Another day another bother!!!

[Sunshine47]

Take your choice today. PAC's,PVC's does it matter? It is still a pest. I am so worn down mentally by these things that I could SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I I feel relief after knowing that they are just a pain in the rear but it still doesn't take the aggravation of them away. I wish I could take a pill like I use to and within about 30 minutes they had went away. Not anymore. I think that they like me. My atenelol was a must have. Now I take Metropolol which seems to do nothing. Christmas is coming and I don't want to be the party pooper. I am going to put on a good act for my family so I don't drag them down. I can act when I have to to keep them from worrying or making fun of me for always talking about the crazy things. Does anyone have any ideas besides lay off the caffeine (I have already did that) to make them take a break? I read somewhere on here about magnesium. Should I consult my doc before mixing it with my other meds? Oh well enough about me. Everyone have a wonderful night and a good nights sleep. Take care and thanks for caring.
Karen

[Thinline]

Good news from you – yay!  I’m relieved that not only is your ENT appointment over but that everything in there is pretty much ok.  Does your voice get husky?  My mom has scarring and polyps on her vocal cords (caused by reflux would you have guessed) and her voice gets really hoarse and husky.  She’s been taking anti-reflux meds but to me she sounds no better.  Anyway, I’m getting off the topic.

I would not have been overly impressed to have the ENT call someone over to take a look at what he was seeing.  Having stuff shoved up, down and through you is bad enough, but to invite others to watch makes it creepy.  I’ve got this vision in my head of you sitting on the bed with the camera up your nose and down your throat and the doctor yelling to come see the Elephant he’s found.  I truly have no idea why this picture pops to mind, but when you said it started with an E the word elephant just came to mind.  Gosh, if ENT’s are making such exciting finds, maybe I’m in the wrong job.  I truly do have a mind wandering problem today – sorry, back to the topic….

At least you know that going to the doctor is something which is a trigger for your heart getting up to its tricks so now you know to expect it.  It sounds like you really had a horrible time and I’m amazed that you would even think about walking up a hill, let alone actually doing it!  Good for you.  I’m not brave enough to attempt exercise, I know its going to make me tired and grouchy and my heart feel horrible, so I’d just rather not bother at all.  It’s too depressing to have once been an incredibly good sports person, to now being champion of the laze on the couch stakes.  I don’t like thinking about it, but have you noticed that my mind is rather active – it seems to have wondered up your hill and gone off on a mission all by itself.

I hope that by the time you see this post you will still be free of any PVC’s and that your tummy will be full of M&M’s!

Have a fabulous Chrismas and and a healthy and happy 2008.

[jkfrench]

Okay, I saw the ENT.  Really nice man.  He did that camera scoping thing.  Everything was normal, except there was scarring on my vocal cords from the reflux.  He thinks it is healing however and told me to continue with the prilosec twice a day for 2 months.  You can't believe how my heart started skipping once I started driving to the office.  It is like my heart is on auto pilot and the minute I have to see the doctor it freaks out.  I just can't control it and I feel so stupid that after 20 years I still feel the same.  These were those really bad skips that made me a little light headed and took my breath away when I talked.  The very worst was when he did the camera scope.  There I sat trying to pretend I was calm and my heart was skipping like every 3rd beat or so.  Then as the scope was up my nose and down my throat, he called his assistant over to show him what a normal something (it started with an E) looke like.  I was dying inside thinking please I just need to get out of here and you are now inviting someone else to look into my NOSE  ughh  .  After it was over, my husband and I went to lunch.  The skips were still going on at lunch and I thought to myself, please don't let this be a cycle that will go on for weeks.  Anyway, I got home and met my friend to go work out.  We walk up a huge hill.  It takes about 30 minutes to go up and 30 minutes to come down.  We do it several times a week.  No skips during the walk, I came home and decided to really take chances and had two cookies and a glass of wine.  Here I sit hours later and no skips. Hopefully that bad episode is over.  It was a really bad one.  I hate those because it just sets me back as far as worrying over whether I'll be okay.  For now, I am pvc free so maybe I'll grab a handfull of M&M's  hehehe... Take care
Frenchie

[jkfrench]

okay, I'll let  you know what he says tomorrow.
Costco is a big grocery type of outlet here in San Diego.  You can buy things in bulk.  (LIKE M&M'S)!!!!!

