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Painful PVC's

I began having, what I learned to be, PVC's in 1995. I became overly concerned about the skipped beats and in 1996 had my first panic attack. I was a State Highway Patrolman and was told by different doctors that stress was causing most of my problems. I was in pretty bad shape for a few years and was diagnosed with Post Traumatic stress disorder, due to some events that occured while on duty, and panic disorder. Over the last few years I have had an echocardigram,which was normal, Stress tests, worn Holter monitors and event monitors and other than having annoying skips my doctors have all said I was healthy and not to worry about the skips. The skips do seem more frequent when I am under stess. I take atenolol 25 mg twice a day and klonipin .5 twice a day. My question has to do with some recent symptoms. Sometimes while having a bowel movement or straining while exercising or while relly nervous I'll have a skip that feels painful or uncomfortable. I am guessing that if I have a skip while straining that the recovery beat is more forceful and causes some pain. Secondly lately when having sex sometimes I get very lightheaded. I have never passed out and it doesn't happen every time but it causes me to be a little nervous when having sex. I guess its a vicious cycle like worring about my skipped beats I began worrying about it happening which makes it worse. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I really want to overcome all this and have made great strides over the last few years. I guess I just worry what the years of worrying and stress have done to me
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Avatar universal
wow i don't feel so alone with palpitations [skipped beats ] i'm glad to have found this message board i live in constant dread and fear of pvc's i wrote my history of them but it didn't go through so i'll make this short i have been getting skipped heart beats since i was 28 yrs old now 52 still the same more scared than ever ive had numerous tests done by cardioigist he said my heart is fine       ....Ruth
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Avatar universal
HI,I HAVE BEEN GETTING PALPITATION'S [SKPPED HEART BEAT'S SINCE I WAS 28 YRS OLD I AM NOW 52 YRS OLD I HAD NUMEROUS TESTS DONE OVER THE YEARS LAST YEAR I WENT TO MY CARDIOLIGIST TOLD HIM HOW I AM STILL LIVING IN DREAD AND FEAR EVERY DAY,SO THE ONLY TEST HE NEVER DID WAS A THALLIUM STRESS TEST SO HE SAID I'LL ORDER SAME TESTS YOU HAD BEFORE AND THALLIUM WITH THE DYE THAT ONE CAME BACK WITH A QUESTIONABLE AREA THE THALLIUM SO HE SAID TO BE SAFE I NEEDED TO HAVE ACARDIAC CATHERAZATION DONE OUT PATIENT WHERE THE DR SEES YOUR ARTERYS AND HEART ETC TOOK 4 HOURS ONLY WELL DR COMES OUT SAY'S TO ME I SAW THE SKIPS AS I WAS DOING THE TEST HE SAID THEY WON'T HURT YOU HE SAID I GIVE YOU 40 MORE YEARS YOUR HEART LOOK'S FINE HE SAID YOU COULD RUN A MARATHON I WISH MY HEART LOOKED LIKE YOUR'S SO I WAS SO HAPPY I DIDN'T WANT TO LOOK BACK I WANTED REASSURANCE HERE I HAD IT TIL THE NEXT EPISODE I GO TO COUNCIL GROUPS OCD GROUP I HAVE OCD WHICH CAUSES ME TO OBSESS ABOUT MY HEART MORE I TAKE BETA BLOCKER ATENONOL 50 MG ONCE A DAY I USE THIS 3 IN EXERCISE MACHINE BY JAKE I CAN FEEL MY HEART LIKE IT'S ABAL ROLLING AROUND,I FEL LIKE I WILL GO CRAZY FROM THIS CONSTANT FEAR THEY DISTARCT ME ALL THE WASTED YEARS OF FEAR OF PALPITATION'S HAS WORN ME OUTTUS 'S BUT HOW DO YOU COPE WITH THESE SCARY THINGS ,THEY ARE FELT SO EASILY HOW CAN YOU IGNORE THEM SOMETIMES I GET THEM EVERY DAY,SOME I CAN DEAL WITH SOME I CAN'T BRAVE LET THEM RUN THEIR COURSE I AM AT A LOSS AWAYS SAY I NEVER MET MY MATCH YET THAT I AM MORE SCARED THAN ANYONE I KNOW FINDING THESE MESSAGE BOARDS I DON'T FEEL SO ALONE DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO LIVE WITH THIS KIND OF FEAR AND DREAD OF ANOTHER EPISODE Ruth
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Avatar universal
Have you considered an ablation for the Afib?  I had PACs/PVCs show up 2.5 years ago (I am now 54) at a rate of 0-6/min and after several bouts of AF, saw a cardio/EP who advised an rf ablation.  It worked.  No drugs.  For 1.5 years now, no AF.

