Sheilia01
12-15-2003, 01:25 PM
Just wondering if anyone has been diagosed with psvt? If you have...do you have panic attack symptoms with it? I guess I am just trying to find out if that is what I experienced. About 2-3 weeks ago, my heart did a thud type of thing,..my heart began to race so fast I don't think I could even count it. During the racing, I was in a panic state. After 20 minutes or so, my heart did another thud, then the racing stopped and the panic ended...just as quickly as it came on. I have read MANY aticles where PSVT is mistaken for panic attacks 'cause they have the same symptoms. The same thing happened to me about 6 months ago also. Only I bent down to pick something up, my heart did a thud, raced, panic etc... If you have been diagnosed with this...is there a treatment..do you just live with it or what? About a week before this last episode, I had worn the monitor, bloodwork, ekg's etc.. because my heart was skipping, fluttering etc.. more than usual. Everything came back normal. BUT..this happened after the test. Please help me out here someone. How could this be caught on a monitor when it happens so infrequently? (6 months apart) Thanks in advance : )
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Machaon
12-15-2003, 02:24 PM
I had the exact same problem many years ago. During the first "thud type of thing" I would feel like I was going to pass out. It was like my heart would stop beating for a second, and then BAM! I never got a panic attack with it. I found out that cigarette smoke was the main cause of mine kicking off. BUt, there are also many other things that cause my heart to go nuts.
During my tachycardia, my heart would beat a constant 160 beats per minute, and I would sweat more during the tachycardia, and feel light headed and tired. It would do it for a while, sometimes up to an hour, and then suddenly stop.
I found out a way to stop the tachycardia, and it worked for me for about twenty years until one day, after a bad cold, I felt that first "thud type of thing" and then my heart went into the 160bpm tachycardia, but then it never stopped. I take heart meds to control it now.
How I got my tachycardia to stop was, I would lie down on my back and relax. I would take a deep breath, hold it for a second, and then very slowly let it out all the way. Then I would repeat this over and over again until finally, I would feel that second "thud type of thing" and the tachycardia would stop. I once did this in a parking lot, and it worked there. Not fun, but it worked.
Hope this helps.
During my tachycardia, my heart would beat a constant 160 beats per minute, and I would sweat more during the tachycardia, and feel light headed and tired. It would do it for a while, sometimes up to an hour, and then suddenly stop.
I found out a way to stop the tachycardia, and it worked for me for about twenty years until one day, after a bad cold, I felt that first "thud type of thing" and then my heart went into the 160bpm tachycardia, but then it never stopped. I take heart meds to control it now.
How I got my tachycardia to stop was, I would lie down on my back and relax. I would take a deep breath, hold it for a second, and then very slowly let it out all the way. Then I would repeat this over and over again until finally, I would feel that second "thud type of thing" and the tachycardia would stop. I once did this in a parking lot, and it worked there. Not fun, but it worked.
Hope this helps.
Sheilia01
12-15-2003, 02:56 PM
I had the exact same problem many years ago. During the first "thud type of thing" I would feel like I was going to pass out. It was like my heart would stop beating for a second, and then BAM! I never got a panic attack with it. I found out that cigarette smoke was the main cause of mine kicking off. BUt, there are also many other things that cause my heart to go nuts.
During my tachycardia, my heart would beat a constant 160 beats per minute, and I would sweat more during the tachycardia, and feel light headed and tired. It would do it for a while, sometimes up to an hour, and then suddenly stop.
I found out a way to stop the tachycardia, and it worked for me for about twenty years until one day, after a bad cold, I felt that first "thud type of thing" and then my heart went into the 160bpm tachycardia, but then it never stopped. I take heart meds to control it now.
How I got my tachycardia to stop was, I would lie down on my back and relax. I would take a deep breath, hold it for a second, and then very slowly let it out all the way. Then I would repeat this over and over again until finally, I would feel that second "thud type of thing" and the tachycardia would stop. I once did this in a parking lot, and it worked there. Not fun, but it worked.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for your reply...were you diagnosed with PSVT... or just SVT or something? I wonder if not everyone who has this, experiences the panic attack during it. I went to google search and typed in PSVT and panic attacks..I couldn't believe all the articles on it. All of them said it's NOT life threatening.I drove myself to the ER during my episode. Of course as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I felt the other thud and it stopped racing. I went into the er anyway. They hooked me to the EKG machine..said e'thing was fine. They told me they had no idea what type of tachycardia it could have been because it wasn't caught on tape. I remember when it was happening that my chest felt light and airy (don't know how to explain). What med. do you take for it? Was it happening all the time? They say the PVST stands for "paroxysmal supraventricle tachycardia"..which means, fast heart rate but not all the time.I find myself, always waiting and wondering when the next episode is going to happen and wonder "what it" it doesn't stop on it's own next time :(
During my tachycardia, my heart would beat a constant 160 beats per minute, and I would sweat more during the tachycardia, and feel light headed and tired. It would do it for a while, sometimes up to an hour, and then suddenly stop.
I found out a way to stop the tachycardia, and it worked for me for about twenty years until one day, after a bad cold, I felt that first "thud type of thing" and then my heart went into the 160bpm tachycardia, but then it never stopped. I take heart meds to control it now.
