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PVCs

Thanks to a doctor's answer to a previous post about my chest pain, my family dr. has diagnosed me with costochondritis and I am finally starting to feel better; however, in the past few weeks, I have begun to have some PVCs. Can stress cause PVCs to happen?  My father died unexpectedly on Dec. 22 and both my brother and I have had episodes of PVCs (I am 31 and he is 29).  I also had a baby 5 weeks before my father died, so I have been under some addition stress! We have never had PVCs before.  The only reason I know that I'm having them is because my brother is a nurse and told me what they feel like.  Both of us have had treadmill stress tests and I have had a Thallium stress test, which all came back normal.  How do you cope with PVCs?  Is there any deep breathing technique that can help with them? Is just de-stressing enough to make them go away?  I usually have 1 every other day, but yesterday, I had 4, and I got a little worried.  Thank you!
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Avatar universal
Im male of 33 , Since Sep 2000 if feel a Continous Heavy heart beat all day and night,some times specially afternoon while watching TV a feel a sudden heat in my body and start dizzy and headtech with feeling to Vomit, and i start coughing afterward, some times i feel that some one touching my heart with a Pin,these symptoms come in a storng shape mainly after a heavy meal and i have to lay down then i feel better, and every time i rush to hospital they do ECG and it come Normal, one day they admit me for full night and they said every thing is normal, i did holter monitor for 24 h  7 month back in the begining of my case, may be i have to do  it again, my DR. gave a beta blocker CONCORE 1.5 and i feel no change .
Can some one help is it PVC
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Avatar universal
Im male of 33 , Since Sep 2000 if feel a Continous Heavy heart beat all day and night,some times specially afternoon while watching TV a feel a sudden heat in my body and start dizzy and headtech with feeling to Vomit, and i start coughing afterward, some times i feel that some one touching my heart with a Pin,these symptoms come in a storng shape mainly after a heavy meal and i have to lay down then i feel better, and every time i rush to hospital they do ECG and it come Normal, one day they admit me for full night and they said every thing is normal, i did holter monitor for 24 h  7 month back in the begining of my case, may be i have to do  it again, my DR. gave a beta blocker CONCORE 1.5 and i feel no change .
Can some one help
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Avatar universal
Im male of 33 , Since Sep 2000 if feel a Continous Heavy heart beat all day and night,some times specially afternoon while watching TV a feel a sudden heat in my body and start dizzy and headtech with feeling to Vomit, and i start coughing afterward, some times i feel that some one touching my heart with a Pin,these symptoms come in a storng shape mainly after a heavy meal and i have to lay down then i feel better, and every time i rush to hospital they do ECG and it come Normal, one day they admit me for full night and they said every thing is normal, i did holter monitor for 24 h  7 month back in the begining of my case, may be i have to do  it again, my DR. gave a beta blocker CONCORE 1.5 and i feel no change .
Can some one help
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Avatar universal
You wrote of your symptoms back in May, 2001.  It is now the end of June and I'm just finding this message board.

I, too, have experienced similar symptoms to yours, particularly the fluttering in the throat.  I have virtually no chest palpitations.  This entire scenario started off slowly a few years ago (I was about 48) with an occasional blip, usually when I was about to go to sleep or was just quietly watching TV or reading, etc.  I mentioned it to my doc and she sloughed it off as nothing.  

Over the next couple of years it progressed to more substantial flutterings, longer-lasting (seems like an eternity but really about 10 to 20 seconds) and LOTS more anxiety and panic about it.  I began to feel horrible; shaky, dizzy, like I would drop over at any moment.  I've also felt like coughing -- sort of like I think THAT will kick things back to normal...  who knows?

