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Ectopic heartbeats
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MedHelp Member's Question

Ectopic heartbeats

by Colonelsandi, Nov 17, 2003 12:00AM
I am a 63 yr old female, smoker. 4 yrs ago I had an attack of atril fibrillation brought on by over-stressing in cold weather. I have been on two 25 mg atenolol a day and .25 lanoxin. I have had many check-ups, ekg's etc (read by a heart specialist sentfrom my physician, but no stress tests. But still have "flutters" - the extra or premature heartbeats. Never at the doctor's office! He doesn't seem to think it's anything to worry about. Somedays barely any, sometimes 4-5 a minute. BP runs in the high 120's to mid 130's over a diastolic of mid to high 60's with a pulse rate of 60-68.



Should I pursue further - I have no insurance and every appt is expensive! I am not faint, have no chest pain, the atenolol has slowed me down a lot. Seldom short of breath or anything.



Thanks - the Colonel

Doctor's Answer

by CCF-M.D.-RCJ, Nov 17, 2003 12:00AM
Colonel,



Thanks for the post.



If the "flutters" are only 4-5 per minute, then most likely the "flutters" are just PACs or PVCs.  It is always possible that you could have afib, with different symptoms than the previous episode 4 years ago, but this is less likely.



The only way to definitively know what are these flutters is to have an event monitor, which will cost you $200-300, and probably is not worth it but for peace of mind.  Or to get off of the atenolol...



Hope that helps.



Member Comments (23)

by Colonelsandi, Nov 17, 2003 12:00AM
Thank you so much for your prompty reply! That makes me feel a lot better. The monitor is out of the question for now (retired with little to fall back on thanks to circumstances beyond my control). If they increase, I will seek local medical attention. I had wondered about the atenolol as I know they can cause that which they're supposed to solve, I'm uncertain why I am still on them. They also give me false cholesterol readings, false highs which the physician won't accept. I never have had high cholesterol or trigs but since being on these I have. My last test showed a total cholesterol of 214 - I need to have another full test without taking the atenolol prior to the test and after a fast. I am not overweight (5-10 at 160 lbs), my life is a little sedenmentary right now but I try to walk each day to make up for it.



I won't stop the atenolol without permission of my physician, think one has to be weaned off of it. In closing, the atril fib attack was corrected in the ER by something in an IV, the rate was only 120 but irregular. The Colonel



Thank you again!

by GRAMMYH, Nov 17, 2003 12:00AM
PLEASE SOMEONE ANSWER THIS. Would hope the doctor would give me a little information. I am a "young" 75 year old who is very active mentally and physically but do not feel I will be very long if some light cannot be shed on  these PVCs. I am a survivor but having trouble convincing myself I can handle this. I have recently been (June of this year) through the nuclear stress test, echo, holter and not for this but for definitive answers to  some chest pain and ischemic ekg. ( I have had the same ekg tracing without change since around 1980 when it converted from a "normal" tracing. I have been bothered by some periodic PVCs many years but not feeling them that much and frankly just a few. I was diagnosed in 1996 with Graves Disease and had radioactive iodine treatment 6 months later. Am on 100 mcgs. synthroid. That diagnosis was made on an ER visit with atrial fib. To make a long story short, I was sent to cardiac rehab at a hospital here in FT. Worth because of the chest pain on exertion. However the cardiologist said my heart structure etc. was all normal. At cardiac rehab on the monitor the PVCs have been very frequent but they do better (as the stress test shows)after I get the heart rate up. Due to atenelol the resting rate stays around 47-51 so I do not get the rate up too much. Am I getting too low heart rate and does that cause PVC to be worse? I hardly ever sit down and rest because they are so frequent at rest. Feels like runs at times and average 6-15/minute. Do not get the "Thump" feeling just the fluttery feeling. I am now seeing an EP and he gave me a good lecture (very kind) that I do not have heart disease. However I am now using an event monitor as of last wednesday. I would be constantly pushing the recorder if I recorded every feeling of the palpitations so am trying to just record ones with light head. etc. I do the treadmill now at grade 3 and 3mph and feel well when I get off. I am no longer on the monitor but check in with heart rate and BP at cardiac rehab. Please tell me if this low HR(goes up when I fo to the doctor to the 60's)is causing this very frequent pvc to have started or could another Beta Blocker help. I really feel helpless and want to enjoy these years. I do appreciate the conservative approach but find it hard to believe this is not leading up to some catastrophic event because of my age. Most of you are young . Does this make a difference. The EP and regular cardiologist never tell me my age is involved. Only that the test show normal heart. I had angiogram in 1999 . Was only showing 10% blockage in insignificant artery. Please tell me why the "nonspecific ST changes" on the EKG read ischemia if everything is normal. Please respond to this long letter but I am really between a rock and hard place dealing with these. Thanks and don't ignore because of age, PLease. Grammy

