My 'panic attacks' were not that at all, even though I was the right age, (middle forties) and I could easily have put it down as a panic attack. It first happened one day sitting in the traffic on the way to school My heart gave a great jolt, and then went into a horrible tachycardia. I ended up in the school sanatorium feeling very stupid. Then it happened at my own school, just as all the pupils were going into assembly. The boss called an ambulance, and kept the whole school in assembly, while I was stretchered off to hospital via the back staircase. That time, and several times after, they stopped my heart I think with adenosine, and then restarted it, whereupon it would act normally for a while. The loNgest tachycardia went on for over an hour, and beating @260 beats a minute. Finally they decided to deal with me surgically. I was kept awake during the whole procedure, and it took a good few hours, over four. The surgeon threaded a piece of wire with a CAMERA ON THE END OF THE WIRE.l. Basically wherever he foUnd, ARRANGEMENT WERE MADE TO ZAP IT. I'm pleased with the outcome. The doc said he got most of the abnormal beats, and that there would a good outcome, and there really has been because I kept it down to an ectopic heart beat, and it never progressed into anything worse. The actual attacks were the most awful, I always used to think that my number was up!!. Apparently the problem in my case was congenital, ie. I was born with it, and it only reared its ugly head when I was middle-aged, although, with hindsight, I used to faint a lot, when I was younger, and I could never tolerate claustrophobic atmosphere's like that of a nightclub, or sometimes even church on Sundays. I dont see why your insurance company should have a problem with it because although not hugely common, it is recognised as a problem, and not a psychological one.
Take care,
M.x
Post Edited (marijo) : 6/25/2007 6:57:23 PM (GMT-6)