er visit, ecg results heart block again.

[oxer]

Had a dental appointment today for a schedule root canal, one I was given the anesthesia I started to feel short off breath and couldn't catch my breath. I got palpitations and my skin changed cools because I was unable to breath normal. it was like I couldn't catch my breath, I stared to panic and got dizzy. well I asked the doctor t please allow me to sit up and try to walk. he seemed bothered and alarmed that I made him stop. I was not going to pass out on his chair that day.. well he finally agreed to finish the work on another day and he patched mew up and sent me home.. I knew I wasn't ok and very lightheaded and short of breath knew I shouldn't of drove out from there but that's what I did. I drove three long blocks all long having trouble breath. I found a hospital a few blocks down and pulled in to there er room. I was admitted and labs and ecg was performed. later the doctor comes in my room and tells me my ecg was good and labs were all normal. I was pleased and just wanted to go home and that point after waiting for so long.. I did ask the nurse for copy's of my testing and she brought back copy's of my labs and ecg.. that's when I noticed on top of ecg it said 1st degree av block again, PR intervals 218... I was so disappointed because a few weeks back I had re normal ecg at one of my doctor visits. I simply couldn't under stand why this er doctor never mentioned that my ecg had a 1st degree av block posted *** a result. I am so confused and emotionally destroyed. I am so symptomatic from this heart block.. I am simply unable to perform normal thru out my  day with out being short of breath and struggling to breath. Every single doctor I come across simply pays no mind to my 1st degree av  block. And then I start looking like I'm some type of anxious fool that's a nervous mess. like I don't know what my own body feels like, I struggle to breath normally every single day for the past 2 1/2 years of hell. to know I have a condition that has me so symptomatic and there isn't any single medication and or a solution on how to treat. its like someone telling you your going to ding from cancer and we have no medications to offer you. this last year I had three ECGS AND ALL READ THE SAME  1ST DEGREE AV BLOCK. Yet my own cardiologist said it himself it was not big deal and called me compulsive behavior on my profile.. does anyone suffer from this type of heart block and has anyone ever offered you some treatment. every a pacemaker highly  doubt so. am sure there are more folks in this community that are willing to share your story.. thanks  

[is_something_wrong]

Try to accept the answer from Achillea. It's very good.

You can't be symptomatic from a 1st degree AV block. It's just an electrical finding, the PR interval is some milliseconds longer than it's supposed to be.

But you may want to consider getting a stress test done, to see if your heart rate is able to increase properly with exercise. A rare consequence of 1st degree AV block is an inability to increase heart rate. It can cause symptoms.

If everything is normal, your doctor should try to identify another cause for your symptoms.

[achillea]

In my case, my 1st degree block was discovered more than forty years ago.  The interval has remained constant over the years, and the assumption now is that I was born with it.  

For about almost forty years, I have been a gym rat, doing a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio and fifteen to twenty of weights five or six times a week.  I do this panic or not, because I have learned that my symptoms have very little to do with my heart's health.

My panic attacks that come  in what I call 'swarms' every couple of years.  They last months if untreated, and are always--always--accompanied by shortness of breath, dizziness, and a metric ton of PVCs as well as some other benign arrhythmias.

After a few years of putting up with this nonsense without treatment (because I didn't know what was going on, even though my EKGs and so on kept coming up clean), I took myself to a good shrink, got diagnosed with panic attack/anxiety, and was given a prescription for a superb SSRI (after several trials of different ones), and got my life back.

The PVCs, shortness of breath, and so on went away after a short period.  Since then, when the panic returns (and it does), I contact my shrink and go back on the meds for a few months, and life is good.

You might want to try this approach.  Believe me, the hardest part is making that first appointment with a psychiatrist.  After that, it gets a lot easier very fast.

[oxer]

Im only 33 years old, and it's very difficult to get around because I'm always experiencing so much shortness of breath.. Some days I manage and somedays it's to difficult and struggle to get around. I have no choice but to stay active because I have three kids and they demand attention and require me to constantly provide meals and stuff.. But I notice my symptoms more when I have to up my physical demand.. But this last year iv noticed that even when im just sitting and watching television im experiencing sob and its difficult to lay down flat because i feel like im sufficating. And yes then i panic, so yes It is funny you bring up anxiety and panic because that's what every single doctor thinks I suffer from.. My question to you is, has your 1st degree av block changes and gotten longer in its delay or has it remained the same?? Also do you keep an active life style, are you able to exercise?

[achillea]

I have first degree AV block forever, with a pr interval about the same as yours, just ever so slightly outside the normal range--and I have no symptoms and need no treatment.  This is the usual thing with first degree heart block.

Medically, it is a very mild condition, so close to normal that it's pretty darn normal.  It is not dangerous and it usually does not cause symptoms or need any treatment at all.  That is why your doctors are not concerned.

It will probably help you to read about first degree heart block:

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health//dci/Diseases/hb/hb_types.html

So, if your heart is healthy (and repeated testing has shown that it is), what is causing your symptoms?

Check out the symptoms listed here and see if you have experienced any of them:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/panic_disorder_anxiety_attack_symptom_treatment.htm

You might want to try posting in this medhelp forum, to compare notes with others:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Anxiety/show/71