Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Heart Rhythm (Expert Forum)
SVT, PVC, AFIB?
Answered by
Michael J. McWilliams, M.D. - atrial fibrillation, Pacemakers, Defibrillators, Arrhythmias (SVT, VT), PVC/PAC, Ablation
Wilmington Health Associates
Wilmington - NC
Questions in the Heart Rhythm forum are answered by Dr. Michael J. McWilliams. Topics covered include heart rhythm issues, arrhythmia, irregular heartbeat, implanted defibrillators, pacemakers, and tachycardia.
SVT, PVC, AFIB?
by someunluckyguy, May 12, 2008 11:59AM
Hey Doc,
I am a 32 year old male diagnosed with PI-IBS. I am Librax from digestive spasms and anxiety. Within the past year I have begun to have episodes where my heart starts pouding what feells like 130-160 BPM. I have experienced minor flutters, skips, drops but they do not worry me but the racing pounding heart does. This has happend quite a few times over the past year usually months apart and the onset is sudden and not from exertion. I will get uneasy sense fo my heart stopping then it will kick into overdrive. First time I thought I was having a heart attack but was unlikely considering no other symptoms were present.
I wore a holter monitor for 2 weeks, I never had one of these episodes but it did record common PVCs and my doc said everything was fine and alot of it has do with my digetive problems and stress. Unfortunately its hard to be calm when experiencing this type of heart rhythm. I worry about SCD all the time now thanks to the interenet but my doc tells me that it's quite unlikely infact 0% considering I have no underlying heart conditions or had previous heart attacks. In the past year I have had chest x-rays, ultrasounds, mri, colonoscopy, upper gi and lots of blood work. Everything appears to be fine but these serious episodes have got me quite worried that I'm just gonna keel over and die one day from this.
I enjoy drinking, I have used cocaine in the past and am a former smoker. No previous history of heart disease.
What is this though? PVCS, SVTS, AFIB? It all seems so similar and I just need some helpi dissecting this issue.
Thanks
I am a 32 year old male diagnosed with PI-IBS. I am Librax from digestive spasms and anxiety. Within the past year I have begun to have episodes where my heart starts pouding what feells like 130-160 BPM. I have experienced minor flutters, skips, drops but they do not worry me but the racing pounding heart does. This has happend quite a few times over the past year usually months apart and the onset is sudden and not from exertion. I will get uneasy sense fo my heart stopping then it will kick into overdrive. First time I thought I was having a heart attack but was unlikely considering no other symptoms were present.
I wore a holter monitor for 2 weeks, I never had one of these episodes but it did record common PVCs and my doc said everything was fine and alot of it has do with my digetive problems and stress. Unfortunately its hard to be calm when experiencing this type of heart rhythm. I worry about SCD all the time now thanks to the interenet but my doc tells me that it's quite unlikely infact 0% considering I have no underlying heart conditions or had previous heart attacks. In the past year I have had chest x-rays, ultrasounds, mri, colonoscopy, upper gi and lots of blood work. Everything appears to be fine but these serious episodes have got me quite worried that I'm just gonna keel over and die one day from this.
I enjoy drinking, I have used cocaine in the past and am a former smoker. No previous history of heart disease.
What is this though? PVCS, SVTS, AFIB? It all seems so similar and I just need some helpi dissecting this issue.
Thanks
Doctor's Answer
by Michael J. McWilliams, M.D., May 12, 2008 07:15PM
, May 12, 2008 07:15PM
I am the last person to notice spelling mistakes.
It sounds like panic attacks. The only way to know is to catch the rhythm on a monitor. If you have a normal echo, EKG, and no high risk features, your risk of sudden cardiac death is about 1:300,000. It sounds like your anxiety is getting the best of you. I agree it would be nice to catch the rhythm on a monitor, that is sometimes difficult. If you have no cardiac disease, your risk of SCD is very slight.
It sounds like panic attacks. The only way to know is to catch the rhythm on a monitor. If you have a normal echo, EKG, and no high risk features, your risk of sudden cardiac death is about 1:300,000. It sounds like your anxiety is getting the best of you. I agree it would be nice to catch the rhythm on a monitor, that is sometimes difficult. If you have no cardiac disease, your risk of SCD is very slight.
here are some symptoms of mine when i experience this episodes of pounding, racing heart.
- clammy, flushed
- gas ie burping with stomch pain
- sinus activity ie runny nose everytime
possible allgeric reaction?