seemed like heart stopped - mitral valve syndrome?or stress?

Hi all,


My 18yr. old son started having heart palpatations last night, just as he was about to go to bed. This has happened to him ON OCCASSION before, rarley. But, last night he felt like his heart "stopped", which actually I myself have dealt with for years!!! He feels as though it stops for about 2-3 beats (which is exactly what I used to get) and then picks up, but in trying to "re-set" itself, it races, thumps, beats very hard, skips beats.....makes you get very scared, which in turn brings on many "fear" symptoms such as cold sweat, shaking, then you get very cold, weak in the legs.......well, this all happened before. Well, last night, JUST BEFORE GOING TO BED (as he is actually getting into bed) it began again. Ths time, much worse. He felt it stop, then start, and go crazy. He got up, tried deep breathing, pacing back and forth (I suggested some of these tips because I myself had to do these things to help me calm down when this would happen to me) - this time, he got really panicky! He began to cry because he felt as if he were going to die, because his heart had stopped. I explained to him that obviously since he's talking and walking he's not going to die, just feels like it. But believe me, when you get this, you really do feel like you're about ready to drop dead. My husband and I had to sit on the bed with him for about an hour and a half and massasge his arms and back to relax him, and just talk. He was shaking pretty badly, and crying. Now, I should fill you in on the fact that, he HAS BEEN UNDER A LOT OF STRESS LATLEY. He's very fearful of going out and getting a job, very fearful. We don't pressure him, I make absolutley sure he knows he doesn't have to do anything until HE feels ready. Yet, he himself feels guilty about it......my other son is working, so he feels like he should to. He is very sensitive, he doesn't show it, but he is. He has much to high standards that he sets for himself, unrealistic. He is afraid of farilure. There has been enough stress in this house latley too, so he's very affected by this, yet he tries to internalize it all, and help everybody. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what you think this is??????? i tend to think it's an anxiety attack.......I had the exact same symptoms for years! It wasn't until I actually wasn't afraid of them anymore that they finally diminished to almost never. So, with me, I figure it couldn't have been an actual heart problem or it wouldn't have just "gone away"........I figure the same for him. If someone knows exactly what mitral valve syndrome is, would you please tell me.......does it get worse when you lay down?


thank you to all!!!!

sincerely, starlight