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Had my 2nd cardiologist appt today- i may get some answers now

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Posted 12/13/2013 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone! Checking in late (well its late here in Pittsburgh!). Had a busy day was in school all day then went to my cardiology appt now just getting home from work at 11pm! I've had so many tests done for my scary intense heart palpitations and no answers. Today, at my second cardiology appt, (a different one who looked passed my anxiety) he ordered me a 30 day event monitor and scheduled me an echo stress test for Dec 20th (my youngest daughter's 4th birthday!). He listened to everything I had to say , everything about the palpitations, and suggested these two tests to determine. He also told me that the info in the computer from my 24 hour holter monitor from my last cardiologist said I had 10 PAC's in 24 hours, it makes me angry that when they called me back with my results they said everything was "perfectly fine". I had no idea I even had those 10 because I felt nothing, I thought I didn't have any that whole time! So if Im having them and I don't even realize it, how bad are the ones that I AM feeling!!?!? This is scary to me )-: I also told him I was afraid to exercise when I used to ALWAYS my whole high school and teenage years, was I sports ran track was always worried about eating healthy, the whole nine. So if I do end up having some kind of arrhythmia which makes me so sad to think, I don't know where the heck it could have came about to a "healthy" 26 year old like me? Im not going to jump to conclusions just yet, but I am worried, and anxious about what Im going to find out! Ahhhhhh. Time time time! Everything takes time! In the meantime Im going to try and keep busy, well I don't have to TRY I never sit down, but I guess try and not think about something being wrong because right now I know I have myself convinced its crazy. Ugh.

Have a good night everyone!!!


Lacey
Posted 12/13/2013 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
L.,

That is great that he is getting you in so soon for your stress test.

I am sure that this is going to be the definitive answer that you are looking for.

If you get good results from that, perhaps the 30 day monitoring can be considered superfluous?

I am sure that your results are going to be fine.:)

Keep us posted.

S.C.
Posted 12/13/2013 6:34 AM (GMT 0)
Good Luck on your stress test Lacey, I was born and raised in the Burgh, haven't lived there for over 30 years, but still a Stiller Fan!
Posted 12/13/2013 12:46 PM (GMT 0)
I also had a holter monitor done that showed 200 PACs but they were not concerned about it. Apparently people have thousands a day and are fine. But like you I am still convinced there's something wrong. Don't be like me, if they say you're OK then believe them. I've had over 80 ekgs, holter x2, stress test, echo x2 and a myocardial perfusion study and I'm still convinced something is wrong. I don't know how to deal with the palps or pounding heart without freaking out. Only now I'm too scared to even start Zoloft for my anxiety and depression because it could possibly (big possibly) cause arrhythmias.
Posted 12/13/2013 2:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your replies! In the back in my mind I know I'm okay but still my anxiety still convinces me that something is wrong with me..I don't think that'll ever go away but Im hoping and praying it does. Also speaking of arrhythmias, I haven't been diagnosed with any, but Ive never had these palpitations fluttering stuff until I was on my anti depressant for about a year, that was a big factor in why I weaned myself off it also. The pounding heart also, I cant deal with. It freaks me out bad, Im always feeling my pulse and paying attention to my heart beat which makes it worse I know but when Im in panic mode that's just what I do and I cant help it! I don't want to go back on my anti depressant but I have no energy Im always sooo tired and exhausted even after I wake up in the mornings, it takes everything out of me to get ready. I want to drink coffee, I miss it terribly, but it's a 50/50 chance that itll either cause me anxiety or ill be fine and the risk of anxiety is not the one I want to take.Im over feeling this way, all of the changes Ive made and steps to moving on to get rid of the anxiety have backfired on me, its crappy. )-:
Posted 12/13/2013 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning,

I am glad to read your having more tests and once you get your all clear from this cardiologist I suspect you will feel much better.

I do hope your Dr. told you that Premature atrial contraction (PAC ) are a common and benign arrhythmia, a PAC is a heartbeat that originates away from the sinus node, which sends electrical signals through the upper chamber. It typically occurs after the sinus node has initiated one heartbeat and before the next regular sinus discharge. A PAC can cause a feeling of a skipped heartbeat. Use of caffeine, tobacco, and/or alcohol, or stress can bring on PACs or increase their frequency.

Your first Dr. should have told you what they saw on your test instead of saying it was normal which led you to believe they saw nothing.

Keep on advocating for yourself and know that soon you will be able to feel less anxious about your heartbeats.  For now practice some of our relaxation suggestions in our resources.

