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Palpitations--PVC's or PAC's???
About three years ago I started to have these skipped/missed beats. I have been to the ER several times had numerous tests(dopplar echox2, EKG's,blood work,holiter monitor and worn an event monitor for 30 days) all with the same negative resluts. I have been told by both my PMD and cardiologist that there is nothing wrong with my heart and in fact it is probably anxiety. I took anxiety medication in the past but don't feel that I need to take it any longer. When I get these "skipped/missed"beats I get a rush of adreline--I can feel it move from the pit of my stomach up to my head and then I get very flushed--it seems to happen simultaneously with the skipped beats. Is this normal or should I be more concerned?? Is the adreline rush causing the skipped beats or are the skipped beats causing the adreline rush?? I can not stand the way they feel and I am convinced I am going to die. Should I persue further testing?? Or is this the anxiety that I am trying to convince myself that I do not have???
the irrational consuming thoughts that you are dying is textbook anxiety.. Heres the bottom line. As uncomfortable as these missed beats and adrenaline rushes feel, neither one of them is causing you physical harm, so its kind of irrelevent as to which is coming first, and there really is no way to find out..Palpitations can be really scary, if you want, maybe ask your doctor about trying a low dose beta blocker to see if it decreases the sensation
Hello SMC,
Did you have any of these symptoms while you were on the monitor? The point of the monitor is to capture the rhythm when you have the symptoms -- if the timing correlates, they are related. It is not uncommon for people to have symptoms from PVCs / PACs.
Is this normal or should I be more concerned??
If you symptoms correlate with the PACs/PVCs, you should absolutely not be concerned. It sounds like you are having a skipped beat and then having a mini or full blown panic attack because you are afraid that you are going to die. It is likely that "skipped beats" are causing you to panic and the panic is causing the rush.
The tough part is once people convince themselves they are going to die from these symptoms, it seems that a 15 minute doctors appointment is not enough to reverse this. We see this commonly in clinic and have some patients that are essentially disabled with fear.
It is also a pattern that peole with anxiety like this will keep looking for second opinions even after multiple doctors are assured them that they are ok. The problem is that we can tell you that you are ok, but it ensuring that you believe this is the hard part and I still haven't figured out how to do it. Some people have success with anxiety medications and some people may benefit from counseling.
I hope this answers your questions. Good luck and thanks for posting.
Is the adreline rush causing the skipped beats or are the skipped beats causing the adreline rush?? I can not stand the way they feel and I am convinced I am going to die. Should I persue further testing?? Or is this the anxiety that I am trying to convince myself that I do not have???
Did you have any of these symptoms while you were on the monitor? The point of the monitor is to capture the rhythm when you have the symptoms -- if the timing correlates, they are related. It is not uncommon for people to have symptoms from PVCs / PACs.
Is this normal or should I be more concerned??
If you symptoms correlate with the PACs/PVCs, you should absolutely not be concerned. It sounds like you are having a skipped beat and then having a mini or full blown panic attack because you are afraid that you are going to die. It is likely that "skipped beats" are causing you to panic and the panic is causing the rush.
The tough part is once people convince themselves they are going to die from these symptoms, it seems that a 15 minute doctors appointment is not enough to reverse this. We see this commonly in clinic and have some patients that are essentially disabled with fear.
It is also a pattern that peole with anxiety like this will keep looking for second opinions even after multiple doctors are assured them that they are ok. The problem is that we can tell you that you are ok, but it ensuring that you believe this is the hard part and I still haven't figured out how to do it. Some people have success with anxiety medications and some people may benefit from counseling.
I hope this answers your questions. Good luck and thanks for posting.
Is the adreline rush causing the skipped beats or are the skipped beats causing the adreline rush?? I can not stand the way they feel and I am convinced I am going to die. Should I persue further testing?? Or is this the anxiety that I am trying to convince myself that I do not have???
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