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palpitations - why can't they diagnose anything????

I am a 38 year old female who has really been through the ringer getting my heart checked out.  I have been for ultrasounds, EKG's, two unsuccessful ablations and probably any other testing that you can imagine.  The doctors say that I have a structurally normal heart and not to worry about what I feel.

I have been diagnosed with PVC's, short runs of SVT, and non-sustained v-tach (which I don't think happens too frequently).  I have been on numerous beta-blockers which I do not do well on and I still feel every skipped beat that I get.  I find I get really bad headaches and my blood pressure is super low 80/56 when I am beta blockers.  I naturally have low blood pressure so I think the beta blockers make it even lower.

Why can't they find out why my heart acts up all of the time?  I constantly feel skips, a fluttering sensation and sometimes it just starts pounding for no reason at all!!!!  I can't stand it anymore.  There is not a day that goes by when I don't feel something funny going on in there and it really scares me.  Is there not some operation that can fix what is going on????  Since they have found all of these things that are happening (ie: the PVC's - approximately 10 a day, but really hard ones, svt and non-sustained v-tach), why do they tell me not to worry?????  They have said I could go on an anti-arrythmic if I wanted to but it was not necessary.  I DO NOT want to go on an anti-arrythmic, I am too scared to go on it.

What else can I do?  I am driving my doctor crazy, I go back to her probably once per month and tell her I can't take this heart issue anymore.  She is always very nice to me but I am at the point I am embarrased to go see her because she says she does not know where else to send me.  

What can I do??  Am I driving myself crazy with this.  I really feel there is something wrong in there but everyone tells me there is not and a lot of people get weird sensations.
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Avatar universal
For anyone who smokes, has diabetes, or has a parent, family member, or friend who may be a candidate for a heart attack...check out this site www.maxpages.com/thedayhedied
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Avatar universal
My cardiologist told me that definately hormonal changes can bring on PVC's...its the hormonal shift.  I get them severely a few days before, during, and a few days after Mean Old Aunti Flo (w)....
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Avatar universal
I made the caffeine connection when I realised that my palpitations would come dead on 12 hours after I'd had a coke or coffee. I wake up with my heart pounding away, and if I counted back 12 hours I could remember having one of those drinks or some chocolate (or all of the above).

good luck, everyone.
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Valerie
If you peruse some of the previous comments on this web site you will see that MANY women experience increased heart problems around menses.  Personally, I can predict the start of my period by the increase in PVC/PAC and tachycardia that I experience.  Being a scientist I have also read some journal articles which recommend electrophysiological studies be performed on women when they are peri-menstrual, as there is more chance then of documenting arrhythmia.
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Avatar universal
I wanted to add to my comment above, that I also get the fast heart beating more prevelant during that time of the month, also they will start up during this time, after a meal, sometimes before a meal. I was wondering if hormones could play a big part with these symptons of fast beating, weird beats, etc.
I get these symptons all through the month, but much more right before, and during that time of the month. There must be some connection. It just seems funny how I can go through some days absolutely fine, then some days I have all these symptons, as if the toprol it not even working. Sometimes I don't want to eat because I know 15 minutes after, my heart will start up. It is hard to do normal routine things when your heart is beating on and off super fast. If any one else has these symptons or close to them please post your comments. Thanks.
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Avatar universal
I have been on toprol 50 mg. twice daily for about a year now.
For the past couple of years I experience fast heart racing, that was my first sympton, then all these weird either extra or skipped beats, then sometimes I will feel a flutter or slow beating, then I cough or do something with a quick motion, and then it goes to a fast beating, then down to the normal rate. Sometimes with this event when it starts I feel like I may pass out, and I get a hot flush feeling.
The toprol has helped all these symptons, but I do still get them, but the intensity is less.
The past couple of days when I get up in the morning my heart starts to go crazy. It's starts to race, and if I bend down and get up it beats super fast, or if I take a deep breath it speeds up or if I should cough. I suppose to take the torpol twice daily and I have did miss a dose yesterday, also I feel my menstrual cycle has a lot to do with it.
Does anyone heart symptons start to really act up when they are close to the date of their period? If so, please post your comments on this forum. Thanks.
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sue
Wow!  A co-worker turned me on to this site today after hearing about my heart episodes over the last year.  I am 35 years old, this all started last fall, 1999.  I have experienced every symptom listed on this site and I too am feeling frusterated and out of control.  The first visit to the cardiologist brought me to drinking more Powerade, etc.  He felt my body was low in electrolites due to my weight loss ( 10 pounds at that time) and the fact that I had started to run.  Then they blamed it on the sinus meds I was taking for my allergies, went cold turkey on all meds and it still was happening.

