yet.  But, as you recognize the effects your mind has on your body, I bet your palps will greatly improve.  The Toprol works pretty fast; hang in there and let us know how you are.

[anacyde]

THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU!

You'll get through this.  You ARE okay.  All that's left is learning that for yourself, believing it.  And also letting go, realizing that you've done all you can to control the things you think might be wrong.  My huge epiphany came in the form of realizing that, if something WAS wrong with me, I'd rather live every moment of my life than waste it worrying it away.  That was huge.  It made a profound change.

Anxiety comes and goes.  Once you really get the upper hand, it can go almost completely except for a nagging low-level issue.

There IS hope for you.  Hang in there.

[alwaysmom]

I'v always had pvc's 1 or 2 times a day somtime nothing for months but the last few months were bad. I had the sharp pains that scared the **** out of me also went to the er. What a waste of time. It did go away after about 12hrs and a bunch of advil about 4-5 . I didn't think it would work but it did. A few weeks ago the pvc's stayed for 4 days about 6 an hour round the clock and I was so proud i didn't run to the er. I saw it thru and I'm alive to tell about it. I haven't had a pap for about 3 weeks. Nothing not even 1 a day. how strange.  

[Pepperliveson]

I have my good days and my bad days.  Around ovulation and menstruation, they really pick up.  It's been long process of learning to accept them and sometimes, I regress but I can ignore most of them.  If they really start to bother me, I'll "talk" to them and tell them that they won't take my life from me.  That may sound a bit crazy but it makes me feel better.  It's a constant battle and it took my peace of mind in the beginning but it gets better.  I hope the Toprol really helps you.  

[CollegeGirl143]

im so sorry you're having such a hard time :( but its great you are acknowledging and getting help for your anxiety disorder... This is probably hurt you more than the pvc's.. I know exactly how you feel, its like, rationally, you know you're ok because the tests have come back ok, but its hard to accept that because it feels so scary when it happens.. A big part of not being able to move on and accept the palps is the anxiety, its a huge road block.. once you deal with the anxiety, the acceptance of the palps will come..good luck! Sometimes counseling helps as well.

[MomPOM]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I'm trying really hard to keep it together.  I'm hoping the Xanax tonight helps me at least get a good night's sleep.  I haven't had one in days, which I'm sure isn't helping.

Have your palps gotten better?  Are you not as freaked out about them now?  I just can't understand how it can be "okay" for my heart to act so crazy.  I'll get easily 15-20 PVCs a minute at my worst times.  And when I lay down, forget about it.  It's almost unbearable.

I'm hoping that in a few days the Toprol will kick in and things will be better.  If I could just go to sleep without being inundated with PVCs I'd be more than happy to deal with some of them during the day.

[Pepperliveson]

Hi MomPOM - so sorry to hear that you had a rough night.  You will definitely be ok - focus on all of the normal tests that you had at the ER.  All the tests are telling you that your heart is strong & healthy.  The echo is just a precaution.  I know how anxiety can really take over - I have been there many times.  Focus on the fact that we all have PVCs, many of us thousands a day and we're still kicking.  These things are a nuisance, not a threat and they are so common in women.  You are not alone.