anxiety

[surfgirl]

half way down the page the "A" word was mentioned 30 times...........I didn't do a "panic" count.

[FLBrat]

excellent post tony.

I have met Surfgirl face to face, she is a good person inside and out.  She does not need me to defend her or talk about her because she is intelligent enough to take care of herself.   I will thank her though for all the time in the past two years that she has spent trying to educate me about my condition.

[SillyHeart]

I agree with you, va_tony.  I think some people have been cruel to others regarding this issues, but that doesn't negate the fact that overall the concept of encouraging people to seek psychological help for their anxiety is NOT cruel.  It's absolutely necessary.  The anxiety is ruining their lives and their health more than the PVCs are or ever will.

[va_tony]

Cindy

Many of us are not as cold hearted as you believe.  We are actually trying to help some of the individuals on this board by providing them with constructive criticism and useful advice. Patience and compassion only feign help and would actually be a disservice to them, in my opinion.

IMO, this thread is a rational discussion of a serious problem and can hardly be characterized as "attacking people" (except perhaps for heartfluttersawayplz's snide and ageist slurs).  

IMHO:

1.  Severe anxiety and panic attacks will trigger tachycardia and palpitations in those who, absent such anxiety, would not experience nor notice such symptoms. It will also lead to non-heart related chest pain. So the problem in some is anxiety and not caused by arrhythmias/heart problems per se.

2. There are those on this board who have been through a battery of cardiology tests and been assured by their cardiologists that their hearts are healthy and their palpitations are harmless yet are terrified to take a vacation with their family/children, hold a job, exercise or even (in extreme cases) go outdoors for fear of suffering a harmless bout of PVCs/PACs outside the security of their home. Instead they continue to post asking the same questions again and again as the years pass and remain afraid to enjoy life. Many of those have posted here complaining that their cardiologists have unjustifiably dismissed their complaints as being anxiety related... meanwhile regularly popping xanax.

3. People this fearful actually need the help of a trained psychiatrist and not the help of an electrophysiologist/cardiologist.

Regards

Tony

PS I am not implying that all those who post about PVCs/PACs/tachy are cardiac neurotics.  It's certainly understandable that those experiencing palpitations for the first time are anxious. The Heart Rhythm board would be ideal for them to air their concerns and receive the support needed to reassure them they are not really in any danger. There are also those with very serious and threatening arrhythmias who too are understandably anxious.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

thank you so much, we all have concerns and to each of us they are just as inportant as the others and we are here to help out not be rude and scare others off. God Bless you , the medhelp has done a great job been here 6 years and its helped me a lot. Barbara

[tickertock]

Thank you Cindy. Medhelp has bent over backwards to provide this valuable service. May you be richly blessed!

[Cindy]

We can only remind all of you that patience and compassion goes a LONG way!   Please stop attacking people who are concerned about their arrhthmias!!  

For the people with arrthymias - we hope you'll visit the new Heart Rhythm Forum.

Thank you ALL for your cooperation!!

Cindy Thompson
Med Help

[jmike1_]

