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Avatar universal

Lon qt? Scared

recently went to an urgent care facility because of a panic attack, and my QT (assuming QTc, as the computer read it) was bordlerine prolong qt. I believe it was 440ms. I then went to several er visits and my GP because of chest pain which they said was due to anxiety. I had 3 more EKG's, all of which docs said had normal QT values. Being terrified still beacause of chest pains, I went to see a Cardiologist who was also an Electrophysiologist. He measured my QT (again, assuming QTc) as 465 ms. My stress test and echo were fine he said. He said I have nothing to worry about, but is going to order a genetic test for me peace of mind even thoguh he doesn't think itis necessary. . He said that he sees healthy people with this reading all of the time. The other cardiologist in the practice said he would not blink if he saw this on an EKG of his daughters. I am still terrified that I somehow have this disease. I insisted they put me on a beta blocker while we wait for the genetic test, but am terrified I could have LQTS 3 and die in my sleep. I have no history of fainting (1 dizzy spell/vertigo at 22 when I was student teaching, just having lunch, and then vomited). My family had no history of heart problems or sudden death. Do you really see lots of normal patients with a QT of 465? THat seems so high to me yet the cardiologists are unconcerned. Please shed any light on this that you can. I have read some very bad things on online forums where people don't discover they have this disease until later in life and they had normal EKGs. If the genetic test is negative am I in the clear?  I am 26 years old. Any advice would be grealty appreciated.
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Avatar universal
Well, somehow my Electrophysiologist on the paper for genetic testing put that my QTc was 499. I was never informed of this and called to find out what the deal was. The nurse said he had read it off of one og my previous EKGs. Now I am thuroughly freaked out and have made an appointment with Dr. Rosero in Rochester who is a long qt expert. I feel very confused by my current EP. In a letter to my doctor he says the long qt was likely caused by medication I was on, but I was not on any. I have also had Qtcs of 390. Any ideas on how it can go from totally normal to totally prolonged? Unfortunately my appointment in Rochester is not for 3 weeks and I am more terrified than ever to go to sleep and not wake up now!
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Avatar universal
Yes, based on your family history and your symptoms and medical history your doctor, who is a trained professional, "is not concerned" as you arent presenting with characterisitics of this very rare disorder.

One borderline high QTc reading doesn't mean anything.  The value may have been real (caused by electrolyte imbalance, medication etc.) or........ It could have been read/calculated incorrectly etc.  Since you have had multiple normal QTc readings, this suggests the 465 ms value is an anomally.  

Your EP takes all of this into account when determining a diagnosis.  The Internet can't diagnose you and neither can you but many websites make it easy for us untrained individuals to draw conclusions (usually wrong!) based on our limited information and understanding.  Google "causes of headaches" .  How many websites about brain tumors pop up?  The Internet is a powerful tool but full of worst case scenarios when it comes to health issues and leads to a lot of anxiety in those of us without background training.  Trust your dr, not the internet on this one.

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Avatar universal
I, too, have panic/anxiety disorder and borderline elongated QT wave around 440 and made the mistake of going to the web and reading about it on a Friday night before my doctor went on vacation for a week.

I kept telling myself that if it were something to be concerned about the doctor would have been more aggressive about it.

I went to a cardiologist and she said that it was borderline and listened to my heart and asked about any relatives dying young. Since it doesn't sound like I have the inherited elongated QT wave syndrome and that it's borderline she wasn't concerned. She did tell me to make sure doctors know so they don't give me medicines with magnesium and to not take magnesium supplements. I went back 6 months later and was back in the normal zone. She said just to be safe to continue not taking magnesium.

Magnesium was the only thing I changed between the elongated QT wave and normal.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for the info. I have no reason not to trust my EP. Due to anxiety, I have trouble trusting doctors now. My family is adamately against a second opinion because I have been to so many doctors so far. I guess the biggest thing that should put my mind at ease if absolutely no family history of fainting or sudden death. Both sets of grandparents lived to old ages, parents are still living, and even had great grandparents live very long. I guess it is juts scary to read everything online that says a QTc of 465 is questionable, and then have your EP act likes its nothing. He says that he sees it all the time. In the meantime I am on beta blockers, but sleep is still a very scary thing.
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Avatar universal
Star,

You received some good suggestions the last time  you posted this question.  Three comments:

1) if you have LQTS then generations of family members on one side of your family would have have had to have this syndrome.  

2) if you don't trust your dr who has years of training and experience in the field of cardiology, then please seek a second opinion.

3). Review the answers  to the recent questions by david2951. Like you, David is a male in his twenties, has had one borderline high QTc measurement, and multiple QTc readings that are normal, and has since had a normal stress test.  He also suffers from anxiety, is about to start beta blockers, and has been told by his cardiologist/electrophysiologist that it is incredibly unlikely he has LQTS.  In identical  fashion to you, he is scared he will die in his sleep of LQTS3 and is getting a genetic test for LQTS which his dr does not believe he has.  Since his symptoms, family history, test results, doctors opinions, and current treatment plan are essentially identical to yours (as much as can be determined over the Internet), you could learn a lot by reading the answers to his questions, one of which was answered by a cardiologist.
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