26 and Frightened

[Ezra3040]

Hello- I have extreme panic disorder and PVC's that come only in Bigeminy and only at certain times.  I rarely have them all day.  I have had all of the blood tests I can think of, two ekg's, a cardiologist looked at the ekg's,  and all four doctors and cardiologists say that I don't need to do anything that my PVC's are caused by the adrenaline in my system from the panic attacks.  But I read today that Panic Attacks can be causes of sudden death...I was like what?  Do I push an echo?? I feel ridiculous going in again.  Any thoughts?

[Ezra3040]

Thanks for the replies.  I appreciate the support, I really do.  

[hltyhrt]

i think I remember hearing on the news recently that women who suffer from anxiety/panic attacks are more likely to have heart attacks or suffer from heart problems. When I heard this I too got pretty freaked because I get attacks and I thought oh no now I have to worry about heart attacks.  But the news does go way overboard!!!

[whatayear]

WOW that would be one He** of a panic attack! Can you imagine!!! Im sorry but the news always hypes things up! We have had staph going around where I live for over 2 years and about a month ago the news came on with DEADLY INFECCTION killing people no drugs can treat .....and so on and so on! one person died becuase they never got treatment and by the time they did it was too late! so the news likes to scare people. I know the facts about staph and I cary lysol and make sure we bath every night with antibacterial soap becuase it takes 24-72 hours to turn into a staph infection and there are 3 antibitotics that can be used to treat it!!!! why didnt the news say any of that?????? I know thats not heart releated but thats an example of the news going overboard!

[Momto3]

I agree with deedle, can't imagine a medical reason where panic attack would result in death.  Be careful about believing everything you read.  The best advice I can offer is to find a physicin that you feel comfortable with, one that you trust and can speak openly with.

The anxiety of pvcs is far more debilitating than the pvcs themselves.  Once you have had a good cardio workup (which it appears you have had), the best thing to do is to focus on learning to accept and live with the pvcs.  In the setting of a structurally normal heart, they are benign.  It may help to think of them as heart hiccups.  

[finetilthree]

I actually read the same thing too.  I think it was on CNN health.  I'm sure it's quite rare.

[deedle1976]

Hope my post above doesn't sound rude. I'm almost 100% sure that what you read is incorrect ...it's certainly the last thing that someone with panic disorder need to hear. The only way I can think that a panic attack could be even remotely dangerous is if someone had a heart condition like long QT or something .....and probably not even then (you don't have anything like this though as your EKG was normal).

[deedle1976]

Where on earth did you read that panic attacks can be a cause of sudden death?