PVC and palpitations fear taking over

[Ethansmom]

I've posted before (several times) about this topic. I have been getting heart palps (maybe a PVC?) almost everyday for the past week and a half. I've been very stressed with work and i found out my uncle is in hospice and very ill. The logical part of my brain tells me that these heart palps are caused by anxiety and fear. The irrational part of my brain tells me that they are an ominous warning sign! My husband has been dealing with my health anxiety for two years now and is ready to leave me. He can't deal with this anymore.
I am going to therapy and taking xanax as needed right now so that i can calm down. I literally think of my heart 24/7 and it starts the moment i wake up. i fear that i am going to feel a heart flip flop/palp/pvc. Has anyone been through this before? how do you force your self to stop fearing it. Its taking over my life. I just started seeing a therapist, regularly again.
I'm fairly healthy as far as a i know?

[bin tenn]

Hi. Again. I know how you feel. Although I no longer (at least currently do not) have any cardiac fears, I am STILL to this day hypervigilant of my heart and its every movement. It's not uncommon, what you describe. Not at all.

The more you anticipate it, the more likely it will be to happen. Anticipatory anxiety. Again, I understand. Oftentimes I have "sensed a palpitation coming". While logically that probably isn't possible, I basically think myself into having a palpitation. If that makes any sense?

I can't recall - have you asked your doc about this? And how well has the Xanax been working?

[Ethansmom]

I just had what i think was a panic attack and it was very frightening. I am home with my 6 year old who has been throwing up. I've been working from home, and feel stressed out all around. My husband and I are having problems and i think that is really bothering me. I also didn't get much sleep last night. I was walking around the house (getting something from upstairs), where i all of a sudden, i felt very out of breath. I started to worry about feeling out of breath. I started hyperventilating. My stomach got so nervous and i felt a sense of "doom". All of my muscles tightened up (back and stomach). My heart was pounding, and skipping a bit. I managed to calm down the heart rate and it's about 90 right now. I still feel a bit breathless.. i'm assuming this was a full blown panic attack??

I did take a xanax, which is helping a tiny bit. The attack last about 10-15 minutes..maybe less. I wasn't really timing it. It was scary as hell. I called my mom to see if she could calm me down, but she was not home! I'm still filling anxious :(

[Sphincterclench]

sounds like a text book panic attack, and now that youve had one and seen that its not going to kill you, try to keep that in mind in case there is another one

deep breaths.....

[Ethansmom]

Thank you. Your right, it didn't kill me. I actually talked myself down- acknowledged i was scared and panicking. Xanax helped take it down a notch, but didn't take it away completely. I was taking deep breathes and saw my fit bit heart rate go down, which helped me realize i could control it. :( i'm scared

[ScaredLizard]

I have PAC's (Top ventricle vs PVC which is bottom) PAC and PVCs are common and almost everyone gets them. Some people are paying more attention (Anxiety does this) and feel them more often. Unless you are getting 200+ a day there is no worry about these. I get them when very anxious myself!

[jules321]

I can get upwards of 20,000 PVC's per day. It started a couple years ago when I was going through serious stress. Mine are BENIGN. I had every test possible by my cardio - and then even saw a cardio specialist (electrophysiologist) who again confirmed they are bothersome but benign. They went away for awhile, and they are now back with a vengeance during a very stressful time in my life. It's a terrifying feeling to have your heart flapping around in your chest - but we must breathe and distract. Breathe and distract. As Bin said, I can basically think them into being. I'll think "oh wow I'm feeling stressed I'm scared I'm going to get a PVC" - then Bam! They start. For me, once a cycle starts it takes a week or so to quiet back down. Exercising for me helps lessen them - as does staying very hydrated.

Breathe and distract.

[Ethansmom]

Thank you for all of your responses. I'm so terrified of the panic attack I just had
I had been googling PVCs an hour before the attack. I felt short of breath and then I spiraled. It was terrifying. I almost called an ambulance.

[bin tenn]

Panic attacks typically peak at around 10-15 minutes, so I've read. And that tends to hold true, at least for me. It does sound like a typical panic attack. I've had them like that many times.

Sorry you and your husband are having a tough time, but hang in there. One step at a time. I certainly hope things get much better.

[swajj]

It might be a good idea to bump one of your other threads on this topic and read the advice given to you on them instead of starting a new thread. You were given lots of good advice. How is your therapy going?

[Ethansmom]

Therapy is off to a good start. I had a major set back after that panic attack yesterday. Woke up and took Xanax just to be able to function. Sometimes that only helps a bit. I notice that i'm feeling short of breath. I know this can be an anxiety symptom. Anyone else dealing with this?

[bin tenn]

I've dealt with SOB sensations often. Sometimes even when not apparently anxious/stressed. Some days it happens, most days it doesn't...