Re: Palpatations

Posted By Brett on May 06, 1999 at 22:16:42
My name is Brett and I'm a 25 year old male. I've been having really disturbing heart palpataions along with other symptoms for the last 2 years. I have been to doctor after doctor and they keep telling me that it is nothing to be concerned about. However, it has gotton out of control. After seeing this last cardiologist and wearing an event recorder and still not getting any answers, I'm at my witts end. The doctor saw many PVCs and PACs but tells me not to worry about them and that any medication he could give me would only make me feel worse. I took his advice and just tried to ignore them. No dice. I tried to run a mile today and upon finishing half of it, I stopped from exhaustion. After I stopped running, my heart went wild. Severe palpatations that completely took my breath away. I was palpatating almost every 2nd or 3rd beat. It was horrifying. I thought I was going to pass out. I have always been very athletic and now find myself unable to do anything athletic. Believe me, I try! I just gets to scary. I have palpatations from the second I wake up to the second I fall asleep.
Other sympoms Im having are not easily connected to these palpatations by the doctors that I've see, but they all started about the same time (2 years ago). These symptoms include involentary muscle spasms, a severe tremmer, and sore joints (knees and ankles). I also notice that I often have a chocking feeling in my throat and when I take my pulse it is always around 50bpm. This is very low for me. I never used to have a slow pulse before this whole nightmare started. When wearing the monitor my palse got down to 34 bpm in the middle of the night. No one seems to be concerned but me. I feel that the whole problem is not with my heart but that it is a symptom of a much bigger problem. All blood work that Ive had suggests nothing but I'm sure that something is getting missed. Any input or advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm not sure where to turn at this point.
Thanks
Brett

[CCF Cardio MD - MTR]

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - MTR on May 07, 1999 at 08:48:06
Dear Brett, thank you for your question.  I agree with your cardiologist that your PVC's will not harm you, but as you mention, they can be quite a nuisance.  Given your other symptoms, I think you should be evaluated for an anxiety disorder.  Anxiety can manifest in many different fashions and can exacerbate your perception of PVC's.  For example, most people have PVC's, but certain people have a heightened sensation of PVC's and a "sense of doom" when they occur.  Additionally, other precipitants of PVC's that should be avoided include alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine.  Despite your symptoms, you should not pass out just from PVC's and you should not be harmed by PVC's.  The medication your cardiologist referred to is called a beta blocker.  In young patients like yourself, beta blockers frequently cause intolerable side effects like impotence, severe fatigue, and decreased exercise tolerance.  Thus, I think the best way for you to approach this problem is to develop coping strategies for PVC's - an evaluation for anxiety may help.
I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.  Good luck.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.











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