How I got my tachycardia to stop was, I would lie down on my back and relax. I would take a deep breath, hold it for a second, and then very slowly let it out all the way. Then I would repeat this over and over again until finally, I would feel that second "thud type of thing" and the tachycardia would stop. I once did this in a parking lot, and it worked there. Not fun, but it worked.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for your reply...were you diagnosed with PSVT... or just SVT or something? I wonder if not everyone who has this, experiences the panic attack during it. I went to google search and typed in PSVT and panic attacks..I couldn't believe all the articles on it. All of them said it's NOT life threatening.I drove myself to the ER during my episode. Of course as soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I felt the other thud and it stopped racing. I went into the er anyway. They hooked me to the EKG machine..said e'thing was fine. They told me they had no idea what type of tachycardia it could have been because it wasn't caught on tape. I remember when it was happening that my chest felt light and airy (don't know how to explain). What med. do you take for it? Was it happening all the time? They say the PVST stands for "paroxysmal supraventricle tachycardia"..which means, fast heart rate but not all the time.I find myself, always waiting and wondering when the next episode is going to happen and wonder "what it" it doesn't stop on it's own next time :(
Machaon
12-15-2003, 05:18 PM
Thanks for your reply...were you diagnosed with PSVT... or just SVT or something?
I self diagnosed myself with PSVT. I had a medical book and my symptoms corresponded exactly to PSVT. I didn't seek medical treatment for twenty years. It only happened to me about once every two weeks or so, so I wasn't concerned about it. In my research, I found that it wasn't life threatening. Not being a doctor, or going to a doctor, was probably pretty stupid on my part, but , in between episodes of PSVT, it really didn't bother me that much.
I wonder if not everyone who has this, experiences the panic attack during it. I went to google search and typed in PSVT and panic attacks..I couldn't believe all the articles on it. All of them said it's NOT life threatening.I drove myself to the ER during my episode.
I was a little worried about the PSVT at the beginning because I was afraid of passing out. After it started, it was fairly easy for me to stop the tachycardia, and get back to normal rhythm. I am not a good person to ask about panic attacks because I don't get them.
What med. do you take for it? Was it happening all the time? They say the PVST stands for "paroxysmal supraventricle tachycardia"..which means, fast heart rate but not all the time.I find myself, always waiting and wondering when the next episode is going to happen and wonder "what it" it doesn't stop on it's own next time :(
My primary medicine for my PSVT is Lanoxin (digoxin).
My primary interest is finding what irritates my heart to cause the PSVT. After living with it, and with complications caused by it, for over thirty years, I have found many combinations of things that cause my heart to start beating badly, like high pollution or pollen levels in the air, certain types of clothes that I wear, dust, certain inks on documents, certain chemicals, car exhausts, alcohol, smoke, certain foods, etc.
If I avoid the various irritants to my heart, which isn't easy, my heart beats pretty good.
If I was starting all over again, and I knew what I know now, I would avoid medicines and just try to find what irritates my heart the most. In my youth, if I had realized what was irritating my heart and causing it to go into PSVT, I could have avoided it happening most of the time. But, I didn't know.
I was surprised to read your note. It was the first note that described what I had experienced.
If they can't find out what is causing your heart to go nuts, then you might have a similar problem as I had, and you need to find out what irritants are causing your heart to go nuts.
Regards, and best of health to you.
I self diagnosed myself with PSVT. I had a medical book and my symptoms corresponded exactly to PSVT. I didn't seek medical treatment for twenty years. It only happened to me about once every two weeks or so, so I wasn't concerned about it. In my research, I found that it wasn't life threatening. Not being a doctor, or going to a doctor, was probably pretty stupid on my part, but , in between episodes of PSVT, it really didn't bother me that much.
I wonder if not everyone who has this, experiences the panic attack during it. I went to google search and typed in PSVT and panic attacks..I couldn't believe all the articles on it. All of them said it's NOT life threatening.I drove myself to the ER during my episode.
I was a little worried about the PSVT at the beginning because I was afraid of passing out. After it started, it was fairly easy for me to stop the tachycardia, and get back to normal rhythm. I am not a good person to ask about panic attacks because I don't get them.
What med. do you take for it? Was it happening all the time? They say the PVST stands for "paroxysmal supraventricle tachycardia"..which means, fast heart rate but not all the time.I find myself, always waiting and wondering when the next episode is going to happen and wonder "what it" it doesn't stop on it's own next time :(
My primary medicine for my PSVT is Lanoxin (digoxin).
My primary interest is finding what irritates my heart to cause the PSVT. After living with it, and with complications caused by it, for over thirty years, I have found many combinations of things that cause my heart to start beating badly, like high pollution or pollen levels in the air, certain types of clothes that I wear, dust, certain inks on documents, certain chemicals, car exhausts, alcohol, smoke, certain foods, etc.
If I avoid the various irritants to my heart, which isn't easy, my heart beats pretty good.
If I was starting all over again, and I knew what I know now, I would avoid medicines and just try to find what irritates my heart the most. In my youth, if I had realized what was irritating my heart and causing it to go into PSVT, I could have avoided it happening most of the time. But, I didn't know.
