Panic / Anxiety Attack or Genuine Heart Rhythm Issues?

[Rhodog123]

Panic Attack or Genuine Heart Rhythm Issues?

Hi everyone, I am a 29 year old male from the UK who has been having ectopic beats now for the last 2 years.

I was on Bisoprolol 1.25mg per day since September 2022, but have recently started cutting the tablets in half and only having half a dose daily due to getting bradycardia at night and at points in the day too causing fatigue and tiredness etc…

An ultrasound scan of my heart shows no physical abnormalities with my heart itself, and a 24 hour ECG discovered that out of 77,541 normal beats in a day, I had 1,429 ectopics consisting of both ventricular and atrial ectopics. The lowest my heart rate went to over night was around 42bpm, and the ECG results say “sinus rhythm with a short PR interval of around 105ms at times.”

Since starting to reduce my dose around 5 or 6 days ago I’ve noticed a massive increase in anxiety levels and episodes of dizziness, light-headedness and bradycardia which still seems to happen even on a reduced dose of the beta blocker.

My number one worry is that my heart will just stop, as it is still going down to around 45 - 55bpm when I’m resting which worries me, and I get a lot of episodes where my heart seems like it stops (misses a beat) and then carries on as normal.

I’ve been referred back to cardiology and I’m waiting for an appointment, but I suppose I’m looking mainly for reassurance that nothing else sinister could be going on, or if anyone has had any similar experiences? I think it is having a major impact on my mental health as every day is a constant worry and the fear of my heart just randomly stopping in the day or during my sleep is unbearable.

Any advice would be great, and any advice on how to overcome the anxiety would be perfect too!

[Heartysass]

No! I was having extra beats which is very uncomfortable . I am on 12 1/2 mg coreg 2x daily.
After consulting with my heart and rhythm  center ny, they advised to increase to 3x daily.
Well it really did the trick, little to no ectopy.
This is my experience along with anxiety which
settled after my new program of meds.
By the by, I am 80 years young! had 2 oblations
and a loop recorder to monitor my heart which
settles my mind that I get immediate attention
should I need it.  Feeling good, best to you.