I until now regularly checked this site daily because I thought it might help w/ some of my continuing problems to read others' posts and advice, and when possible add my own experiences/thoughts.  But in agreement w/ VATony (and Surfgirl somewhat), it is really hard to find anything on this site that deals w/ heart disease, but very easy to find posts dealing w/ anxiety.  Same applies to the doctor-to-patient forum - MANY of the posts are from people who have been thoroughly checked out, have been told they are fine, and seem to not want to believe it and keep asking the same questions over and over again.  Now I understand that PVCs/PACs must cause anxiety and concern and can possibly lead to a more serious problem.  Don't have them myself, but from what I've read it seems to be a serious issue that deserves serious discussion.  BUT, should it be the absolute dominant topic of discussion in this forum - not just a regular topic, but absolutely the dominant topic.  I think this ends up being at the expense of people w/ confirmed heart ailments looking for advice/help.  Again, anxiety related issues deserve discussion as well, but SO MANY times the same questions are asked/answered on both forums.  My main concern is that every post I see regarding anxiety gets MANY responses, but some w/ actual confirmed heart disease get no response at all.  See 7/16 (unstable angina) and 7/15 (persisting chest pain).  I've seen posts here by people who have had CABG and have questions getting very few and at times no responses.  But right above that post is a post of someone w/ anxiety (again, a real issue that should be dealt w/, but not sure the heart forum is the best place) gets a ton of replies.  But as heartflutteraway said, I have the option to not come back, and I think that is what I will do.  This site was previously a big help - Al Dente was always great for advice, but haven't seen him back in quite a while.  But now, I am honestly tired of reading about the same problems and seemingly having little to offer/receive.  Truly not a whiner, and really understand that maybe my issues simply aren't of big interest to many here, but I do have a confirmed heart related problem.   At least one person w/ confirmed heart-related issues will take heartflutteraway's advice and sign out because this bickering and lack of posts/responses for issues of interest to me.  Anyway, good luck to all w/ your problems regardless of the background of it, including those w/ PAC/PVC concerns.  

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

whatever, say what you want but i have heard different. i dont care if shes here to stay its ok with me, she can do as she wants to, but so can we . we can talk on any site about pac/pvc its all a heart forum. i hope ya have a great day.

[surfgirl]

Not only can I count, I can SPELL too.

[surfgirl]

Thank you, Vienna.  I only try to help people and bring them to reality.

[viennaustria]

        Well, it is really great you don't have to put up with her anymore. Since now there is  an other section of that board  as I see, for PVC sufferers as yourself. Good luck there.

        Take this with you:

        Don't forget our years and our age our mental and physical capability have nothing to do with each other…..actually sometimes…it can get better….
Surfgirl is a great example.


        Your sources about other boards are false.
  Surfgirl was is a loved and well respected member on that other board by all, that board AFTER ALL STILL RUNNING ! ....the idea of closing it down had nothing to do with her or anybody....so please stop the rumor would you?
You did this before, while you do not know the facts !

       By the way she is pretty too, not only clever.:)
       Just make peace with the idea that she is here to stay, she can give lot to this place,as young in soul and heart, a VERY knowledgeable fourthly looking fifty some…..:)I don’t think soo she needs help, as you suggested she is a type who can run her own life well also can be  good, healthy  influence for others.

       Have a good day .

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

lol barb on the calculator, your right about that .no its not aimed at ya or age its just go back read what remarks she has made , the med folks took lots of hers off because they were very rude and scareing others. i reported her for it and they removed them. shesa a ok person but when you say things to scare others its just wrong, age is a good thing, it means we are still alive. i hope ya have a good day .

[Barbarella]

Society and doctors don't help either when it comes to age.  I'm so sick and tired hearing from doctors the phrase "at your age".  I hurt my knee when I was only 42 yrs old, and the first thing the doctor said "well at your age it will take longer to heal".  We're reminded every day and these doctors and society want us to believe that we have one foot in the grave yet some of us including me are healthier than they are.

I know why heartflutter said that, it was not aimed at us.  Besides, we older folks know how to count because when we started school we were not told to bring a calculator . :)  

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

i might not be to far from her age but i dont act like her, she has a real problem with others who are scared and need answers with the pvc/pac anxiety. ive been there and i know how it is i just came out of 3 months of anxiety and belive me its no fun and i would never give smart remarks to others who are in need of help.  it seems she has come on this site to cause trouble, i have heard she came from another site that she caused lots problems and now is shut down , now i dont know that for sure so it could be wrong, but i have read her remarks where others have ask about pac/pvc and she tells them they will die, is that right no,  i guess shes got a lot of problems of her own and the only way she can feel better is to make others feel bad. thats really sad and i hope she gets help soon.

