Accelerated Junctional Rythmn - and a few PVCs

51 year old male, swore off caffeine a few months ago, love 1-2 glasses of red wine in the evening but stopped since having these issues.

Had stress tests, stress w/thalium, echo, echo w/contrast, numerous EKGs and holter monitors, Lung scans, even had a catheter to explore. All tests show I'm the heathiest guy in the world...can "drive a mac truck thru my arteries", cholesterol 170s, BP 115/70.

So why do I feel like death? The last Holter showed Accelerated Junctional rythmn, lots of PVCs. Went to an Arryhmia specialist. He put me on Flecainide 50mg 2xday. I don't like pills. I don't like side effects. I cannot be under the control of something all day long. My anxiety levels are pretty high, I'll bet if I took a placebo I would have all the side effects listed...LOL

Anyway, the flecanide had too many side effects for me (max anxiety, trembling inside, my nice low BP started spiking to 148/95). So I went another route. Took a 1/4 pill of Xanax before bed, eating very healthy, watching my electrolytes (V8, Bananas, Baked Potatoes...generally good stuff). The improvement was drastic.

Several weeks later, it's slowly coming back.  Now what? Do I have to live with these junctional rythmns forever? I know they say it is not life threatening, but how much can even a healthy heart take...I can have 10 episodes in an hour, each lasting several minutes.

I need something but not sure what would be a good candidate for me. Beta Blockers like Inderal? Please help.

[finetilthree]

Could you tell me if you can feel that rhythm and what it feels like?

[jrizzuto]

OK here's my description, which by the way was confirmed on the Holter....

Accelerated Junctional Rythmn - the technical description the doc gave me was upper and lower chambers beating symultaneously (instead of top first, then bottom) and it speeds up to around 110BPM.  It feels like the heart is pumping and someone crimped the vessels (like kinking your garden hose), and the beats are VERY hard. You get lightheaded, extremely weak - washed out. Almost feels like the beats are kinda "reversed". Then as quick as it came, the heart resets itself and you feel a rushing sensation upwards through your neck and face. Then it's over. Till the next one. Each episode can last up to 3 minutes. Sometimes a good strong cough will stop them.

PVCs - the best way to describe them is someone is on the inside of your chest and "punches" outward. Boom ! I can sense them every so often, sometimes several in a row. Very annoying, but really this is nothing compared to the Rythmn I described above. I imagine for those having hundreds of them daily, that would be significantly different.

[jrizzuto]

Aren't there doctors who monitor this forum? I am hoping one will respond. So far I tried Flecainide, rythmol, and Cardizem. Each got rid of the issue, but the side effects were just too much. The Xanax worked for a short while (and there really weren't any side effects at such a small dose) but it's creeping it's way back. The junctional rythmns are getting out of control again, and I don't want to keep increasing Xanax since it really is a narcotic.

Isn't there something at a very mild dosage that can combat the arrythmias without too many side effects?

[finetilthree]

You are posting on the community forum.  Look to your right where it says Related Expert Forums and post on the heart rhythm expert forum.  Post your question there. Good luck! You might also try posting on the heart disease community forum.  There is a man named "kenkeith" who is very knowledgable and may have some answers about junctional rhythm.  The expert forum usually accepts two to four questions per day, but charge $20 for anything beyond that.  If you choose not to pay the $20, try posting at various times late tonight or tomorrow and you will probably get your question in.