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Heart Disease  (Expert Forum)
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Irregular Heart Rate at Night
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MedHelp Member's Question

Irregular Heart Rate at Night

by Willard, Dec 26, 2001 12:00AM
I was wondering if any one else has been experiencing irregular heart rates at night? I seem to get PVC's and sometimes a faster heartbeat at night that actually wakes me up! I also find that if I lay on my side either side it may bring on PVC's. I have had holter monitors in the past and they show little or nothing...had the complete workup of tests and echos etc and all seems normal with the heart itself. These bouts of arrhythmia are really bothersome when it affects my sleep. I am on 50mg. of atenolol for high blood pressure I just wonder if insomnia is a side affect of atenolol? I know this is alot of questions but I appreciate any feedback..Oh one other thing I've noticed since being on atenolol..I am a little short of breath and walking the 3 stories of stairs at work I actually can sometimes go into PVC's after the climb...they usually go away in a few minutes. Thanks..
Doctor's Answer

by CCF-M.D.-CRC, Dec 26, 2001 12:00AM
Dear fletcher,

I think you will find many affirmative replies to your question.  It is common for individuals to either have more palpitations at night or perhaps to notice more palpitations at night. Atenolol is not known for causing insomnia although it may cause fatigue during the day and difficulty with exertion such as climbing stairs.
Member Comments (15)

by tcollins, Dec 26, 2001 12:00AM
First, thank you for returning to the old format. Like this much better. I also get PVCs at night when lying on my side. Probably nothing, we're more aware of our heart beat when it's quiet and we're lying down, but I'd check with a doctor just to make sure.

by wilson-wilson, Dec 26, 2001 12:00AM
To: Re: atenolol
I was on 25mg for about 10 months [until this past Sept]. I had to get off it.  It would seem to make me have hallucinations at times, breathing seemed hard [but not the kind to be concerned about acording to literature], it seemed to slow my herat to the point when I would get excited about something my heart wouldn't know if it should speed up or slow down, so it would feel like it would just roll over and over. I'd rather die from a stroke and know it was the stroke killed me, than to die from the atenolol and that was -SUPPOSED- to HELP!

BUT let me say...this was my decision....NOT....my Doctor's [it's a "guy" thing I guess]!



wilson-wilson

by jan, Dec 26, 2001 12:00AM
On www.drkoop.com you can check out your drug(s) on drug checker. It is an excellent resource.

Wilson-Wilson, what is a guy thing? Chg'g your drugs w/o dr's consent? I just did this with one of my meds and my neuro flipped out, said I can't drive and he is writing in my chart about me chg'g med, blah, blah, blah. Then to top it off I said something that clued him in that I still haven't accepted the fact that I need treatment AND HE DROPPED ME!!! Brother! Neuros own me now! (Sorry, just needed to vent).

by wilson-wilson, Dec 27, 2001 12:00AM
To: jan
Oh...Kay...  "It's a 'GUY' thing + Jan!" I'm glad ya got to VENT!!



But ya see Jan, when I say "it's a guy thing" I really mean, "it's a John Wayne thing." The way -I- "delude" myself into to doing things, [good or bad, for me] is I ask my self, "What would John Wayne have done in a case like this?" And I then act as though, "The Duke", wouldv'e handled it this way! So you see Jan I'm really practicing on myself, what -I- call, and made up is, "John Wayne" Psychotherapy! I guess I ought to write a self-help book and go on Oprah. What do ya think Pilgrim?





See ya in Yahoo.



wilson-wilson

by debra21784, Dec 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: wilson to wilson
Trust me you wouldn't rather have a stroke.Been there,done that and have the tee-shirt to prove it (or should I say the big clot in my brain)

by mis596, Dec 31, 2001 12:00AM
I have a fast heart rate at times.  Twice about 6 months

apart it went into a quivering or fluttering thing that

lasted less than 5 minutes.  Sometimes my heart will click

on into a fast normal rhythem about 220 bpm.  It happens

about four times a year.  I've seen a cardiologist and

the only thing he could find was possible mild mvp.  He

put me on Toprol xl 25 mg.  It made me so tired he told

me I could try it at 12.5 mg and see if that worked but

my heart did that fast rhythem so I increased it back to

25 mg.  My heart still goes up to 120 bpm at this dose but

hasn't done anything weird.  I do still have some fluttering

going on and palpatations at this level.  He seems to think

I need to stay on it forever but he never really found

anything wrong except fast heart rate.  Does anyone know if

this type of rhythem is normal since it hasn't killed me yet.

