Is it possible to "live" with palpitations??

[momabird]

I feel very fortunate to have found this forum where people have the same condition I do and share the same concerns.  I am wondering, after reading all of your stories, is it even possible to "live" a normal life while dealing with the constant fear and anxiety related to this issue??  I am a 40 yr old female whose palpitations started four months ago after 6 months of suffering severe panic attacks.  I have quit smoking, eliminated caffeine, am on a beta blocker, and walk 3 miles a day on a treadmill whenever I am able.  But nothing has stopped these palpitations.  EKG's were all normal as well as the 24 hr holter monitor results.  I don't understand how there can be no apparent cause or cure for this condition.  I, along with all of you, am frustrated and tired of living in constant fear!!  I am, however, glad to find people who actually understand what I am dealing with every single day.  All the "normal" people I know don't understand that if it is not life threatening how I can't just ignore it and get on with my life!!  REALLY??   If it were that simple, we would all be doing it instead of joining this forum for support and possible answers!!  Good luck to everyone else suffering as I do!!  I would appreciate any and all correspondence on this condition!!  Thanks in advance!!

[Gemstar92]

Hey,
I've had heart palpitations my entire life, I learned how to get rid of the attack fast, by quickly speeding my heart up even more then lying down with short breathes. Mine can be very painful, jaw tightness, sweating and blood rush, they can happen when ever relaxing, exercising but you can live with it it's just tolerating it. I have also fainted during an attack when I was 6 years old, all I was doing is sitting down. My advice is keep strong plenty of cardio keep your heart muscle strong.

[sugarcane77]

Today I've been feeling some skipped beats or palpitations so decided to search for people like me wow after reading all of your stories its what I live through daily....so happy to have found you all...take care,be happy!!!!

[oney199274]

i know how u feel i started with them now and again now i have them ever min of the day they r so frightening u r scared to do anything incase they start i dnt know about u but as soon as i go outside or in a crowd they start and i know they will so i get ancious before i even step out the door and then its a vicious circle that y cant get out of . they r so scare and it is not easy to forget about them not when they r there all the time and u cant stop thinking about them its not nice at all i have had them now for about 15yr

[momabird]

You guys are all so great!!  Thanks for taking the time to share your stories and for all of the encouragement.  I am soon to have the echocardiogram done which should provide me with alot of peace when they can tell me with confidence that nothing is structurally wrong with my heart.  After that, I intend on coming off of the two medications that I am on since they lower my heart rate and blood pressure to the point to where I am exhausted ALL the time.  I can't stand the "down" feeling all the time, especially when they DON'T stop the palpitations.  And then, we will just go from there.  I do have faith, and I do pray ALOT!!  He is the only reason that I have not completely lost my mind yet!!  LOL!!  =)  I will be praying for all of you as well!!  And coun79try, congrats on your baby!!  I have four myself, ages 18, 16, 6, and 3!!  They are why I am fighting hard to find a way to live with this!!  I don't want to miss any of their lives while feeling sorry for mine!!  Thanks again, EVERYONE!!

[capecoddebbie]

Hi!  I am a 60 yr. old woman who started having lots of pvc's 2 years ago.  Actually, I have had them all my adult life, back then they were about 1000 per day, now they are over 3000.  I have had the echo-cardiogram, holter monitor and see my cardiologist every 6 months.  He said they were benign (unless the heart starts to beat rapidly, I faint or get very weak, or get considerable chest pain.)  Benign, unless....! Yeah - Well, it is very hard NOT to think of these things stopping and crashing all the time.  

I also have a very difficult anxiety problem.  It does seem like a never ending struggle.  One thing that has helped me is taking a couple of slow cleansing breaths, and consciously thinking of relaxing my chest and abdomen.  With practice, this is very effective for me.  They actually seem to slow way down.  

My pcp, my cardiologist, and my daughter (an RN who has worked lots in cardiology) said tons of relatively healthy people have pvc's, and lots of those people never even know they are having them.  I can't imagine someone could not feel these stops and thumps, but I guess they are not lying!  

I keep telling myself that it has been almost 2 years, and I am still alive and still do most of the things I use to.  The times when I have gotten really anxious, like at the doctors, and the pvc's went wild, I still lived and was fine.  I hope this helps!

[SLG46]

I am new to this and still haven't had all test dones.  I had >10,000 PVC's on a Holter Monitor and they haven't gotten much better in two weeks.  Very scary.  I have been a nurse for 20 years but didn't do alot of cardiac care.  Mainly orthopedics.  This stuff is scary especially when youhave young kids.  I am driving and feel like a frog is trying to jump out of my throat.  People don't get it unless they live with it.  (Husband)  I try to act normal so I don't scare my kids but they don't stop easily,