[Thinline]

Let us know what the ENT says tomorrow, I for one can hardly wait.  What is Costco?  Just make sure that if you are diagnosed with reflux, you go for the less expensive and older version of the drugs.  If these fail you could move on to the newer meds.

Yes the doc stuck the camera down my througt and down my nose all the way into my througt.  It was totally disgusting and I gagged constantly. Luckily it wa over fast.  Yuk it is most horrid.  But the best of all  is that I DO NOT HAVE REFLUX!!!!!

[jkfrench]

I agree with you on the reflux thing.  Did they have to put you out to put the little camera down your throat?  I hope not.   I'm not into taking pills so I will make sure we know exactly what is going on before I let him perscribe any.  Thanks for the advice.   I can't figure it out.  It started back a couple of months ago.  Sometimes I feel like my nasal passages are swollen and up the back of my throat that way is swollen.  It comes on fast.  I can be fine in the am then a few hours later I'm like breathing through my mouth.  It leaves me kind of breathless, but not really short of breath.  I can take deep breaths so I don't think my lungs are the problem.  Maybe it is a combo of a few things.
I'm still not sure how to present this to the ENT on Friday.  I do know I have reflux.  I have had it for several years but it was well controlled by taking gaviscon for a few days.  For some reason a few months ago (after my colonoscopy) my reflux acted up and I couldn't get it to stop.  I just feel the problem in the back of my throat not in my chest.  Finally I started taking Prilosec and about 4 weeks into it I did notice it was better.  Just not the throat swelling.  Now mind you, I'm eating chocolate and I have my martini on Friday's so I know I'm not giving it a chance to heal.  My Pharmasict told me to take 2 Prilosecs/day.  I'm waiting to see what this doc says.
All I know is whatever tests he wants to run, I DON"T want to be put out.  That I am really afraid of.  I have never been put to sleep and I read all kinds of scarey things about that.  I had my colonoscopy without sedation and let me tell ya....some moments were not fun.
Thanks everyone.  And by the way, I'm going to Costco tonight.  Getting a big bag of M&M's.  Can I pick up some for anyone???
Frenchie

[Thinline]

That offer to send me M&M’s was the biggest perker upper I’ve had in days- thank you!  There’s a shop where you can buy them in 1kg bags (I think that is 2.2lbs) and sometimes I buy one of those bags for my husband.  Trouble is, he has less self control than me so I hide them.  You all know what’s coming out of this don’t you?  I dish out the M&M’s to him in a rational manner but they just don’t last long cause I EAT THEM ALL!!!!!!  It’s a good thing my child hates nuts of any form – especially peanuts or we could have a huge war at home over the M&M’s.

Pika, I do eat chocolate, not a lot, but sometimes.  I don’t have obvious triggers which start my tachy going, so having coffee or chocolate is ok.  I don’t have any food intolerance or allergy so I’m really lucky about that.  I am not obsessive about my diet and my diabetes is really well controlled most of the time.  I eat a very ordinary food and I find that the less I obsess about it, the easier it is to eat correctly.  I do eat loads of fruit and nuts.  I do not eat leafy green veg (when I started taking warfarin and found out you can’t eat those greens I did a jolly dance), but I drink Wheat Grass Juice every day which is supposed to have to same nutritional value of about 4 – 6 veg servings in a single tot glass.  Lots of people will not drink it cause it tastes horrible, but then if you want to eat grass, I doubt it is supposed to taste nice, but the taste does not bother me at all  Got to balance things out – if I want to eat M&M’s then I’ve got to eat or drink something healthy too – so I will keep up with both!   I’ve been on the Wheat Grass Juice for a while now and I don’t notice any change for the good or for the bad, so I’m just carrying on with it.

