Blood Pressure Elevated and Pulsing in head and back

[needsomeguidance]

I have seen three PCP's and a board certified Cardiologist and nothing is helping so I am trying here for ideas. Male 36 regular exercise, so so diet, 40lbs overweight.

Before Christmas '05 I experienced tiredness, cramping in arms and back. Assumed it was just stress and rested. Symptoms persisted and I went to PCP bp was 140/90. PCP felt that due to an impending job change/ seperation from my family for 6 months that I was having anxiety and stress. Prescribed Paxcil 25mg and a muscle relaxer (flexeril?)

Felt somewhat better, left the family for South Florida. First day at new job had severe tightness in chest and shortness of breath, profuse sweating and BP shot up nearly passed out. 911 to ER with fear of heart attack, EKG (4 times) etc. Kept overnight becuase one of the EKG techs put the leads on my ankles one time and not the rest so there was a difference in the EKG. Prescribed Atenolol 25mg and ref. to Cardiologist. Had a heart Echo, Stress test with nuclear and all fine.

Severe reactions to Atenolol so changed to metopropol, heart rate dropped into 30's several time so taken off of BP meds and put on Water Pills. BP went bad again 140/100 average so now on Benecar 40MG and bp seems better but here is the jist of this whole post...

Head pulses constantly at night along with my back and chest, I can't lay on my left side without the feeling that my heart is pounding against the bed, I wake up during the night with my heart hammering. My BP first thing this AM was 143/96? I also have sharp pain under right shoulder blade and some center back pai

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,

Sorry to hear about your palpitations.  We don't know why people develop them.  One day you don't notice them and the next you notice every beat.  They are usually worse when lying on your left side.

Besides beta blockers, which only decrease the sensation of the beat, there isn't much medical therapy out there.  I have seen several patients bothered by them in the past and am not sure that I can offer anything more than a beta blocker.  I assume that your heart rate is regular and not great than 90-100 beats per minute?  If is greater than 90-100, it may be an arrhythmia.

I hope this helps.  Thanks for posting.

[rhia]

I was wondering whether that type of blood pressure can harm you in the short term?

I have heard that BP is a long term condition that causes damage over many years. If your heart tests are fine, and the BP is under control, PVC's won't hurt you. I've had quite a few and they haven't done me any harm.

[needsomeguidance]

Saw the doctor again. My BP is coming down on the Benicar 40mg and the pulsing is getting better. My bloodwork was positive for Epstein Bahr Virus in a very high level. My PCP says that this could be causing allkinds of havoc with my systems. I am now having headaches on the right side of my head and am freaking out every time thinking stroke or tumor.

This is really crazy. I am struggling to not have Vasovagel events and am at wits end.

[upbeat63]

Hmm, I thought palpitations, PVCs or PACs were an arrhythmia??

Also, I am now wondering if having a regular heart rate of say 70-80bpm, but with PVCs at 20/min puts you in the tachycardia range.?? I guess it does. Any thoughts?

I've always tried to count my regular beats and my PVCs separately. When I'm in trigeminy its easy to count both at the same time because it's so regular, but when it's all over the place, well, it's easier just to count them separately.

Now it seems the frequency might be more important if it puts you into the tachycardia range.

[tickertock]

It's is my understanding that when 15-20% of all your heartbeats are PVCs there is a small risk of developing PVC induced cardiomyopathy that's basically 15,000-20,000 PVCs daily. Also inappropriate sinus tachycardia and atrial fibrillation can cause cardiomyopathy when it occurs chronically and over a long extended period of time.Some that suffer with these conditions never develop cardiomyopathy though the risk s are there , periodic monitoring is a essential ie(usually every 6 months to year).I am not a doctor this is only my personal understanding regarding these conditions.