I was surprised to read your note. It was the first note that described what I had experienced.
If they can't find out what is causing your heart to go nuts, then you might have a similar problem as I had, and you need to find out what irritants are causing your heart to go nuts.
Regards, and best of health to you.
Sheilia01
12-15-2003, 07:06 PM
I self diagnosed myself with PSVT. I had a medical book and my symptoms corresponded exactly to PSVT. I didn't seek medical treatment for twenty years. It only happened to me about once every two weeks or so, so I wasn't concerned about it. In my research, I found that it wasn't life threatening. Not being a doctor, or going to a doctor, was probably pretty stupid on my part, but , in between episodes of PSVT, it really didn't bother me that much.
I was a little worried about the PSVT at the beginning because I was afraid of passing out. After it started, it was fairly easy for me to stop the tachycardia, and get back to normal rhythm. I am not a good person to ask about panic attacks because I don't get them.
My primary medicine for my PSVT is Lanoxin (digoxin).
My primary interest is finding what irritates my heart to cause the PSVT. After living with it, and with complications caused by it, for over thirty years, I have found many combinations of things that cause my heart to start beating badly, like high pollution or pollen levels in the air, certain types of clothes that I wear, dust, certain inks on documents, certain chemicals, car exhausts, alcohol, smoke, certain foods, etc.
If I avoid the various irritants to my heart, which isn't easy, my heart beats pretty good.
If I was starting all over again, and I knew what I know now, I would avoid medicines and just try to find what irritates my heart the most. In my youth, if I had realized what was irritating my heart and causing it to go into PSVT, I could have avoided it happening most of the time. But, I didn't know.
I was surprised to read your note. It was the first note that described what I had experienced.
If they can't find out what is causing your heart to go nuts, then you might have a similar problem as I had, and you need to find out what irritants are causing your heart to go nuts.
Regards, and best of health to you.
I guess I'm trying to self giagnose myself also. I have read some many articles on Psvt..because it starts and ends abrutly..just like what happened to me..I figure that is what I have. BUT....on another message board site..the people were telling me it sounds like A-fib too.
I don't know what would make this start happening all of a sudden. I don't have allergies, I don't drink but I do smoke. But I have always smoked, so I can't see where that would be the reason for it. I have had skipped beats, flutters, thuds etc..for over 10 years now..everyday of my life! I was told they were all benign. Just stress.
Did your heart flutter, skip etc..before you had your first PSVT episode? I told my family dr. about what happened and all he said was "the cardio. said my tests were all perfectly normal". If only I had the monitor on when it happened.My dr. then prescribed atenolol, 25mg. he said here,take one a day and it will make your heart go at an even pace and not tach. Well..I never got the med. filled. I have read where it can actually make skips, flutters etc.. worse.
There has to be a reason for what happened. I just can't seem to find an answer.
I was a little worried about the PSVT at the beginning because I was afraid of passing out. After it started, it was fairly easy for me to stop the tachycardia, and get back to normal rhythm. I am not a good person to ask about panic attacks because I don't get them.
My primary medicine for my PSVT is Lanoxin (digoxin).
My primary interest is finding what irritates my heart to cause the PSVT. After living with it, and with complications caused by it, for over thirty years, I have found many combinations of things that cause my heart to start beating badly, like high pollution or pollen levels in the air, certain types of clothes that I wear, dust, certain inks on documents, certain chemicals, car exhausts, alcohol, smoke, certain foods, etc.
If I avoid the various irritants to my heart, which isn't easy, my heart beats pretty good.
If I was starting all over again, and I knew what I know now, I would avoid medicines and just try to find what irritates my heart the most. In my youth, if I had realized what was irritating my heart and causing it to go into PSVT, I could have avoided it happening most of the time. But, I didn't know.
I was surprised to read your note. It was the first note that described what I had experienced.
If they can't find out what is causing your heart to go nuts, then you might have a similar problem as I had, and you need to find out what irritants are causing your heart to go nuts.
Regards, and best of health to you.
I guess I'm trying to self giagnose myself also. I have read some many articles on Psvt..because it starts and ends abrutly..just like what happened to me..I figure that is what I have. BUT....on another message board site..the people were telling me it sounds like A-fib too.
I don't know what would make this start happening all of a sudden. I don't have allergies, I don't drink but I do smoke. But I have always smoked, so I can't see where that would be the reason for it. I have had skipped beats, flutters, thuds etc..for over 10 years now..everyday of my life! I was told they were all benign. Just stress.
Did your heart flutter, skip etc..before you had your first PSVT episode? I told my family dr. about what happened and all he said was "the cardio. said my tests were all perfectly normal". If only I had the monitor on when it happened.My dr. then prescribed atenolol, 25mg. he said here,take one a day and it will make your heart go at an even pace and not tach. Well..I never got the med. filled. I have read where it can actually make skips, flutters etc.. worse.
There has to be a reason for what happened. I just can't seem to find an answer.
Machaon
12-15-2003, 08:37 PM
I guess I'm trying to self diagnose myself also. I have read some many articles on Psvt..because it starts and ends abrutly..just like what happened to me..I figure that is what I have. BUT....on another message board site..the people were telling me it sounds like A-fib too.
