Can somebody please talk to me?

[jsuter69]

I'm feeling really scared right now, just about 3hrs ago I was watching television,relaxing and I sat up and a second later my heart started beating real funny,I really couldn't tell what it was doing,all I know is that it had NO rhythm,it felt like it was trying to stop, it felt really slow and irregular,and I felt like I was going to faint, or like I was going to die, it was extremely scary and than after what "felt" like an eternity it started beating faster and more "regular"...the fainting like feeling subsided but the threat of this happening to me again, is REALLY scaring me...I have been diagnosed with PVC's, PAC's and SVT, but not sure if this was any of that....I did call my cardiologist and I spoke to his P.A, the P.A just said if this happens again, go to the hospital, and if not call the doctors office on Monday morning.....Monday feels so far away....especially to being this scared.....has ANYBODY ever felt anything like what I described??
BTW, during this "episode" I had this feeling like I wasn't getting any oxygen, I started to get scared and my heart started racing and my palms turned all clammy, probably a panic attack, but the feeling of "lack of oxygen"...that was soooo scary......

[Zachs]

NSVT (Non-Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia) is hard to know if it has occured. It really needs to be caught on a EKG to really know that was the case. SVT can be confused with NSVT, where SVT originates in the atria, where NSVT does not. I can say the NSVT may feel different for you than for me as well.  Zach

[jsuter69]

THANK YOU THANK YOU, for your bit of advice,I'll ceratinly be trying those exercises, I hope I can remember to do that instead of my normal reaction, freaking out! It's what I do best, I wish I could remain calm but that stupid "fight or flight" response never lets me down....first thing I always want to do is grab my phone and call 911, I swear I feel like I'm close to death, like one more second and my heart is finished, kaphooey, finito(sp) see you later alligator, adios amigo, I'm sure you know the routine, but right now I'm feeling fine but this stupid heart of mine is SOOOO unpredictable, 5 minutes from now I could be sitting here shaking in bed, hearts racing and skipping,palms are sweaty, and I'm wondering if I'm needing to call an EMT, is my health really at stake here...or is this really benign,non threatening stuff I'm dealing with? Wish it was "just a skip"....but it's never that simple, with one skip comes another or a pause or erratic beats, fast, slow, skipping and pausing, you name it, I feel it....
Sorry about all of that, but I'm really going to try "what the doctor ordered"....hugging and coughing.... I'm willing to try anything...I need more prayer in my life, I definitely believe!

[jsuter69]

Red-I understand your sleep apnea, my boyfriend stops breathing 45x an hr, really hard to believe, I'm glad your surgery worked for you, my b/f is wanting to do the same, so is it your heart med that is giving you bradycardia? I totally understand the sleep "insomnia" part,I'm actually tired but scared to sleep, I fight it, I hate feeling them in my dreams, I hate waking up with them and I even feeling them shortly after waking up....makes me NOT want to fall alseep and when I finally do, I'm scared about even starting my day....I wish you well....glad we are ALL here for eachother, we are a strange little family....lol...hope your doctors visit goes well!
Carey01-Omgosh! It's absolutely unreal just how many people there that are just like ME! I can start off with a shower, stand in front of my mirror, start blow drying my hair,humming or watching the latest "Ruby" segment that I taped,feeling really good about life in general and....WHAM! My legs and my heart start to feel funny, I feel weak, and I know that I'm going to start having my lovely erratic heart rhythms,I feel disgusted, because I always LET them win, my day is ruined and I focus the rest of the day on my heart, my b/f notices,he always says what's wrong with you, you were acting all happy and talkitive and now you're acting depressed, and I just start acting all quiet, makes me so mad because I'm not a quiet person, wish there was a magic pill we could ALL take that would solve ALL our issues....God Bless and Take Care!
Zachs-Thanks for the feedback, this heart issue makes you feel so alone, I can talk to some of my friends about this but they just look at me, some with a sad puppy dog face,others with a wide eyed look that says" I'm listening,but I have this dear caught in the head lights look for a reason, I have absolutely no idea what you are saying,but I'm listening"...lol...I like feedback, it gives me a sense of security, because when my hearts skipping and pausing, beating stupidly, and my palms are sweaty from fright, I just need some reassurance that I'm going to make it through this, it's really scary especially when I'm home alone....btw,what's NSVT? And what's it feel like? The exercise part is what gets to me, I really really want to tone up and to lift weights,but when I lift it feels like I'm strainning my heart, it feels like my heart wants to give out on me, it's crazy because I WANT to work out, I'm just to scared it'll be the death of me....

[JaynesInPain]

For what it's worth...when I experienced erratic heart beats & went to ER, cardiologist said when that happens to wrap my arms around myself (as if hugging yourself) and then cough a medium strength cough- 3 times in a row.  Then release & relax & focus on slow breathing.  He said this can reset the heart beat.  Also he explained that when our heart does that & it scares us, it triggers the adrenal gland to produce hormones that can make symptoms worse.  So focusing on doing the hugging & coughing will distract us long enough to interfere with signaling the adrenal gland.  Pretty simple I know, but I tried it and it really did help.  Can't hurt.  So maybe give it a try.  Feel better.

[Zachs]

I hope you're feeling better. :)  I have many of the same symptoms you experience. Who knows which specific abormal beating is occuring at the time we feel it but they are scary has heck!

I can tell you I've delt with these annoying things since I first started feeling them shortly after I got married at 19. I had consistent bigeminy (every other beat pvc) every time I went to go lay down to rest, go to bed, etc. Then a few years later ran into runs of heavy beats with no specific rhythm (NSVT), and then panic attacks steming from obsessing why do I feel these things, which made it so much worse.  My heart issues have basically turned me into a prude, and I'm afraid to over exert myself because I'm afraid of falling over from a heart attack and dying.

I have to admit that medhelp has helped me out quite a bit. Really, just understanding the benign condition(s) I may experience and learning others' coping mechanisms to put these sensations at bay. I know that I will not be totally 'cured' of these sensations, of course, we are human beings. Sometimes I feel knowledge is a double edged sword when it comes to health realated anxiety because if we don't know certain things we wouldn't obsess, but then needing the knowledge to cope. Hope this helps ya out. Zach

[Carey01]

I know how you feel too.  Yesterday was my 41st birthday.  My husband and I were going to get a pizza and salad and have a nice relaxing evening at home.  When he left to get dinner I went in the bathtub to relax and WHAM -- out of the blue, perfectly relaxed I got a run of skipped beats.  The rhythm felt way out of sync and  I actually got shooting pains with it.  IT lasted about maybe 15 -20 seconds but it ruined the rest of my night.  AND Im not going to work this morning.  Thankfully Im self employed  but I tell you what -- when I get the runs of theses   things I cant function well for days.  I just sit in wait of another bout coming.SO believe me, I know how you feel! :(