[FLBrat]

I would certainly hope you are making a joke regarding age, AGAIN.  You are not that far off from surfgirls age you know.  Time goes quickly.

Thanks to the powers that be for making the heart rythm board.  For the past week my heart has been wacking out wanting to beat everywhere but where it should.  Early retirement is right around the corner for us and that is stressing me to no end.  All will be resolved though and I can get back on track cardio wise.

[SillyHeart]

Va_tony that's interesting.  I've also been hanging around heart boards for many years and have seen the same thing you have: anxious folks reinforcing the anxiety in each other.  On the one hand, it's nice to have other anxious folks to relate to when one might otherwise not, but on the other hand, it seems to often not help at all, and in some cases just encourage wallowing.

I also think it's strange when anxious people are offended and angry when it's suggested that they seek help for the anxiety.  I wonder what the mechanism is behind that.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

wow at your age you can still count ?

[Momto3]

Well said.  I hadn't thought about the EP who is answering the questions.  He/she will likely deal with LOTS of anxiety-based questions and a only a handful of serious rhythm disorders.  But, it might clear up this Forum for answering more non-anxiety related posts.  Guess we'll have to wait/see.

Hope you are doing well!  
connie

[va_tony]

Anxiety "is a true problem and i think it should be addressed no matter what forum its on, if its pac/pvc this is the forum it belongs on ."

Unfortunately, the EP answering the questions on the new Heart Ryhthm Board likely isn't qualifed to deal with the subject of anxiety/cardiac neurosis.  He is an expert on the treatment of EP based arrhythmias. You'll just continue to have anxious (but basically heart healthy) patients talking to others with the same problem, reinforcing established phobias and neurosis. I've been posting on this and related heart boards for 4-5 years and I see many of the same hard core neurotics whining year and year.  Regrettably, many have made little improvement in dealing with their fears. They really should be posting on an anxiety board having a trained psychiatrist to answer a couple of questions daily and to provide treatment gudance and an occasional realty check for them.

[Momto3]

Lots of great ideas going here.  I agree that those people who suffer with serious arrythmias may get lost in a separte forum.  When I first began reading and posting to this Forum, in 2002 or 2003, the board entertained a myriad of cardiac related queries.  Today, its as though questions regarding pvcs, pacs and anxiety dominate a good number of the discussions.  That's not to say I don't understand the frustration associated with having ectopics...I absolutely do.

In many cases, posters have been examined and advised that the episodes are benign.  However, some still find it difficult to accept a benign diagnosis.  I agree that searching the archives is a great place to start. Then, if there is a new question, posting would be a great idea.  What about  a chat room/time for those who are looking for some extra TLC and a place to "talk" about coming to terms with a frustrating, benign (as determined by examination/testing) condition. Not sure.

While anxiety and cardiac anomalies are each medically important, treatment may be very different.  Just my personal opinion.  

Hope everyone is having a great day!


  

[Barbarella]

There are also other heart forums out there who have boards just for PVC's, just for angina, just for heart failure, just for heart attacks etc etvc. and the list goes on concerning the heart whether its benign or not.

The PVC board is with the "Heart board", and not the anxiety board, and nobody attacks other people's concern because they "only" have "benign" PVC's.  But like I said its a PVC board in itself, and everybody is in the same boat with mostly benign PVC's.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

is a true problem and i think it should be addressed no matter what forum its on, if its pac/pvc this is the forum it belongs on .

[SillyHeart]

Stevie, I agree that the search tool is way underused, as the same questions are unnecessarily asked again and again and again.

[stevie_wonder]

People should also use the search tool. You will find that there are lots of questions similar and have many different responses. While I have some PVC questions myself, I don't ask very often and I have used the search and almost always found the answers there. There are also alot of anxiety forums out there for people who have anxiety related issues. Google… Google… Google… We should all try to use this board for its purpose. It can really help newly diagnosed people.