Without a doubt you have some type of tachycardia. But, the bottom line, is that you have heart rhythm problems. There are many different ways an irritated heart will misfire. The most important factor is finding out what is irritating the heart and staying away from the irritant. Otherwise you might have to go on medicine, and some of the side effects from heart meds can be almost disabling.
My heart goes nuts around cigarette smoke. I absolutely try to stay miles away from it, because just a little contact could kill me. But, my heart disease is a lot more advanced than yours.
I don't know what would make this start happening all of a sudden. I don't have allergies, I don't drink but I do smoke. But I have always smoked, so I can't see where that would be the reason for it. I have had skipped beats, flutters, thuds etc..for over 10 years now..everyday of my life! I was told they were all benign. Just stress.
I love our medical system. If the doctors can't figure out what is causing the problem, they blame it on the patient, and then they can collect their fat fees. It is all too easy to tell a patient that it is stress that is causing the patient's problems. But, if you think about all the different bumps, jumps, skipped beats, fast beats, etc. that your heart does, you can't possibly be stressed ALL the time!
I am not saying that stress can not be harmful, but it is just one of many things that can cause problems. It's an easy diagnosis for doctors. They still look professional, but they haven't really done a damn thing for the patient. Telling a patient that the entire cause of their misery is stress, is just an admission by the doctor that they do not have a clue about the actual cause.
Also, there are many things that can cause someone to be more sensitive to things that they were not previously sensitive to. You might have had a cold. Viruses can really screw up a person's immune system. The air pollution or pollens in your neighborhood could be worse this year. I could go on and on about the different changes to someone's environment that could cause someone to all of a sudden become more sensitive, and thusly their heart starts to jump around more than normal.
Did your heart flutter, skip etc..before you had your first PSVT episode?
No. It just came on all of a sudden.
I told my family dr. about what happened and all he said was "the cardio. said my tests were all perfectly normal". If only I had the monitor on when it happened.My dr. then prescribed atenolol, 25mg. he said here,take one a day and it will make your heart go at an even pace and not tach. Well..I never got the med. filled. I have read where it can actually make skips, flutters etc.. worse.
There has to be a reason for what happened. I just can't seem to find an answer.
If my PSVT hadn't gotten worse, I would still be without taking meds for it. I didn't get any chest pains from it. I could stop it fairly fast by my deep breathing exercise. And..... it just didn't seem to bother me too much.
After twenty years of having PSVT, and after a cold, it came on, and didn't leave. My heart pounded around 160 beats per minute, and I let it go for about 8 months. It never slowed down. Because my heart was not allowed to rest for eight straight months, it caused me to have heart failure, which is a nasty name for a much weakened heart.
I am on Lanoxin. Without it I would be dead.
This should not cause you to panic at all. Remember, I let my heart beat strongly at 160 bpm for eight straight months, day and night, before I wound up with heart failure. Thusly, you are reading the post of someone who made a very stupid decision. Kinda builds your confidence in my opinion, huh? :eek:
In order to get a feeling for what is causing your heart to misfire, you could keep a log. You are not going to want to do this, but here is my suggestion anyway. Get a stethoscope. Get very familar with your heartbeat. Find out what periods of time your heart seems to beat the most normal. Start recording when you heart starts misfiring, or getting worse. Also, on that log, start recording your activities, what you ate, when you smoked, what you wore, what you were doing right before your heart started to flutter or skip, etc. Also pay attention to what happens when you go outside. If you go out to get the mail, first listen to your heart. If, after coming back inside, your heart starts to misfire, you will know that it is a high pollen or high pollution time outside.
You will find out, by keeping a log, that there are times when your heart seems to beat better and there are times that is starts to beat worse. You should be able to start linking certain events or happenings with what irritates your heart. Most of all, you would get some pretty interesting surprises. You would scratch your head and say to yourself, "No, it can't possibly be that, which is causing my heart to misfire!"
To be fair to heart doctors, they could not possibly really know what is causing someone's heart to misfire. What is an injustice is the fact that they don't help or advise the patient to find out on their own.
Of course you are not going to quit smoking, but it could be the number one cause of your heart rhythm problems.
Regards, and best of luck in getting that heart of yours to behave itself.
Without a doubt you have some type of tachycardia. But, the bottom line, is that you have heart rhythm problems. There are many different ways an irritated heart will misfire. The most important factor is finding out what is irritating the heart and staying away from the irritant. Otherwise you might have to go on medicine, and some of the side effects from heart meds can be almost disabling.
My heart goes nuts around cigarette smoke. I absolutely try to stay miles away from it, because just a little contact could kill me. But, my heart disease is a lot more advanced than yours.
I don't know what would make this start happening all of a sudden. I don't have allergies, I don't drink but I do smoke. But I have always smoked, so I can't see where that would be the reason for it. I have had skipped beats, flutters, thuds etc..for over 10 years now..everyday of my life! I was told they were all benign. Just stress.
