Heart Flutters/Palpitations - Anxiety - Health Anxiety help!

When you say "racing", can you put a number on that? It's possible this is supra ventricular tachycardia , or SVT (not as bad as it sounds). I had a history of that which would come on suddenly and last anywhere from a few seconds/minutes to maybe 20 minutes. My heart rate as best I could tell would hit 200+ bpm. Of course it was always back to normal by the time I got to the ER/etc. It was caught on tape in due time, and corrected with a medical procedure. The events GAVE me anxiety, and I still suffer from anxiety today. It can be hard to parse out real medical issues from anxiety, but I would want to hear more about any actual data you have on this one. Hugs! Very scary either way!

Well rest assured, my cardiologist insisted SVT would NOT kill me, so if it is that...you can rest a wee bit easier. It is very possible that your first episode was that. I will say that to this day, I still feel virtually every flutter, PVC, etc. I am extremely aware of my heart beat, thanks to those ugly days. SVT is usually extremely fast though. Mine was so fast I couldn't count. I think the time it was actually caught on tape, it was to the tune of 225 or so.

I'm in my 50's, and this first started when I was in my late teens. So I can at least say it hasn't killed me yet! I'm still quite disturbed by my flutters/etc (haven't had a true SVT since the ablation procedure done years ago), but have moved on to other health anxieties. Perhaps I would have been an anxious person regardless, but I blame that first SVT experience as the kick off.

As for triggers, I have many. I avoid Nutrasweet and MSG for this reason, but also too much caffeine, stress (can't avoid that!), GERD, etc. The heart "twitches" are almost unavoidable, but what you do after can learn to be controlled. If it does develop into a panic attack, you really just have to buckle in and ride it out. I found it helpful to remind myself that an adrenalin surge had been released, and I had to just wait it out. Once the adrenalin is in your system, you can't recall it. That part sucks, but knowing it will dissipate in time helps. Hang in there kiddo!

It would go right from resting heart rate to 200+! Once it happened while working out, but only at say 150 or so tops before the SVT kicked in. I am the only one in my family that had this problem. Anxiety though...runs through my family tree.

I am headed out the door, but will be back this evening to respond to questions if needed. I would only get these episodes maybe 3 or 4 times a year, making them very hard to catch and diagnose. I started maybe at 19 or so (I think I was in college), and had the ablation done when I was in my early 30's.

I think my cardiologist told me it was more likely to happen with a lower heart rate, so technically you should be safer working out. That said, I did have one while working out, and that was extra scary, because I was already out of breath/etc. Please know the tach in and of itself didn't necessarily wind me, but the panic that accompanied it sure did!

You asked how they stopped, and I don't think I answered that. For me, I would be going about my daily business, when I'd get a weird feeling, then BAM! 200+! Some times it would only last maybe 3-5 minutes, others closer to 20. When they stopped, they stopped suddenly, but took a few minutes to completely go back to normal. I could tell the "event" was over, but it the rate was still high briefly afterward. Once I had a doctor nearby who did some massage thing on my neck to hopefully end it, and that was horrible, because that one flipped me into A-fib, which was not at all comfortable. My heart rhythm was all over the place for hours!!! Not fast, but not regular...and I felt every off beat. I was admitted that time, and it stopped on its own maybe 4 hours later, and that was a good feeling indeed.

I had the ablation shortly after that, and it wasn't as scary as it could be. They told me I'd be awake for the procedure, and that they'd induce an SVT, and I would answer questions about it. That didn't sound fun! But the drugs were so good, that afterward I thought it had failed, until they said "no, we got an SVT, you answered our questions, and we were able to fix it". Hallelujah! I still get what I describe as the precursor...a quirky off beat feeling that lasts maybe 2 seconds, but it never follows through to the SVT. I HATE that quirky feeling, but so far, the ablation has been holding for 15 years.

Whether yours is a true SVT or not, I'm sure it's similar in that an electrical signal goes the wrong way/etc, and self corrects. What the ablation did was short circuit that wrong pathway.

I will say catching one on tape was wonderful! Even my husband I think doubted me at times. Doctors' first thought was disbelief. Surely just anxiety, blah, blah, blah. Having it caught was vindication!

Please know though that everything I read and was told at the time assured this was NOT in any way life threatening.

Hi all!!! I have had PVC'S since I was 18.. I am now 64. I used to get all worried about them, but learned to ignore them AND all was good. But lately since stress has once again peeked its ugly head, I am feeling them, and getting short of breath. This is worrisome... I also have asthma, so I can't tell which is making me breathless? Or maybe both are doing it... but I feel like I am gonna die. Scary!!!

Ramjamz, I experienced the same thing with reoccurring panic attacks within a day or a week. Weaning off Klonopin as side effects may be much worse. I felt my health was declining very fast but blamed other circumstances. I was so desperate. Until I started focusing on my health. I started praying and thinking more positively, believing God is with me with all my heart, soul and mind. Not always easy but it's worth it. I noticed you mentioned anemia. Started juicing. Beets, grapefruit, orange, carrots, celery, cucumber, apples, bananas, seeds, tumeric, molasses (good source of magnesium, iron and zinc. Lots of water and tea: passionflower (for panic attacks), skullcap, chamomile, tulsi (holy bail), Hawthorne. What helped the most was getting off GLUTEN. Had a "relapse" on that, and boy was it bad. Ask yourself what was the last thing you ate before the attack? Rice, bread, pasta, potato (although potato juice is good for my gastritis). Oats, fish, avocado, veggies, 3 oz of meat per meal, probiotic drink after prebiotic drink in the morning-- all very good. Manage boundaries and stress. Enjoying things while I do them. Taking magnesium baths, exercising, breathing to my stomach, naps, goodnight's sleep, limited social media and news, having a good time with peoole. I hope you are better, and I hope this helps. God bless.

Post Edited (GodIsWithYou) : 7/10/2017 12:57:19 PM (GMT-6)