4 posts shown.
Kimberly Stewart89 said:Sorry, but do you usually suffer from panic attacks?
Since I've dealt with them for years, the panic attacks often come paired with tachycardia and heart palpitations. Of course, you really ought to see a cardiologist, but much of it is rooted in psychological stress. Even when I'm just resting, my heart can start racing erratically. For me, whenever my pulse starts climbing, taking a sedative has always been a lifesaver.
I mean... if you are dealing with those kinds of issues, then that could definitely be making everything feel worse.
Actually, I don't typically have panic attacks. It’s strange because this happens at completely random times—like when I was sitting in a theater or just lying quietly in bed at home. I read somewhere that supraventricular arrhythmias cause shortness of breath, so that might be what's happening. I do experience panic attacks occasionally, but it's rare, and they usually happen at night because my heart wakes me up.
As for my kidneys, I haven't actually had them checked, nor have I had a VA ultrasound of my abdomen. I honestly get the feeling that doctors aren't taking me seriously; it feels like they think I'm exaggerating my symptoms, so they won't even refer me for those kinds of tests.
Melissa Phillips4 said:Do you carry any extra weight, or maybe you have PCOS? That could definitely be a factor.
You should probably get all your hormones checked out to see if that's where the issue lies.
No, I don't have any extra weight, and I haven't had my PCOS checked yet, though I am planning to.
I forgot to mention that they didn't perform a Doppler during my ultrasound; the doctor actually told me I was too young to be dealing with issues like that. How exactly is potassium diagnosed—is it through blood work? And is iron therapy usually handled with tablets?
Gregory Turner71 said:The fact that your ultrasound came back normal is actually pretty encouraging; I wouldn't stress too much about it. That skipping sensation you're feeling—it’s incredibly uncomfortable, I get it, but it isn't dangerous. On my last Holter monitor test, my counts were hitting around 30,000, and I turned out just fine. Is it possible that being afraid of those palpitations is triggering a full-blown panic attack? Also, when was the last time you had your thyroid checked?
And please, be careful with the Bisoprolol 2.5 mg. If you miss a dose, it can really throw your heart rhythm for a loop.
My thyroid levels are fine. It’s the panic attacks that are the real issue—they give me this shortness of breath and make me feel like I'm having a heart attack. Are you dealing with anything like that?
They actually caught an accelerated heart rate during my routine checkups back in elementary school, though I didn't really have any other symptoms at the time. By high school, the tachycardia had become much more pronounced. I went through several cardiology evaluations—my VA ultrasound was normal, I had a Holter monitor test where my heart rate hit 92 while resting in a hospital bed, and they even noted palpitations during an exercise stress test. The specialist over at the Mayo Clinic basically told me just to avoid heavy physical activity.
Things took a turn for the worse once I started college. On top of random spikes where my heart rate would jump to 140, I began feeling constant palpitations. I sought out a second cardiologist, but their take was that this was all psychosomatic and that I should go see a psychiatrist instead.
After some time passed, the situation became quite dire. After eating anything at all, I’d struggle to catch my breath for nearly an hour. I was also dealing with daily sharp pains in my chest. Eventually, a cardiologist saw me urgently and ran a Holter and an EKG. Based on those results, he prescribed Bisoprolol 2.5 mg. While that has allowed me to function somewhat normally, I still experience palpitations for at least half an hour every single day. The most unsettling part is the shortness of breath; it gets significantly worse right before my period and can last for hours. A recent Holter test taken while I was on the medication recorded 36 supraventricular arrhythmias, an average rate of 87 bpm, and a peak of 144 bpm during a walk. My doctor mentioned I need to undergo another stress test, but I have to wait six months for that. Given how things are going, I'm starting to feel a sense of panic and fear, especially during those moments when I feel like I'm running out of air and might actually collapse. The anxiety often keeps me from sleeping, and if I happen to forget my morning dose, everything falls apart. I'm only in my early twenties and don't have massive amounts of stress in my life right now. Does anyone have any advice? My doctor insists it isn't anything serious and tells me to just enjoy the summer, but it's incredibly hard to ignore what my body is doing.