Discuss this option with your cardio.  It could change your life.

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Avatar universal
Hello,I am really glad I found this forum.It is assuring
to hear from those who have to share this terrible condition.
Why me huh? Well I am 28 years old and was diagnosed with Atrial fibrillation and PVC's. I have been terrified for the last year
unknowing of what was going on. Through GOD I've come to except my condition for what it is. I'm always interested in talking to people and learning new things. I've been under a great deal of
stress for the last two years. I've got 15% heart damage detected on a stress/echo test. I've been faced with family death,financial disaster, and seperation from my family do to
work. Me and my wife are happy now and i'm not going to let this destroy that. I have a wonderful little girl and one on the way. This is a terrible problem to have i know when i recorded my pvc's on the monitor there were pvc's every other minute for the whole length of my wearing the holter moniter.I felt all of them some really painful some not. Mya-fib attacks were so bad I almost had a strokes while driving myself 20 miles to the hospital. That was before I got on beta blockers "lopressor"
which is a very good and highly recommened drug if you fit the bill. I would really like to return to "normal" but for now we all have each other. Let's keep people informed here. We should be there for each other. I know it's hard but keep your head's up high and smile.Go enjoy things you use to take for grantit.
And maybe you'll see a new light.    
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Avatar universal
I stumbled upon this website and it is very interesting.  During the past month I've started having noticeable PVC's, went to emergency and followed up with my Doc.  I've been relieved to know they are benign but sure are uncomfortable especially when sitting or in bed.  I have resisted taking medication but am trying to find the culprit.  I noticed a doctor advised that selenium supplement could contribute to pvc's.  Anyone hear of this?  Also, what about alcohol, any connection to pvc's?  Thanks.
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Avatar universal
Hello Folks... I have returned to read all the follow-ups on my question about Tambocor. I really appreciate the input on this topic and think everyone who commented is right on the money. I too have heard the same responses from my two Cardiologists. I have been on Tambocor for 6 years now and just started having problems with my shoulders and neck. They feel tense and feel like there going through spasms. I have experimented three times know going off and on Tambocor and it seems to get worse with that drug. Doctors think it is not related. I am going back to me first Cadio. and ask him to try me on something else.
  What I really want is just a drug that calmes my nerves. If I am nervous I tend to get some palpitations and pvc's. I am taking Klonopin & Celexa for anxiety and depression. Klonopin is addicting so that is no long term choice.
   Does anyone have an idea for a drug to relax me like Tambocor did but is safe to you with asthma?? I have tried Toprol & Inderal in the past but they are beta blockers and usually have problems with asthma. Tambocor might be giving me trouble with my muscles now. Any ideas for a drug (not addicting)??
  Well I hope I wasn't too long on the post but my hands just couldn't stop typing.
Don
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Avatar universal
First off, I am not a doctor, but a scientist.  That means either you can ignore me, or think about what I am saying.

