Going on vacation with skips (HELP!)

[Carey01]

HI everyone-

I am supposed to leave for vacation TOMORRROW and have put myself into a tailspin.  I have PAC/PVC's like most everyone here.  Well, I have experienced this weird thing in my head 4 times now.  The best way to describe itis to say I feel like my brain is in a msucle spasm -- like a zap of electricity runs trough it for about 5 seconds or so.  It comes out of the blue and it stops me in my tracks.  I have had an eeg and mri to check it out -- both normal so my Dr said it may be a run of missed beats reduced blood flow to my brain for a few seconds ---- but dont worry about it.  DONT WORRY ABOUT IT??!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!  Now im thinking of cancelling my vacation.  Can anyone help with some words of wisdom?

Thanks,
Carey

[Momto3]

Well shucks, I knew that!  

[dolfnlvr]

By the way, Carey....HAVE FUN!!!!!!!  Vacate and be carefree for a week!!!  Life is too short to give up the good stuff!!

[dolfnlvr]

Just to clarify, the only reason I asked about SSRI's earlier was because one of the common side effects of Paxil especially is electrical like shooting pains in the head.  Especially when weaning off of an SSRI, it is common for the sensory nerves in the head to fire off these pain signals as a response to the change in brain chemistry.  

I did not ask the question because I felt that Carey01 needed to take the SSRI's, I asked only to help rule out the drugs as a possible causative factor in her headaches.  It is VERY common for those of us with arrhythmias to be prescribed an SSRI to help counteract the anxiety aspect of arrhythmias that I considered that as a possibility in this case.

I'm sorry if some of you misunderstood my question to mean anything else.

[Carey01]

Thank you so oooooo much!  I am going to print these comments and take them with me!  Its so reassuring to know there are others going through this same thing.  My poor husband thinks I'm a lunatic -- we are supposed to leave tonight and here I am fretting --still!  Your answers are invaluable!

Thanks again,
Carey  

[mara12]

Believe it or not, I have the exact same sensations as you have described. I also have had the tests run and all appears normal. The pvc's and the "brain episodes" are enough to keep you from ever wanting to go out again. If it is any consolation, they have never caused me more than a lot of anxiety but I know the feeling of not wanting to travel. Let me know how it goes. I will let you know if I find out any new information on our symptoms.

[Momto3]

Have a wonderful vacation!!  You've had some significant medical tests, with great results, and now it's time to enjoy : )

Hey, maybe the vacation will be the best remedy!!

If you're having several extra beats in a row, I'm with dolfnlvr, I don't think you're experiencing a reduced blood flow.  If that were the case, my head might be empty : )

Are you packed?  Have fun!!!

[mabebesc]

I agree with everything said above,  Please don't cancel your vacation. I've been told everyone has PVC,s/PAC's .  We seem to be extra sensitive to our hearts and can feel the wierd beats all the time but the truth is everyone gets them,. They are not going to hurt you- they are just a big pain in the------------!!!   Have a ball- you deserve it!!!
The missed beats are not missed at all-it just feels that way because of the pause.  It's just a hiccup in the rhythm.  I've never heard they cause reduced blood flow in your brain. Enjoy every minute of your vacation!!
Betty

[ChrisEva]

Hi!

Having read quite a few of the posts here, I am beginning to think that I must have PVC's too!  Although, as I said, I have had a lot of heart tests and have been told that the palpitations are harmless, I quite often have spells that come on suddenly either when resting or active, where I feel as if I am going to faint.  Lasts only a few seconds, but it is an awful feeling. I have never actually passed out.  Comforting to know others suffer from this problem too!

I too, avoid going on vacations, long trips, etc.  I also suffer from anxiety, so am not really sure if this is heart related or not.  

Was just thinking today that a vacation might 'get me outside of myself'.  I have commitments so it is not always possible for me to get away, but if you have a chance for a vacation, I think it would do you the world of good!  :)

Best of luck,
Christine

If you can go, I would

[KLB32]

Unless you have been told you have some type of serious medical problem, you should go on the trip and not look back.  Life is too short to allow something like PACs and PVCs to ruin a nice vacation.  Trust me, I have been there before trying to talk myself out of going somewhere just because I was worried I would have a run of palps and collapse.  I've been having them near daily for 4 years and have not collapsed or had anything bad happen to me.  As a matter of fact, I have been in trigeminy almost constantly since last night and I'm ok.

Go and have a wonderful time.  You'll be glad you did!

[RNRita]

Please don't skip your vacation.  Take if from the queen of vacation cancellers!  (I don't even think that's a word) Anyway, I had PVCs so bad at times that I cancelled my Disney vacation.  Then, last year, I had these "electrical surges" in my head, along with wooziness, dizziness, etc.  I cancelled my trip again and found out it is just migraine precursors. Yes, I'm blessed with MANY weird things.  I usually get really bad PVCs before a trip and I am just like you.  But the vacation before the "head" symptoms I was going to cancel because I started having my "runs" for the first time.  Ones that wouldn't stop.  I decided I was tired of cancelling and went anyway.  We drove to Florida from PA and I was so scared that I thought I was going to have a panic attack.  I couldn't even eat half the time, but I managed to have fun anyway.  It is two years later and I'm still alive...sometimes I can't even believe it!  lol  Anyway, vacations destress you and that is something we all need.

[lagoya]

hi
havn't spoken to u before but when i first joined this heart forum i felt like that i have pvcs/svt and it really was impacting on my life and was stoping me from doing things but in reality i was stopping myself the pvcs were still are upsetting but u cant just put your life on hold for them.i think there is no-one in  this heart forum who cant say their symptoms don't give them anxiety--
it's important to have a holiday for all the right reasons and im sure once u are in the swing of things u will be fine.it is normal when having issues with the heart to feel anxious esp when away from home or familiar surroundings.if u are nervous it's ok it's just your body building up for an event but this event might not happen so where does all that tension go it becomes stress and stress is not good for pvcs and likewise.
u could go to your doc and ask for a as needed anti-anxiety med like people do for flying etc or u could take a chance have the best holiday of your life and might not feel a thing or u could stay at home wishing u were on holidays waiting for something to happen to prove yourself right.
if it were me i 'd take the holiday
have a nice time everybody deserves a break

[Carey01]

I dont take any anti anxiety medication.  Only Hyzaar for HBP.  I really want to go on this trip but am worried that I'll be out in the flat lands somewhere and suddenly need emergency help!  I know it sounds extreme but I get this stuff out of the blue and thats whats so worrisome.  I think its caused me to have agoraphobia.    

[dolfnlvr]

By the way, "missed" beats are not really "missed" and therefore do not reduce blood flow unless they continue without any normal beats at all for long stretches of time.  If that were the case.......you'd know it and you would experience dizziness, spots and faintness.  Do you have those symptoms as well?  If not....it's not a lack of oxygen (trust me....I have a condition that DOES cause low oxygen flow to the brain at times....first thing that happens is that you pass out!!!!)

[dolfnlvr]

Hi there. Can I ask you a question?  Do you or have you recently taken paxil or another SSRI?

What meds are you taking or have you taken in the past two weeks.  

Let me start by saying that the description of the missed beats causing reduced blood flow and therefore these electrical headaches is quite a stretch.  Unfortunately, sometimes doctors speak these "stretches" out loud without any solid research or reasoning for the supposed "diagnosis."  I am not a doctor, but I really don't think that you have anything to worry about regarding reduced blood flow to your brain.

Tell us more so that we might be able to better help...