I have suffered from SVT, PVC's, and other weird, unnamable heartbeats for about 11 years now. At first they caused me severe anxiety and I ended up in ER's with doctors telling me it's all in my head and stop using the ER. But it's scary when you think you're dying. I got to the point where I was afraid to drive or go out in public because I might have an episode. I am now on a beta blocker, which works 90% of the time and Xanax, which is not recommended for long-term use, but my doc keeps giving it to me.
I've been reading some of the posts on here and am amazed that I am not alone. My doctor of four years has repeatedly told me that all of my physical symptoms are in my head, has made remarks about my mental health to nurses right outside the exam room door, and acts as if she doesn't believe a word I say. I hate this. I am not insane. I am graduating magna *** laude this May with a bachelor's degree and have applied to grad schools. But I feel limited by the fact that I have to depend on meds to be semi-normal and wonder if I'll even be able to make it in the real world.
I know this isn't the forum in which to bring up my fibromyalgia, but I've also been on hydrocodone (Vicodin) for about five years now. I never take more than prescribed, but it feels like a prison living like this.