Heart anxiety

[gar63]

Last spring, I started getting pvc's, along with anxiety. I went to ER several times thinking there was something bad wrong with my heart. They did blood work, EKG, everything came out fine. They sent me to a cardiologist for some follow up work. He did a stress test, echo, and I wore an event monitor for 4 weeks. The echo did show a little bit of a valve leakage (not sure the medical terminology) he said it was nothing to worry about, and to have another echo in about 5 years to make sure everything is still ok. The event monitor showed some PVC's, but that's it. The Dr. said they were not causing any harm. Also, my blood pressure had been gradually elevating........somewhere around 139-150/85-95.

In Aug. I had a cholesterol check. My total cholesterol level was within a normal range but my LDL was at 103, HDL was at 39, and triglycerides was at 171. My fears subsided for a couple of months. I've been taking my blood pressure at home, and noticed it had been getting a little higher. Also, for the past week, I've been having some mild feelings in my chest. Can't really describe it......it sort of feels like a cramp or sometimes like a sharp pain. It is nowhere near a severe level........it's just something that I notice. I went to the Dr. last week, and my first BP reading was at 157/107, then she took it a little later, and it was 180/110. She went ahead and prescribed me Zestril. It has brought my BP down to the 120's to lower 130's over 70 to lower 80's. She did an EKG, and it came out fine. She also did a metabolic panel, and it was fine. My glucose serum was a little high at 104.

The problem that I'm having now, is that I am starting to get anxious over the health of my heart! I keep getting these little "feelings" in my heart and I'm so worried I'm about to have a heart attack or stroke. It's affecting my day to day life!! It is constantly on my mind........I feel like I shouldn't do any strenuous activity at all, if I do, I think I'll die! With all of the info I gave you, am I at a risk of an immediate heart attack or stroke???? I HATE this worried feeling!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for listening!

[KingPaulos]

Sounds like the problem I'm having, only I'm going off alcohol and paxil all at once... go to the doctor and explain your CONCERNS and pains, but you're lucky that your heart is in fine condition. Keep us posted, as I will with my own health issues, going to the doctor on Tuesday about my chest pains and palpitations.

[wilmac247]

Dear Heart Anxiety,

I started having heart palpitations in May of this year. By the way, I am a 37 yr/old male, and smoked for almost 19 years. When they first started I was sure that my heart was in trouble and I was about to have a heart attack. The heart palpitations would happen mostly when I excerted myself. I'm in lawn maintenance and landscaping so I am pretty active. The thing that bothers me is that it just all of a sudden started happening. I have been to the doctor, wore a halter monitor for 24 hrs, had all my lipids checked and had one of those calcium test where they check for plaque build up in the heart arteries. The Dr. said he saw some abnormal heart beats but not enough to be concerned about. All my lipids checked out fine, they said everything was normal. My calcium score was 37.9, which means there was some evidence of plaque but minimal. I had that test done on Monday, I think it was Halloween day. They were supposed to mail the results to my primary care Dr. but I have not heard anything from them. Usually they don't call me unless there is something to be concerned about. I too get very anxious when these palpitations occur. It seems to make things worse. I have not had an eco cardiograhm(sp. ?) but I have had an Uncle who had to get a heart valve replaced at the age of 54. From what I've read on the internet it is common for people to have occasional heart palps, but sometimes it interupts my work and I want to just go home and relax, not good for business. I have quit smoking and drinking alcohol, but I still get the pvc's when I am working and my heart rate goes up. I don't know how old you are, but when I turned 35 it seemed like a lot of things started happening. I had tingling and numbness in my hands, feet, and scalp. I had aching joints all over my body. They checked me for lupus, Rhumatoid Arthritis, lyme disease and every other thing you can imagine. All the test came back negative. All of my blood work was normal. They said I might have had some type of virus. Now most everything is normal except for the pvc's. If you have had any of the symtom's I described besides the pvc's let me know. I'm beginning to wonder if they are all connected.

[Lenin]

Paulos,

OY, kicking alcohol and Paxil at once...you have my sympathy.
And my best wishes!