This reflux thing really bothers me.  It seems to be the “in” diagnosis for absolutely anything these days.  If you have a cough – it’s caused by reflux and you need these pills.  If your voice is hoarse – it’s reflux and you need these pills and this procedure.  If you fart – it’s reflux, you need charcoal.  If you break your toe it must have been caused by reflux of some or other form, since EVERYTHING else is caused by it.  I’m sorry but I just do not buy into this reflux thing anymore.  As we all know I’ve been in hospital for a month and I saw an ENT.  I was in bronchospasm caused by asthma.  The cause of my asthma has never been fully understood because it is an a-typical form, which affects the smallest airways and is totally unrelated to any allergies, I’ve been to an ENT before and he told me the cough was caused by reflux and promptly wrote out a script.  When I questioned him on it (I already knew what he was going to do cause I have a friend here who is a doctor and he had warned me about this exact thing), the ENT admitted that what my friend had said was true, but that it COULD be reflux and in some people this drug would work (1 in 4 which includes the placebo effect), so I declined the drug and walked out of the doc room because I really don’t want to be given drugs which are being prescribed just to make me feel better and have no material effect on my actual health.  So I went the other day to this new ENT and told him straight up that if he prescribed a certain med for reflux and that reflux was the cause of all my health troubles, then he should rather decline to treat me before he got started.  He was incredibly nice about the this and told me that before prescribing this extremely expensive drug, he would PROVE that my cough is caused by reflux.  I had some weird x-ray and had to swallow all this oily stuff and when the result came back the report states categorically that I DO NOT HAVE REFLUX!!!!  Progress at last, although now I am on the drug because of all the cortisone I’m taking so I need to protect my tummy for a bit anyway.  The ENT also said that there are generics for this drug and I’ve been told there is no generic for this med.

When the ENT took a look down my throat with his little camera jobby he told me I have Supraglotic inflammation and Tracheaitis (this spelling defeats me – sorry).  When I Googled Supraglotic inflammation, it sounds just like the thing you are all describing so maybe you want to try a little search on that one before you accept the reflux diagnosis as all there is to it.  I know self diagnosing is dangerous, but docs who give out pills just for the sake of it are also dangerous – especially when you are already on loads of meds for different things.  I know when I get that choking feeling now what is causing it.  I’m so sick of docs taking the easy route out.  Maybe this is not a very healthy way to think of things but I’m starting to question every little thing now, and its certainly thrown spanners into the works with docs who are so unused to being questioned!  I will tell you it makes them think before they speak though.  I got a white-board and list all my questions before the doc comes round so that I don’t forget anything.  He and I now read it together so he can be sure to explain what he is doing and why and its working really well for us!

[SassyLassie]

It really does not matter what brand of Aloe juice, try to find a thicker one though. I have tried the ones that are like water, and for me, it was useless. Ask your local health food store what they carry and if it thick, if it is, try it. I take 2 oz right before bed, and on bad days, three times a day. That lump in the throat is sometimes caused by nerves, they call it "the hysterical lump" and it is due to constriction of the muscles in the throat. Those darn nevers can cause so much, it is hard to believe.

Aloe is a great healer, just as it heals cuts and burns, it will help to heal the inside of your tummy, thus helping the reflex and possibly those nasty flutters.  It is super for ulcers, you can almost feel the healing taking place.

I know what you mean regarding it is hard not to worry when the PVC's act up. When I am not having any, I think to myself "well, they won't scare me anymore." Then, I will have one, and I am all scared again, with the anxiety attacks, the whole nine yards. They are wretched.

Another thing that has helped me, and that has been my chiropractor, when I really need an adjustment, the flutters and the reflux will act up big time, after my treatment, they will sometimes calm down, I also noticed when I am able to get to my acupuncturist that this helps too.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted. It is comforting to know there are others like us and that we can  help one another on this forum.

