Plunging your face into a bowl filled with ice water and holding it there for as long as possible will usually stop an episode, also. I speak from experience! Emergency room doctor had me do this and it was the only thing that worked after a couple hours of trying just about everything else including drugs by injection. If this had not worked I was going to be admitted to the cardiac unit. Thank goodness it worked!!
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First PAT attack 17 years ago when 26, and another about a year later (undiagnosed - HMO GP refused ER cardiology referral because I was "young and female." Saw outside cardiologist, she diagnosed PAT, prescribed Atenolol, worked like magic). Since: few, small episodes controlled by dosages.
10/06, ER visit showed gallstones (lost benefits, no surgery). Changed diet, weightloss, exercising.
12/13/07, major PAT attack. Worst: discomfort to unbearable pain, breathing labored to involuntary gasps for air, etc. (Interestingly, each was precipitated by a dive into pool).
Suspect gallstones are behind 12/07 PAT attack. How in the world do gallstones affect PAT? What happens physiologically between the two?
Thanks.