So I saw the cardiologist. He said I have a structurally normal heart and am young so I have those in favor of me. Basically it's a rhythmic symptomatic thing rather than anything underlying.
He decided to take me off Propranolol and start me on 25mg Metoprolol twice a day. I'm going to see how I do on just 25mg though first. He said it's more selective for the heart and thinks I'll do great on it. So far, so good! No rapid pulse since taking it, no uncomfortable feelings in my chest, hardly any pvcs even!
So far it's working great. Maybe a more selective beta blocker was what I needed all along. I feel more energetic and better than I have in ages. Before, I'd feel jittery and scared of much activity and would get bad palpitation and pvcs with any activity. Since starting Metoprolol I feel great steady and calm.
I had already worn a holter monitor 3 years ago and they caught pvcs but everything was benign. The doc didn't say anything about a 30 day monitor. He sees me back in 3 months. For now I'm going to try and live my life. Has anyone else tried Metoprolol it's really helped me a lot it's made my heart feel normal for the fiirst time in ages. Propranolol was ok but it basically only helped my anxiety and not so much my pulse rate. This new one really seems to be slowing my heart and I love that! I'm feeling hopeful.
A 30 day monitor is a simple 2 lead device about the size of a deck of playing cards; 2 wires. I wore it while working out, running, and of course skating. If I was not showering, it was on me. After a week, the daily electrode replacement becomes like brushing your teeth. It recorded 3 episodes, and was absolutely instrumental in getting it diagnosed and fixed. If you want to get whatever you have under control, sometimes you have to be slightly inconvenienced.
Lithium is rarely prescribed, and never(so far as I know) for heart rhythm issues. Why were you given this medication?
Thanks for the helpful response. Lately I've been having these every few days mostly suddenly wiith acivity after sitting or laying down but I also notice I wake up with them too. My GP told me to start taking the Propranolol daily. And all the docs I've seen tell me there's nothing underlying wrong with my heart. I've cut out caffeine. I'd hate to have to wear a 30 day monitor I wore 48 hour ones and they were very bothersome.
What can I do short of any procedure to make these stop if in fact they are psvt? Will they go away on their own? How about upping my beta blocker or trying a different one?
Xanax does seem to help a lot. You say not to take the Lexapro and I'm still undecided but my GP thinks I need it. And separate from this issue, I do have severe anxiety at times.
I'm having a lot of anxiety over this I'm becoming consumed by wanting to prevent another episode at all costs. And I'm afraid to have sex because of fearing to trigger another one. Is sex safe if indeed I have psvt?
I just hope for now I can get by with some type of medication and see if that helps.
But I still got one last night a few hours after taking 10mg propranolol. Maybe it's just too low a dose or the wrong med.
I'm a fit healthy person and this is scaring me to death all the docs say nothing is wrong but anxiety. Maybe these will go away.
A sudden racing pulse out of nowhere most likely has absolutely nothing to do with anxiety. I agree that it can make you anxious once it starts. It sounds like you are experiencing episodes of Supraventricular Tachycardia or SVT or as some refer to it, PSVT. This cardiac anomaly is an electrical issue with your heart rather than a structural. People in superb physical shape with robust hearts can develop this electrical problem. Usually, Holter monitors will not catch it due its usually seldom occurrence. EKG will typically not show anything either. There is one type of SVT that may show an indicator in normal rhythm. You best bet is to wear a long term, 30 day monitor. It is worn continuously except for showering or bathing. With it, you stand the best chance of capturing an event. The monitor is usually set up to auto record an event, as well as having a manual button that you can press.
SVT is typically not a dangerous event, and many of us have had it nearly all of our lives. I had it for 54 years. Note the past tense. There is a procedure that can be done to find the location of the problem and destroy it with a tiny and momentary blast of heat referred to as "cardiac ablation". Beta blockers are often prescribed for SVT, but are seldom effective. Alprazolam aka. Xanax will do nothing for it either. I would NOT take the Lexapro. SSRI's like Lexapro are extremely hard to wean off of once you begin taking it. Their withdrawal symptoms are very nasty.
What you MAY have has nothing to do with anxiety. The problem is short sighted physicians can't look past the evidence that is before them, and if it looks normal, then the patient is suffering from anxiety. Google SVT and see if it compares to your symptoms.
Another question I have is that is Propranolol the best bete blocker for racing sudden pulse or are there better ones I should ask about? I just want this NOT to happen again. It's getting to the point where I'm afraid to do any strenuous activity or sex because those seem to trigger it.