Power of panic, anxiety catecholamines

[LynnSB]

I’ve been plagued by skipped beats,tachycardia fordecades.Finally had an EP study,ablation 3 years ago.found one pathway causing 220 bpm tachy and apparently missed another one that only causes rhythms much slower (deduced by event monitors).I was disappointed after the ablation to still havelot skips but after about a year,I had about 80 percent less symptoms, even drinkcoffee now and finally can exercise without being terrified. After two recent back to back infections,inexplicable of salivary gland & viral bronchitis, whammo palps all day and night.A week ago began having chest tightness, super high blood pressure off and on(it's usually low)resting pulse 120 frequently,nausea.I THOUGHT I WAS DYING. Saw, on emergency basis, chief of EP dept. very well known & super smart kind guy.I believed he would hospitalize me. Lying resting pulse got up to 120-130, bp high, having PVCs,PACS. His diagnosis:  major panic . He said I looked like I’d been shot up with adrenaline.I always pooh-poohed that panic disorder could cause the severe symptoms I was experiencing, but after he calmly talked to me about my EKG and how I don’t have heart disease and my symptoms , how I wasn’t going to die, the physiology of panic disorder – get this. My BP went to normal as did my heart rate. I had been unable to work or shop for days.Going to clinic thought i was blacking out,left able to do work, shop, felt great.How can stress-and reassurance-have such dramatic effects on heart, blood pressure? I've been through so much worrying about myheart and this experience amazed me!

[Cleveland Clinic]

Lynnsb,

Anytime I see somewone with a primary rhythm change or even a sinus tachcardia I take it very seriously as sometimes there is a very important cause underlying the problem. Anxiety can cause wide fluctuations in heart rate and blood pressure.  However, I will only come to the answer of anxiety after look at the data to make sure that Im comfortable using more of a diagosis of exclusion.

The bottom line in you case is how comfortable you are with your doc. From all of your prior post I know your arrhythmias have caused a lot of suffering and worring in your life. It also means that hopefully you have developed a relationship of trust with your physician much greater than any words of reassurance that I can give you through an internet forum.  If this is not the case, then it might be worth looking for care elsewhere to answer your questions.  

Good luck and keep contributing to the forum.

[fearfactor]

Hi there!  I had an experience very similar to what you describe.  I had an episode of tachy up to 150 bpm and was terrified.  I went to the hospital where I thought I was dying while sitting in triage.  I literally started praying "God, please take care of my little daughter and husband..."  I thought I was gone for good.  Then, they put me in a room, hooked me up to a heart monitor and a nurse said "look at your monitor, you are just fine...your heart is beating so fast because you're having a panic attack."  My HR immediately went down to about 85.  It is amazing what reassurance from medical personnel can do for you - I think it's the not knowing thing that is so terrifying.

[tickertock]

Great question, been there myself on several occasions,  a reassuring word is like a valium and beta blocker combined, the mind is very powerful, it can cripple or cure you depending on how you learn to use it. Everyday day with anxiety is a battle royal, it's like being an alcoholic, you are never really cured, but once you stay away from the bottle you'll be fine, like with anxiety once you learn to control your fears mostly everthing else falls into place, if you give in to anxiety, well its back to the same old cycle. Best wishes to all.

[lisapep]

Thank you all so very much.  I feel like I found a group of people just like me.  I am now trying to get my anxiety under control.  I have gone to 2 diffferent drs. and after a physical was told that it was just stress. (they never did an ekg.) then this last dr. did an EKG and all is normal and did a 24 hour monitor and no call so al is normal on that as well.  SO now i just have to learn to deal with it.  But HOW?  if anyone can offer a website, tips, books on how to deal with anxiety it would be very appreciated

God Bless all of you

Lisa

[tickertock]

A book I found to very helpful is titled " The ANXIETY DISEASE" by David V. Sheehan, MD.

[SuperDub]

I'm an anxiety sufferer, too. A website I found extremely helpful is a British one. www.nomorepanic.co.uk. Click on the forum tab in the top right of the page and you'll find thousands of posts with very specific topics being covered. Hope it helps.

[susyeli]

I have had recurring palpitations for the last 2 years, since the birth of my son.  I am a single parent with very little family support and I am 40 years old.  I have worn a Holter and been to the ER many times and been told that they are benign palps.  I exercise a lot and am in very good shape. I have anxiety/panic disorder, have had many truly horrifying panic attacks.  I went to Europe for over 2 months this summer w/ my son, was completely on my own--VERY stressful!--and had almost no panic and very few palps!  Now that I have returned and am forced to stay w/ family(very stressful--dysfunctional and hard to tolerate) my palps are back w/ a vengeance!  I wonder if anyone has noticed that environment plays a role?