Susie

[jkfrench]

Thanks for the advice.  I will try the Aloe Juice.  Any special brand?  This is really bothering me.  Sometimes it feels like a lump, somtimes it feels like my throat is swollen and when I turn my head to the right or left it feels like it could cut off my windpipe.  Of course it doesn't and if I open my mouth to breathe through it instead of my nose It feels better.  I  just need to get on some type of regimine to heal this so I can continue to eat and drink what I want.  I'm not a big person.  I'm 5'5", 105 lbs.    My heart will skip if I drink too much water too.  It is very hard not to worry when they really act up.  You are lucky to feel that few.  A few months back, I was having what it seemed like 1/minute for weeks.  I usually only feel them like you, a few times a day or if I bring them on myself by eating or drinking too much.  (doesn't have to be alcholol).
Regardless, I don't know how I can give up M&M's.  I'm so worried I will be told to when I see the ENT on Friday.  It won't happen.    :)
Frenchie

[SassyLassie]

Hi all~I too am an M&M freak, they are my favorite, but, LOL, anything chocolate is, and like you all, I should not eat much chocolate as even a chocolate chip cookie will sometimes bring on a heart flutter or two and I HATE those, man, they scare me.

Anyway, about the acid reflux in the throat only, I get that, never burning in the chest, and I have found that taking 2 oz of Aloe Juice really helps, I hardly have that problem anymore, and I used to always have it, espeically when I would lie down. I do have a hiatal hernia, and I noticed when that acts up, so do the flutters, for instance, if I drink a lot of water of eat too much, I notice the skips starting about a half hour later. If I happen to lay down close to when I have eatten, that will cause them to flare up too. So, again, the Aloe has helped lots.

Those darn PVC's/PAC's are a real drag, sometimes I can go for weeks and months without them, then bang, they are visiting me again. I am a worrier by nature, I know, shame on me, and, depending on my mood, they either do not bother me at all, or, they will send me into fear and depression. I am thankful to our Lord that I do not get them a lot in a row or a lot during the day, maybe once or twice the entire day, but to me, that is too much. I also noticed that the  more I think about them the more they like to show up, guess they do not want to dissappoint me. Anxiety also brings them on, heck, I guess most anything can.

I will keep you all in my prayers. Have a nice Christmas/Holiday season and enjoy those M&M's. He He.

SassyLassie (Susie)

[jkfrench]

Hey
Where in Tennessee do you live?  I grew up in Oak Ridge.  I live in San Diego now.  I have for the last 25 years but I loved growing up in Tennessee.  
ps  I made m&m cookies today just using the red and green.  Yes, I have eaten too many.  I'm looking at my lifecycle but haven't made it over there to ride it yet.
Frenchie

[Sunshine47]

You sure are right. We would probably cause a large blow up. They would probably think that a nuclear bomb had been dropped. We would feed off of our little pets that we have inside of us. By the way I am with you about the M&M's. I love the Peanut butter ones myself too. If I find some here in Tennessee I will mail you some. I will give you my email address if you would trust me to have your address to mail them to you. I seen some at Walmart the other day. My son will not let me have NO CHOCOLATE whatsoever. He dares me. He worries about me. My email address is ***@****. Email  me and I will see if I can fix you up with those wonderful M&M's. Take care and Eat one for me.
Karen

[PikaPika88]

Thinline, can you have M&M?  My psychiatrist said I can't have chocolate and ice-cream anymore.  I'm still drinking some coffee to make my heart looks better.  That day I wore the holter, I only drank one cup in the morning.....  I don't know would my heart look better or worse?  The report hasn't come back yet.  Anyway, glad to see you're posting today.  Hugs...

Frenchie, I also got mild reflux.  In last 2 years, I had 2 gastroscopies and 1 colonoscopy done.  All pretty clean.  Second one said mild reflux.  I feel that my tummy getting worse after each test.  I am not sure after they took the biopsy, the area healed or become an ulcer?  Another upper and lower endoscopies... booked in at the end of January.  What a nightmare!

I might suggest my dr to change my medication to M&M.  It definately looks more colourful.  It tastes better and it will heal quicker.  We are likely doing the M&M promotion here!  I like the Peanut one.

[Thinline]

Good thing you and I are not in a room together - our combined negative energy might cause some kind of catastrophe.  I'm also going to be the "party pooper" over Xmas (Family Day in case you missed that bit about us being Jewish).  I will be pasting on the brave and happy face and no matter how horrible I feel, I'm not going to let my feeling bad get the rest of the family down in the dumps too.  It is time for them to feel some happyness and joy, and come what may, I WILL make that happen even if it is in the smallest way possible.