I have listed a few for you:

Self Help sites with breathing/relaxation exercises instructions

Panic attack relief exercises:

http://www.healthyplace.com/

http://www.stress-relief-exercises.com/

http://www.ehow.com/video_4405003_breathing-exercises-panic-attacks.html

http://www.psybersquare.com/anxiety/panic_relax_I

Free on-line CBT programs:

http://www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

http://ecouch.anu.edu.au/welcome

Stick with us as we care,

Kitt

Posted 12/13/2013 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much stkitt..no I was not aware that it was common or benign. I do hear that a lot of people have hundreds and thousands show up on their monitors and are told it's nothing to worry about so I guess 10 isn't bad! I definitely have a lot of stress had to quit caffeine and stopped smoking 3 years ago when I was 23 because of the anxiety(hey it was Good for one thing anyway! ) but I was afraid that I damaged my heart or my anti depressant caused it since they did start after almost a year of being on them. I hope that's not the case! Either of them at that! Thanks again for your help!

Lacey
Posted 12/15/2013 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hey as I mention on your other pose , it's def anxiety and in our minds , weird coming from me but , I had every test done as I stated as well as a cardiac cath look up what that is , that's the very last big test you can get , they went through my leg up to my heart to check for heart disease ,many plaque , etc and take pictures while they are in there's, I get PVC all the time sometimes I feel them sometime I don't , before my anxiety started I got them , but looking back it was anxiety all along creeping in , lots of people have PVC , it's just that we who suffer pay close Attention to them and it gives us heart palps as well , also your EKG tells the doc where the PVC is coming from and mine are not directly from my heart , its weird as he explained it to me , but I been to 4 different cardio docs , had all the test and they all say the samething , and I have had everything ruled out , and besides your younger then me , I'm 35 , don't smoke don't drink , eat good , and before this stArted went to the gym all the time , I'm trying to get control of my life again , and I will , I keep telling myself , god is a healer and sometimes he allows us to go through for a reason , and brings us out , I have to hold on to that and live my life , you do the same , and if God wanted us off this earth he does not have to try , he would just do it , anxiety is a force I believe that comes from something that was or is that has happen in our life , and we have to get to the toot of it and pray and have faith , and talk to our friends on this forum and just simply trust God , my son is 13 and was dx with leukemia in May , but I trust God and thank him everyday , my son is in remission and doing well , ... Take care of your child and live your life , you are way to young for this , as well am I ... I pray that everything is well with you , and just like before all your test will be fine.... Your doing what I did and that was chasing the symptoms , doc after doc , after doc , and what I'm leArning is that's what keeps the anxiety alive , I'm learning to deal with the anxiety not the symptom , trust me I know its hard , but I have to fight , my don needs me and I have to take my life back , I already missed a yeAr and half of it with this anxiety .... You may have to ho on meds and therapy for a while longer , its funny cause I was do against meds , but I'm coming to terms that I just mAy have to take them just for a little while .....how did you do on the Zoloft
Posted 12/15/2013 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for your input. You are exactly right with everything you have said. First and foremost I'm extremely sorry to hear about your son. God puts us through things to bring us out even stronger than before even when we are not given any explanation and we wonder WHY ME? I've been through some traumatic experiences in my life which brings me to why I think I may be the way I am. The most recent was in May on my 9 year olds birthday my 1 year old nephew now 2, that was in my care, somehow managed to get away from me within seconds. We were at a family entertainment center and minutes later I found him I'm the little pond unconsious,it is a pretty big place and I ran right to him I felt God led me to him. He was in iCU for 2 weeks on life support I blamed myself and completely Broke down. I have been so much worse ever since. But that was the latest incident out of a few. He's stronger and smarter than ever and came out of this like nothing ever happened. You have to be strong and have faith when times are hard and put God first! Sometimes I feel hopeless but then I remember God is on our side! So I pray everyday sometimes cry to God to please heal me. It's been a very rough 10 years of this anxiety. Since I was 15. I called 911 three times at the age of 15 having anxiety attacks! ...not fun. I'm only 26 and live very healthy. I wish I could exercise like an addict like I used to without worrying about what my heart is going to do! This is ridiculous! I was going to start back on my anti depressant this weekend (Remeron) but I thought I would try and stick it until after my tests with the event Monitor and stress Test. I feel as if that's what started these PACs because before the med. I didn't have the fluttering.. just racing heart. So I'm not really sure what I want to do... even though I know I need them. I'm only currently taking the xanax for the panic and shakiness. Zoloft did nothing for me so I stopped taking it...I was only 18-19 at the time of that. Lexapro made me a Nervous wreck. This was about a week in a half ago so once that left My system I was back to normal..my same old self with anxiety of course but not a crazy person. I couldn't even function I was so scared that whole time it was only 4 days too... wow I wrote a book! Haha I thank God I found this website, it has helped me a lot talking to everyone and hearing everyone else's stories! It's like daily therapy! (-:
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