Very worried about the future

[mottec]

Hi

Im male 32, with long use of psychiatric drugs, causing health problems, due to my hyper sensitivity to meds.

For the last three years I have been suffering from heart problems intensifying over the last year.

Im scared to death since its getting progressively worse, with near syncope and chronic high pulse. This has been diagnosed by ONE cardiologist, but many others has put my symptoms down to anxiety.

The truth is that it is much more likely to be from psych drugs, since I only started getting heart problems when I started them. I would go of the drug and the problems would disappear.

One way or the other, Im looking at a possible not so fun future, where my sensitivity to meds can mean that I can not get the treatment I need for my heart.

I want to know if there is any way, to handle this uncertainty which sometimes leads me to feeling of "impending doom" or "great fear". I have no real friends and sadly less contact to my family than I would wish. I put this down to making a few mistakes along the way, but also simply too many hardships. Can anyone suggest a proper way of handling the possibilty of getting worse/not getting better, and please dont suggest medication like SSRI's or other, since they are what caused the problem to begin with.

[Davit]

I'm a recluse, it was forced on me. I'm very sensitive to some medication. I take a beta blocker for my heart probably for the murmur. I take a pisser pill because I'm sodium sensitive and can't get away from sodium totally. I rake an antibiotic for chronic Staph infection. Prednisone for inflammation and ranitadine to prevent Ulcers. That and Tylenol. I have morphine but very seldom use it. Same with valium and when I use valium it is as a muscle relaxant. I no longer have anxiety or panic attacks, this is possible.

[Frenchy]

Hi there,

You say that you were diagnosed by one Cardiologist - but you only mention a racing pulse. What was the actual diagnosis, do you know? Where you just told by this cardiologist that the pre-sycope and racing heart where caused by your psych meds? Was the heart rate/rhythm identified as a particular type? A racing heart is often called a tachycardia and it can happen a few different ways. Sinus tachycardia is a normal rhythm and is your heart speeding up as a result of stress, anxiety, exercise etc. You can also have ventricular tachycardia (from the bottom chambers) or you can have atrial tachys (the top heart chambers, although that tends to get called atrial fibrillation rather than tachycardia). Do you know what you were getting? Some racing heart rhythms are more serious than others. Sinus tachys and atrial rhythms are more common for anxiety sufferers and it is alarming and can cause dizziness and light headedness but it is not usually dangerous. Other rhythms can be more dangerous, which is why I am interested in what your cardiologist actually said/saw. I don't think it is enough for a cardiologist to just diagnose a fast rhythm without providing an assurance as to whether it is cause for concern or whether it is not dangerous but just troubling for you.

If you are not sure, then you can (and should in my view) ask for another referral to see a cardiologist - explain the palpitations and pre-syncope and ask for some tests. They should be able to carry out at least an ECG and an Echo-cardiogram and confirm if they can see any electrical or "mechanical" issues with your heart. You could even ask for a 24/48 hour holter monitor which is an ECG recorder that you wear for either 1 or 2 days and it will record everything that happens.

If they are able to identify something, then the good news is, there are a wide variety of medications available to treat heart rhythm problems. Beta Blockers and Calcium channel blockers alone, there are literally dozens available and a range of different doses that you and your cardiologist could experiment with so don't lose hope just yet. Many beta blockers are highly selective drugs with relatively few interactions and even if you find you are sensitive to some, there may be others you can tolerate well, or take lower doses which can still be effective. I just think you need more clarity around what the cardiologists actually see when they test your cardiac function.

In the meantime, some other things you could do for yourself - get down to your pharmacist or supermarket and get yourself some Omega 3 supplements (unless you already eat a lot of oily fish?). Omega 3 is great for the heart and regulating heart rhythms. I take one every day and I genuinely think it helps. Also, make sure you are hydrating enough during the day. Even mild dehydration increases the viscosity of blood plasma and increases blood pressure and the general stress on your heart. And lastly, make sure you are getting enough potassium in your diet. Also critical for good heart health and good strong stable heartbeat. I make sure I eat a couple of bananas every day and it's also my excuse to each a chocolate bar each day :winks: . Those tips are not just bunkem, I promise, I've researched this a lot, believe me. These are things I think anyone could do to improve their heart health, even with no underlying cardiac problems!

Please do try to see someone and get some clear answers and don't lose hope. All the best!

[mottec]

Hi

He called it Inapropriate Sinus Tachycardia, which means I have an elevated pulse 24/7. Its rare and bothersome. Im drained and ofte dred waking up to another day of heart problems. Thx for you concern.

edit:
Im actually quite dissatisfied with my cardios(except the one I talked about). I think its because I have a diagnosis of schizo, and Im just not believed. It sucks.

[Frenchy]

One place you could take a look at is the UK Arrhythmia Alliance who have some info on IST.

http://www.heartrhythmcharity.org.uk/www/79/0/Inappropriate_sinus_tachycardia/

Their site does seem to indicate that it is not all that well understood but that the causes can potentially be anxiety related, or caused by an over sensitivity to adrenaline in the body. Keep in mind, when someone says something is anxiety related that is not always a case of them writing something off as "all in your mind". Anxiety causes a physiological response and that can affect the body in negative ways, just like any other physiological response. It does say that while the effects can be troublesome, it is not itself dangerous and does not lead to an increase in heart attack or stroke which I hope is at least some consolation.

I do know what it is like to be fearful of the future. I have a heart condition myself and like you, I have moments where I feel extremely depressed about my future - or possible lack of. The heart is strange organ... it is both the emotional and physical core of our bodies, even more so than our brains are in many ways. It is common for people to be highly aware and extremely sensitive to anything that is going on in there. Depression and anxiety are common in people with heart problems for this reason.

Beta Blockers and Calcium Channel blockers are potentially an option to discuss with a cardiologist and as I said above, there are an extremely wide variety of different types and doses that can be tried - even if you are sensitive and need to experiment a bit to find the right meds. And new, better medications are coming out all the time.

Even CBT is mentioned on their pages as a potential aid, so that is something else to consider. Although you have had negative experiences with some cardiologists, do think about going back to one (the one that was good) to discuss some treatment options. Even just taking the step to talk to someone further to try and alleviate the problem may make you feel more positive about things. Good luck.

[mottec]

Hi Frenchy

I appreciate your post. Thank you