Finally, this past year, at age 51-52, I rushed to the doctor (a fter a bad spell at my desk at work.  I told NO ONE there what was happening, just ran out to an "early lunch" and headed like a speed demon for the doc's office.  They saw me within about 15 minutes,by which time I had calmed down except for an extremely rapid heartbeat.  The doc did an EKG and pronounced it NORMAL but OVERLY FAST.  I returned to work and no one was the wiser.  So much for the impending doom.  The doctor decided to
put me on Atenolol, 25 mg., just once a day.  It took me a few weeks to get used to it and there were peaks and valleys.  I went on a weekend trip just 5 days into the "treatment" and had the wildest experience; combination anxiety/panic/non-stop palpitations.  I thought death was imminent.  Finally, I got back to my room and started packing my clothes like a madwoman.  It dawned on me, though, that rushing to an airport and getting on a plane in that condition was not wise.  I sat on the bed and watched TV and tried to calm down.  Guess what --  within an hour I was fine.  I should add that the trip itself and the people I went with created a lot of chaos.

I went home the NEXT day and made another doc's appt.  Told him what had happened and he said well, you don't want to continue living like THAT, so referred me to what he termed a "good cardiologist specializing in electrophysiology."  They put me on an EVENT MONITOR which I wore for nearly three weeks.  I captured many, many flutters, weak and strong, and they were reported to the doc.  The cardiologist also listened very carefully to every area of my chest and back -- took ANOTHER EKG, and said:  You have an arrythmia, but it's benign.  You can continue taking the Atenolol, or not, your choice.  I continue with it because it DOES slow down the episodes of rather rapid heartbeat. I am also now on Xanax -- about 25 mgs. a day (a little more if I'm really stressed).  It helps a bit.

Because of my age, and what I've read about women in the menopausal years having increased PVCs, I've decided to "live with it" for a couple more years and the see what happens.  I can tell you this much:  symptoms are MUCH worse when I am tired, have had any caffeinated beverages, a full glass of wine, a medium to large chocolate bar.  The palps are also much worse and frequent when I am anxious or stressed.  Sometimes I have to THINK about whether or not things are really stressful and then I laugh because I come up with LOTS of reasons why an attack might have occurred when it did.  

I fully understand your jumping out of the car and all the rest.  It is panic -- a normal reaction to these crazy palpitations.  Hard to know which comes first, the palps or the panic, but it doesn't matter.  It's an awful feeling.

The best thing you can do is keep up with all your regular, fun, activities but try not to get too stressed out emotionally.  Don't give in to this thing -- one website I found talked about "embracing" the flutterings -- "welcoming" them -- not fearing them at all.  I tried that and it really does help.  Chin up -- between medications and meditation and healthful living you'll be just fine.  The fear and ruminating about what happened and when it'll happen again is paralyzing.  Best wishes to you!
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Avatar universal
I find this site very interesting because it shows me that I am not alone with my problem. I am a 51 year old male. A few years ago I started getting "missed heartbeats". They took a while to diagnose because they felt like spasms in the diaphragm and didn't seem to have anything to do with the heart. It was only by accident that I noticed a missed pulse beat at the same time as a spasm. The cardiologist called them PVCs and said they were due in my case to my blood pressure which was elevated (around 150/95). He put me on cardizem and natrilix to lower my blood pressure. This worked well and to a large extent the PVCs disappeared. A month or so ago they came back. My blood pressure is well-controlled, possibly even a bit low. I often get readings of 100/75, but most are around 120/80.

From reading other postings I know that everyone's PVCs are a bit different. Mine cause a spasm or clenching of my diaphragm and I can sometimes feel a sensation in my throat. I don't feel anything in the chest. I also feel a bit light-headed at times during the day. After a bad couple of hours my stomach area feels quite sore. If I am sitting quietly when I have one I spontaneously exhale some air and my wife looks at me as if I'm nuts. The main problem is that it is hard to talk without coughing and spluttering. Since I am a teacher, talking is what I do for a living. It is like having someone jab you in the stomach every few seconds while you are trying to deliver a lecture. Very annoying. The number of PVCs varies from day to day. There seem to be less if I have had a really good nights sleep. I have more in the afternoon and evening than in the morning.