I love our medical system. If the doctors can't figure out what is causing the problem, they blame it on the patient, and then they can collect their fat fees. It is all too easy to tell a patient that it is stress that is causing the patient's problems. But, if you think about all the different bumps, jumps, skipped beats, fast beats, etc. that your heart does, you can't possibly be stressed ALL the time!
I am not saying that stress can not be harmful, but it is just one of many things that can cause problems. It's an easy diagnosis for doctors. They still look professional, but they haven't really done a damn thing for the patient. Telling a patient that the entire cause of their misery is stress, is just an admission by the doctor that they do not have a clue about the actual cause.
Also, there are many things that can cause someone to be more sensitive to things that they were not previously sensitive to. You might have had a cold. Viruses can really screw up a person's immune system. The air pollution or pollens in your neighborhood could be worse this year. I could go on and on about the different changes to someone's environment that could cause someone to all of a sudden become more sensitive, and thusly their heart starts to jump around more than normal.
Did your heart flutter, skip etc..before you had your first PSVT episode?
No. It just came on all of a sudden.
I told my family dr. about what happened and all he said was "the cardio. said my tests were all perfectly normal". If only I had the monitor on when it happened.My dr. then prescribed atenolol, 25mg. he said here,take one a day and it will make your heart go at an even pace and not tach. Well..I never got the med. filled. I have read where it can actually make skips, flutters etc.. worse.
There has to be a reason for what happened. I just can't seem to find an answer.
If my PSVT hadn't gotten worse, I would still be without taking meds for it. I didn't get any chest pains from it. I could stop it fairly fast by my deep breathing exercise. And..... it just didn't seem to bother me too much.
After twenty years of having PSVT, and after a cold, it came on, and didn't leave. My heart pounded around 160 beats per minute, and I let it go for about 8 months. It never slowed down. Because my heart was not allowed to rest for eight straight months, it caused me to have heart failure, which is a nasty name for a much weakened heart.
I am on Lanoxin. Without it I would be dead.
This should not cause you to panic at all. Remember, I let my heart beat strongly at 160 bpm for eight straight months, day and night, before I wound up with heart failure. Thusly, you are reading the post of someone who made a very stupid decision. Kinda builds your confidence in my opinion, huh? :eek:
In order to get a feeling for what is causing your heart to misfire, you could keep a log. You are not going to want to do this, but here is my suggestion anyway. Get a stethoscope. Get very familar with your heartbeat. Find out what periods of time your heart seems to beat the most normal. Start recording when you heart starts misfiring, or getting worse. Also, on that log, start recording your activities, what you ate, when you smoked, what you wore, what you were doing right before your heart started to flutter or skip, etc. Also pay attention to what happens when you go outside. If you go out to get the mail, first listen to your heart. If, after coming back inside, your heart starts to misfire, you will know that it is a high pollen or high pollution time outside.
You will find out, by keeping a log, that there are times when your heart seems to beat better and there are times that is starts to beat worse. You should be able to start linking certain events or happenings with what irritates your heart. Most of all, you would get some pretty interesting surprises. You would scratch your head and say to yourself, "No, it can't possibly be that, which is causing my heart to misfire!"
To be fair to heart doctors, they could not possibly really know what is causing someone's heart to misfire. What is an injustice is the fact that they don't help or advise the patient to find out on their own.
Of course you are not going to quit smoking, but it could be the number one cause of your heart rhythm problems.
Regards, and best of luck in getting that heart of yours to behave itself.
Sheilia01
12-16-2003, 11:13 AM
I don't think I could keep a log of everytime my heart skipped, jumped etc....especially on the days it happens about 500 times.
I have stopped smoking about 4 times in the past 10 years (3-6 months at a time) I thought maybe that was the cause, but I still had them.
I'm not really that concerned about the skips, etc..but afraid of having another one of those racing heart episodes. I can't believe you let it go on for 8 months.
I know I have been under alot of stress the past 6 months. My daughter's fiance' hung himself in April. My 4 year old grand-daughter is the one that found him hanging in their bathroom. My daughter couldn't take care of her, so she (my g'daughter) has been living with us since it happened. About a month later, my daughter met up with another guy. He's very abusive, he beats her, smashes things in her apartment and not to mention he's a crack-head!!! My daughter had him arrested several times but for some reason, he keeps getting released and she takes him right back.(a very smooth talker) He's always threatening to kill her and I worry about her constantly. I can't seem to get through to her.
I thought maybe my heart skips, etc were from a low thyroid,(can cause heart skips, etc. too) but my dr. said the test came back normal. I read where if you take your temp. under your arm for 10 days in a row..and its less then 98 degrees, it means low thyroid. I took mine and it was always between 95-97.4 So, I don't know if I have low thyroid or not. Do I believe the blood work or the temps???
So you see, I have been trying to figure out what could be causing it. The panic just happens with PSVT. That's why alot of women are misdiagnosed with panic attacks, when it's actually this treatable psvt. I read where 60% or more are misdiagnosed. I know what real panic attacks are.I suffered with them in the early 80's. This was a "heart thing" that caused the panic state this time. I just wish I could quit wondering when the psvt is going to happen again.
I have stopped smoking about 4 times in the past 10 years (3-6 months at a time) I thought maybe that was the cause, but I still had them.