Getting these tachy’s and heart things every day just drags you down, but some days you can just cope better than others.  Obviously today is a non-cope day for you but I bet tomorrow, even if you still feel physically bad, you will have had some sort of mental adjustment and you will just be able to deal with it all again, I think the chemicals in our brains do funny things constantly, and that the changes they make in us make us keep going, even when it doesn’t seem worth the bother.

I also think that the season of holidays affects us in different ways and when everyone around you is happy, healthy, and excited, it makes it harder to deal with our health issues.  It would be so great to just shove them aside for a few days and be “normal” just like everyone else.  I’ve noticed here during my extended hospital stay – yup I’ve been in a month now – that the hospital psychiatrist seems to be working an awful lot of over-time.  He’s been running in and out of this section like a chicken with his head chopped off, and I’ve never seen him stressed out until the past few days.  I hope tomorrow brings about a happier frame of mind for you and that you have a fab Christmas even if your heart is blasting you up the chimney.

Keep those M&M's close at hand at all times and pretend they are your "heart pills".  Keep popping them to stay on top of things.  The best M&M's I ever had were the Peanut Butter ones they brought out when Shrek 3 was realeased.  Now we can't get them anymore so go on Reeces Pieces hunt from time to time - yum.  They are hard to get in this country so a when I do get them its a real treat.

[jkfrench]

M&M's are my weakness.  Fortunately I work them off with exercise but the bad news is..drum roll.  something new to worry about.....acid reflux.  I'm going to the ENT Friday because I think the years of chocolate have come to haunt me.  The burning is in my throat ((not my chest) and I'm really worried I've done some damage.  Here we go again, I just thought I got the other end taken care of (sorry guys) and now this end.  Has anyone had a scope without sedation?????  You know me and my drug worries.  Funny, I don't worry about the M&M's causing my heart to freak out.  They are ALWAYS in my house.  I eat handfuls a day and I'm not kidding.  It use to be hershey kisses.
It takes a lot for me to go to the doctor (anxiety up the ying yang) so you know it is bothering me.
I started prilosec every morning and have been on it for about 4 or 5 weeks.  It is better but the throat thing is still there.  LIke a lump or like someone is gently choking me.  Not always so I guess that is good.  Any advice is as always appreciated.  But alas, this hasn't even stopped me from eating the M&M's and I know chocolate is a trigger.  I HAVE NO CONTROL!!!!
Frenchie

[Momto3]

Did someone say M&M's?  Between my mom, my sister and I we've got it covered.  We each have a stash of M&M's (plain, peanut and dark chocolate).  What's a few palps in exchange for M&M's?  Gotta have 'em.

Sunshine,
You've got the right reasoning about the palps.  You're probably gonna have them on/off, so just think of them as part of what makes you unique : )

Take care!

[ireneo]

Ah, an M&M fanatic like myself. I keep a cute little M&M dispenser by my computer. They're great. I can eat just 4 or be naughty and eat too many. An open candy bar just insists to be totally consumed. No so with M&M's. I'm willing to have some heart hiccups for the pleasure. Besides I eat dark chocolate M&M's and they're good for me, right? LOL

[FLBrat]

Karen - Lots of people have different triggers.  I have suggested before to write a food diary.  Note down what you eat and drink, marking off when you feel the odd beats.  That gives you the first clues to your particular triggers.  Start narrowing it down.   It may take some time, but with concentrating on the diary you may be able to stop concentrating on the beats.  If you can eliminate those triggers you may not have to worry about taking a synthetic medication.

Frenchie - You are going to hit M&M purgatory if you arent careful.  I guess you can at least call walking the stairs as exercise when you go to get them.

[jkfrench]

Hey there
Maybe you should just call your doctor and get a 24 hour holter on.  Of course we know they are just a pain and won't hurt us but it always helps to get in on record and have the doctor's reasurrance when we are going through a rough spell.  You could get it on tomorrow, have it off by Wednesday and be reasurred by the end of the week.  That always helps me and my pvc's do settle once I hear him tell me "no big deal".  
I just ate two handfulls of m&m's and sat down to some wicked skips.  That won't stop me though, I'll just march downstairs for more!!!!  I'll be sorry later  :)
Frenchie