I've been having heart palps for over 3 years now. In 2006 I went to the ER, all was 'normal'. I had a 24 hr holter, again, 'normal'.

I went in for my annual physical last week and told the Dr. I was still having the palps. He had them do an ECG along with the regular annual blood work. The blood work came back fine.

Today though, I got a call from the Dr.s office that the results of my ECG came back and they want to discuss it with me.

My regular Dr. is on vacation, and his policy is if everything is normal, they don't call. It's actually one of his partners that's calling for me to come in. I know some of them call even if things are normal, so I'm hoping that's all it is.

I'm trying not to let my anxiety and worst case scenario thoughts take over. My appointment is at 3:00 today.

I'd appreciate any good vibes being sent my way. Thanks.

I'll keep you in my prayers. Keep us posted! ((((hugs))))

Sending "I hope it's nothing" thoughts!!

Sending prayers to you, I know that most be nerve racking..... Praying for the best, and please let us know how everything goes....

Rebecca

Thanks for the good thoughts and vibes. I really appreciate it.

Nothing showed up 3 years ago and I was on a 24hr holter. Nothing has changed as far as I can tell, so I'm probably worried over nothing...but you all know what that's like

Good vibes coming atcha!! I'm sure it's fine but I know how any thing these days to do with your health can put you in "what if" land. Let us know how it went.

Well, I just got back and they're sending me for an echo. Apparently there's something abnormal showing in the right side of the heart. They said it's probably nothing to worry about, but want to check it out. They said my rhythm is totally normal though.

One of the lines on the readout is pointier than it should be. It should show up a little rounder. That's my non-medical explanation

I asked why this didn't show up on my other ECG's that I had done in 2005. She wasn't sure and said it could be something transient and that I shouldn't worry too much at this point. Easy for her to say

My blood sugar is also elevated, which I've known about since 2006, but for some reason it's jumped up a bit in the last couple of months. I feel like I have too much on my plate right now and the anxiety isn't helping with the blood sugar.

I need to calm down somehow. I feel like crying.

(((((((((((((frombc)))))))))))))))

You are in my prayers.

Jeaninne

Frombc,

How are you feeling today? hope you are a little calmer?

All these tests send me into a tailspin too,I become a bundle of nerves.

Hope all is well for you.

Thinking about you

Take care

Kath

Frombc

Hope you are feeling a little calmer.

Prayers and big hugs coming your way ((((frombc))))

Jackie

Yes, I'm an expert at worrying about nothing! I'm also very good at worry about everything. When my mammogram came back "abnormal" I cried all day. It turned out to be a cluster of cysts and prominent duct (whatever that is).
So from one worrier to another, I'll pray that this is nothing and that you find out soon.

Ang

Thank you for all the kind words and thoughts.

I'm feeling surprisingly calmer today than I was on Friday. I won't know anything until the echo test, but am really, really trying to think positive.

I know I shouldn't google things, but have actually found someone on this board (doodle) that had the same type of test results and hers turned out fine.

I've been googling 'p wave abnormalities' and actually read a few things that said that 'increased sympathetic tone' can cause false positive results such as mine. I'm not positive, but I think sympathetic tone refers to the nervous system and that's what regulates fight or flight state.

I've had constant butterflies for a couple of months now, so I figure my sympathetic tone is wacky. I'm hoping that's all it is that caused the abnormal ekg.

I also had the ekg done during a fasting and Oral Glucose test. They had me drink the disgusting sugary drink and then took the ekg right away. I tried to stay calm during the test, but when you're in that fight or flight mode, nothing really seems to work.

Keep your good vibes coming my way so the echo test comes back ok. Thanks for listening.

Sorry frombc.
Wanted to respond to your email but I encountered problem. Seldom post (although I have been reading posts regularly), so kept making mistakes.

Yes, the result of an ECG done in 2005 indicated that I had a enlarged right atrial chamber. Fortunately for me, I was referred to a cardiologist on the same day. Had many tests done : Echocardiogram, thorough blood test, 24 hr urine collection (I think it was for 3 days, VT Lung scan etc. The echocardiogram was normal. For the other tests, I had to wait for about a week before I could see the cardiologist. The lung scan result was borderline (I can't remember what cardiologist was looking for) -- but the result was not conclusive. Hence, I was sent for a CT scan and put on a 24hr holter. After the long series of tests, the cardiologist announced that I am ok, except for sinus tarchycardia which he said could be due to hormones and anxiety. I asked him about the ECG. He said that it was quite common for ECG results to be misleading.

I should be alright -- did an ECG in Mar 09, before a D&C operation for mid-cycle bleeding, and it was normal (except for the fast heart rate which I already know).

Just 3 weeks ago, I had the worst palpitations I ever had. It was continuous for almost a week. The beats were violent, and I felt as if my heart was jumping out of my mouth. Deep breathing and forced coughing did not help. I rushed to a cardiologist, and my heart rate was 118 per min. But the cardiologist did not think anything was wrong, and gave me Concor for the palpitations. The med helped, and the palpitations went off after 2 doses.

