Are my arrhythmias dangerous?

[LaurieD]

I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and paroxymal hypertension in my twenties. I've always felt skipped beats to some degree. About three years ago I had onset of paroxymal atrial fibrillation, this was diagnosed in the emergency room. My heart rate was 153 bpm and irregular. I've had about twelve bouts of this atrial fibrillation since this time. It does seem to be triggered by stress, but no one can figure out the cause. Echos show a mild mitral valve prolapse, that's all. I started having many skipped beats around October last year. I went to the doctor, who put a holter monitor on. It showed approximately 680 skipped beats in the 24 hour period. She diagnosed this as PSVT. I then followed up with my cardiologist who did a thallium stress test, which revealed all was normal. He then put a holter monitor on last week. The computer print out said I had 1,127 narrow beats within the 24 hour period. I believe that, as my diary showed almost constant skipped beats. My cardiologist told me I was imagining them, that I had only truly had 14 skipped beats, and that the computer errored.He feels it's my esophagus causing this. If it was my esophagus, why would I feel skips in my pulse? Does any of this sound dangerous to you? I am currently on tenormin 25mg t.i.d. It doesn't seem to help this PSVT from occuring. The only two things I know is they are worse at period time, and they are worse depending on how I move (bending over can cause them to start) and once they start sometimes they just won't quit for awhile. Is there a cure for all of this? I am also wondering if these "narrow beats" which he also referred to as PAC's are to do with the atrium and maybe my heart is trying to convert into a-fib full time rather than paroxymal? Any info you can give me is much appreciated. Thanks.

[ZEET]

I wanted to add to my above post, that this scary arrythmia I get is , it starts out I feel a slight flutter and just feel kind of weird, woozy in my head, I feel my pulse and its beating slow, I cough, in a few seconds it goes to a faster beat then to normal, then sometimes I feel like a hot flash, then it's over. Does that sound like a PVC? My cardiologist said he has to see it on a monitor, but it sounds like what I feel is my heart throws a few beats, I dont feel that, But then what Im feeling is the pause that follows them. Then sometimes I feel like a thump or one beat in my chest. Its like as soon as you feel it its over. I dont think that I could ever get that recorded with an event monitor, because that is too fast.  But the holter monitor thats already on I would be able to record it. I would appreciate any information anyone has.
Thanks.

[ZEET]

I couldnt say it better! Your right, when someone has to deal with these stinking symptons, on a daily basis, it really starts to where the patience thin. My things started in October 1993. I keep thinking back to the 80's. Then I was in my 20's, and was working at that time in a conference center. I moved these huge and very heavey conference chairs and tables, ususally myself. Break down and set up coffee breaks, and just alot of cleaning, vacumming ect. I started there in 1983, I was 22, and left in 1989. I keep saying to myself, how did I do all that? Then it was nothing, I know it was probably good exercise. I ate alot then and stayed thin. My point is I wonder how and why did all this start? Maybe from 1989 - 1993 maybe beacause I was not getting that type of exercise anymore? Is it genetics, my mother has a fast rate when she was 17, it went away but came back in her 30's. My sister ditto, but after about 12 years, she has an ablation, my nephew too, they are fine now. I think its a combo of alot of things. Hormones yes, and I think it was just in me to come out at a certain age, from my family history. Who knows.
The thing is , I had the fast rate since 1993, and never saw a doctor about it until I had no choice in 1998, when this one day it would not slow down. Then that day the fluttering( I guess PVC's) and everything else started. Since that day in the E.R. and a cardiologist I still see every couple of months, I still don't no anymore what is going on then I did that day before I went to the E.R. I take Toprol and there are days I feel alright and then there are days I have all or some symptons, and I feel I forgot to take the med. I never forget to take it. I hear it too, don't worry, not serious, yet I have something which I haven't been able to catch on a monitor, the doctor says well I have to see it on the monitor. I understand that, but thats why I don't understand how they can say all this, don't worry, ect. if there is something there they haven't seen yet on a monitor. I know Toprol is not a cure all, but it is aggravating when you take the med. faithfully and you feel some days like it doesn't work. Maybe Toprol does that.

[LaurieD]

You said it, a bad PVC month! Every month is starting to be for me I get hundreds a day! It affects my life big time! I am so sick of it I sometimes feel like ripping the damn defective thing out of my chest! Or smacking it so hard it stops! Any ideas how to minimize them?

