Posted by WhatToDoNext on July 28, 2008, at 19:32:41
Hi again everyone, I have been having bouts of Hyperventilation that last as long as 3 hours, then resolve on their own. My rate gets up to 35-45 breaths per minute at rest. I'm 5'10" 200lbs, in good shape for the most part. I went to the ER a month ago for the same and they said I was having a panic attack. I know what a panic attack is as I've had them when I was younger, and these are not panic attacks. I've also been experiencing tachycardia 120-145 at times with no exerction. I'm wondering how this can be while on a beta blocker.
It happened again today, and I was taken to the ER as after 3 hours, I was still breathing 35bpm. At first the ER MD offered my Ativan. He thought I was having a panic attack. I refused it, as, believe it or not, I wasn't anxious or panicking. I started getting angry and told him to treat this as a medical condition or I wanted another ER MD to treat me. He than began to take me a little more seriously and ordered a head CT with contrast and a chest CT with contrast. The Chest CT was normal. My blood gas was also normal. Here is the report from the Head CT:
[b]
The report Conclusion is as follows: No acute intracranial process. Tortuous looping left vertebral artery contacting the medulla and left inferior cerebellar peduncle.[/b]
The ER MD said it's nothing to be concerned about, but couldn't even tell me what this meant. My other symptom is tachycardia sometimes with the hyperventilation and sometimes without. I'm on a beta blocker (Propanolol 20mg bid), Klonopin 1mg bid, Xanax 0.5mg-1.0mg prn, Zoloft 50mg QD. I do suffer from anxiety and thats why I'm on this board, but for the most part I have not had anxiety with these episodes. My only recent med change was stopping Xanax XR 1mg bid, and switched to Xanax 1mg qid. I also increased my Klonopin from 1mg bid to 1mg tid.Thanks in advance,
Steve
poster:WhatToDoNext
thread:842682
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080727/msgs/842682.html