Tachycardia and anxiety

Atrial arrhythmia

by AgentX86 - 2023-06-11 23:46:49

Anything strange from the atria is rarely dangerous.  The associated high rate and possible blood clotting are the dangers.  Your doctor has given you metoprolol (a beta blocker) to try to limit the heart rate and has probably put you on an anticoagulant. Once this is handled, everything else is treating symptoms.  Some have none, so there is nothing else needed.  Others  have severe symptoms so more is done. It may take a while to get this right. A pacemaker doesn't help here.

You're obviously symptomatic so make sure your doctors know you're having trouble and don't let them off the hook. Insist on a remedy.  There are drugs that can be used and there is a procedure that can help but start with the simple stuff first.

Anxiety is normal but there really isn't anything to worry about. A high percentage of us here have been dealing with this for years.

Atrial tachycardias with complete heart block

by Selwyn - 2023-06-12 08:10:01

Hi KMTD,

I'm not too sure how this all hangs together. With complete heart block you are paced 100% of the time in the ventricles. Atrial arrhythmias should not make any difference to you. Your ventricular rate ( Your AMS setting should be turned on so that atrial arrhythmias are automatically stopped from driving the ventricles).

With out proper atrial function the heart does not pump as well. Sometimes we can feel this change. On the whole, unless you are doing a lot of exercise at the time, the change is barely noticable, and for a lot of people they never know that, for instance, they have atrial fibrillation ( asymtomatic AF).

It is possible to increase a low dose of metoprolol (' pill in the pocket') as and when needed. After all you are 100% paced and your venticular rate will not be affected.

Now about anxiety. I hope your therapist sorts this. The most useful things to try are :

1. Exercise (included is yoga) 

2. Avoid substances ( tea, coffee, cola, alcohol, and illegals)

3. Diaphragmatic breathing practices ( see on-line) and muscle relaxation techniques

4. Abandon self  target setting. Take time for yourself.

5. Sort out minor problems ( then the overall anxiety load lessens)

6. Cognative behavioural therapy (good on line courses).

7. Talking about problems. ( Well done!) - 'a trouble shared is a trouble halved'.

- just a rough guide. There is a lot of on-line help.

Your general medical  practitioner can help as something like one third of consultations in general medical practice are due to anxieties/anxiety.

There is not a person in the world that has not had anxiety after having a pacemaker/ICD. I've always been thankful for my life saving device - indeed this thought could be said to be Cognative Behavioural Therapy. Best to think of yourself being supercharged and better off than those that are going to experience sudden death due to not having medical care. Lucky us.

The fear factor

by Gotrhythm - 2023-06-12 12:33:13

I was glad to read that you are seeing a therapist for the anxiety. When I think about all you said, it seems to me that you have two problems, SVT and anxiety. The worse problem, and the one that's really limiting your ability to function, is anxiety.

You said, "I'm afraid anxiety about arrythmia is just making it worse." In other words, you have anxiety lest you become anxious. That's the very definition of an anxiety disorder. And, unfortunately, your intuition that anxiety makes your heart more likely to race is correct. That's what fear does. Talk about squirrel cage!

You ask, "Does anyone have suggestions for things that might help me better control the tachy cardia?" The fact that you ask that question shows a fundamental error in how you think about the problem. You are looking for control of the SVT.

BAD NEWS. It can't be done. There are steps you can take to make the SVT less likely---or more likely--but nothing that will "control" it. Sometimes you will do everything right, and it will still happen. Sometimes you will do everything wrong, and it won't happen. I'm sure you would like a better answer than that. So would I. (I too have SVT.) But that is the answer.

In your post, you remark that you fear you will have an episode and "not be able to turn it around." My friend, there is nothing you have ever done that "turned it around." It stopped, because that's what SVT does. It starts, and then it stops. But you don't, and can't, control either.

I suggest you work with your therapist on learning to "ride the SVT episodes out." Instead of "scary," learn to define them as "unpleasant." Unpleasant for sure, but something you can live with. Like a needle stick, or a tight blood pressure cuff, or a hot car until the AC kicks in. Focus on the fact that the SVT is temporary.

By the way, if you haven't already, try using the search function, the little thing that looks like a Q in the header, to looks for posts about anxiety. You'll learn that anxiety following a pacemaker is very common, as is anxiety about arrythmias. By going to a therapist, you are already dealing with it in the best way.

You'll also find if you read the posts that the anxiety lessens over time. At only three months in, you're still fairly early in the process of dealing with the far-reaching psycological challenges that getting a pacemaker can bring.

Keep seeing your therapist. You're doing the right thing in confronting the anxiety problem head on. And it will get better.

Thank you

by Kmtd - 2023-06-12 20:47:36

I really appreciate the good advice. Reading posts and searching topics is helpful also.  This site has been a terrific resource. The atrial tachycardia with complete heart block is something the cardiologist said was interesting. He said it shows  the heart block is intermittent.  All this is new stuff to me and a bit frightening. I can't tell you how comforting it is to hear from people who have had a similar experience.  Thank you for reminding me that some things are not in my control and that I am not alone in this and there are steps I can take to help anxiety.  I think I will sleep a little easier tonight thanks to you spending time to help out.