I'm not really that concerned about the skips, etc..but afraid of having another one of those racing heart episodes. I can't believe you let it go on for 8 months.
I know I have been under alot of stress the past 6 months. My daughter's fiance' hung himself in April. My 4 year old grand-daughter is the one that found him hanging in their bathroom. My daughter couldn't take care of her, so she (my g'daughter) has been living with us since it happened. About a month later, my daughter met up with another guy. He's very abusive, he beats her, smashes things in her apartment and not to mention he's a crack-head!!! My daughter had him arrested several times but for some reason, he keeps getting released and she takes him right back.(a very smooth talker) He's always threatening to kill her and I worry about her constantly. I can't seem to get through to her.
I thought maybe my heart skips, etc were from a low thyroid,(can cause heart skips, etc. too) but my dr. said the test came back normal. I read where if you take your temp. under your arm for 10 days in a row..and its less then 98 degrees, it means low thyroid. I took mine and it was always between 95-97.4 So, I don't know if I have low thyroid or not. Do I believe the blood work or the temps???
So you see, I have been trying to figure out what could be causing it. The panic just happens with PSVT. That's why alot of women are misdiagnosed with panic attacks, when it's actually this treatable psvt. I read where 60% or more are misdiagnosed. I know what real panic attacks are.I suffered with them in the early 80's. This was a "heart thing" that caused the panic state this time. I just wish I could quit wondering when the psvt is going to happen again.
Machaon
12-16-2003, 12:28 PM
I don't think I could keep a log of everytime my heart skipped, jumped etc....especially on the days it happens about 500 times.
Good point. I was hoping that there was a way to find out what irritant(s) might be in play when your heart really starts to misfire, especially since your heart misfires worse during some times, than at other times.
Are you taking any meds, like Digoxin, to slow your heart and attempt to get it to beat more normally?
I have stopped smoking about 4 times in the past 10 years (3-6 months at a time) I thought maybe that was the cause, but I still had them.
Without any doubt in my mind, the smoking contributes to your heart problems. Is it the only cause? Absolutely not. However, even with my advanced heart disease, if I was facing the terribly stressful situations that you have to deal with, I'd start smoking again!
I'm not really that concerned about the skips, etc..but afraid of having another one of those racing heart episodes. I can't believe you let it go on for 8 months.
Well...... there were reasons. It was a tough job market, and I was worried about getting "heart disease" listed on my record, and not being able to get a job. I figured that, if my heart wanted to beat 160 bpm, and I wasn't feeling too bad, then what the hell, I'd just let it do it's thing. Stupid, huh!?
Do you ever get a chance to kick back, put on some music, and try to block all of the stressful thoughts from your head? I am not suggesting that as a cure for your heart problems, but only as a temporary escape.
I thought maybe my heart skips, etc were from a low thyroid,(can cause heart skips, etc. too) but my dr. said the test came back normal. I read where if you take your temp. under your arm for 10 days in a row..and its less then 98 degrees, it means low thyroid. I took mine and it was always between 95-97.4 So, I don't know if I have low thyroid or not. Do I believe the blood work or the temps???
There are other glands in the body that can cause your heart to misfire, like the Adrenal gland. The Adrenal gland reacts to irritants and physical and emotional stress. The Adrenal gland produces epinephrine (also called adrenaline) - which can cause the heart to misfire. If you get a chance, do an Internet search using the keywords: Adrenal and epinephrine and see what it says, especially about stress.
So you see, I have been trying to figure out what could be causing it. The panic just happens with PSVT. That's why alot of women are misdiagnosed with panic attacks, when it's actually this treatable psvt. I read where 60% or more are misdiagnosed. I know what real panic attacks are.I suffered with them in the early 80's. This was a "heart thing" that caused the panic state this time. I just wish I could quit wondering when the psvt is going to happen again.
Have you given any thought to how I was able to stop my tachycardia once it had started? I took real deep breaths, held them for a second or two, and then let fully out very slowly, and repeated until the fast beating stopped with a thump.
I wish you luck, and hope that you can get your daughter out of her abusive relationship. Ever feel like just giving up on her, taking your phone off the hook, and saying "don't call me, I'll call you"?
Good point. I was hoping that there was a way to find out what irritant(s) might be in play when your heart really starts to misfire, especially since your heart misfires worse during some times, than at other times.
Are you taking any meds, like Digoxin, to slow your heart and attempt to get it to beat more normally?
I have stopped smoking about 4 times in the past 10 years (3-6 months at a time) I thought maybe that was the cause, but I still had them.
Without any doubt in my mind, the smoking contributes to your heart problems. Is it the only cause? Absolutely not. However, even with my advanced heart disease, if I was facing the terribly stressful situations that you have to deal with, I'd start smoking again!
I'm not really that concerned about the skips, etc..but afraid of having another one of those racing heart episodes. I can't believe you let it go on for 8 months.
Well...... there were reasons. It was a tough job market, and I was worried about getting "heart disease" listed on my record, and not being able to get a job. I figured that, if my heart wanted to beat 160 bpm, and I wasn't feeling too bad, then what the hell, I'd just let it do it's thing. Stupid, huh!?
