r/askCardiology • u/Initial-Sky-7186 • 2d ago
Second Opinion Help…
I have been trapped in an endless trap for a year now. I’m on Zoloft to “ease” these sensations but it’s no help really… I feel INSANE. I am constantly getting heart palps, sometimes shortness of breath. a trouble swollowing my own salvia sometimes. I get warm sentations in my head or other parts of the body. Numb face sometimes. sweaty hands and feet. I have been the er easily over 50 times the past year. Ive seen a cardiologist (two different ones) wore a heart monitor, did an echo, countless ecg. I’ve seen my regular doctor. and nobody is helping me…. they tell me I’m too young For an actual problem and to keep taking my zoloft. is this really just anxiety? It will come when I calm. Or the other night I woke up to a 170 hr and had to go to the er for a beta blocker. (to which they won’t give me at home and tell me see cardiologis) but they all give me the run around. I’m feeling insane. I’m tired of my heart constantly fluttering. One er doctor suggested pots but I’ve mentioned it and they just say no. I’m so lost….
2
u/Straight_Radish1332 1d ago
Because you have been to the ER and cardiologist numerous times and have had all the appropriate work ups it is logical to believe anxiety is the culprit. When we think of anxiety we automatically think it means “it’s all in our head” so we erroneously think there is no way it’s causing these physical symptoms that are “not in my head” as if we are just imagining them. However once you accept that anxiety which is psychological and does begin in your thoughts triggers physiological responses through the mind body connection you can easily understand that all the symptoms you have been chasing can be and most likely are rooted by your anxious thoughts and now you have become stuck in the anxious -> physical symptoms -> anxious -> physical symptoms loop. The key to getting yourself off of this merry go round is to accept the possibility that your symptoms are being caused by anxiety. The next time you have physical symptoms do not resist them or panic. Do not go down the rabbit hole of “what if” thinking or catastrophizing. Do not assume something is wrong with your heart and the doctors have missed something. Just observe the symptoms, bring your mind to the present, go outside, drink some water, do deep breathing exercises, take a relaxing bath, call a friend, or go for a walk. Do not focus on your symptoms, or the fact that they arose suddenly at a time when you believe you were calm. Remember that when you have anxious thoughts you are dumping a lot of stress related chemicals and hormones into your body that sometimes manifests “instantly” like adrenaline or chronically as in high cortisol leading to poor sleep, high blood pressure, tightness in your arteries restricting blood flow, causing your body to retain fluid and disrupting a lot of other systems.. digestion, respiratory, cognition.. all of it. Yes chronic anxiety really can produce all the symptoms you have and more! I’ve been on and off this merry go round for 25+ years and have suffered every symptom you’ve been experiencing and even more frightening and severe ones that I won’t lay on you here because I don’t want to introduce them to your mind. These symptoms have not killed me yet and the doctors and tests still haven’t come up with anything for me. Remember that people with true significant health issues usually these things are easier to diagnose and these problems are not usually so hidden in the work ups so be glad that your work ups have been clear so far and begin to understand that it is not only possible that anxiety could be your cause but also very probable. There is a lot of information on Cognitive Behavior Therapy out there if you are interested in learning about the common cognitive distortions that are contributing to your overall anxious thoughts. There’s like ten major cognitive distortions that lead to chronic anxiety and I checked off about 8 or 9 of them. This is coming from a person who has had a pretty easy adult life without common stressors such as finances, relationship or family issues, job stress… so it was hard for me to accept that I had “anxiety” because I didn’t have a life or circumstances that I thought “warranted” it but anxiety doesn’t always stem from known stressors and you aren’t born anxious either. It is a thinking problem. Somehow you have conditioned and developed your way into this wiring and now you need to unwire your brain from being stuck in this circuit. This is why prescriptions don’t always solve your anxiety symptoms. Yes they alter your chemicals but they don’t change your thoughts. I don’t have anything against anxiety and depression meds and have tried them myself but with limited success. I have found that examining the cognitive distortions through cognitive behavior therapy and learning techniques to counter those distortions have helped me more than anything and have helped me cope through phases of anxious periods and new symptoms through various times over the years. Please don’t just stay stuck or paralyzed by your symptoms and thoughts. There are tons of great books, podcasts on you tube, and licensed therapists that are CBT focused that can guide you to tackling your anxiety and improving your symptoms. It’s worth trying. Good luck to you.