I really don't like taking medicine.  I usually can get my

heart to go back to normal when it goes into the 220 bpm

by holding my breath.  It usually takes a few tries but goes

back in after 5 min.  It use to go back in quicker but seems to

take longer as I get older.  I'm 42 and both parents have

history of heart problems.  When it did the quivering thing

nothing I could do could bring it back in.  It finally went in

by itself but really scared me.  I was wondering if anyone has this problem and what it is.

by debra21784, Dec 31, 2001 12:00AM
To: mis596
Have you asked your doctor to do a holter or event monitor to determine the rhymtmn your heart is in at the time it soars to the 200 range.I would also ask him about your mvp status since arrythmias and mvp go hand in hand.

I've been on Toporol XL for several years now (prior to valve repair ,after  and after ablation for arrythmias) ,if it is any consolation you do get used to it.You may try taking it in the evening if the fatigue is too great.This method has helped me with it.

by frogmole, Jan 29, 2002 12:00AM
i also suffer from irregular heart beats, and my heart races occasionally too. it seems to happen when ive been excercising, but not always. it can suddenly just happen, and its really scary. im 18, and its always happened in my teens. it doesnt hurt, and it always seems to go back to normal. i also get it in bed when im on my side at night too. any comments and suggestions as to what i should do???

by pikamom, Feb 01, 2002 12:00AM
As for taking your meds as prescribed, that's a hard one. I guess it depends if you really need it and if you're qualified to know the answer. A couple of years ago I was on so many meds it was rediculous and I kept telling my doctor I couldn't take all of it. I was so tired it was hard to function, and my bowels were very sluggish. My doctor kept saying I had to take his pills, but finally my stomache was so distended and I needed enemas, so I looked at my 12 bottles of pills and decided which ones I would keep and which ones I would throw away. I chose 6 and informed my doctor. He got upset and said I couldn't do that and that I would have siezures. Well, I did feel peculiar for around 3 weeks but then I started feeling better than ever. Now my cardiologist has prescribed cardizem and the reason is that if I allow my constant tachycardia to continue, my heart will eventually weaken. Knowing that it's more to prevent future problems than to help my current symptoms, I will add yet another pill to my day even though I'm trying to improve my life with exercize, diet, yoga, journaling and the like.

by mvp-fear, Feb 07, 2002 12:00AM
I am a female 40years old I have been experienceing Arrhythmias for most of my adult life. It started as violent flutters like spasms in the middle of my chest maybe 6 times a year than once i hit my early 30's i noticed it usually a few days before my period sometimes skipping a period ( also diagnosed with MVP - take antibiotics before i go to the dentist ).  When I was around 37 i started experiencing different type:

1.  The big one - which i previosly discribed

2.  smaller versions of the big one

3.  feels like skipping of beats or someone punching me from the inside out - could be tied to digestive system - I have acid reflux - happens alot - usually mid cycle

Went to doctor - he said they are benign & prescribed Atenolol.  I did not take - because I want to know why I get them. I want to try to solve this holistically.  I am very athletic, at least I was, but this year it has gotten worse.  Sometimes if I am really exerting myself to the limit it will trigger these # 2 & 3 types or if I am at my desk at work, or if I am walking down the street or if I am driving my car, etc.  Not so much lying down except when I am due for "THE BIG ONE" and this will come no matter where I am or what I am doing.

I have recently heard thru a book I have read "The Wisdom of Menapause"  that if my heart has been cleard of anything serious that these symtoms could be side effect of "Perimenapausal state".  Does anyone have some information for me!!!!  This is destroying my active life that I love to lead.

by Mr. Know it all, Feb 14, 2002 12:00AM
You may have a magesium/potassium deficency. There is no reason your heart should start racing when you are at a relaxed state, other than use of caffeine, diet aids or other products you may be sensitive to. Magnesium promotes a normal sinus rythem and will keep your heart beating normally.  I suggest taking Magnesium glycinate which absorbs well and does work. Use it with potassium. Do nor use the cheap form of these minerals since they get dlushed out and do not work.  Check out at your web search feature.. Magnesium and pvc's