My questions are: Why have the PVCs come back and is there anything I can do? Is my blood pressure anything to do with it anymore? Can I decouple the PVCs from my diaphragm? I drink a few cups of coffee and tea each day. Is the caffeine thing really significant or is it just doctors clutching at straws? What about alcohol? I like a glass of wine with my dinner. Is this a problem? On days when I don't have any wine there is no improvement in the PVCs.

Many thanks to anyone who responds.
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Avatar universal
Do you still experience these symptoms? If so, how do you deal with them?

Rick
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Avatar universal
Ooooops!  I meant that last quetion for you and not lynn.  Was just curious to see how you are dealing with this after so many years.  Do you have anything serious wrong or is it just a benign PVC thing?  Even though mine are random and benign, I understand when you say you "didn't feel right".  Not sure if that is physical or in our heads sometimes. Either way, it is not a pleasant feeling to live with.

rick
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Avatar universal
Thanks again everyone,

The thing is, I've had these "flutters" many time before, but this is the first time I've had symptoms of extreme dizzyness afterward.  It's discomforting because I'm afraid I'll have to sacrifice my active lifestyle; Mtn Bike Racing, Wakeboarding, Snowboarding, Back Country Hiking.  I even changed my vacation plans to be closer to civilization!  I hope my fears are unfounded.  

Thanks and God Bless

Lynn
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Avatar universal
I'm sure what you are going through can be very scary.  I've had these PVC'S and they can be hell.  My advice is to get checked out by a cardioligist to rule out any possible problems. for now, try eating 6 smaller meals during the day and eating fruit in between.  try to stay away from foods that will spike your sugar.  eat complex carbs and stay clear of candy and chocolate and caffeine.

good luck!

rick
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Avatar universal
You had a little flutter that caught you off guard.  That was real.  All your symptms after that were a result of panic from that flutter.  I used to go though that all the time.  You can make yourself feel really "wierd" just from standing at attention waiting for this next flutter. You are doing the right thing by going to the doctor, however I am sure you will be fine.  I know that bird wing flutter well.  If you were able to get out of a car in case you needed help, that was panic.  Don't let it rule your life.  I felt that same flutter when I was 17.  I am now 37 and I let it consume me for too many years.  I was dizzy, off balance and just "didn't feel right".  I was waiting for something bad to happen and because of this I kept right on feeling bad.  Good luck at the doctor.  You will be fine!
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Avatar universal
First of all, Thanks to everyone who has shared.

Here's my story, I'm a 38 yr. old father of three;

I'm driving through town (shopping for Easter) with my 10 yr. old son, I get a flutter in my chest that feels like a bird is trying to leave my chest cavity.  This feeling makes me give a little cough.  Shortly thereafter I get extreme feeling of passing out, I pull the car to the side of the road and panic a little, actually getting out of the car in case I have to flag down someone to assist me!  The dizzyness subsides somewhat, but I'm still out of sorts, so to speak.  I drive home whereupon I still feel dizzy.  Worried that I might be having a heart attack, I call 911, go to ER, for EKG, Bloodwork, etc.  I was admitted for overnight observation.  The EKG /tests showed nothing out of the ordinary.  Now I am feeling anxiety due to the fact that I don't know when this could happen again.  I have a follow up visit with my DR. this week and will ask for a stress test and glucose tolerance test.  Any dizzyness or feelings of losing conscienceness? I still feel a little dizzy after two days; I feel that something is just not right with my health.  Help!

