PAT'S and Anxiety

[tlg0123]

I recently have been awakening at night with an overwhelming feeling of adrenaline rushing through my body then my heart begins to race. I have seen a cardiologist and was put through an excercise stress echo test. All was fine my heart rate reached 180 bpm and was sinus tach. No blockages were found and test was normal, EKG was also normal. I'am currently wearing a 30 day event monitor and at present the racing heart has been showing up as PAT's with rates up to 176 bpm. My cardiologist said that he would put me on the beta blocker 100mg Toprol XL to help alleviate this. The only problem is that I'am a 35yo female 145lbs no hx of high cholesterol, b/p normally runs 100/60 and at times even lower than this. My resting heart rate is usually 68-72 bpm. I'am an LPN and I'm currently working on getting my RN in school, my brother was recently diagnosed with Lung Cancer and just 3 weeks ago my 52yo sister died suddenly. Not to mention I am a mother of 2 ages 4 and 7. I have explained this to my Cardiologist and he still says that it is the PAT's that are causing my anxiety not my anxiety causing the PAT's. I'm concerned about taking medication that will lower my B/P more than it already is. This is begining to effect my life drastically. I'm waking up at night often as many as 4x with my heart pounding, feeling breathless, and shaking all over. It is starting to effect my daily life to the point that I shake much of the time during the day. I have a constant feeling of anxiety and adrenaline jolts. I have to do something, A just don't know what. Should I take the medication

[Cleveland Clinic]

tlg0123,

There really isnt a risk of frequent isolated PACs with your negative cardiac work up. It really sounds like you have a lot of other stressors and this may be where you are focusing your worries and anxiety.  

Although I havent seen your primary data, from what you describe I would tend to agree with your cardiologist. The Toprol may help with your symptoms/palpitations but will really have minimal impact on your anxiety so I would look seriously into ways of dealing with it.

Good luck

[fearfactor]

Hi there - I have had the exact same problem you describe.  I used to wake up in the night shaking and trembling uncontrollably with my heart beating around 140.  So scary.  It was panic attacks for me, and I did start taking Toprol XL 12.5 mg a day which has helped a lot.  I have low BP and normal HR too, so I can't take a big dose of betas.  I would really love to be off them but am afraid of the adrenaline rushes coming back.  I have a severe anxiety disorder for which I'm getting treatment and I still wake up scared sometimes, but if I lie there and think calming thoughts, pray (I am a religious person - I realize everyone may not want to do this) and try to relax and the scary feelings go away.  I really hope you find something to help you.  Take care.

[tickertock]

I have had these episodes of PAT long before before I experience PVCs( an added misery), I had them from time I was a young boy, they are very frightening, I'll be 41 in  a couple days, I too have taken beta blockers off and on since 1983. I now take atenolol 100mg daily in divided doses, I am mild/moderate hypertensive and usually have a high resting heartrate so I have to take atenolol , losartan and HCTZ for B/P control, plus to help with the PVCs and tachycardia.

Its is probably true that once you become aware of the fast heartrate and palpitations it triggers the anxiety, then in return when you get anxious it tends to trigger the tachycardia, regardless they both same to feed off each other, one thing for sure if you can ever harness your anxiety, you will probably find that you can manage the PAT alot better when you do have it and it will probably become less frequent also.Take care and good luck.

[gdeniseg]

I also have had the exact same symptoms and I am a 32 year old female.  I felt like I was going crazy and like you, I had LOTS of stressors in my life at that time.  I was put on 50 mg. of Lopressor twice a day after an episode of SVT and the medication has helped me tremendously!! I was not looking forward to being on a "heart" medication - but it turned out to be "just what the doctor ordered!" (ha ha)  I did have some extreme tiredness during the first few days of introducing the medication, but that quickly dissipated.   Since that time, I have done beautifully and never want to go off my beta blocker.  You will be amazed at how much it helps your heart racing episodes.  
Also, like you - I had low blood pressure beforehand and it really didn't change it that much.  It still runs about 90/60 and I have no low BP symptoms at all.  
My internest suggested that I might want to taper off beta blockers later and I said NO WAY!! I would be a mess without them.  He said that I was the first patient that had ever told him that!
Please consider trying them, I think they will help greatly!
Good luck and keep us updated!
Denise

[riley2]

When I have panic attacks I have found that my thyroid is out of the normal range.  I have been able to associate my panic attacks with thyroid and have talked to the Thyroid Assn. in London Ontario to confirmed this.

[dande4]

I also have some type of arrhythmia. My dr. said it is sinus tachy. I will just start to feel that it is beating fast, like adrenaline has been released and my stomach has an anxious feeling. It will peak sometimes at 120's sometimes about 150 then slowly go back. I get the teeth chatters and the chills. I had an event monitor and the readings showed sinus tachy according to my dr. I have been getting it at least once a month, sometimes twice for the past year. I'm 39 and can't imagine dealing with this for the rest of my life though I know things can be worse. I also suffer with anxiety and sometimes don't know what comes first.

Hang in there and know you are not alone.

