Hello folks, I'm sure there are those who are overly obessesed with cardiac issues. I'm stuck in a cycle of cardiac anxiety. I have a history of occasional pvcs that have turned into more frequently than I'm used to. This led me to going down a rabbit hole of research studies and fear centered article discovery. I'm so confused at how some literature says they are harmful and should be ablated and others say they are benign and harmless. I'm not sure who else experiences them but I have been trying to figure out how to approach my recovery and cannot seem to get passed these. thanks.
PVC and Health Anxiety
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bin_tenn
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They are indeed very normal and harmless in most cases. If you don't have diagnosed heart disease, congenital heart defect, etc, I think you should be just fine. Yes, I absolutely know this feeling, I've had this type of anxiety for several years now. The best advice I can offer is 1) confirm with your own doctor that they are not caused by a legitimate heart defect, and 2) if you're clear there then practice acceptance.
bin_tenn
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For sure! To that point, lifestyle changes are also a great place to start when addressing palpitations in the absence of a heart problem. Reduce caffeine, increase water intake, exercise regularly, etc.
It’s your anxiety that won’t let you find them harmless. Treat the anxiety, the fear will dissipate. It’s Only Anxiety by Carl James is a great place to begin. It is a book on the acceptance method for anxiety, based on the work of Dr Claire Weekes, a renowned doctor credited with “ breaking the code of anxiety.” After I added this method to my daily regimen, my anxiety has improved greatly.
bin_tenn
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Because of anxiety, I would assume. I know what you mean about it being difficult to think of them as harmless, but they are. The problem is not that you experience palpitations, but that you react to them. Pretty much everyone experiences the skipped beats and other palpitations at some point, some more so than others. The only difference for people who don't have anxiety disorder is that they don't think about it. They may or may not notice them, and if they do then they make note of it and move on. Why / how? They accept that the palpitations are most likely normal and harmless.
I have always had them - like my whole life. They got horribly bad a few years ago and I did get an ablation. My cardiologist said it wasn't something I needed to do and it was elective, but I was having thousands a day and could not handle it so I decided to get an ablation. I still get them regularly, although not nearly like I did before. I guess it's something I will always have and they are still annoying but I try to keep busy when I notice them more than usual. I had an echo which showed normal heart structure so they were not concerned. It is hard to believe they are harmless but they are.
Good idea . I recommend this book, It’s Only Anxiety by Carl James. It is a condensed version of a book by Dr Claire Weekes, renowned Australian doctor who is acclaimed for “cracking the code of anxiety.” It’s a game changer.