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Suggest Treatment For Severe Cough While On Zoloft
Question: Ive had heart palpitations for an entire day now. They are happening once every 30 seconds - 3 minutes. It feels like my heart stops and then starts again and it makes me get a sensation in my throat causing me to cough. The only med i take is zoloft for anxiety. Why is this happening? It started yesterday suddenly for no apparent reason. Should I be worried?
Brief Answer:
It's most probably a ventricular ectopics (vpc)
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
It's most probably ectopics, likely ventricular ectopics called VPC. Most of the times these are benign and not worrisome. However, we need investigations just to rule out the serious cause.
Commonly this occurs due to structural heart disease, hyperthyroidism, drugs like caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and most of times especially in young age like yours they occur without any reason and called as idiopathic. Overall, at this doesn't look like a matter of worry. Still it can cause symptoms which can be troublesome and these vpc can be very well suppressed with medications.
To confirm this, we'll need to get done a 12 lead EKG, if you are having these symptoms during EKG, it will get picked up and confirm the diagnosis. If EKG is normal, then we'll need holter monitoring which 24 ambulatory EKG monitoring. Also, we'll need echocardiography to rule out structural heart disease, thyroid levels.
Treatment consists of, avoiding precipitating factors like alcohol, smoking, drugs if any. If excessive stress or anxiety is there, it can also lead to these VPC. So you should do yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, regular exercises to get relieved of stress.
If stress is not responding to Zoloft, you can discuss with your doctor to increase the dose or change it other medicine like Escitalopram. You'll need class of drug called as beta blockers, which we can start after confirming the diagnosis. So, please get all these investigations done at first.
I hope this helps you and get back if you have any doubts.
Regards
It's most probably a ventricular ectopics (vpc)
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
It's most probably ectopics, likely ventricular ectopics called VPC. Most of the times these are benign and not worrisome. However, we need investigations just to rule out the serious cause.
Commonly this occurs due to structural heart disease, hyperthyroidism, drugs like caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and most of times especially in young age like yours they occur without any reason and called as idiopathic. Overall, at this doesn't look like a matter of worry. Still it can cause symptoms which can be troublesome and these vpc can be very well suppressed with medications.
To confirm this, we'll need to get done a 12 lead EKG, if you are having these symptoms during EKG, it will get picked up and confirm the diagnosis. If EKG is normal, then we'll need holter monitoring which 24 ambulatory EKG monitoring. Also, we'll need echocardiography to rule out structural heart disease, thyroid levels.
Treatment consists of, avoiding precipitating factors like alcohol, smoking, drugs if any. If excessive stress or anxiety is there, it can also lead to these VPC. So you should do yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises, regular exercises to get relieved of stress.
If stress is not responding to Zoloft, you can discuss with your doctor to increase the dose or change it other medicine like Escitalopram. You'll need class of drug called as beta blockers, which we can start after confirming the diagnosis. So, please get all these investigations done at first.
I hope this helps you and get back if you have any doubts.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Thank you. Had EKG and the PVC did show up. It happens every 30-40 seconds. Blood work and chest xray came back normal. I was told benign and to follow up with cardiologist for echocardiogram. They also gave me beta blockers. They said my blood pressure was a but high as well as my pulse so the beta blockers will help to kind of mask the palpitation feeling??
Brief Answer:
Yes it will help
Detailed Answer:
Vpc are common and benign in this age group, still we need echo and other investigation to rule out heart problem. Take precautions which we discussed in previous answer.
Beta blockers will help suppression of VPC and palpitations. It will also decrease the blood pressure. overall don't worry. You can buy a electronic bp apparatus and keep track of bp as well as pulse rate. It will also be helpful in adjusting the dose of beta blockers. All the best.
Yes it will help
Detailed Answer:
Vpc are common and benign in this age group, still we need echo and other investigation to rule out heart problem. Take precautions which we discussed in previous answer.
Beta blockers will help suppression of VPC and palpitations. It will also decrease the blood pressure. overall don't worry. You can buy a electronic bp apparatus and keep track of bp as well as pulse rate. It will also be helpful in adjusting the dose of beta blockers. All the best.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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