Ablations (rf) are now commonly used to treat a wide variety of arrhythmias, particularly those with identifiable foci (overactive cardiac tissue which send out signals interfering with the normal pacemaker system).  In the case of "benign" PACs and PVCs, the usual approach is to leave them alone, UNLESS, they really bother you (which translates to a question of risk vs benefit).  I would judge that as a rule of thumb, if skips only occur occassionally, then forget it...however, if there are many skips (let's say 6+/min as an example), then a case might be made.  Check carefully through the archives of this forum, and you will find at least several examples wherein the doctor has suggested an EP evaluation for ablation for people afflicted with "troublesome" PACs/PVCs...the reasons are probably that the Cleveland Clinic is one of many such clinics that simply has a lot of experience with the ablation procedure and can claim a better risk/benefit ratio.

Tambocor. It is an antiarrhythmic agent of the 1C class.  It's primary effect is to decrease the intracardiac conduction in all parts of the heart with the greatest effect on the His-Purkinje system.  It's primarily used to decrease the automaticity of cardiac tissue, and is applied mostly to cases of PSVT and PAF.  It is not recommended for patients with milder forms of ventricular arrhythmia, eg, PVCs.  Like other antiarrhythmics, it has some pro-arrhythmia activity as well...   The biggest no-no with this drug, is that it should never be used in people who have had a myocardiac infarction since it increases their mortality, or in people with chronic AF since it increases the incidence of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.
It has some side effects, typically including dizziness and vision disturbances.  It is not the cat's meow, nor is it the world's deadliest poison...it's just another antiarrhythmic drug.
I have used it with some success (at the lowest dose) to reduce the number of PACs (as recommended by my cardio).  I discontinued it's use, because I was uncomfortable about the dependence upon a drug for the rest of my life for a condition that's bascially benign.




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Avatar universal
I have enjoyed reading this forum but wonder if I am in the right area, if not maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

My problem is that about every three weeks I get what can only be described as a 'flutter' in the throat and a bit of a 'jump' in the area just above my waist. It is not painful but causes me to stop for a minute. Sometimes I look around thinking what can I do if I have a heart attack. I am going to go to the doctors but came across this site so thought I would post this question. If I am in the wrong area could someone please advise. Thank you.
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Avatar universal
Hi, Thank you for the comments. I just want to know one thning. Does anybody else suffering from PVC,s have severe dizzines like me or should I be concerned about something else causing it. Also, has anyone flat out had an ablation for these annoying PVC.s. Will they perform one for such a case? I don't want to live with them the rest of my life and I don't like taking Toprol either, it slows my heart rate down to much and I feel like a Zombie.
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Avatar universal
Just saw my cardiologist and posed the very question you had - can an ablation be done for these PVC since I don't want to live with them all my life? He said that any reputable interventional cardiologist would not perform such a procedures unless there is a underlying condition that would make the PVCs a more serious condition.  With an anatomycally healthy heart PVCs are considered a bening condition (easy for a doctor to say) with time as you get old - yes, your heart could anatomycally change and render the benign PVCs a more serious condition.  Only them, the procedure should be performed.  I wish there was another answer to this condition - I have seen a few (last count- 6 cardiologists - 2 of which a John Hopkins University) and they all say the same thing --- not to worry ---- I will not drop dead - basically learn to live with it --- I don't like to hear that but I am starting to think that it is the truth. Regards, Paola
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Avatar universal
My name is Don Steinitz. I have enjoyed reading all the earlier posts which does afford some comfort knowing other people are in the same boat. This is my story: I have a history of panic attacks. A also had complained of PVC's as a bi-product of being nervous. My internest put me on Toprol which was given to me to calm my nerves and reduce the PVC's. It worked for several years. After awhile I noticed I was getting bad anxiety and thought it could be from the Toprol. I later saw cardiologist and he put a holter monitor on me a confirmed the PVC's. He put me on TAMBOCOR. It workeed GREAT for 6 years until I read HORRROR stories about TAMBOCOR. I saw another cardiologist for a swecond opinion and he said get off it now (It's toxic) and rarely used unless for serious heart problems with no serios hear disease. He said don't worry about the benign PVC's. The problem is that TAMBOCOR helps me with PVC's and calms me down so I don't become prone to anxiety attacks.
  What should I do folks. Now my cardiologists won't talk to me for seeking a second opinion. Is there something out there that will prevent PVC's and calm a person down. I have asthma and I believe Beta Blockers are out. I am taking Klonopin & Celexa which is not the best choice. Bottom line...........IS TAMBOCOR REALLY DANGEROUS?????????
Don
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Avatar universal
Toprol slows down your heart rate - hence it should make your pvc/pac less noticeable.  At first I could not understand the logic... if the heart rate is slower it would seem logical that for the pvc and pac to be more noticeable. My doc explained -in simple terms- that Toprol actually decreases the force of the "thump" that a pvc/pac sufferer feels whenever they occur. I have been taking toprol for 6 days now and the "thump" is less noticeable - I am not sure that I have a decreased number of pvc/pac - they are just a little less noticeable - by the time the day is over - however- I can feel each and every one of them... during the day is a little better. Good Luck I hope you feel better soon. Paola
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Avatar universal
Hi, this is my first time to write. I really apreciate being able to read all the comments, it makes me feel better. Back in October I started having dizzy spells. Really bad, and finally I had an MRI done on my brain and coincidentally they were monitoring my heart and my heart rate dropped to 40, They freaked out and hooked me up to a heart monitor and thats when they saw the runs and runs of PVC's, I was having 25 or more per minute. They rushed me over to the emergency room and then stayed in the intensive cardiac unit for 5 days. Finally they diagnosed me with benign PVC's and later in the month did a heart catheretization to rule out any blockage too. That showed no blockage. They sent me home and I started feeling better after a couple of weeks, well that did'nt last, I started feelling dizzy spells again and so the doc started me on Toprol Xl today. I went to take my blood pressure earlier and pressure was normal but heart rate was in low 40's. That has happened to me several times now. Is it normal to have such a low heart rate? should I worry? Any comments would be appreciated.
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Avatar universal
Hi everyone,