by GRAMMYH, Nov 18, 2003 12:00AM
To: Hankstar
Thank you so much for your kind response. You know many people (including docs) write you off when you pass a certain age. I bowl a pretty good game and love it(takes my mind off these PVCs awful feeling or I do not feel them at the time). I too question that synthroid. Had a TSH and T3 and T4 done last friday. It is early tuesday mmorning so have not heard yet. I wish the cardiologist/EP would know about these things but they have me go back to the internist for those tests. I think maybe if I were put on the low end of the replacement that would help but if you fall in the normal range on theTSH they say it is normal. I am afraid to make any adjustments myself. I am a long time survivor of breast cancer and had various experiences in life but these PVCs have their "bluff" in on me for sure.Thanks again for the reassuring information. The times I am not "on the go" and wold enjoy sitting down and "relaxing" I feel them so constantly I cannot enjoy the so called relaxation. God Bless all of you as you understand and help others. Grammy

by Ianna, Nov 19, 2003 12:00AM
To: Hankstar
Hello Hankstar,

-

I am a healthy female (Dutch) - 58 - menopausal.

Since you know alot about these PVC's and arrythmia's, I'd like to 'consult' you about my 'flutters'.

These things that last for 6 to 8-10 sec. and make you feel like you're going to pass out or die on the spot.

The single PVC's I've had for many years, but these 'rolling fluttery marbles' are different. It's like your heart stops, turns around a few times (the 6-8 sec. marbles), and then when you feel like you will not make it this time the heart 'starts' again with a bump. These come out of nowhere. Sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month. Leaving you a bit breathless and feeling like there's a brick inside your stomach that maybe will go away if you could burp...

They scare the h.ll out of me!

Then almost always a hot-flash follows and often leaving a sore spot on my upper spinal column. (I have a bad back)

I have no stomach problems that I know of, but I've always had a 'nervous' heart. In fact, I am a nervous sensitive person.

Sometimes I hyperventilate slightly.  

I've been checked and my heart was normal.

My bp is a bit high, and I take propanolol.

I watch what I eat and don't smoke.

I don't sleep well and enough.

What do you think....?

-

Love - *Ianna*

by reedsgr1, Nov 19, 2003 12:00AM
To: HANKSTAR
Hello Hankstar-

I am submitting this question to you because the forum is not accecpting any more questions.



VERY LONG STORY SHORT...

I am 35 years old, and in 1987 I had my first experience of palpitations and thought I was having a heart attack.  When I went into the emergency room, they found inverted T waves, and they freaked a bit...over the next couple of months I had an echo done and a stress echo.  They determined that my EKG was a normal variant for me.

In 1997 I had more anxiety, and went in for a Thallium stress test, and they come up with the same conclusion, so I started to relax.  I just saw the written report for the THallium and while he said he thought everything was normal, he ended the report with "Conceivably he could have a congenitally abnormal circulation of the heart, but this is EXTREMELY rare, and due to his anxiety I didn't mention this to him.



SO...I have freaked out yet again and I am seeing another cardiologist in my new town, and he asked me to have an resting echo.  I had it this morning, and when I asked the tech if everything looked "normal" she said that the doctor would go over it all with me tomorrow.  This has not helped me to relax at all.  My question is this....I noticed that I had an ejection fraction of 65% which looks good.  Does this figure also indicate that I don't have any abnormal heart wall function?

Very curious.

Thanks!

by kate38, Nov 19, 2003 12:00AM
To: Hankstar




Hellooo,



With all the questions you get ask on this forum maybe you should have one of your own.:)(just kidding)



Can you believe were already half way through Nov,Thanksgiving is right around the corner.WOW!!!

And if your teenagers are like mine you might want to bake an extra Turkey.



Hey,I was just wondering if you happen to know anything about the drug crestor,it's a new cholestorol medication.  

I can't seem to find anything about it on the internet.



May u and ur family have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Kate :)

by kate38, Nov 19, 2003 12:00AM
To: Hankstar








Hankstar,



Thank you very much.







Kate  :)

by Ianna, Nov 20, 2003 12:00AM
To: Hankstar
Dear Hankstar,

-

Dank je wel!!!!

That's -thanks very much- in Dutch!

It's just like you described and your answer eased my nerves.

-

God bless - *Ianna*

by lak, Nov 20, 2003 12:00AM
Hank,

I am always reading on the forum and I realize your not a doctor.  But do you know anything about the muscle weakness being associated with pvc's are maybe the medication for them.

I take atenol 50, and blood pressure med hyzzar 50.  I cannot hardly climb stairs, hurts so bad I have to stop and rest.  I am on a 30 day monitor now.  My ejection fraction is 47% and I have been trying to feel my pulse