Everything was fine over the summer, I'd feel the skipped beats every so often, then, WAMMO...I landed in the ER twice in the same week in September.  I felt like I was going to pass out, the beats were pounding and flipping right out of my chest.  It was, I believe, v tach or b phib or something like that (with every normal beat I was having an extra).  Finally, someone could see what I have been feeling and the holter, EKG, etc. were not picking up.  I wasn't going crazy!  Well, since then I have been on Atenolol 25 mg to start, then they had to up it to 50 mg once a day.  This really seems to help, however the flutters and extra beats are picking up again.  Running on this beta block is like dragging a lead weight behind me, but I'm forging on and follow up with the cardiologist in December.

They, the doctors, say I have a structurally normal heart and they don't really know why this all is happening.  Well, normal was what my heart was a year ago, THIS is NOT normal.  Sorry...you can't pull that wool over my eyes.

Thank God for this site, sometimes I feel so alone in this.  Good luck to all and I will be surfing this site often.  :)
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Avatar universal
tim,
i can bend over at the waist and cough, and send myself into psvt!!!!....needless to say, my g.i. was compleatly dumbfounded when i did it for him in his office, i think he $#!& himslf!!!....doctors still deny the link though.
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Avatar universal
I can initiate PVCs simply by:
lying on my left side
standing up quickly
eating too much
bending forward
"sniffling" quickly
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Tim
I just want to thank each one of you for sharing your different
problems reguarding pvc's,pac's etc,it has helped me so much to know there are many very normal people out there who suffer from pvc's,pac's,rapid heart beat,anxiety etc.For many years I have been driving doctors and family members crazy w/ panic attacks &complaining of skipped beats only to be told that it's all in my head. I even had a doctor tell me that he no longer wanted to be my physician because he didnt take any of my ailments seriously.Finally,I found an excellent cardiologist who ran a number of tests(echo's,holter,event moniter& blood tests).He said that I was experiencing pvc's & pac's.Over the years my skipped beats have caused me much anxiety & panic attacks & I am having a hard time dealing w/ them.Even though the cardiologist continually reassures me they are benign I always seem to have something different crop up w/ them. For example I sometimes get a sharp pain w/ a skip,or I can sometimes trigger them by certain movements,like bending over,lying on my left side or making quick movements (hitting a punching bag,or turning suddenly).I am also starting to get them several in a row now at times.Does anyone out there experience any of these strange things,or am I truly going crazy.                                                                                                                                     Tim
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Avatar universal
I just want to put in my results from taking magnesium.  I have had heart palps all my life (I am 38).  They have been more frequent and severe the last year.  I went through the ER trips and the cardio workups and all the tests, got the standard answer "your fine", "reduce your stress", blah, blah, blah.  Doctor wanted to put me on meds, I said "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"  So I have just been living with it since my first major episode 8 years ago, which sent me to the ER.  Anyways, since finding this great site and reading about magnesium I thought I'd give it a try.  I am here to tell you that it has given me my life back.  I was having palps every couple of seconds, was driving me to near insanity, constantly on my mind, could not think of anything else.  Now after three weeks of taking magnesium I just realized the other day that they are gone.......I don't even think about them.  My mind is free and I actually concentrate on other things.  I have noticed that I might get 1 late at night before bed, but even those are not as strong and sharp as they used to be.  If all else has failed you and you do not know where to turn, give magnesium a try it might just do the trick.  It did for me and it is so much nicer being on a mineral supplement than some prescription med.  Plus, it's alot cheaper too!
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Avatar universal
Reading all of these entries has been so interesting and also somewhat reassuring.  The saying "misery loves company" seems to apply here as epsiodes of PVC's certainly seem to create misery for all of us who suffer from them.  I'm not happy to hear that so many others suffer from them but find it interesting how similar our feeling about them are:  How frightening they are; how much they can become the focus of one's day; how they can undermine self-confidence and even make a person very depressed.
I have suffered for many years and take medications which normally control them fairly well.  Lately, though, there have been more episodes (after just having a normal EKG done!) and I found this site in looking for info on the internet.  I've been wondering lately if there is a connection between eating or digestive problems and increased PVC's.  I have been getting them almost every evening after eating.  And I also notice that they can be more common at night, lying down.  That seems to be true for some of you.  I'm thinking of trying the magnesium which some have found helpful.  I have no doubt that stress plays a role and that worrying about these, and expecting them, definitely makes them worse.  And exercise generally is helpful. I do think, though, that they are worse when I'm very tired. So, I've rambled on a  bit but would welcome comments from any of you.  The big question for me:  How do you stop worrying about something that makes you feel so bad; and how do you not let the stress of feeling them make them worse--the viscious circle?
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Avatar universal
see mr stomachs post under "tachycardia and G.I. problems"....i think hes on to something!
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Avatar universal
I am sitting here reading all of this and feel a little better although not that much.  I'm just so confused at my symptoms.   I am a 22 year old female.  My bouts with palpitations began about 5 months ago. Back then, I changed a lot of things in my life and went through a state of depression, separation anxiety, and general anxiety.  I also developed panic attacks during that time.  I have been feeling better recently and saw a cardiologist.  He did an EKG, Echo, and 24 hour holter.  All came back regular.  He pronounced that my experiences were benign.  I sometimes still get the sensations although they only last for 2 seconds or so.  But my dilemma is that I'm not sure if it is an actualy palpitation or gas moving through my body.  I have had some expereinces with gastrointestinal symptoms, including a lot of gas, bad stomachaches, etc.  Is it possible that my sensations could be more related to that than my heart?

