Re: Heart changes

Posted By Lucy on May 15, 1998 at 00:37:58:

In Reply to: Re: Heart changes posted by CCF-CARDIO-MD-APS on May 14, 1998 at 14:38:03:







Dear Dr. CCF APS
Thank you very much for responding to my post and a new word for "ectopic beats". I realized that I neglected to clarify Prozac and some gaps in my history.  
1. I took various SSRI anti-depressants for four years until 1997, and had to stop one after another due to major side effects. My family doctor would not let me go back on Prozac (1994) due to those huge ectopic (or PVC) skips  and to the weight gain. Last year, I was on Serozone when the symptoms of hyperthyroidism began. As for Prozac, it was 20 mg a day, the lowest dose.  Those huge skips occurred *when I relaxed  lying down or sleeping, but you were right that a combination of a hectic day and being on prozac may have caused those gigantic skips at the end of the day. No short breaths. Just the sensation of those huge skips.
I am no longer on any SSRI, and am doing OK, thanks to therapy and stress management.  After stopping them, my heart no longer experiences huge PVCs.  Would SSRI medications cause the heart to beat so slowly or lead to huge skips?  Something for you cardios to think about researching the link between SSRI and PVCs?  For fun, I checked my pulse and found it would range from 48 to 60.  Now because of hyperthyroidism, it has shot up to 85 to 90. A bit uncomfortable.
I now experience the usual, single or double small skips once in a while, which do not bother me. It happens when sitting or standing and when I am relaxing.  No tobacco, spicy food, drugs, caffeine in liquid or food (except for a small portion of dark chocolate!), spices, alcohol. The only vice is eating junk food!
2. It is really deep breaths. It seems to be happening frequently and lately by itself  when I am sitting, standing, or walking.  It is not like out of breath' like one feels when climbing the stairs or the hill.  It used to be once a while, which was tolerant.
Could it be because I breathe less frequently?  Is it related to PTU/RAI regimen?   Is it due to hyperthyroidism?  Could the weight gain cause it?  I am 50 pounds over weight.  
3. I was not aware that I had mild palpitations until after I began taking PTU for a month or so prior to RAI.  While on PTU, my heart has calmed down, which was great. Then I was off PTU for a week to get ready to take RAI.  The palpitations returned, but eased. It would come back especially with some food (a small piece of dark chocolate --rare, cheese, eggs) I ate.  This is a new experience for me.  Is it because my heart is now sensitive to food due to hyperthyroidism??  
I am now back on PTU for a few more months to wait for the effects of RAI on my thyroid.  I hope to become euthyroid soon, but I might eventually become hypothyroid.
4. No, I have never had any echocardiogram or Holter monitor. Just 3 EKG tests and several chest x-rays and tomograms (pre-CAT?) in my life.  Each time the findings showed the non- specific T changes or something minor.
The 1970 showed the left prominence in the aorta area. The 1975 x-ray showed a "left descending pulmonary artery which was prominent."  The 1981 chest tomograms (pre-CAT days) showed that "there is prominence in the left helium probably due to the tortuosity of the pulmonary artery. No pneumonia or adenopathy. The right lung was OK".  What does those findings mean?  I have been wondering about them for years.  Is it related to the 2/6 ejection murmur?  Deep/heavy feeling breaths?  Ectopic (PVC) skips?
5. The echocardiogram... Does it require an injection of Tc99 in order to see the scan?? What does it exactly work?
I really appreciated your time to explain things to me, and I hope you will have time to clarify some things I discussed above. Thank you Lucy