My anxiety is causing irregular heartbeats I think

[Trojanman03]

About 7 to 8 months ago I had a week span of irregular heartbeats that was caused I think by a mini panic attack. The day it started I was nervous the whole day. Panicking thru out the day as I was waiting on some bad news. By the end of day I noticed that I was starting to have irregular heartbeats. It lasted a week and eventually tapered off. Ever since I've been scared of getting it again.

8 months later which is earlier today I started getting it again. But it didnt come suddenly it was a 3 day drawn out process of me freaking out everytime I thought I felt a irregular heartbeat. Even thou i was having them just yet everytime i thought something was happening i would panic and have this scared feeling in my chest. Well 3 days of that and finally the irregular heartbeat returned. I have them anywhere between 10 to 15 min intervals. Sometimes I get them closer together and sometimes farther apart. I've been to the hospital like a year ago and had ekgs and stress test come out perfect but haven't been since I started experiencing these irregular heartbeats. I just really feel like they are anxiety related. My blood pressure is normal my beats per min is in the 60s. I just have this skipping a beat every few mins. Has anyone had a similar experience with anxiety causing something like this? Ty for your time

[LilBeaver]

I have very simillar symptoms. I use to have different panic attacks symptomps - stronger or weaker. You just need to understand them a try not to let anxiety develop with symptomps - snowball effect. From time to time I had irregular heart beats like you described. Like one beat missing and next one very strong one. After years I got this more and more often so I ended up at ER. Had some tests afterward at cardiologist - got EKG holter for 24h (2 times within 3 month) - they locolized those irregularities and cardiologist said its quite normal - even small kids have it. Some people dont know they have it as they dont feel it as we do. And anxiety doesnt help that at all. My psychoteherapist told me that this should not be connected at all. Even cardiologist said its purely physiology. Some cellcs on heart just send wrong info to other cells to shrink heart muscle. Both told me its not dangerous at all - but got prescribed 1,25 mg of betablocators - dont think it helps much. I personaly feel, that it depends on how emotionaly stressed I am.  (most of the time) - And I think It has something to do with our neuronic system - but Im not doctor:) note: I do not take any medicaments on my anxiety - only regular psychotherapy.

[Paxiled]

Actually, they gave you the betablockers probably for anxiety -- it is used for that.

[LilBeaver]

I do not think so as cardiologist does not know about my anxiety. Also I didn't know that betablockers are used for anxiety.

[Paxiled]

If he didn't know you're probably right.  Beta blockers have only been found to have some anti-anxiety effect for social anxiety and fear of public speaking, which is one of the most common phobias.  But once something is found to work even a little for a few people, the word gets out, drug companies start their marketing machines, and docs start using them for everything.  I don't know how well they work, but yes, they are used for anxiety.

[Paxiled]

It's possible you're having irregular heart beats.  It's also possible you just feel like you are, which is much more common with those of us with bad anxiety problems.  Nobody here can tell you if you're actually having his problem or just feeling like you are, but we can tell you that your biggest problem is probably your anxiety and so what are you currently doing to address that problem?  If you really do have a problem with an irregular heart, of course you need to see a doctor because just because you have anxiety doesn't mean you won't get actual health problems, but I've been on this forum a long time and have suffered with anxiety for a lot longer than that and while some people do in fact have heart problems, the vast majority of those with anxiety who think they have them don't have them.  It just feels like it.  

[Trojanman03]

I've never really taken anything for my anxiety I kinda of just push thru it. At first it made me feel shortness of breath and chest pain. I went to the hospital and got ekgs blood test and stress tests and nothing was found. Once I had that info I was able to push the anxiety away cause i knew my heart was fine. But it seems like my anxiety is evolving. This new symptom of a skipped heartbeat totally panics me now when I get it. Since I haven't tested myself after the irregular heartbeats happened my anxiety gets the best of me.

The irregular heartbeat has stopped at least. It started around 8pm and lasted like 5 hours. I drank some chamomile tea and just tried to occupy my head with other things and it stopped.

[Trojanman03]

I went to the hospital today to get it checked. They ran some test and didnt find anything wrong with my heart. The doctor told me I had PVC and that my anxiety is causing me to feel every irregular heartbeat which is pushing my anxiety further. He gave names of 2 doctors I should see to help with my anxiety. Just taught I'd let people know what was the outcome for me. Thx for the help paxiled

[Paxiled]

I didn't actually mean you had to see a doctor or take medication.  You seem to be functioning pretty well, so my bias is to try therapy first as it's just a less invasive form of treatment and when it works, it actually fixes the problem, whereas medication just tamps down the symptoms.  It's up to you, just wanted to clarify.  Also know that the ER isn't a great place for health care -- having a regular doc allows you to check yourself on a regular basis whereas at a hospital they just check you right then and there and their job is to make sure nobody dies and to get rid of patients as quickly as possible so they can tend to the next one.  It's a triage function, not a regular care function.  That being said, I still think it sounds like anxiety is the thing you need to work on, but there are more than one way to do that, and doctors will only offer medication.  Again, you know better than me how bad your life is being disrupted, which is the test for when medication is necessary.  Good luck.