I've been diagnosed hypothyroid and have spent the last year getting my thyroid replacement medication tweaked and regulated -- to where I am finally feeling pretty good in that respect.

I've had a couple of episodes lately that have me got me a little rattled -- and I'm hoping someone can help ...

This had happened twice now:

On Monday, January 14th, in a nice hot bath (just ready to get out actually) - I had two or three real hard - kind of "clutching" heart beats in a row that were a little painful.  It was the weirdest sensation - almost like something twisting or turning over in my chest -- and was centered on my chest directly between my breasts.

Really threw me for a loop and I nearly killed myself getting out of the water in case I had a heart attack and drown in there. [It's funny only in retrospect! ;).  I was able to shrug it off fairly quickly that time, because there was no contintuation of any pain ... just those two or three odd, 'painful beats'- and that momentary weird sensation.

Then yesterday, it happened again ... shortly after I'd come from a hot bath again -- I had been out just long enough to get dressed and come out here to boot up the computer.  This time it was only one hard, heavy - slightly painful beat - and that same weird  clutching sensation  - of something turning over in my chest.  My anxiety level really soared with this second onset -- coz I could no longer tell myself that this was just a one time oddity ... nothing to worry about.

So now I'm full of questions:

1.) Do nice hot baths normally "bring on" or contribute to PVC's or PAC's?

2.) On Monday morning - January 14th -- I started adding 50 mcgs of Selenium to my morning regimen of supplements that I take with my thyroid replacement medication. (Cal-mag; Vit C; Vit E; CoEnzymeQ10). (Selenium is supposed to help convert T4 thyroid hormone in the body to more readily usable T3 thyroid hormone). Do you think the Selenium could be a cause of the PVC's?  

