Flexeril and skipping heart beats?

Hi I have been taking Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) for about 9 months now (doctors request). I have noticed that my heart beat has been skipping a couple of beats. Then, lately it is skipping more and I feel very tired in the afternoon. On Saturday my palms of my hands turned blue for about 15 seconds. I have gone to my GP and had a 12 lead ECG and the doctor said my ECG was normal and the heart sounds very strong. I understand a PVC (periventricular contraction) may not be seen on an ECG. I did see irregular heartbeat as a serious side effect of flexeril. I'm going again tomorrow to perhaps get off of flexeril and maybe get a monitor to take home. Has anyone had this happen to them when on Flexeril? I noticed that the skipped beats got worse with the supplements i'm on too but don't know if these should cause such an event. I went done on the dose of supplements but I'm taking 100mg vitamin B6/B1/magnesium and 600 of Malate, once a day d-ribose, 200mg of coenzyme Q10 and about 400 more mg of magnesium chloride with about 600mg of calcium..
thanks,
mkh9

[bbxx]

Hi. First of all. PVC is premature ventricular contractions. They show up on EKG.
They come and go. Some people have a lot of them and others few.
Flexeral is not suppose to be used in anyone who has had a heart attack, has heart failure, heart block, heart rythm disorder etc... Of course there are a list of side effects.
People often dont realize that supplements also have side effects and some effect the heart. Another thing to remember is supplements and medications can interact.
Not sure why your hands turned blue, but I would definately look at all of the above.
My motto is not drugs or supplements unless I really need them and not before I research them. I hope you figure this out and things get better soon. :)

[bbxx]

Hi. First of all. PVC is premature ventricular contractions. They show up on EKG.
They come and go. Some people have a lot of them and others few.
Flexeral is not suppose to be used in anyone who has had a heart attack, has heart failure, heart block, heart rythm disorder etc... Of course there are a list of side effects.
People often dont realize that supplements also have side effects and some effect the heart. Another thing to remember is supplements and medications can interact.
Not sure why your hands turned blue, but I would definately look at all of the above.
My motto is not drugs or supplements unless I really need them and not before I research them. I hope you figure this out and things get better soon. :)

[mkh9]

Hi bbxx,
Yes, well I just got back from the doctor and he said Flexeril is known to cause arythmias as a bad side effect so I have to go off cold turkey tonight. Lucy that I am only on 5 mg/day. I figure I'll get insomnia for a few days, don't know what other withdrawal symptoms but hopefully it won't be too bad. Not all PVC's show up on an EKG as like you said they come and go. So at the time you get a EKG you may not be having a PVC. Anyway, I haven't had any past heart problems and so it worked for quite a while without the skipping beats. I'm with you on no drugs or supplements if I don't have to. I did read everything well before I took them. I actually took less of the B6 then the doctor said to because he wanted me to take 200mg but there are a few people that can get a peripheral neuropathy from even low dose (under 500mg) of B6. I believe the Linus Pauling institutes work on supplements and they said with all their studies that to be absolutely safe take 100mg or less a day and that more than that won't work anyway. I am stressed right now from coming back from the doctor as I didn't know what he was going to do. I hope getting off the Flexeril does the trick. Wish we luck!

mkh9

[bbxx]

Well I wish you well. :)

[mkh9]

Hi bbxx,
It has been a little over a week and I've been off Flexeril. It seems like the skipping heart beats are gone or down to 2 skips per minute at the worst. I am also feeling a whole lot better. So I guess that so far Flexeril seems to have been the problem. I'm not sleeping as well but you can't have everything. I appreciate your help. Thanks for being there.
mkh9

[bbxx]

So happy for you. Hope things get even better. :)

[mkh9]

Hi Bbxx,
Well so much for being normal. I still have some skipping of heart beats. I thought it was almost gone but my heart rate went up to 90 today although I do have a toe infection  but i had for a short time a number of skips. I called the doctor and waiting to hear back. I may have to get a halter monitor to see what is going on. Hope it isn't anything too bad. I figure a PVC type of thing. Sometimes I have felt a flutter in the past. Is this a PVC? I haven't felt that for a while though. Anyway, just wanted to mention it. I feel like i"m triaging myself first the skipping beats, then I get a face rash, then toe infection, then the skipping beats again. Of course my ever present back pain that is keeping me from doing almost anything. Before that I had to quit my job due to tendonitis in both wrists. I don't know, seems like when I turned 44 or so things went down hill. We did have a lot of stress the last few years so maybe that is part of it.
just venting.
mkh9

[bbxx]

Well, pvcs get worse when  you are sick. Not sure why, but its true.
The flutter can be a pvc, or a pac, or a number of things. Its good you will get a holter.
Hang in there, I am sure things will get better :)

[mkh9]

Hi bbxx,
Yeah I thought about the toe infection maybe causing the problem to "show up". I guess I'll have to get approval for a monitor. At least my EKG was normal. Thanks for the ear.
mkh9