Thanks, and God Bless you all,

Lynn
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Avatar universal
JR
you might try looking up PSVT on this forum
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Avatar universal
Hi everybody - I just found this description of extra beats in a medical book which I think sums them up pretty well, quoting directly from the book:

Heart makes extra beats:
this is a common symptom with an interesting explanation.  What happens is that the heart beats twice in rapid succession.  The extra beat goes unnoticed.  However, the next beat of the heart is delayed by a fraction of a second and it is this slight delay that you may be aware of.  During the delay, blood continues to fill the heart, bringing into play an automatic mechanism that makes the heart beat more forcefully the fuller it gets.  The next beat after the delay is, therefore, extra powerful, and is felt as a thump in the chest.
Causes:
Probable:  unexplained
           too much caffeine
           alcohol
           cigarettes
           fever
Possible:  anxiety
           indigestion
Rare:      complications of a heart attack
           excess digoxin
           rheumatic carditis

I was interested in the possible causes, especially in light of Mike's post re indigestion.  quoting from the book again:

INDIGESTION:
It is uncertain how this affects the heart.  Probable it results from  a reflex action in those nerves which serve both the heart and the digestive system, though there may be direct irritation of the heart by a distended stomach.  the features of indigestion are familiar.
* bloating, belching
* Acid, burning sensation after meals
* discomfort felt behind breast bone


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Avatar universal
Here is the abstract of an article I found re: heart problems and menses, if anyone is interested.

Int J Fertil Womens Med 1997 Mar-Apr;42(2):94-100  


Palpitations: what is the mechanism, and when should we treat them?

Rosano GM, Rillo M, Leonardo F, Pappone C, Chierchia SL.

Department of Cardiology, Istituto H. San Raffaele, Milan-Rome, Italy.

Palpitation is an unpleasant awareness of an abnormal beating of the heart. This symptom may be brought on by a variety of cardiac disorders, such as cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, and coronary artery disease, but the most common cause is primary cardiac arrhythmias. Several noncardiac disorders may also cause palpitations, and in this case are an effect of the disease upon cardiac rhythm. Palpitations occur frequently in women at all ages, especially during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, during pregnancy, and during the perimenopausal period. Palpitations occurring at young age and associated with fast heart rate are frequently due to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome or other forms of re-entrant tachycardia, and may require catheter ablation. A correlation between ovarian hormones and occurrence of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia has recently been reported in female patients with normal menstrual cycles; palpitations are frequently reported in cases of mitral valve prolapse, whereas episodes of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia reported during pregnancy may be due to mechanical stimuli or to a suggested arrhythmogenic effect of pregnancy. Palpitations during the perimenopausal period are usually benign and seem to be related to the increased sympathetic activity caused by the menopause. Although the vast majority of palpitations are benign and need not be treated, an electrophysiological study is indicated for those patients who have a documented episode of palpitation associated with syncope or with a pulse that is inappropriately rapid during symptoms. The treatment of palpitations due to cardiac arrhythmias is dependent upon the kind of arrhythmia detected during either invasive or noninvasive electrophysiological studies.

Publication Types:
Review
Review, tutorial

PMID: 9160219   [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Avatar universal
From: Mike Brewer  70403.***@****

03 March 2001

Since posting this on 19 January 2001, I
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Avatar universal
Personally, my thumps and flutters are MUCH worse just before, during and after my menses....in fact I can almost predict when I am due on account of the increase in PVC/PACs.  I usually have around 2-10 per day (that I can feel anyway) but before menses this increases to 50-100 approx.  I have told my cardio this but he just waves it off.  There are numerous posts on this website however, which show that other women have noticed this as well.  As if PMS isn't enough!
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Avatar universal
I don't have chest pain all the time but when it does strike it usually lasts a day or two.  Sometimes the pain is so bad that it wakes me at night.  Feels quite sharp and also like something is being pulled. For a period of time with the chest pain I also got pain down my left arm and as such I did go to the doctor to 'whinge' again and she suggested it could be a nerve. The arm pain has gone but the chest continues to be a pain.

I have not been given any medication for my PVC's. I don't take caffeine in any form, not a smoker and don't even drink. (a bit boring I know)

I had a history of gastric problems but on that side of things it has been fine for quite a few years now.  

Heard that PVC's could be minimised by taking Potassium and Magnesium supplements.  Do you think this is a viabe option?  

