Heart Palpitations

[Nicolina87]

Hi, my name is Nicole. On friday 12/05 , when I was at work I became slightly lightheaded and my heart was beating higher then normal. This experience precipitated what I believe to be a panic attack. My heart was racing, flushed, sweating, waves of terror, etc. However this feeling of a racing heart did not go away and the next afternoon I had my boyfriend take me to the ER because I still felt like my heart was pounding. On the EKG they gave me my HR was 117 BPM, the PR interval was 179 ms, the QRS duration was 71 ms and the QT was 308 ms and the QTc was 430 ms. I am wondering if all of these numbers are normal. The doctors were specifically looking for Wolff-Parkinson's-White because my father had this, so I am wondering if they overlooked anything. I definitely do not have WPW, as this is the third time I've been checked since I was a child. They said I was dehydrated. After this trip the feeling of a racing heart continued and on wednesday night I ended up in the ER again because of tetany ( apparently hyperventilation-induced) while I was driving. I don't mean to sound like a hypochondriac, but it was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. SO after all of this the feeling of the racing heart has gone down to somewhat normal. I am just wondering if all these things could be produced by anxiety, and if my ekg numbers are normal, especially the QT and Qtc numbers. My general practitioner gave me a prescription for Inderal LA 60 mg and xanax, but before I start taking them regularly I would just like a second opinion.

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

The numbers are normal but there is more to reading an EKG than numbers -- it is about the direction of all lines in the various leads. If you really want a second opinion, you need to go to some one that can read the EKG by actually seeing it.

Anxiety could cause all the symptoms that you describe. It is important that you determine if it was anxiety or not.  If you don't know for sure, every time this happens you are going to wonder if you are missing something.  Part of getting paste anxiety is learning what you feel like when you are anxious so you can talk yourself down (biofeedback).

I hope this helps.

[LukeL]

I am guessing you have gone on the internet and are now worried about Long QT syndrome. All I can say is don't do this as it will only make your problem worse.

[Nicolina87]

I'm not really too concerned about that anymore bc I realized there is absolutely no family history of fainting or premature deaths that were unexplained. : ) i'm pretty sure this is all due to anxiety bcwhen I become more anxious or panicked the feeling is worse. thanks

[tickertock]

you'll be fine , suffered from this for years, lexapro and clonazepam prescribed by my psychiatrist has worked wonders for me with no adverse effects. I denied getting anxiety treatment for years, was the worse thing i done, the key is getting the anxiety under control, then everything else falls into place, takes a while but well worth it.Most important IT is not a SIGN of weakness.

[Nicolina87]

thanks for your reply. were you also checked out by a cardiologist to rule out anything physical? I'm starting on some anxiety treatment now bc I also realized that putting it off just makes it worse. :-)

[tickertock]

I'm 44 now & from 17  was probably checked by at least 8 -10 different cardiologists, including one the best Electrophysiologist at that time(1987 & 1993) and nothing significant was found wrong with my heart(normal heart). I'm still very heartbeat aware(probably is what caused the anxiety in the first place). Symptoms included rapid heartbeats and PVCs with high resting heartrated in 100-120 range. I do take atenolol , cozaar and HCTZ for hypertension which is very controlled, heartrate resting is now in 60s, also take metformin for mild diabetes (controlled) lexapro and clonazepam for panic and anxiety issues( now finally controlled). I also take 1200mg of fish oil daily recommended for ankylosing spondylitis which is my biggest medical problem, but otherwise I consider myself otherwise healthy. Hope you feel better and Happy Holidays.

[LukeL]

I have been seen by at least cardiologist and probably more (any ekg or echo is checked by a cardio regardless of who ordered it)

I know Dr. McWilliams has said many times that if two cardios have checked you out without knowing what the other concluded and come to the same conclusion then that is pretty much what you have (or lack thereof)

[Nicolina87]

thats a good method lol. i have an echo scheduled for monday bc the cardiologist thought he "heard" something when listening to my chest.he said possibly mitral valve prolapse. i'm not too stressed, just trying not to think about it to much. i think i'm so neurotic about the heart issues b/c my biological father died from Wolff-Parkinson's-White at 25. so i think i have a subconcious anxiety with anything to do with the heart. :-)

[stevebudzz]

I have had a mitral valve replacement in Sept 2007.Both my leaflets were shot so the doctor gave me a mechanical valve since I 'm 40 years old.I was told by catherization scan before surgery,my arteries were clear,no blockages.I have AF and high anixiety,high blood pressure.I also now must take coumedin for rest of my life.I had HMO insurance from medicaid,but they dropped it in july 2008.Now I can't get my required PTI/INR blood work done.It's been since July when I last had it taken.I also sweat again and clamy hands once in a while.My ears ring loud.I have insomia which,a different doctor gave me seroquell 200 mgs and depakote 750 mgs.I endure alot of stress at home and have an attorney working on my SSD appeal.I haven't worked since my open heart surgery,but feel I should return to work,but without health insurance,I can't afford medicine or doctors or PTI's..My wife is currently on SSI and the government bases our income.If I earn more than $500. month,they'll cut my wifes checks even more for overpayment.What advice can you give me?
                                          Stephen Hendrickson

[Rob2008]

Doesn't anyone think she should be wearing a 30 day event monitor?

[cherrymoon]

This is a phenominal site. It is simply assuring to know that you are not alone.
I am a 37 yrs old female that woke up one morning with the left side of my face swollen. Reluctantly went to the doctor who assumed that I had a sinus infection. I told him I didnt have a cold and I thought it was an allergy, but he didnt agree and perscribed Cipro (antibiotic). After taking the drug I started getting severe heart palpitations. My heart would race then slow down as though it had stopped. I started seeing white, I thought I was going to die. The next day I got up I was still swollen, then decided to take a Benedryl, sure enough my swelling went away immediately. However, I foolishly
decided to continue taking the antibiotic just in caset. This time my heart palpitations were worse, with hotness as the heart raced and frigid cold as it slowed down. I also had numbness on the left side of my body with tingling in my left arm. I was rushed to emergency with all tests for diabetes, etc coming back normal?!? I came home hoping that if I flushed my system with water, (scared to eat anything ie sugar, caffeine etc) I would get rid of heart palpitations. However, I have found that days later it has not gone away and still happens after I have eaten.
The doctor at the hospital recommended an allergy test. They also checked for heart disease since my father died at 52 of "natural causes."
I am praying that this all goes away as I would like to lead a normal life, as I work on the road. I will have to start monitoring everything I eat and drink and become paranoid until I figure out what is happening to me?!? Why is it that tests come back normal when something is obviously wrong with not just me? Do we all have to die of a "natural cause," while experiencing these heart palpitations...
          

[meme30906]

HI,
I'm a 20 something yr old fm, who have been experiencing heart paps for while now.  In yr 2006 i  went to a heart doctor, n i haven't been to one since then.  He stated that i had about 4 pvc's n pac's n that he didn't want me to undergo any stress test or anything.  I went to the ER yesterday n stayied for about 8hrs only to have them take blood from me n EKG; blood work was ok, but they saw pvc's being thrown but they said i didn't need to have any further testing there.  My pvcs have gotten worse since my last cycle in Jan.09 i can count at 20 n more.  I don't feel anything outside of the skip beat,but i do have stomach promblems. Everytime I feel that i need to brup or pass gas it goes back up n then i feel a missed beat.  I'm trying to get back in with a heart doctor,but im a single mother of 4 n on medicaid n for some reason or another i think someone in the gov. doesn't want me to undergo further testing which i feel is why i havent been tested by the doctors here as i should be. I really need some insight on this issue as I may need to come to your clinc for testing.

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