Also, I have become extremely anxious and nervous about the functioning of my heart.  I think about if it is going to begin the fluttering or increased rate.  I have stopped exercising for fear of my heart beating too fast.  Could my symptoms also be more related to this as well as to my mental state?  Could I actually be causing this to happen because I'm actually thing about it?

Please give me some feedback!!  It is so comforting to hear that I am not alone.

Amanda
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Avatar universal
hi everyone, im 24 yr. old from israel, im having those palpitaions ..DAMN DAMN DAMN..i cant deal with it anymore..
i'm taking vitamin b and coq10 enzime..
i have Flutter for about 5 days each morning and treated with beta blockers..
i would really appreciate a email pal..
email me please!!!
***@****
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Avatar universal
Just a quick note - I posted here probably about a month ago about my annoying (and disturbing) PVCs.  I took the common consensus on the magnesium supplements - read up a good bit, learned it wouldn't be a problem to take more.  I've kept my atenolol down at 12mg (half my 25mg prescrip), taking my regular multi-vitamin each day, and a magnesium pill every other day.  Whether it's attributed to that, or the decrease (near avoidance) of caffeine, extra exercise, and more sleep) I can't say.  

However, my palps have mostly gone away, only a few once in a while now, and a minor 5-minute episode the other night.  The magnesium level is still below the RDA level anyhow, so I'm not too concerned about that.  I'm keeping up the exercise and definitely getting more sleep :)

At least it looks like I can deal with these now.  Perhaps it's just nature's way of telling us to chill out.  Take care all.
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Avatar universal
I dont know any of the fancy terms or even exactly what it is I've got but about 5 months ago I was relaxing at home and my heart bagan to race. My boyfriend called an ambulence and when they did an ECG my heart rate was up to 210 BPM. I've never been so frightened in all my life, feeling like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. I'm 19 and when I went back to my doctor she said there was nothing wrong with me and it had been caused by the alchohol and cannabis I had indulged in that night.

I immediately stopped doing anything that might cause it and didnt drink or smoke for ages. I would take my pulse every 5 minutes and be scared to even sit in a bar if it was smokey.

I went back to my doctor because it was still happening even though I was taking care of myself, and she eventually sent me to a heart specialist. By this time I was convinced that he was going to say the same thing but to my amazement he told me what was wrong.
How he described it was that where most people have one cable going into their heart, mine is divided into two. Most of the time one is asleep but sometimes it wakes up causing the heart to beat double time. He said he suffered from the same thing. Although I dont know the exact details, it was a breath of fresh air for someone to tell me that it wasn't in my head.
He told me more methods of getting rid of it, eg. drinking a fizzy drink or crushed ice and prescribed me with beta-blockers for extreme emergency but the condition is in no way dangerous just uncomfortable and terrifying. There is also an opperation you can have to turn the two tubes into one.

I advise anyone to pester their doctor into referring them to a specialist and dont take no for an answer. This will give you peace of mind which can reduce the risk of palpitations anyway through stress.
I know that was a long waffle but if I had seen something like that 6 months ago I might not have thought I was about to die all the time.
Good luck to all!