Do you ever get a chance to kick back, put on some music, and try to block all of the stressful thoughts from your head? I am not suggesting that as a cure for your heart problems, but only as a temporary escape.
I thought maybe my heart skips, etc were from a low thyroid,(can cause heart skips, etc. too) but my dr. said the test came back normal. I read where if you take your temp. under your arm for 10 days in a row..and its less then 98 degrees, it means low thyroid. I took mine and it was always between 95-97.4 So, I don't know if I have low thyroid or not. Do I believe the blood work or the temps???
There are other glands in the body that can cause your heart to misfire, like the Adrenal gland. The Adrenal gland reacts to irritants and physical and emotional stress. The Adrenal gland produces epinephrine (also called adrenaline) - which can cause the heart to misfire. If you get a chance, do an Internet search using the keywords: Adrenal and epinephrine and see what it says, especially about stress.
So you see, I have been trying to figure out what could be causing it. The panic just happens with PSVT. That's why alot of women are misdiagnosed with panic attacks, when it's actually this treatable psvt. I read where 60% or more are misdiagnosed. I know what real panic attacks are.I suffered with them in the early 80's. This was a "heart thing" that caused the panic state this time. I just wish I could quit wondering when the psvt is going to happen again.
Have you given any thought to how I was able to stop my tachycardia once it had started? I took real deep breaths, held them for a second or two, and then let fully out very slowly, and repeated until the fast beating stopped with a thump.
I wish you luck, and hope that you can get your daughter out of her abusive relationship. Ever feel like just giving up on her, taking your phone off the hook, and saying "don't call me, I'll call you"?
Sheilia01
12-16-2003, 01:34 PM
Funny you should mention the adrenal gland...when my heart did that racing thing, I felt like I just had a big surge of adrenalin.I felt like I could have run a marathon just to keep up with my heart.
No, I am not on any med's for a fast heart rate. But the dr. gave me a presciption for the atenolol so I wouldn't have that tach. thing again.I never got it filled. Read too many negative things about beta-blockers.
I don't really have a fast heart rate. Only during that episode thing. I guess it's usually about 80-85. Lower when I am completely relaxed. In the 70's then. I read that smoking increases the heart rate 10-20 beats per minute. So, I tested myself to see if it really does. YEP..it does. It goes up into the high 80's after a few puffs. I hate to admit it, but in the last 8 months I am up to 2 packs a day! I can quit, cold turkey..but I gain weight and I start smoking again to lose it.
I have relaxation tapes I listen to once in awhile. I can only listen to them after my g'daughter goes to bed. I love my tapes! : )
I have days where my heart might only skip, flutter etc. a couple times aday. Then other days about 500! I can still remember the day it first started. I was sitting at my kitchen table, my sister-in-law knocked on my door and BAM..... skips, flutters, everyday since. They just never went away.
I typed in smoking and psvt on my google search a few minutes ago. About every article said it happens mostly in young children and infants. Yet they go on to say, that excessive smoking, caffein and alcohol are very highly contributing factors. Go figure. They also talked about getting it to stop by holding your breathe and blowing out etc...
It happened on November 25th. So that makes it about 3 weeks ago. It scared me sooo bad..I can't quit thinking about it. I just don't want it to happen ago. When it happened the first time, 6 months ago...I had the exact same thing with the panic, felt like a big surge of adrenalin etc.. but I didn't keep worrying about it. I just thought..what the hell was that? I think I am so scared this time because, that makes it twice now, that it has happened.
I'm surprised that no-one else has responded to my post. Are we the only 2 people that have experienced this?
No, I am not on any med's for a fast heart rate. But the dr. gave me a presciption for the atenolol so I wouldn't have that tach. thing again.I never got it filled. Read too many negative things about beta-blockers.
I don't really have a fast heart rate. Only during that episode thing. I guess it's usually about 80-85. Lower when I am completely relaxed. In the 70's then. I read that smoking increases the heart rate 10-20 beats per minute. So, I tested myself to see if it really does. YEP..it does. It goes up into the high 80's after a few puffs. I hate to admit it, but in the last 8 months I am up to 2 packs a day! I can quit, cold turkey..but I gain weight and I start smoking again to lose it.
I have relaxation tapes I listen to once in awhile. I can only listen to them after my g'daughter goes to bed. I love my tapes! : )
I have days where my heart might only skip, flutter etc. a couple times aday. Then other days about 500! I can still remember the day it first started. I was sitting at my kitchen table, my sister-in-law knocked on my door and BAM..... skips, flutters, everyday since. They just never went away.
I typed in smoking and psvt on my google search a few minutes ago. About every article said it happens mostly in young children and infants. Yet they go on to say, that excessive smoking, caffein and alcohol are very highly contributing factors. Go figure. They also talked about getting it to stop by holding your breathe and blowing out etc...
It happened on November 25th. So that makes it about 3 weeks ago. It scared me sooo bad..I can't quit thinking about it. I just don't want it to happen ago. When it happened the first time, 6 months ago...I had the exact same thing with the panic, felt like a big surge of adrenalin etc.. but I didn't keep worrying about it. I just thought..what the hell was that? I think I am so scared this time because, that makes it twice now, that it has happened.