[fearfactor]

Yes!  I have definitely noticed that when I'm around negative people or stressful environments my palps are 100 times worse.  I am sitting at school right now (I hate being here) and am in hell with anxiety and palps.  If I were to leave right now and go home, I'd be "all better."  My palpitations are mainly anxiety-related and the place where I am definitely plays a big role in how anxious I feel.

[AnneBronte]

I am only 22 years old and experiencing the same panic attacks and fear "the fear-adrenaline-fear cycle"....there is a great book that I keep by me at all times, because it has the ability to calm me down. It's called "Hope and Help for your Nerves" and its by Dr. Claire Weeks. It really helped me understand what was going on, and almost described all of my symptoms to a T! I hope you feel better soon, and God bless!

[Mio]

Hi everyone, I'm from sydney australia, I'm 29 193 cm atlethic black belts in few different martial arts and I have same problem with panic attacks I have been to hospital few times did holter test, ecg, blood tests, adrenaline tests...  everything is fine  , i get tight chest, choking, short of breath... it's terrible, it all started when my brother died, first was only at night I hated going home and going to bed I just culd not sleep, but last 2 months I'm ok at night but not durig a day it comes and ghoes, but ther's something that can help and its natural. Drink COWSLIP TEA 3 times a day and take RESCUE REMEDY drops at least 4 times a day and you'll feel the difference straight away , god bless and don't worry this has to stop someday (I hope)can't go forever.

[twitch25]

hello,
im a 25 year old from england where i still live and from reading all your comments i realise this is probably a world wide problem. ive always been a nervous person but a couple of years ago i had a major panick attack and from then on all my anxiety focused on my heart. im not sure what your doctors are like over there but here with our crappy weather and everyone being dramatic about there health the doctors here are used to dealing with anxiety and depression appart from they wont send you for all the tests you guys get so basicly there not much help! what im trying to say is, thank god we have each other!one thing that bothers me though is this tachyardia thing? ive only just come to terms that the rushing to hospital with a pulse of 170 wont kill me but then i read that it can be dangerous so now im freaked out again! can anyone tell me what it is and if its dangeroud and how you know if youve got it please? many thaks x

[arjsg2]

I too have had anxiety for years.  It may be misleading when people say you need to "control" your anxiety.  It turns out that the key is to let go of control.  Anxiety often occurs because a person is trying to take control of their own body functions, mainly by consciously or subconsciously trying to control their breathing.  Just letting your body run itself, instead of thinking you can control it, is the real key to overcoming anxiety.  (For example, if you were to pass out due to hyperventilation, your body would automatically continue functioning, your heart would beat regularly, and your breathing would become automatic while you were unconscious). Breathing exercises, visualization, and meditation are all useful in helping to allow your conscious mind to give up control of your body and to help you overcome anxiety.  

A very good technique when anxiety starts is to lay your right hand on your abdomen just below your navel, and your left hand on your diaphragm. Then concentrate on your hands as your natural breathing moves them out and in.  Another useful technique is to visualize yourself falling and learn to go with the fall rather than fighting it.  This is just one example of a technique that allows you to mentally give up control.  There are many ways to accomplish this.  Just keep in mind you will need to learn some techniques and practice them daily.

And if the mind can cause such severe symptoms, it can also be harnessed to produce positive healing effects. There is really no mystery here.  Mind/body healing can be understood from a scientific perspective.  Mind/body healing works by modulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The autonomic nervous system, which is heavily influenced by conscious thoughts, can cause numerous physical and biochemical changes in the body, including heart rhythm variations, adrenal hormone secretion, digestive distress and acid secretion, and many other effects.  On the other side of the spectrum, the ANS can be harnessed to produce relaxation and more positive physiological function , leading to healing.

[reni1]

hi there, i am 35 and i have been dealing with skipped beats and racing with a pause and having to take a breath, for 8 years. They started when I was going through a terrible divorce.  Stress can cause a lot of things I know that.  Anxiety can cause much more.  I have had an Echo, Stress Echo, Stress Test, EKG, CT scans, Blood work of all kinds.  At times when things had occured, my Potassium was low, or my Magnesium was low.  With your heart rate being so high, it could be anxiety.  I know you can get focused on your heart, I have been for years thinking bad thoughts of doom and dying.  I have not worked in 1 1/2 years and I miss it.  I worked in the Operating Room for 5 years and loved it.  Anything from taking off finger nails to Open Heart Surgery.  Anyway, if you are not satisfied with the answers you get, get a second opinion and don't mention anxiety to him, let him figure it out.  ALSO, BIG IMPORTANT THING THEY FOUND WITH ME ( My thyroid was out of wack )  I am hypothyroid which can cause, weight gain, tiredness, anxiety, depression, alot of things.  I would suggest just because I have been through alot, BLOOD WORK:  CBC, Metabolic panel, (TSH, Free T3, Free T4 this is thyroid workup).  I know it is hard to just believe and go on, because they are no the ones feeling anything or having to live with it. Sorry so long, Good Luck and write anytime.  God Bless