anxiety and arrhythmia

[Trudi]

I suffer from severe anxiety from PVC's (which I have had for years and you would think that I would be getting used to them).  I have tried Buspar (which gave me headaches), and tried Paxil (which made my PVC's worse). I have also tried Beta Blockers and Calcium Channel blockers but they didn't seem to help much either.  Beta Blockers gave me terrible headaches as well. I think it is because I have naturally low blood pressure anyways.  Doctors here say don't worry about palpitations, but it is too late, I am terrified of them.  No amount of pacifying from EP doctors or my family physican will make me stop worrying.

I would like to know if you can recommend any anti-anxiety meds that a person could go which would not affect the heart in any way.  

Is it normal to have such severe anxiety that I actually avoid any situation that I have to be around people now (because my my fear of my heart skipping).  I also cannot sleep at night at all because I feel my heart skip sometimes every third beat or so and it sends me into panic.  I have constant butterflies in my stomach because I can't stand the feeling of the PVC's.  These darn things have taken complete control of my life.

My doctor is a a loss as to what to do with me.  Could you recommend anything.  I am hanging by a thread.

Thanks.

[Chelsea]

My husband suffers from Wolfe parkinsons white syndrome which causes severe palpatations.  It took the doctors so long to work out what he had, by the time they finally did he was having panic and anxiety attacks so severe he was scared to go more than 5km away from a hospital.  They prescribed Tambacor for the heart condition which worked like a miracle but the anxiety prevailed for about 6 years. We tried everything - counselling, chinese medicine, herbalists, homeopaths but he couldn't get control of it.  Then someone suggested a tablet called Aropax.  The doctor agreed this would be of benifit to try.  At first he was anxious to take it but after about two weeks of slowly weaning him on to it my old confident husband had returned.  He stayed on it for about 1 year and the incentive to come off was trying for a baby.  It was hard mental work to come off because he was so reliant on it but with support and slowly reducing the dose he did it.  I was extatic my husband was normal again.  BUT and there's always a but, he changed jobs while I was pregnant and mind you I was very sick throughout my whole pregnancy that the change and worry got to him and it returned.  He went back on the Aropax and I still look forward to the day where he can be the cofident person I once knew.  Goodluck everyone

[Comment to Chad]

God is the ultimate healer and your faith in Him is what helped you.  I am going to a healing service tonight because my depression and PVCs are acting up.  I have trust in the Lord that He will help me deal with my condition.  God bless you for sharing your story.

Kim

[tom]

For the person who thinks panic attacks come and go.  This might be true, but for most people with Panic, this anxiety is just as you discribe it.  Comes in waves which can build to the worst (an attack).  Don't kid yourself, you have panic not heart problems.  You did the tests, trust the doctors.  

Panic will find a symptom that frightens you and prey upon it.  When you get over that symptom, it will produce another that scares you.  See a theripist who understands panic and see your primary care doc for meds.

By the way, I still think something is wrong with me even though all the tests are fine.  I know it is mental, but this does not make it UNREAL.  It is very REAL, and you are not alone.  It will not kill you and you can beat it.  

Tom

[Trish]

Amen to Javier!!!  Loved the message!!!  You are a very strong , insightful and courageous soul..thank you for your touching story!!

[chad]

OK, this may seem weird to everyone, but my skippied beats have almost stopped and here is why.  I was having a skipped beat about 3 times every 10 seconds for about 2 days.  I had an EKG done and of course they said, "it's a premature hearbeat, you'll be OK".  Anyway, the skipping was worse by time I got home.  All the usual thought went through my head.  "I am going to die, I have heart blockages, etc."  Anyway, I grabbed my bible and put it up to my head and said to God, "God, if I felt good physically I would feel better spiritually and emotionally"  I am not joking, but I received a thought in my head that said, "If you felt good Spiritually you would feel better physically." And wham, the skipping stopped.  I have only had a few little skips since then.  I don't know what happened.  I am just surprised it went from several a minute to a few a day.  WOW.  Anyway, I am looking into breathing techniques and my diet as a way to cure myself.  Any thoughts out there?

[kim]

Trudi,

I completely understand your situation.  Please consider Mike's post because one of the main causes of my palpitations is acid reflux.  Other causes that I am absolutely sure affect palpitations are:

Stress
Hormone fluctuations
dehydration and in some cases over-hydration or drinking too fast
lack of sleep or restless sleep
lack of exercise
depression
bending over or stimulating your vagas nerve area
eating the wrong foods
eating too fast
many, many medications including ALL anti-depressants (yes, even SSRIs)

I wish you well.