[alexawesome1]

Hello everyone... I also just discovered this site and see it's benefits.  History: I'm a 27 yr. old male, 5' 1", 195lbs, fit and exercise 4-6X/week, jog and weight train, boxing, cycle ect... no previous history of any heart related issues... 3 Years agao at 24 yrs. old I was resting on my sofa and experienced 3-4 skipped beats in a row (now I know what a skipped beat is and the sensation) and got really scared thinking I was having a heart attack and was dying (sound extreme, but never experienced any heart related issues) this really scared me! Saw a cardiologist, did a dozen ECG's, stress test, holster monitor, checked twice and told that I was "healthy as a horse". After that first episode, it occured once a day, once a month, once every two months, sometimes twice a month.  A year ago with economic and social stress enduced I started noticing chest pain, more skipped beats and went for another opinion. Did the ECG 10x, stress test, V-Max Stress test for athletes (you run really hard on the treadmill and high grade for 12 minutes), Echo Cardiogram, 24HR holter showed 1 skipped beat in 24HRS... Doc said I was in "Very" good health and guaranteed I would never die of a heart attack or heart related symptom.  Conclusions: I agree with everyone that it's scary, sometimes painful (weather or not your imagining it!) and interfers with your lifestyle. It makes you wonder why you and the rest of the world is so healthy... POINT: Stress and Anxiety is your worst enemy!, Don't drink any alcohol, Don't drink any Coffee, try to eliminate adding any salt to your foods (natural occuring salts should be enough), Stay away from fast foods and dinning out! THE BEST THING IS SLEEP AND REST.  I found exercise always sets a good rythm. Keep your exercise moderate to your condition, age and lifestyle, eat 6 meals/day eating less, have your potassium and magnesium (florida avocado and oranges, banana's). You can also use the Hawthorn Berry Extract (droplet form) from your local health food store and the Horse Tail herb tea once a day! I think it sucks that it's happened to myself and you guys but we can now only live with it! Apologies for choppy story and spelling, just typing my thoughts away... Exercise, Eat Right, Love Yourslef, Rest, Don't Worry (I know I worry alot),Believe in GOD (If your religeous) and try to live the best life you can, hopefully in the next one you'll be a beautiful, rich, and healthy movie star... but for now make the best quality of life you can, unfortunatley we're human and not all answers and reason are know, maybe if we're around in the 2030 they'll be able to grow a new heart in test tube and transplant it as easy as putting on your shoes... Apologize for all the philosophy but you guys know I mean well. Comments or chat: alex_dolgonos***@****  Be well!!!

[ZEET]

Can someone who suffers from PVC's tell me what they are and feel like. I have had  a couple of different arryhtmias for sometime now, and probably have them, but what do they feel like so I can get a idea.
Thanks.

[ZEET]

The arrythmias I been having started in 1993. In first in 1993, I started getting a racing heart one day. It started racing one day and slowed down after a couple of hours, but did the same thing everyday after. The second came in 1997, I felt like a weird beating or flutter in my chest, then it is either beating slow, or fast but not regular, like all the beats are fast and in a row, but not a normal rythm, then I cough or do something with a quick motion to correct the beat, ( but mostly out of panic) ( sometimes at this point I feel woozy)
It goes from the weird beating, to a normal but fast beating, then back down to the normal rate, then this event is over. Sometimes when it kicks in to the normal but fast beating, I get a hot flushed feeling. That event scares me more than I can say. In 1997 when I first started getting this, it would happen once every couple of months, but now a couple times a month. I just had this,30 minutes ago and when this event happens it leaves my hands legs shaking from fright. The third in 1998, one day my heart would not stop racing, and I was feeling all these flutters and extra or strong beats. This started in the morning, and I couldnt go from the couch to the chair, with out my heart taking off. That night I finally saw a doctor in the er and then a cardiologist, and had all the tests, and now been taking toprol since 1999. But still have all these arrythmias. The doctor has never told me what it could be, because we never been able to catch it on the monitors. But even though I never know when it might happen, I notice a kind of pattern. About a week to two weeks after my last period, and two weeks later when the next one is due. I dont want to play doctor with myself, and I dont know what a fib or the symptons are, but I think maybe it might be that or something ventricular? I think if it was ventricular after all this time and being so far I correct it by coughing I dont and hope it is not that. If anyone can give me any info, or has any ideas about any of these seperate arrythmias, or has them also, PLEASE write your comments here. Thanks.