I find it amazing as soon as someone writes something about PVC's a whole bunch of people come out of the woodworks - it's great in the way it's comforting but also a bit sad that so many of us have this rotten things.  

Thank you so much for writing.  I hope your PVC's are under control and don't hassle you too much.  Just knowing someone listens is a great help.

Kindest regards

Suzy



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Avatar universal
I wanted to add that yesterday I took three of the Toprol 50mg. and today when I got up, as soon as I stood up and started to walk around my heart started to race. Which is not new for me, but I thought it would be alot better since taking the three Toprol yesterday. I am over due for my menses, and these symptons always come  about much more right before(especialyy if Im late) during and after that time. Some months when it gets close to that time, I feel as if I not taking any meds. at all, because of the symptons I feel.
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Avatar universal
Yes, the heart racing, and extra beats, I guess they are(you feel like one beat, and then its over) as unpleasant as they are, you get use to them. But the other episode is the one the scares me like you wouldnt believe. The thing is at least with the fast rate, you know it is there, but when this thing happens, it comes out of the blue. I can get this thing when I feel absolutely fine with no other symptons, or on a day when you feel cruddy with all the other symptons. I can be doing anything and then I get a flutter or something, and I put my fingers to my neck to see what it is doing. It is either beating real slow, or out of rythm, but I think it is usually slow. I cough, not that I feel I have to cough, but that is what it seems to take it from whatever it is doing, and kick it in to a super fast rate, then back to normal.
It scary because I always think wonder if it doesnt kick from the slow rate to the fast rate. As it is beating slow, if it takes too long to go from the slow rate, that is when I start to feel like things may go to black. As of yet I never passed out. It depends how severe the event is. If it is a bad one, I will get the feeling in my head, because of the slow beating, and at the end of the event, the hot flushed feeling. Do you get the feeling you may pass out? or the hot feeling? Maybe the hot feeling comes from when the heart picks up from the slow rate to the fast rate, and the blood is being pushed up to the head? I dont know, all I know I wouldnt wish this on anyone. This event started I think in 1996. The first time I got it, I didnt know what just happen. My hands were shaking. Then it would do it once every couple of months or so. Now it happens once, sometimes more a month. I figured it out by the calendar I notice it may happen right around ovulation, and two weeks later, around that time. It happened the other day, and my hands were shaking, and I was almost in tears at the end of it. I can actually live with all the other arrythmias, but this thing I HATE. You never know where you might be when it happens, that is the other thing that is scary about it.
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Avatar universal
Thanks, for your comment. It does help to know that other people know how you feel, and may have the same symptons. Not that I wish this misery on anyone, but when people know exactly what your trying to describe, it really does help. Yesterday was the first day that I took the Toprol three times a day. They said try to space it every eight hours. So I thought today when I got up I would not have the heart racing and whatever else. But as soon as I got up, BOOM there it goes racing. Then Ill have something to eat, and I start to feel good, the racing goes away, then sometimes after a while, after I have a meal BOOM again it starts up again. Then after some time it slows back down. Is it the stomach that is the culprit? The digestive area, that causes the heart things? I dont know. But when it is close to that time of the month, especially when it is late, it is misery. Like yourself, if I sit down, it slows down. If I stand up it starts to race. On and off all day. Also when it is beating fast, I can always tell by how my stomach feels. It feels like it is tensed up, like tightened up. Then when that feels better, the racing is gone. Also you feel like, I dont know if nauseous or sick is the word, but my stomach feels slightly empty or queazy when the heart is beating faster than normal. You dont know if to eat something, sometimes that helps, or not, because sometimes it starts up after eating. The arrythmia I get that scares me, the one I described above, sounds like you get something simular. The heart pauses or slows, then I cough, and it starts to beat fast, then back to the normal rate. I do feel sometimes, not all the time depending on the severity of the event, woozy and get like a hot, flushed feeling and the end of this thing. I sound like a broken record to the cardiologist describing the same symptons to him when I go for a follow up. He cant tell me what this is until it is recorded. I will also go through a period of time where I feel fine, symptons here and there, then I will go through a period where I feel everything. I dont know if it is a sinus node problem, like that sick sinus syndrome. Who knows.
