congenital heart defect and palps

hi!  me again!  just had a coupla questions,  first of all, which one is it again that is the dangerous fib?  a or v?  i can never remember!  duh!  and second of all, would a congenital heart defect cause palpitations and arrhythmia?  and would it also be part of the problem with someone drinking caffaine?  reason for asking, my husband recently was informed and reminded by his mother that when he was 19 (now 45) that he had a hole in his heart.  unfortunately he doesnt have the sonogram results and he doesnt remember the drs name that did the testing.  i recently posted about his arrhythmias while he sleeps and i noticed that its usually only when he has had too much caffeine. (i.e. soda, chocolate, or excess of both! ) he has an appt in may ( the soonest he could get) with a new clinic and i want him to tell the dr about the hole and the arrhythmias.  and i also want to be a little more informed in case the dr doesnt listen.  i have had that problem all too often.  any input would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!  thanks to you all so much!  mwah!!  medgal272

[kitcurious]

V fib is the one where it's all over without immediate intervention. It won't be 'a banging away all night so don't worry about that one.

My teenaged son has a lot of ectopy. Anyone can hear it anytime. He was born with a hole in his heart, which closed, and now has a mitral valve that's moderately sclerotic. A lot of this stuff is congenital. One can have very frequent ectopy and have it in a way that is not any danger to one at all. This is usually the case. When it is not the case, there are medications and procedures that can be done.

Ahhh the Internet. Try to  keep in mind that patients you read about  on the Internet are not your husband and the context of what is going on with them will be different than his. Professionals may not be alarmed simply because their examination result leads them to have no cause to make them feel urgency, not because they are brushing you off.

Be open and inquistive, but keep your cool as best you can. Doctors rely very much on what the patient tells them and if you aren't in a clear frame of mind you may be relating poorly to them and then later  find fault with them for not understanding what you were saying or asking. being armed for a fight is not necessary , especially if the ectopy is as pronounced as you think it is.

Sometimes it's better to express yourself in language you are familiar with than trying to use medical terms.

A friend's little daughter who had an arrhythmia used the term her chest was "zapping" her to the doctor and she got an EKG , immediately, that showed the problem.

Good luck with your appointment.

[medgal272]

Thank you kit!  I appreciate your insight.  I won't go into the appointment ready to fight, I promise,  I know Dr.'s are busy and they need more info before they can diagnose and put us at ease, but trust me, the dr.s i have dealt with are just plain lazy.

I guess the reason I freaked out is because we all are born with an idea of what a normal heartbeat is SUPPOSED to sound like and when that idea get THUMPED in the head! its a little unsettling.  :) and I don;t go by everything on the internet, i had just noticed that the people on this forum are very helpful and caring and i thought you all might just be the reassurance i need to get me thru until his appointment in 2 weeks.  and i was right. thank you.  :)

[kitcurious]

I thoroughly agree that some doctors are far better than other ones. I think you have a good plan. Get an idea of just how probing you will have to be first. If you see a ball being dropped then, of course, you need to get them to pick it up again. Your husband is very lucky that you love him so much and that you are a strong advocate for his health.
Let us know how it goes.
I am hoping for the best :-)

[medgal272]

Thank you Kit!  I am hoping for the best as well,  It's just all so unsettling. I think back only a few months ago to a time when I would fall asleep listening to the steady, regular thumping of his heart and wonder what happened???? We've only been married not quite 8 months and this would be a real downer if it was something serious and I didn't push to have it checked! Thank you again for your insight and kind words!  They are greatly appreciated from a woman who is scared half to death right now!!  xo

[medgal272]

hi kit!

well,i was just astounded by some information that i accidentally discovered online!  i forgot that my hubby has GERD, so he takes generic ZANTAC for the excess acid.  and rarely (BUT it OCULD happen) ranitidine (Zantac) can cause:

TACHYCARDIA
BRADYCARDIA
PALPITATIONS
& PVC'S

so, i think at the appointment in 2 weeks with the clinic i shall mention this to the dr! gah!  who knew!!??  ***slaps forehead with palm of hand***.  im also going to see if i can get him to cut his dosage in half and see if that makes any difference at all.  thank you again for all your help!!