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Avatar universal
Somehow I think perhaps its something we are not considering.
1. If it is air pollution there is little that can be done.
2. The same goes for electromagnetic radiation.
3. When was the last time you checked the ingredients of your    deodorant? A stab in the dark? Maybe not...Putting triclosan    or aluminum clorohydrate on your body may be approved by the FDA, but how safe are these chemicals if you spray them under your arms for 30 or more years?  
Just some thoughts...
Anyway I have been taking magnesium, eating more banannas, vitamin E, aspirin, multivitmin and even zinc for awhile now.
Missed beats still range from 1 in 5 to 1 in 50 randomly.
Anyway, strangely I'm not afraid anymore. My condition has been with me about 3 months now. In my 20's and 30's it would disappear for years but now it looks like its here to stay.
25 mg metropolol twice a day does little good.
Well so much for you all reading about my crazy ideas.
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Avatar universal
As the cardio suggested above - I've been on Flecanaide for about 1 month now and am feeling better.  The Beta Blockers did not work for me either.  I have a healthy heart - it just skips a lot (PVC's), so we tried the flecanaide and so far so good .  They have not gone away - but I do feel better and am not having the side affects from the Beta's like low blood pressure etc...  Best of luck to all of you - ask about this drug - it's worht trying if your heart is healthy !  :-)
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Avatar universal
I wonder about the relationship between Protonix and these skipped beats.  I find it interesting that mine started just after starting Protonix.
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Avatar universal
I have a few ideas that help my symptoms. Eating more frequently but not as much at a time seems to help. I realized that my heart begins skipping after I eat. It is the "HEART RATE CHANGE" biomechanism within some of us that is causing problems. Even watching an exciting movie can start it, because the heart rate is being elevated. Could it be that the rate change mechanism is like a corroded switch, causing aberrations in heart rythm as it "adjusts" the heart rate? I know all cases are not as mine, but thinking of it this way makes me feel a little better, especially since the doctor doesn't find much wrong with my heart physically and says it is a strong heart. Hope this helps someone. For me it's not a cure, but the effect is a lot quicker than magnezium, although I'm not ruling magnezium out. I'm no Doc but I think my little theory is quite logical; at least it makes me less fearful and it actually helps.
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Avatar universal
Hi, I am glad that this site posted by Ingrid  Sept. 8 and up to date still attract alot of respond.

I have similar problem like Kelly, Everyday I have alot of hic up, I have irregular beats (estopic) beat and also went for Cat ablation. But I am still having my estpic beat . Iam on amiodarone and aspirin for last 6 months. After I read this site, Iam started taking managsium and Multi vit.

My cardio. said that hicup is noting to do with irreggular beats. Any reader have advice, please email to ***@****

Thnks.
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Avatar universal
I'm so glad to have found this site. I've had the rapid beats, skips, thuds, and butterfly flutterings for many years. Been in the hospital, worn the holter, taken atenol (it dragged me down so bad I felt much worse), stress tests, etc., etc.
I never understood what was wrong with me. Were there any other people who felt the same wierd, frightening things and had the same concerns?
Finally found another doctor in 1998. He put me on his clinic's own calcium/ magnesium, multiple vitamin and vitamin E.
Within a few weeks, my symptoms lessened considerably and he took me off atenol.
I recently got lax about taking the cal/mag and everything came back - lying in bed with the flutterings, counting the skipped beats and dreading the thud that comes afterwards, counting the beats per minute just feeling wiped out.
I got back on the cal/mag a few days ago and already have relief. It works for me.
I thank the Lord that He has given natural substances (with no side effects) for our benefit.
I hope all of you also find relief soon from this misery.
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Avatar universal
I'm so glad to have found this site. I've had the rapid beats, skips, thuds, and butterfly flutterings for many years. Been in the hospital, worn the holter, taken atenol (it dragged me down so bad I felt much worse), stress tests, etc., etc.
I never understood what was wrong with me. Were there any other people who felt the same wierd, frightening things and had the same concerns?
Finally found another doctor in 1998. He put me on his clinic's own calcium/ magnesium, multiple vitamin and vitamin E.
Within a few weeks, my symptoms lessened considerably and he took me off atenol.
I recently got lax about taking the cal/mag and everything came back - lying in bed with the flutterings, counting the skipped beats and dreading the thud that comes afterwards, counting the beats per minute just feeling wiped out.
I got back on the cal/mag a few days ago and already have relief. It works for me.
I thank the Lord that He has given natural substances (with no side effects) for our benefit.
I hope all of you also find relief soon from this misery.
Helpful - 0

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