Palpagations and Arrhythmia?

[collin29]

Hello, I'm 28 M, from the US.

This summer I had an eating disorder (I starved myself regularly for a couple months). I stopped when I started having palpitations.

A couple of weeks ago, I had what felt like a heart attack while sitting in class.  My heart was racing, I got hot flashes, it felt like it skipped a beat.

I have a history of anxiety, but I went to the hospital anyway.  I've been told that now I'm getting panic attacks.  They took an EKG and did some routine bloodwork.

I've had more spells like this, most recently after going for a run (this ordeal has inspired me to get into shape).  I don't know if this happened because I went for the run, or because I was afraid after I went for the run that I'd have an attack.

The EKG they took at the hospital during the first attack was "normal," I'm just worried that I gave myself Arrhythmia this summer while starving myself and that now it's being misdiagnosed as panic.

To be sure, I do have panic attacks (I really lose control), but I don't know if it's caused because of Arrhythmia, or if its symptoms just mirror Arrhythmia.

I don't have insurance.  I don't know what I should do.  This is ruining my life.  I'm begging, I need help as to figuring out what to do.  I'm terrified.

[paanda2]

my old roommate suffered from anorexia when she was younger, and now she has a valve issue that is attributed to it. i agree with kazak that it could be mvp, because of your anxiety diagnosis. it would require an echo to detect. it's sometimes hard to get a diagnosis when anxiety is thrown into the equation, because lots of anxiety symptoms mimic heart issues, and vice versa. i was first diagnosed with anxiety, but then later found out it was inappropriate sinus tachycardia, which i'm now being treated for.

good luck to you!

[kazak]

have you evere explored the possibility of a mitral valve prolapse which can be a cause  of regular palpitations and cannot be picked up on a ekg, this might be worth looking into and is only picked up on an echocardiogram, maybe suggest it to your doctor as mvp is often misdiagnosed as panic/anxiety

[ireneo]

It's tough to diagnose an arrhythmia unless they can see the start and finish of the attack. That's why so many of us have had to wear a heart monitor for 24-48 hours, sometimes an event monitor for a month to record those abnormal heart rhythms right when they occur.

You're right that eating improperly can throw off the heart rhythm. Whether your eating disorder for those few months caused any permanent damage, I can't say. As for the episode you had after a run, that could have been triggered by dehydration which will throw off your electrolytes and cause the rhythm to act up.

Sorry you don't have insurance. So many people are struggling with that right now. But only a full work up by a doctor will determine whether this is all related to panic or if it's a heart issue.