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I'm very scared (Read 2969 times)
AlexKo
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I'm very scared
Apr 30th, 2010, 5:22pm
 
I'm a 22 year old male. I smoke tobacco and marijuana on occasion. ( I know, I have to quit, I worry about my lungs too) The past 2 years I have been having a heart palpitations; I just had one a hour or so ago. Its really hard to explain, but I will try my best. When I get them, It usually lasts for what seems like 'about 2-3 beats of my heart'  I just become aware of the heavy strange beating in my chest, Its almost like my heart feels like a sponge squeezing inside. Its so very hard to explain. I think I get sorta lightheaded from it, but I also believe that is from the shock of realizing its occurring. It stops just as fast as it starts. and I'm left dumbfounded and terrified. It may occur once or twice a month maybe. Its just so terrifying; I worry I'm going to die. (Which by the way, is my ultimate fear, that crosses my mind on a daily basis)

See, I've been to the doctor and had an EKG done, which came back normal (obviously, because it didn't occur while the test was being run) He ordered a holter monitor, but I had issues with the leads staying stuck on me for some reason, and was going to have it redone, but the transmission went to hell in my car. Therefore my ability to get around is gone practically. I know I have to get back to the doctor asap which is the only sure fire way to get this figured out, But here is the issue right now.

I worry alot, and easily too. I worry about silly things sometimes, I stress at the thought of losing a loved one. I worry about my health alot because I know I could live a healthier life. I know anxiety can be a contributing factor for the palps, but I am so afraid my chest is gonna start hurting and I'm gonna die. I don't get dizzy at all or feel faint ever.

But the reason I'm posting is because I'm so darned scared. I don't wanna die from this, and I don't think I'm going to, but its sooo scary. I just reread this post and I can't believe how incoherent it is. I'm so worried about all this I cant even talk straight. I just sit and focus on it and I don't know what to do. I know I have to see my pcp, but that wont help me this instant. Besides that, I try to educate myself by reading up on the condition online, and all you read is negative things which just make the stress level rise even higher.

I dunno what to do, I just can't stand being scared anymore. Its terrible  :'(

I'll add anything relevant if it comes to me, It's kinda hard to think right this second. I don't know if I mentioned this, But I get them once maybe twice a month. I do not consume much caffeine, I drink mostly water.

Oh yeah, Stupid that I forgot to mention this. I currently take 80mg of Propranolol twice a day for high blood pressure. Despite being on a beta blocker they still occur. (which I worry if that alone should be more cause for concern) Sad
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RLR
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Re: I'm very scared
Reply #1 - May 1st, 2010, 11:25am
 
Okay, welcome to the forum. I've read your complaint.

It's important for you to understand that the palpitations you are experiencing are not originating from within your heart, but rather the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is part of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the compliment to the sympathetic nervous system.

You can sort of think of the sympathetic nervous system as the accelerator pedal for your body. When you undertake any type of activity that requires physical exertion, the sympathetic nervous system increases its dominance and physiological changes take place in order for the body to successfully meet the challenge. In other words, things like heart rate and respiration speed up or accelerate.

When the challenge is terminated, the parasympathetic represents the brake pedal and through actions of certain nerve impulses like the vagus nerve, things like heart rate and respiration slow down. You need to be aware that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems also have another function. Whenever you are confronted by something this constitutes a threat or that frightens you, the sympathetic nervous system engages to a significant degree and prepares the body to either fend off the threat or escape from it. It is a genetically pre-wired response in all humans and increases survivability. In other words, the sympathetic nervous system stimulates production of adrenaline, increases heart rate and force and generally prepares the body to best defeat or escape from the threat to your well-being and safety. All mammals respond similarly.

Once the threat has passed or has been defeated, the parasympathetic nervous system becomes dominant and slows production of adrenaline, slows the heart rate and force through stimulation by the vagus nerve. This collective process is known as the fight-or-flight response.

So here is what is happening in your case; you believe the palpitations to be originating from your heart and therefore suspect that it is a symptom of heart disease or imminent cardiac event of some type. It is causing you be afraid or fearful. The brain does not differentiate between a real threat and a perceived one, so it responds likewise in all instances and the fight-or-flight response that I've described to you is engaged. What you are sensing with your heart is stimulation by the vagus nerve because the nervous system is experiencing mild dysregulation. It is sending signals to the heart inappropriately, but understand that it has no ability to stop your heart. It is merely introducing a signal that is superimposed over the normal pacer signal within your heart. It varies in the way you experience it because it arrives to the heart during various stages of the cardiac cycle, but the source is always the vagus nerve and it's entirely harmless.

Just so you're aware, we don't need to see this type of dysrhythmia in order to determine the cause and your ECG did not turn out negative because the palpitations were not recorded. We're looking for things on your ECG that you're entirely unaware of and it's only your personal interpretation of the test and how it functions that is causing you such concern. If there were something wrong with the electroconductivity of your heart, we know precisely where to look and what to look for, with no attention at all to the presence of the palpitations which we know to be benign but are being entirely misinterpreted by you as a sign that something is wrong.

You are frightened because of irrational beliefs which are actually formed around the absence of the required medical background to understand what is actually taking place. The physiological changes taking place with your body in response to your fear are being construed by you as symptoms of heart disease or other problem.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Unless you have a strong family history of hypertension, then it's most likely that you are experiencing stress hypertension rather than a primary form of the disease. Understand that beta blockers do not inhibit the palpitations you are experiencing. The drug is designed to reduce cardiac force and preserve a stable heart rhythm but is not capable of inhibiting a parasympathetic response such as is introduced by the vagus nerve that causes the palpitation. Once you are able to establish the underlying cause for your anxiety, your blood pressure will return to a normal baseline.

There is nothing wrong with your heart. Only you believe that to be the case because you have elected to perceive the palpitations as a sign of danger. In actuality, you are creating them as a consequence of your fear that something is wrong.

You also need to know that the properties in cannabis can produce panic syndrome due to changes in the nervous system which occur during consumption. I won't lecture you on health habits, but if you're concerned about your heart, I'd think twice about practices which can produce irreversible effects and truly increase risk to your health. It's your choice.

Best regards and Good Health
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Best Regards and Good Health
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AliceB
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Re: I'm very scared
Reply #2 - May 1st, 2010, 11:53am
 
Hi,  I'm always sorry to hear that another person is suffering so from fear about his heart.  I first had PVC's when I was mid-thirties with two little children and I was sure something was terribly wrong even though doctors assured me my heart was healthy.  The PVC's create a terrible sensation and much anxiety and then the viscious circle begins as fear makes them worse. I spent much time in the early days lying on the couch trying not to move or do anything to make them worse.
Of course, this was the opposite of what I should have been doing.

Believe me, I know how hard it is to get past the fear and anxiety.  I have had PVC's off and on for more than thirty years. I take a beta blocker but it doesn't prevent them.  I can be fine for months, only feeling a few isolated "blips" every now and then and, then, all of a sudden, I can have weeks or even months of many each day.  I am in that "storm" right now and have been miserable.  This forum was a great thing to find and the writing of RLR has been wonderfully helpful. I am making a serious attempt to not react to the runs of them, to keep up my exercise walking, and to tell myself this is not dangerous even when it feels like it must be.  Somedays when I am thoroughly distracted, like playing with grandchildren or attending a lecture, I realize later that I haven't felt any.  That tells me there is a huge mind-over-matter component here.

I also believe that my stomach/digestion are involved and reading about the vagus nerve and its part in this has been comforting.
I do hope you can get past the place where you are now, so full of fear, because it's a miserable place to be.  Good luck to you.  AliceB
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