3.) Are PVC's normally a bit painful?  I asked that question on the Thyroid Forum and nearly everyone said they experienced frequent palpitations but not with pain. (I was SO glad to find this forum for that very reason).  Again though -- the pain I experience only lasts for the duration of those odd beats  -- though the anxiety that I'm left with tends to keep me hyper sensitive to my heart beat for a while afterwards.

4.) I've experienced palpitations before -- kind of a wonky feel to my heartbeat ... like a surge and then a pause ... and then kind of a jump in my chest and my heart either calms right down ... or it races for another few beats and then calms.

  BUT - I've never had palpitations of any kind before that hurt even a little bit.

Oh ... I'm 47 yr old female - aside from the hypothryoid problem which took forever to figure out - and an age to regulate ... I'm in good health.

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer

Nancy
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Avatar universal
Links to minerals/vitamins for PVCs/PACs

http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Concern/Cardiac_Arrhythmia.cfm

http://www.healthwell.com/healthnotes/Supp/Potassium.cfm

For about 3 weeks now I have been taking one (1) Selenium pill, one-half (1/2) Magnesium pill, two (2) Omega3 Fish Oil caplets-three (3) times a day, one-half (1/2) aspirin, one (1) Tbs Gaviscon upon rising, two (2) glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon in the late evening and two (2) Tbs Gaviscon just before retiring, and my PVCs/PACs have reduced by, at least, ninety-nine (99.0%) percent!

[The above reflects -MY- (wilson-wilson's) results, and may not
reflect the results anyone else may, or may not have, following the above statement]

wilson-wilson

ps. I musta been lacking in something from above [wine maybe<G>]. If it [pvcs/pacs] change of course I'LL let y'all know. But this is the first week in 2 years I've had only a couple "SMALL" blips!
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Avatar universal
Hi. I am 55 yr. woman and have had several episodes of tachycardia and panic attacks in the past few years. All requisite tests have shown the heart to be fine, except that I have been told that I have a slight murmur and a premature beat. No mitral valve prolapse. Heart is healthy, etc. etc. For the past month or so I have been plagued with irregularities -- it is a skipped beat I guess. Feels like a pause. Sometimes causes a rush-like feeling throughout my body. At times it happens more than once a minute. It does not seem to happen at night when I am in bed and resting. More during the day. It is very disconcerting and troubling. I take my pulse a lot trying to get a handle on this and figure out what might be causing it. My work is not particularly stressful right now and my life is good. The holidays were stressful but they are over. I have been very careful with my diet, never did use caffeine, but now have even cut out decaf trying to find the culprit. After reading this website I am wondering...maybe there is no culprit. It sounds like this is something that happens to a lot of people and maybe I am giving too much attention to it and making it worse. Please, any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.
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Avatar universal
Beta blockers do at least three things:
(1) slow the HR, placing a kind of upper limit to the HR
(2) lower BP
(3) block the beta-adrenergic receptors in the body, including the ones in the PV foci

So the net effect is a slower heart, lower BP and, in principle, if your skips are being generated by foci sensitive to adrenaline, they can make you less prone to skips caused by adrenaline surges.  In my case, they worked fairly well to help avoid kicking in PAF due to PV foci when I exercised.  I don't think that they will stop skips that are generated as a direct result of PV foci firing, since those foci are always firing.  It's just that adrenaline can make them fire much stronger and cause more complicated arrhythmia to erupt.

The side effects of beta-blockers are primarily due to their inability to limit their action to heart tissue.