I am peri, and I have been having anxiety and dizziness (unbalanced gait) for the last 15+ years.
Still learning not to be anxious over things, especially getting unduly worried over health symptoms.
Always got to remind myself that it is pointless getting worried and imaging the worse scenario.
If I can take action (eg. seeing a doc, reading a book), just do it, and be hopeful that things will get better.
Now reading a book called "Feeling Good" by Dr David D. Burns -- hoping to learn and practise some of the techniques.

I am now "fighting" my worst peri symptoms -- vertigo and tinnitus. Have been going for myofascial therapy which does help. But immediately after my menses last week, I got migraine and have been dizzy the last few days.

Don't worry too much. Your ECG result could be erroneous as well.
Focus on what you can do to make yourself more comfortable, do deep breathing.
You should be fine.

You will be in my prayers.

Thank you for talking to me doodle.

I'm sure you understand my fear of being told my ekg is abnormal and what it could mean. It could be something as simple as anxiety causing an erroneous reading or something much more.

They've scheduled me for the echo tomorrow afternoon. I imagine they don't tell you anything while you're there though. I feel so healthy other than the anxiety I have, so I'm having a hard time believing there could be something so wrong with me.

When I had my other ekg and holter done 3 years ago, everything was normal. Thank you for your prayers, I do appreciate it very much.
Gina

I go in to discuss the readings of my 24 hour holter tomorrow AM and I am feeling nervous so I came in to read some posts.

Keeping you in my prayers for everything to test normal!

Blessings,

Meg

This may sound really funny, but I get that vertigo/dizzy thing, too. Sometimes to the point that I feel like I'm falling out of my chair. The one think that I've noticed really helps is ativan. I don't know why because the dizziness isn't connected to me feeling anxious. I do get the derealization feeling sometimes when the anxiety is bad and the ativan helps with that, too.

I wonder if anyone else has taken ativan to help the dizzies?Just a thought.

Angela

I had the echo done yesterday, and I'm happy to say that structurally my heart is normal. The tech wasn't supposed to tell me anything, but he was wonderful and could see how distraught I was, so he told me. He told me I can't tell the Dr. though

The 'peaked p wave' was still there. He told me that anxiety or even an electrolyte problem or nothing could be causing it.

Apparently it can also be a sign of lung problems, but it's unlikely that's the case if I don't have any symptoms. From what I was reading, this can happen with severe COPD. I figure if I had COPD severe enough, I would have some symptoms.

I'll be going back to the Dr. next week for a follow up and hopefully she can put my mind at ease about this whole thing. For right now though, I'm thankful that the echo turned out fine.

Thanks to all of you for holding my hand.
Gina

This is really great new, Gina!
I am so happy for you.
Your follow-up appointment is mostly likely to be fine too.

Thanks doodle. I know in my logical mind that I shouldn't still be worried, but I admit I am somewhat.

The 'peaked p waves' which is what can indicate the enlarged atria were still there when they did the echo. Do you remember if yours were too? I imagine that's what your ekg had shown too. Did the cardiologist ever explain to you why your ekg initially came back abnormal? Thanks.

frombc....are you from bc ? LOL, because I am

I'm glad your the tech told you everything is okay, i'm so glad to hear this..I'm so worried every day about my heart and have been for years. I just started new meds for high blood pressure, why do we have to go through this now at our age ? havent' we been through enough stuff, I guess that's what aging is about, medical appointments

thinking of you,

Moozie

Hi Moozie. Thanks, and yes, I'm about 15 miles East of Vancouver. I know what you mean about going through this at this age. My kids are grown, I've started my own business making decorative switch plates. I should be enjoying myself and concentrating on the good things. Instead I sit on the internet and read stuff that scares the crap out of me.

I was doing well until about a month ago when my blood glucose started to go up again. It correlated with having that horrible morning anxiety where you want to jump out of your skin.

I wasn't shocked at the blood tests from that, but was totally blind sided by the abnormal ekg results. I'm driving my poor DH crazy with all my theories and blah blah blah.

Even though I'm relieved at the echo outcome, I'm now focusing on the COPD thing. My DH keeps telling me that if I had COPD bad enough to effect my ekg I'd know it. I hope he's right.

Going for tests to eliminate causes is good, but the stress and anxiety it causes me sometimes is almost unbearable. I thought I was going to throw up at the echo the other day.

Thanks for letting me vent.
Gina

Hey but you took the right steps and you got everything checked out, WTG!!! I am glad that things turned out okay... don't stress about COPD cuz I have to agree if you had it to that extent you would know it.

You hang in there, and take solace in the fact that your test have come back great...

I tell you this peri/meno this is a trip. I had no idea that this was coming, and it still blows me away everyday that I read this board of all the stuff that we are facing. It's is just crazy.

If I have said it one, I have said it a 1,000 times, THANK GOD FOR THIS BOARD, for Dearest, and for all the ladies on this forum....

Hi Gina,
I have done an ECG before my D&C surgery in Mar this year, and recently did another due to bad heart palpitations.
Both are normal (except showing sinus tachycardia).
For my ECG done in 2005, cardiologist said that it could be due to a technical error -- I did not bother to do another ECG then, since echocardiogram and other tests came back fine.