Does anyone worry about their health and heart obsessively?

[miche31]

Hello, to help you feel even better, there are a few of us here on the anxiety board that also have svt. I myself just got diagnosed maybe two months ago. I have had svt for about 4 years I think, but was always told they were panic attacks. By the time I got to a hospital my hr wasn't doing that fast skipping thing, and was back to sinus rhythm, so it took a long time to finally diagnose it. If you look through all my posts, you will find that you sound just like me, I am terrified as heck with this svt and heart anxiety. I am taking a beta blocker, for three weeks now, and it consumes me too. I constantly check my pulse. Did I take too much, did I not take enough, are these side effects? Why did my foot fall asleep, is it no blood circulation,etc. I am sick to death of myself!! I thought my anxiety was bad before I had svt, but now that I know it's a real and not psychological problem, it makes it worse. I just started seeing a psychologist, yesteday was my 3rd time going. I told him I don't like seeing him, I feel worse talking about my fears and health anxieties, yet I know that down the road will get better. I take Xanax as needed, which is daily right now, but tonight I will start on Zoloft as well. My mind won't calm down to let myself relax. I have holed myself up in my house now. It is horrible. And the worst thing is, my Dr. said SVT is not dangerous and I'll be ok. But in my mind I've already decided I have to go have the ablation done, which is soooo far down the road. She hasn't even sent me to a cardiologist/electro, she talked to them, but they said that she can treat me initially. I am scared of Dr.'s and don't trust them, so have a hard time trusting mine.
Have I made you feel slightly better,
Take something other than the Xanax, you and I can go through this together. There are others here who have this as well, and it is so very nice to talk to them and know we're not alone. The Xanax calms my panic, but almost does nothing for my depression/anxiety and thoughts over this. I am so tired all the time and who knows if its from the drugs or my depression/anxiety.
What does your Dr. think and recommend? Do you see a Cardiologist? How often do you have your SVT episodes?
Take Care, Michelle

[Gerri46]

About 12 years ago I started having rapid heartbeat episodes for no apparent reason and I too was put on a beta-blocker. I still wake up with my heart racing sometimes but I was taught to take a real deep breath and bear down in your chest as hard as you can it will slow your heart rate down. It works for me every time. You may have to do it a couple of times though. I rely on the bb but I also have started having chest pressure and squeezing which the dr told me he believes is stress related. When it's happening to you that theory goes out the window because you could swear your either having a heart attack or on the verge of having one. All these problems have caused me to have high blood pressure too and I'm terrrified of taking medicines so I'm always in a constant state of anxiety. Life can be hell sometimes.

[Brayen]

I can't tell you how happy i feel having come across this site. I have suffered for over a decade with panic/anxiety disorder. Recently it has become worse and i have become obsessed with my health, especially with regard to my heart. I notice the slightest change in the regularity of the beats, I have PVTs occasionaly and insane and unfounded (so i'm told lol) panic follows. I'm on 160mg propranolol a day which is some relief, but the biggest relief is coming here and reading your stories and discovering that i am not the only one who is needlessly worrying about their heart. I think that is so important to know that there are people who are the same as you. So thankyou i guess...i know i will feel a lot better when i go to bed tonight. Take Care.

PS PVTs are completely harmless right? Here we go again lol

[tnmomofive]

I have crazy flip floppy,skippy,irregular beats too.Recently I noticed a type I never noticed before my heart is beating normally and then I get like 3 seconds of fast beats then back to normal.I don't know if that is PVC's too or what.I did wear a monitor months back and it caught some PVC's.Seem's over time it get's more wacky.

[mbright12]

Thanks to everyone who wrote a reply. What a relief to know we are not alone. It convinces me that I am sane! RELIEF. I can't wait to see a dr. and talk about my options. It's important that each one of us not waste time, and let this inhibit us. So thanks for opening up and sharing your stories with me. These are all real things we are expierencing. It brings me such joy knowing other peopple obsess over their hearts and that it's hard to think of anything when it's beating so fast. Talk about annoying! PLus dr.s just htink your crazy that, you should just relax! If it were only that easy. Just to answer some questions: I have seen a cardiologist, two to be exact. I have had ultrasounds, ekg, and numerous other tests..like thyroid etc. All came back normal, thus I didn't want to take meds. I have a fear of doctors, becuase they aren't very helpful in the first place. And the anxiety, well that's just the pits. But, I can't wait to try some of these meds and see if they too can work! Thanks and best of luck to everyone!