I just got back from the Emergency Room :\

[Darth Viscera]

I'm ok now, I think. My heartrate is approximately 120. I feel fine, but I'm in a bit of sedation-induced shock.

At 10pm last night I took 30ml of Dayquil because I thought that the 2-week cold that I'm just getting over was coming back. Then I ate some Tacos and ice cream, and started leisurely playing World of Warcraft. At about 3am, I realized that I was having trouble breathing through my mouth, which I think is because I was beginning to get dry mouth. Thinking this was because I was getting an allergy or some other illness that was putting phlegm in my mouth, I took an Allegra at 3:20am, then went into my mom's room to complain that i couldn't breath right. By the time I got there, my heart rate was approximately 150. I put on my sandals and asked her to drive me to the emergency room. When we got there, they put sticky things on my chest and plugged them into an EKG machine, to determine my heart rate, which was 150. They took my blood and urine sample, both of which came out negative, and plugged me into an IV to give me some drugs to ease my anxiety and put some saliva back into my mouth, and to decrease the amount of oxygen my heart was using, or something to that effect. The diagnosis was heart palpitations, and they said something about the probable cause being a prolonged panic attack. I guess that makes sense, considering that I'm sleeping during the day right now and am awake during the night, and I'm always worrying about another CPU fan dying while I'm on the computer (as happened 3 weeks ago, putting my PC offline for a week), or worrying about a cheap power supply (which I've already ordered a replacement of) blowing up.

They basically ordered me to contact a cardiologist who they referred me to, as well as my primary care physician, for an appointment within 2 days. They also gave me a prescription for my heart palpitations and tachycardia, and told me to not take Claritin-D or Allegra, as they can increase my heart rate. They also told me to limit the amount of stress I'm exposed to, get plenty of healthy sleep, and avoid becoming overly-stimulated.

[Master Yoghurt]

Very scary. Rest as much as possible and try to get plenty of sleep. I pray for your recovery :(

[darth_mcbain]

Avoid being overly stimulated? On the day Star Wars comes out?!?!?! That's just not fair... Seriously - get better and take it easy...

[Telan Desaria]

I wont pray - -Ill order it.

Best of wishes, Walther. Recover soon. A galaxy awaits...

[Morgan Evanar]

Drink more water :p

Seriously, get better soon.

[Dasquian Belargic]

:hug take it easy. hope everything's okay.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Get better soon! Panic attacks, etc, are terrible. :hug Try to think calming thoughts, and get on a better sleep pattern.

While I was trying to sleep last night (3:30 am this morning after RotS) I kept waking up all panicky. I think I was so tired that I was forgetting to keep breathing when I nodded off. Or something. Must not have been too serious as I did wake up 12 hours later just fine.

[Loki Ahmrah]

Take care of yourself, matey, and get better soon.

[Dae Jinn]

Originally posted by Lilaena De'Ville
Get better soon! Panic attacks, etc, are terrible. :hug Try to think calming thoughts, and get on a better sleep pattern.

While I was trying to sleep last night (3:30 am this morning after RotS) I kept waking up all panicky. I think I was so tired that I was forgetting to keep breathing when I nodded off. Or something. Must not have been too serious as I did wake up 12 hours later just fine.

^ Been there.

/hugs walter. :) Take care fo yourself, and get better soon.

[Lion El' Jonson]

Poor Visc. Get better, my evil Imperial friend. :)

[Khendon Sevon]

Try to relax, man :) maybe take over an ant farm instead of a planet. Think of all of the dictatorial things you could do!

[AmazonBabe]

Get well soon, Walter. Give me a call if you feel up to it. :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Originally posted by Khendon Sevon
Try to relax, man :) maybe take over an ant farm instead of a planet. Think of all of the dictatorial things you could do!

"I decree you will all move earth and move it MORE EFFICIENTLY! Or face the Death Star!" *takes out magnifying glass* >D

[Darth Viscera]

I went to the cardiologist today, and she said the EKG was normal, my blood pressure was normal, the X-rays of my heart look fine. Her preliminary assessment is that I don't have heart disease and that this is brought on by stress, but she scheduled more tests for me to take, basically another blood test, another X-ray, and one of those stress tests where you walk on a treadmill while they monitor your heartrate. She recommended that I go get some counseling and that I exercise 30 minutes a day. I'll do what she says, of course.

She seems to be just going through the motions, reading questions off of a clipboard, like I'm talking to a level 1 tech support person. I really don't know how it's possible for me to have a panic attack that doubles my pulse while I'm just washing my hair in the shower.

This whole thing has me more frightened and desperate than I've ever been. It's a very frightening thing to be lying on the couch trying to relax and keeping your feet elevated while at the same time you can measure your pulse just by listening to your heart pulsate, without using your hands. The doctor gave me some medicine that lowers my heart rate back to slightly-above-normal for when the tachycardia kicks in, but it's still very frightening.

Rie, I was going to call you, but I didn't know if you'd appreciate getting a phone call at 11pm your time.

[Tiberius Anar]

Oh my. Just read this. Somewhat difficult to come up with words to express concern. Get better and keep your spirits up.

[imported_Firebird1]

That Sucks!

I hope thy find out what happened soon.

[Darth Viscera]

The cardiologist put me on a holter monitor (mobile heart beat recording device) from Monday to Tuesday, and I've been taking a pill to reduce anxiety, but I haven't had to take a heart pill since Sunday I think, when it was clear that all the antihistamines and nasal decongestants were out of my system. My heart beat is still elevated whenever I use the computer, though. I guess that's sort of like the victim revisiting the scene of the crime. I wish I could have a dialog with my heart, slap it around a bit and call it names and such.

Yes, you are supposed to be elevated when I do my daily exercise. Yes, you are supposed to go back to 60 beats a minute when I'm lying in bed, reading a book about World War I. No, you're not supposed to be at 100 beats a minute when I'm reclining in a leather chair and leisurely reading my emails and dumping everything into the spam folder. No, you're not supposed to be at 120 beats a minute when I'm flying a helicopter around, shooting at tanks. No, you're not supposed to be at 130 beats a minute and making me short of breath when I play World of Warcraft and go around slaying gnolls. There is no danger here. See? No cold medicine in sight. There's absolutely no cause for alarm. You are a rather stupid heart, aren't you? Haha, just kidding dumb-dumb.

lol, it's off to the psychiatrist for me i guess :P

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Originally posted by Darth Viscera
Yes, you are supposed to be elevated when I do my daily exercise. Yes, you are supposed to go back to 60 beats a minute when I'm lying in bed, reading a book about World War I. No, you're not supposed to be at 100 beats a minute when I'm reclining in a leather chair and leisurely reading my emails and dumping everything into the spam folder. No, you're not supposed to be at 120 beats a minute when I'm flying a helicopter around, shooting at tanks. No, you're not supposed to be at 130 beats a minute and making me short of breath when I play World of Warcraft and go around slaying gnolls. There is no danger here. See? No cold medicine in sight. There's absolutely no cause for alarm. You are a rather stupid heart, aren't you? Haha, just kidding dumb-dumb.


Why is it that that little dialogue can almost sum up all of our conversations? :p

Seriously, you need to relax in the Bahamas or Tahiti.