MVP and exercise

Posted By Barry on November 04, 1998 at 04:19:16:







   I have just been diagnosed with minor mitral valve prolapse which has been causing
PACs.  I have noticed an occasional skipped beat and then a hard beat for a few years.
Recently it has changed to 1/2hour to 3 hour bouts of continuously irregular heartbeats.
This has caused me to seek out a cardiologist and a diagnosis.
I was given an Echocardiogram which found that I had a prolapsed mitral valve--
which the doctor said was mildly prolapsed.  He said all my other valves looked good.
He also said that at this time he thinks I am in no danger and that treatment is not
absolutely necessary but if I feel more comfortable taking the 25mg of Lopressor that has all
but stopped my PACs that I should continue.  
    Before these runs of continuous irregularity scared me I was playing full court basketball
3 days a week.  I stopped because of the PACs.  They would start as soon as I sat down to rest.
It seemed that If I sat down to rest before I got my "Second Wind" that it would happen more.
If I could play through my second wind I would be fine.  I did not have tachycardia, just really
screwed up irregular heartbeats(no shortness of breath or pain)--though occasionally it would scare
me real good.
    I realize that I am rambling but let me sum up my medical status and ask you the real question
that I meant to ask.
   -I am 32 years old and in good physical condition.
   -I was told I have Minor MVP  with no or extremely minor regurgitation.
   -I have a blood pressure of around 120/70
   -While taking Lopressor 25mg once a day at bedtime my pulse is typically 40-70.
   -before I began the lopressor my pulse was typically about 60.
   -my cardiologist said that he wants to see me again in 1 year.
   -my only bad habit is smoking cigarrettes. about 12 per day.
   -I realize that smoking is bad and can worsen these symptoms
    but have a hard time believing that I can actually quit.
I have 3 questions:
1) I have noticed that my pulse is markedly higher when I stand versus sit or lay down.
   Example:  As I write this question while sitting my pulse is 68.  Now standing my pulse is
   88.  I sit back down and it is back to 68.  Is this normal??
2) I would like to return to playing basketball. (my doctor says that my condition is not really
   dangerous but he cannot recommend that I do or don't play) He wants no liability and I can't say
   that I blame him.  He basically said play if I want.  I am concerned that I will have PACs again
   when I play.  I intend to take the 25mg of Lopressor once a day that I have been taking.  I feel ok
   with that.  My question is If I play and am winded(tired and out of breath from playing ball) and I
   begin to experience PACs what should I do?  I have played with the PACs before and tried to ignore them
   and they might go away.  Then again lately before I saw the cardiologist and stopped playing I became
   fearfull and stopped playing at the first sign of them.  Would you recommend that I stop if I experience
   these palpitations or is that succumbing to anxiety and worsening them?
   Is there any best thing to do to deal with this situation?