Of course, all the comments above are my opinions, and since I am not qualified to make medical opinions, should be entirely disregarded.
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Avatar universal
I have read different opinion regarding Toprol Xl - does it really work on pvc? Logically it should make things worst...
if it is meant to slow the heart rate down, I would think that the thumb would be more noticeable?  What am I missing about this product?  is 25mg per day a good starting dose? My primary care physician suggested to give it a try at 25 mg... it seems to help but now a whole lot - would 50mg do the trick? Any suggestion would be grealty appreciated -
Paola
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Avatar universal
Thanks for all your comments. It is great to have a place to get support like this!! One of the things that my Doctor told me is that I'm probably more aware of them because I have such a healthy heart. As I said I was always very athletic and because of this and in people with hearts in great shape your heart tends to react quicker to stimulus than someone not as in shape or healthy. Sometimes it's hard to convince myself of this but it is getting much better. Thanks again for all your words of wisdom. And as one of my favorite singers songs says "Growing older but not up" is the best way to live life. Have fun and Phinz Up!!
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Avatar universal
If you want to take some of the heat off the kind Doctors here and just want to talk about our "special" hearts, I started a Yahoo Support Group for "we-uns"

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PVC_PAC/

Come by, have a cup of Gaviscon {thought I was gonna say coffee dent-cha}, and a couple hits of Selenium, Magnesium, Potassium pills, and Omega3 Fish Oil caplets and tell us what's on your ectopic beating heart!

I only have a couple of rules:

No messages about, who's on Oprah
(you may, IF: Oprah's gonna tell America why her BILLION DOLLAR heart NEVER skips)

No messages about, grandma's bunions'
(you may, IF: her bunion's on her heart)

No messages about, Weather in FrostBiteFalls Minn.
(you may, IF: you can tell me what happened to BullWinkle in the last episode I missed and what he pulled outa his hat then)

No messages about, the last meeting of "NO-MAAM"
[Men Against Amazonian Masterhood]
(you may, IF: you can tell me what the meeting was about.......
'Cause I was putting REAL messages about our hearts in my Yahoo Group and couldn't make it!

wilson-wilson
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Avatar universal
Hankstar said: "I think Mr. Wilson is a down to earth guy."

-------------

Yes Hank I am a "down to earth guy" and I hope to stay that way (here on Earth) for another 47 years! I really want to hear Willard Scott wish me happy birthday!!

p.s.  [I said to my wife, "I'm gonna live to be a 100 and be  shot by a jealous husband!"]

p.s.s.  "Just call me 'Shecky' Wilson!"

But seriously folks...If I didn't use humor, [and most of the time 'self-deprecating' (for all the folks in Loma Linda, the term 'self-deprecating'-IS NOT- "nasty words") these things would've gotten the best of me long ago!

And as Jerry Lewis would say...."Hey Laaaaady"

"Waiter.....check please."

wilson-wilson

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Avatar universal
I'll be 53 March. I -WAS- on atenolol 25mgs for about 8 mos. my self 'til last Sept.  I might as well been eating that NEW cereal on the market, you know, "Nuttin' -RAISIN'- Honey!"  I'd rather my BP be -UP- some, than something else taht all we men cherish, NOT! And; this -WILL- happen on atenolol

wilson-wilson
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Avatar universal
Hi,

I've experienced the some of the same symptoms.I have had pvc/pac since 1990, sometimes worse, sometimes better. You definately start to ignore many of them, otherwise you go crazy! I have suffered from panic attacks since they started,they also come and go. I do believe though, at times our symptoms can start to feel different. It seems to me when I finally can ignore one particular symptom, another seems to come out, or it comes out differently. I have had the lightheadness, I think it has happened to me when I have been stressed over a period of time, and without realizing that I have been, when it catches up to me, I am run-down and it hits. You seem like a strong person, and if you have been able to take some control over the symptoms you have now, no doubt this symptom you'll be able to deal with also....Feel well!!
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Avatar universal
It has taken me almost 5 years to get to where I am now and I still have a hard time dealing with them. I can't ignore the strong or painful ones, I have just gotten used to the milder ones. When it comes to your heart, no matter what anyone says, when you feel these things it's going to get your attention. How you deal with them is a different matter. When mine first started one skip would send me in to a panic attack. Now I've just learned to deal with them better. What has helped me the most is finding a doctor I am comfortable with and having check-ups every 3-4 months to monitor meds and talk about anything new. Over time it will get better. Good luck with your check-up, I'm sure everything will be fine.
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