[tlg0123]

Thanks to everyone that posted. It helps just knowing you are not alone. There's times that I felt like I was going crazy. I see my cardiologist this thurs. Maybe if I start the Toprol I'll start to feel better. I sure hope so because this sure is not my idea of living.
Terri

[gdeniseg]

Terri,
I really hope that you give the Toprol or Lopressor a try.  It stopped my nighttime heart racing episodes completely.  I have been on Lopressor for 11 months now and I don't think I have had one episode since that time.  
Remember that it will take your body a few days to adjust - you will feel sluggish for about a week - but it DOES go away, just hang in there.  
Your story of your symptoms could have been written by me - it is so similar - so I really feel like the beta blocker is the answer for you as well.  
Again, good luck and I would love to know how things are going for you after you try the beta blocker.
Denise

[454]

I too have the dreaded PVCs.  A few months ago, my doctor switched my atenolol to toprol xl.  I have mild hypertension that is why I was on the atenolol. Within the past 9 months I've had an ekg, 3 week cardionet monitor and and echo...all which came back normal except for benign pvcs.  I workout 5 days a week by walking and/or running 2 miles.  I too suffer from anxiety from the pvcs and started on paxil last week.  My question is my heart rate since I started the paxil is constantly staying low(50's).  I know the toprol slows the heart rate down as well.  Is this something that will subside as my body adjusts to the paxil?  I also take .5mg klonipin at night as well.  I am a 31 year old male 6' 175lbs.  Thanks.

[palau]

My wife had the same sensations as yours for over fifteen years, had seen many doctors, spent lots of money, all to no avail. Then she read an article in a magazine while waiting in a doctor's office.

She followed its advice and slowly started to improve. Basically,
she eliminated any sort of sweet, yeast, fermented (including canned) foods from her meals. Once or twice she tried breaking this extreme regimen and the consequences were horrendous. All the old symptoms came back, the racing heart, the adrenaline rush, the sleepless nights, the constantly open pupils.

Currenly she is fine. She eats no candies, no cakes, no pies, no cookies, no ice creams, no sodas, no sugars of any kind, not even grapes. She eats no fruits that might have yeast on them from sun drying. That means no raisins, no prunes, no dried apricots, no dried fruit of any kind. She eats no fresh fruit either because it upsets her stomach unless it has been cooked. She has eliminated all salt from her diet except for what she gets in bread and she eats only one type of bread and in limited quantities (Arnold Stoned Ground Whole Wheat - two to four slices a day, sometimes with a little butter). She eats no salad dressings as they will likely have vinegar and/or sugar. She eats no cold cuts, no processed foods at all other than the bread mentioned above.

She can still eat other foods. Steamed lobsters with butter, pork roasts, chicken, turkey, hamburgers (mostly if she cooks them herself to make sure there are no additives in them). She can eat any vegetable as long as it is at least steamed if not boiled. She can eat brown rice, wild rice, kasha, potatoes, corn, squash, broccoli, brussel sprouts, string beans, etc. Occasionally we go to restaurants and she can eat the occasional roll with butter even if it is not whole wheat, but this is not an every day thing. All her restaurant meals are without sauces so any fancy dishes have to be adjusted by whoever is doing the cooking so they do not include any sugary substances or vinegars or mushrooms. She eats popcorn on occasion, if she pops it herself.

All this might seem somewhat extreme. But she is fine now. No symptoms whatsoever. As for me, I eat the same way. Initially, I did it so she would not be tempted by anything I was eating. As time passed, I started feeling better myself. More energy. Fewer illnesses. I never experienced her problems, but perhaps she is more sensitive than I am and saved us both.

I do not know if this will work for you. But it is worth a try. You must follow the regimen without cheating even once for at least two months. Granted, this will be difficult, but it does not involve drug therapy, it does not involve surgery. It is a relatively simple thing to do. Still, most people will not do it. Or they will try it for a week or two, see some improvement, and then go back to their old ways.

They will not give up the "treats" they have grown to love. Cakes and candies are part of the "goodies" of holiday seasons and birthdays and the like. Truth is they are not "goodies." Truth is they are extreme "baddies." If you can give them up, you might find it is the answer to your problems.

[Boricusa]

I have had this wierd feeling happen to me a couple times now this past 6 months.I cant really put to words the feeling i experianced,  but I'll give it a try.I felt kind of like i missed a beat, then afterwards felt this odd feeling in my chest. I took a deep breath        
and it seemed to of disapered. Can anyone help me out?? Also I randomly get pains in my arms and my chest, not as much now as a couple months ago. Tho they still occur they happen in my left, right, chest, once in the neck. The random pains began after I quit using  methamphetamine. The odd feeling in my heart i have had almost as long as I can remember. damian_atx***@****( If you do e-mail me

[kcgrant]

Was the doctor who told you you had a sinus tachy a cardiologist? I had an internist do an ekg and tell me I had SVT and so I went on a calcium-channel blocket. My heart goes about 125 most of the time, i get adrenaline shakes (my hands especially) and feel very fatigued. AFter a month on meds, I thought, "why am I just taking his word for it." Went to a cardiologist who said NO SVTs. I told him I thought it was weird that my heartrate was generally normal when I lay down, but upon standing, it shoots up! Now I know I have POTS. Check out www.potsplace.com.