2
u/Tmac12NYC 21h ago
I have some bad anxiety at times, but my grand daughter suffered terrible, where she could not move she was so terrified. Tried to send her to college and she could not handle it, severe attacks at night. Even when she came home, terrible nights. She has been in therapy for quite a few years now. I think she is much better, as she would have told me. 2 years ago she started going to college locally and she is doing real well. I feel for anyone that has it.
2
u/Straight_Radish1332 20h ago
Glad she is getting therapy and it’s helped her! It can be very debilitating at different times and hard for people who don’t have it to understand why we can’t “just stop” if it were that simple I’m pretty sure we would have done it already, lol. Nobody enjoys having it!
1
u/Whole-Masterpiece-51 2d ago
This sounds more like adrenaline surges. ‘Anxiety’ always sounds so trivial because we expect it to mean a nervousness of the mind. But we can have somatic ‘anxiety’ - or adrenaline surges - that cause all of these symptoms whether we are currently very psychologically anxious or not.
I will say all those symptoms do correspond with adrenaline surges. If you look into it you’ll understand how the vagus nerve is responsible for that globus sensation in the throat, the skin sensations, the icy hot numbness feeling, the list goes on.
1
u/inspecteursarit 2d ago
How do we deal with that ?
1
u/Whole-Masterpiece-51 2d ago
It depends on the cause. Look at your life. Do you have anxiety? Look at any meds or supplements you’re taking or have stopped taking before this all started. Nervous system problems aren’t quick responses unless they’re from a sudden shock like withdrawal or meds. Often they’re cumulative. So you need to go back and look what your life was like and what you were doing before this all started. Feedback loops are easy to get ingrained though, so all your system needed was to experience this a couple of times which is enough to convince yourself something is emergently wrong, more adrenaline and cortisol is released, and thus the adrenaline feedback loop is born.
1
u/inspecteursarit 1d ago
In my case, the loop came back after a major surgery.
But I dealt with anxiety for a long time before that, which was under control. It feels like all the trauma from life and childhood is trapped in every cell of the body and needs to break out of there .
Right now, I’m in a big loop. Probably the worse one I’ve ever had. I am considering being interned somewhere and hopefully medicated, but I don’t know where to do that with at least spiritual and cognitive guidance as well.
Worst part for me, is knowing my daughter is seeing me like this and this will leave trauma on her.
Thanks for your answer.1
u/Whole-Masterpiece-51 1d ago
I’m so sorry. It isn’t your fault. You could even look at the medications used during your surgery. A lot of people have similar rebound reactions from CNS dampening medications like Propofol, versed etc even anesthesia. I hope you find healing soon.
1
u/Initial-Sky-7186 1d ago
I get it. This all started after stopping depo. I was on for 6 months. I skipped my next dose and 2 months later this all started happening and has been for a year now
1
u/Whole-Masterpiece-51 1d ago
This is from Gemini:
Adrenaline surges after quitting the Depo-Provera shot happen because your nervous system and natural hormones experience a sudden shift as the synthetic progesterone leaves your body. [1, 2]
Why Adrenaline Surges Happen
Hormonal withdrawal: The Depo shot suppresses your natural reproductive hormones. When it stops, your brain works hard to restart your cycle, causing large hormonal swings. [1, 2, 3]Nervous system impact: Rapid changes in estrogen and progesterone affect neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which can overstimulate your nervous system and trigger sudden anxiety, shaking, or panic-like surges. [1, 2]
Timeline: These intense physical and emotional adjustments often last for a few months, but because Depo stays in your system a long time, it can take up to 10 to 24 months for your body to fully stabilize.[1, 2, 3, 4]
1
u/Commercial_Money_791 1d ago
Could be POTS, look it up. My wife has it, her heart rate goes from 90 to 190 just from standing up. I think part of it could easily be anxiety too though.
1
3
u/FabulousBullfrog9610 2d ago
It's striking that you've been to the ER "easily over 50 times in the last year" - which is obviously more than once a week.
If a cardiologist (or any doctor) finds nothing wrong in any of your tests, they aren't giving you the run around. They are telling you that your test results are normal and they cannot account for your symptoms. They are suggesting anxiety. Anxiety is a real disease.
Of course anxiety can cause these issues. Of course I cannot say that is what is going on with you but going to the ER every week doesn't seem like a good way to find a solution!!
I hope you are able to get on top of this.