I'm surprised that no-one else has responded to my post. Are we the only 2 people that have experienced this?
Penny-T
11-09-2004, 09:39 PM
I have been diagnosed with psvt, just February this year!
Now that I look back at the symptoms, I've had this for quite a while - I can think back to occurances over 10 years where I had similar symptoms: pressure on the shoulders, or bloat feeling - (like food poisoning/eatting something that will make you throw up!). Actually, that is what I related it to before, because to get rid of it, I had to throw up - if I still had the "butterfly" as I called it - I wasn't done yet!
But mostly symptoms were: that bloated feeling, and or pressure on the shoulders (now I believe it's a rise in my blood pressure that causes the pressure on my shoulders). A bit of a sinking feeling followed by a flutter - then BAM! my heart takes off. It's lasted as long as two days (while on vacation!!!).
Now that I've been "diagnosed" I've been prescribed a calcium blocker (Verapamil 180 - but JUST raised to 240 because I just had another attack this weekend!).
The docs originally said that medication can "control" it, and that if the symptoms occur - to IMMEDIATELY bare-down (like going to the bathroom...) and if that doesn't stop it - to put your HEAD into ice cold water - and that the shock should stop it. But if after 10 minutes it hasn't subsided - I have to go to the ER and get a shot of denacard (spelling?) a powerful drug which has a life span of only a few seconds.
On my initial "diagnosis" I had a HR of 200, high blood pressure, sweating, nausea, light headedness - they had to give me two shots of this stuff before it immediately brought my HR down to 100, and my blood pressure comes down with it, too.
Now that I've had my second "major" attack in the year (the other - I was able to reduce the rate, but by the time I went to the ER I was only - ONLY - at 100HR). The docs are talking ablation.
I have a stressful job - but only once has it occurred at work!! in the middle of the pressure - all the other times, except the vacation occurance, and another occurance when it happened while driving on the highway - they have all come over me about 6pm thru to the middle of the night - these last two have happened in the middle of the night - 2:30 & 3:30AM!! so stress I do not believe is a factor. My doctor originally wondered if it was thyroid related... but hasn't since mentioned it - I meet with him tomorrow and plan on asking about that.
I really DON'T want to do the ablation - if I don't have to, but my hubby doesn't like the worry of not knowing WHEN and WHERE it will strike next.
sooo... I'm looking for anyone who has HAD an ablation!!
Penny
Now that I look back at the symptoms, I've had this for quite a while - I can think back to occurances over 10 years where I had similar symptoms: pressure on the shoulders, or bloat feeling - (like food poisoning/eatting something that will make you throw up!). Actually, that is what I related it to before, because to get rid of it, I had to throw up - if I still had the "butterfly" as I called it - I wasn't done yet!
But mostly symptoms were: that bloated feeling, and or pressure on the shoulders (now I believe it's a rise in my blood pressure that causes the pressure on my shoulders). A bit of a sinking feeling followed by a flutter - then BAM! my heart takes off. It's lasted as long as two days (while on vacation!!!).
Now that I've been "diagnosed" I've been prescribed a calcium blocker (Verapamil 180 - but JUST raised to 240 because I just had another attack this weekend!).
The docs originally said that medication can "control" it, and that if the symptoms occur - to IMMEDIATELY bare-down (like going to the bathroom...) and if that doesn't stop it - to put your HEAD into ice cold water - and that the shock should stop it. But if after 10 minutes it hasn't subsided - I have to go to the ER and get a shot of denacard (spelling?) a powerful drug which has a life span of only a few seconds.
On my initial "diagnosis" I had a HR of 200, high blood pressure, sweating, nausea, light headedness - they had to give me two shots of this stuff before it immediately brought my HR down to 100, and my blood pressure comes down with it, too.
Now that I've had my second "major" attack in the year (the other - I was able to reduce the rate, but by the time I went to the ER I was only - ONLY - at 100HR). The docs are talking ablation.
I have a stressful job - but only once has it occurred at work!! in the middle of the pressure - all the other times, except the vacation occurance, and another occurance when it happened while driving on the highway - they have all come over me about 6pm thru to the middle of the night - these last two have happened in the middle of the night - 2:30 & 3:30AM!! so stress I do not believe is a factor. My doctor originally wondered if it was thyroid related... but hasn't since mentioned it - I meet with him tomorrow and plan on asking about that.
I really DON'T want to do the ablation - if I don't have to, but my hubby doesn't like the worry of not knowing WHEN and WHERE it will strike next.
sooo... I'm looking for anyone who has HAD an ablation!!
Penny
dramadancer85
11-15-2004, 01:59 PM
when i read this post I got a little happy finally someone who is going through the same thing that I am. my psvt has been going off and no one seems to know why. I also get panic attacks with it. Everytime I got to the doctor he always tells me nothing is wrong and when it does happen and I go to the ER they cant find anything wrong its really starting to scare me though. I have had 3 ablations ...yes 3 and have been perscribed various meds but nothing is working. I do have an appt. tomorrow but i know all he going to say is to learn to live with it. I know I am getting the inevitable heart monitor but what happens if they dont find anything??