Bigeminy during Panic attacks

[jgmoo123]

Hello, I am a 34 year old female and have been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for about 12 years now. I've been resistant to taking medicine over the years and was trying to deal with it without meds. The last three months have been a total nightmare with getting palpatations, PVC, bigeminy, and panic attacks. I took some zoloft for a little while but the side affects made me stop taking it. I've been told many times by my personal doctor as well as ER docs that panic attacks cannot kill you. I've had heart tests and all and all have come out normal. The last time I was at the ER the doc there scared me to death because he started telling me of healthy athletes dropping dead because of bigeminy during a panic attack. That almost put me in the psych ward. Anyway my doctor after that has assured me that I am not going to die because of this. However that stupid ER doctors words are still ringing in my head. So my question is, is there anyone out there that has bigeminy during a panic attack and live to tell the tale?

[Fourteen14]

Hello, I am a 34 year old female and have been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks for about 12 years now. I've been resistant to taking medicine over the years and was trying to deal with it without meds. The last three months have been a total nightmare with getting palpatations, PVC, bigeminy, and panic attacks. I took some zoloft for a little while but the side affects made me stop taking it. I've been told many times by my personal doctor as well as ER docs that panic attacks cannot kill you. I've had heart tests and all and all have come out normal. The last time I was at the ER the doc there scared me to death because he started telling me of healthy athletes dropping dead because of bigeminy during a panic attack. That almost put me in the psych ward. Anyway my doctor after that has assured me that I am not going to die because of this. However that stupid ER doctors words are still ringing in my head. So my question is, is there anyone out there that has bigeminy during a panic attack and live to tell the tale?

Small irregularities in heart rate and pace are really common in anxiety. Most likely what the ER doc was referring to is atrial fibrillation (a totally different and much more serious condition) which you clearly don't have (otherwise you would already be being treated for it) .

The biggest issue is the anxiety and thoughts associated with the symptoms you are having rather than the actual symptoms themselves.

Half the battle will be getting to the point where you can not only gain perspective on it, but make it stick.

If you take a look at the recent heart section I posted in the "health anxiety exposed" thread, there is some data on heart related illnesses.

Basically we all face the risk for things to go wrong every day of our lives, the key information however is that the risks are in the most part small, and the benefits of living without constant fear far out way any real threat.


Regards

[ab123]

You definitely won't die from bigeminy, all it is is regular heart beat..skipped beat. Or extra. And regular beat. A fib would be more concerning and people don't just drop dead from that either, my heart goes from 87-170 in an instant and I haven't died. Its happend multiple times, I also how low bp and can't take meds. And the best cardiologists aren't even worried. I told the doc once I had a missed beat..regular beat...missed beat and he said. Oh! Bigemeny yeah that's no big deal, I get that when I'm stressed. No worries my friend, You will be fine.

[ab123]

I meant to say the doctor has it. And he's not concerned for himself.

[jgmoo123]

Thanks everyone for your quick and helpful responses. I feel pretty good that having bigeminy or palpitations are not going to kill me during normal circumstances. But has anyone had these during a panic attack, I think that's what concerned me and has got me scared. So I was hoping to see if anyone can ease my mind and say they have them too during panic attacks at times.

[ab123]

Not even during a panic attack, the panic attack is most likely the cause of it. A panic attack is the fight or flight response. Which was designed to actually keep us alive. So you won't die during a panic attack with bigemeny either .