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Have you had this symptom before?

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Posted 2/14/2013 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Hello,
I'm fairly new to this forum but I've been posting in the Anxiety & Panic Disorders section. A little background; I'm 24, male, 6', 274, have GAD, and take Atenolol 25 mg. I started the Atenolol a little over a year ago and just recently had my dosage reduced to 25 mg from 50 mg. My pulse resting was usually 90+ pre-Atenolol but my blood pressure was good. I went to the doc because I was having heart palpitations. I have had numerous EKG's, a Halter monitor, blood work, and an echo cardiogram. Everything has come back fine. I know I do have some symptoms that are completely anxiety related but the pulse has always been high. Lately I've been experiencing what can best be called "chest flutters". They are similar to when I had heart palpitations but I've only been experiencing them at night when I lie down on my left side or back (usually don't happen as often when I lie on my right side). I wanted to see if anyone here has experienced something similar? I have them when I wake up and go to bed but normally rarely in between. I acknowledge they could be a symptom onset by anxiety but other than that I'm not sure. It seems like after I take my Atenolol it goes away fairly fast. I don't have Anxiety meds I can take in the morning because most of them make me drowsy, which is quite dangerous when you drive a majority of your workday with clients...The doctor said if it persists we consider me going to a cardiologist. I'm in therapy at the moment and it has really helped my anxiety symptoms go down but this one (maybe?) is not. I just want to hear from some veterans of chronic chest pain because I'm definitely an amateur (only having it 2 years or so).
Any advice or suggestions are a blessing!
-Rxclusion
Posted 2/16/2013 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
Rxclusion

I am glad you posted in this forum as well as the anxiety forum and I hope someone comes along that can share with you.  Chronic chest pain is not a problem for me. 

Be well,

Kitt

Posted 3/18/2013 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
What you may have is pvc. Caridiologist will tell you they are nothing serious, just a skipped beat, or pre-beat. I know that they can play hell with anxiety. I have been dealing with them only a short time and have not come to complete terms with them. I am always thinking the worse with my heart. It is aggravating, sometimes makes me dizzy, but I don't know if that is from the pvc or the anxiety.

You very lucky if you only have them upon waking up or going to bed. Be thankful you do not have them all day.
Posted 3/19/2013 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
Rx,

PVC's are normal cardiac events that do not lead in the future to heart disease or sudden death. They're a nuisance but no threat to life or health even if they occur every other beat. Only people with abnormal structure or function of the heart need to fear PVC's and your heart structure and function are normal as shown on the echo.

Coffee makes PVC's more frequent in some people. Fear, anxiety and neosynephrine, may make them more frequent, as does lying down. Exercise makes them less frequent, but just during the exercise, not during rest after exercise. Moderate alcohol doesn't affect PVC's in most people, nor does smoking tobacco. Cocaine increases PVC's dangerously.


Well, I think the biggest change in life style you can make is to ignore the PVC's as not harmful but normal. Reducing anxiety will probably decrease the PVC's, but even if it doesn't, at least you wont worry so much.

Please remember I am not a physician as well as one of the members/moderators in the anxiety forum so keep on talking with all of us.

We are here to help.

Kindly,

Kitt

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