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Avatar universal
I know exactly what you mean about how when you get the racing, your stomach feels tightened up.  The thing about it is, my normal heartbeat is around 72.  When I feel it racing, it is usually only around 90 or 100 (standing up) but I just don't feel normal.  My stomach is tense or it feels like there is a knot in it. I'm kind of dizzy but not really, it is so hard to describe.  And you are right, I can feel fine and then eat something and there it goes.  If I don't eat to much at one time it seems to do better, but sandwiches for some reason really set it off.  I'm on my 15th hershey kiss right now, and am having no problem.  Go figure.  My doctor told me that thin people noticed this more than others.  I'm 5'5", 105 lbs.  I do notice if I drop under 105, my heart acts up more.
I know that one episode can be really scary.  I hate it because it comes out of the blue.  You feel just fine and it happens.  The pacs and pvc's are daily occurances and you kind of get used to those.  This other one is really really scary.  It feels like my heart won't start beating again and then it takes off.  Is yours out of sync as well as fast when it starts up again?
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Avatar universal
Sounds like some of this is anxiety or anxiety might be a contributing factor.  I have weeks where my heart beats fine.  Then I can wake up and it is beating fast for no reason.  If I sit down, it slows down, if I stand up it shoots up to around 110.  I usually take a 1/2 of a Tenormin and it works perfectly.  Have you ever tried taking that?  It really works wonders.  I also get a similar incident to you where I can be feeling fine,then I feel wierd flutters and my heart pauses.  It doesn't slow down, the beat just goes away for 3-4 seconds.  I feel a little woozy then BOOM, it starts beating really fast and out of rythym for 90 seconds or so and goes back to its normal rythym.  This one scares me because the doctor has never caught it.  It happens to infrequently.  (once a year or so).  I would ask your doctor about Tenormin.  Because of the low dose I am on, I can take it only when I feel the fast heart beat.  I have however started taking 1/2 of a 25mg pill every night.  That way when I wake up and get out of bed, it never starts racing.  I also notice more pacs, and pvc's around my period.  No doubt about that.  I think it is the water retention building up against the vagus nerve.  If I take deep breaths it starts skipping.  Yucch, I hate all of this.  It would just be so nice  to feel NORMAL.  E-mail me if you like..***@****.
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Avatar universal
I forgot to add that I currently take 50mg. Toprol twice daily. I was just told by my cardio, that to take three Toprol daily only during that time of the month.

Thanks,
Val.
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Avatar universal
I have been dealing with different arrythmias since 1993. It started one day with a fast rate, and would slow down after a couple of hours. Everyday after my heart would do the same thing. Then in february 1998, this one day my heart would not slow down, and I started to feel all this fluttering and those hard beats, that come one at a time. So I ended up going to the E.R. and then to a cardiologist for the first time since all this started. I have had the blood work, cardiograms, and echo and told all is o.k. I still had symptons and then I was put on Toprol in september 1999. The one arrythmia I get that scares me more than the fluttering or racing heart, is I can be fine, then I will feel a flutter and my heart beats very slow or out of rythm. Sometimes at this point I start to feel slightly woozy, and I cough or do something with a quick motion to correct the rythm. Then it goes from a slow beat to a fast beat and then back to normal. Sometimes at this point at the end of the event I get a hot feeling, like a hot flash. These events I guess are better since the Toprol than before, but these events can come much more about and much more severe I noticed if I am behind in my dosages, and it is around my menses. When it is close to that time of the month, also if I am behind in taking the Toprol I pay for it. DOES ANYONE, know what the symptons I describe are? DOES ANYONE, have terrible symptons around their time of the month?

Thanks,
Valerie.
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