Ridiculous Holter Monitor

[RNRita]

Okay, so...I have had PVCs, PACs, pauses, PAT, and every other thing you can think of....I had a holter monitor Wednesday through Thursday. The first one I've had in 4 years.  I was having nothing day one...just the regular here and there minor occurrences.  Thursday it was rampant.  I had some really good runs.  I could feel them in my pulse.  I am not an idiot as I've had these for decades.
I read the report this AM because I work in the same network and can see.  It read as almost normal.  Infrequent PVCs....0.4%  While I was having symptoms (and could feel the irregularities in my pulse and chest) they read as NSR.  What is going on?

Let me add that I am EXTREMELY fatigued right now and anything makes them start.  I don't know what to say.....

[RNRita]

Don't be sorry.  I would rather hear all about everyone's issues.  Some day I feel like one of US will be the ones to really figure this out or, at least, figure out it really is normal. Which one of us can really say that just because we are told they are benign that the feeling feels okay to us?  I don't buy it.  I have things that I know that prevent me from discarding people saying they will never "kill me" but will not talk about it here.  I don't ever want to put negative thoughts in anyone's head.  There's enough running around mine.

I just found out I have vitamin D deficiency. Took 50,000 units Sunday. All joints are now in worst flare of my life. Well, my shoulders, hips, ankles and lower back. Only the ones that help me walk and live.  UGH!  However, my palps have died down considerable...until last night right before bed.  I was lying down playing a game on my iPad (on my back) when my heart started freaking out.  I tried to just be still and ignore.  Well, it was having none of it.  When it wants to be paid attention to, it will.  It's like a spoiled child!  I had to sit up straight for about 20 seconds, then all was well.  Go figure.

[Elli126]

I didn't realize we are the same age. ( I look it though ) I also have Fibro and RA, among 100 other things. I know when I'm in a flare with any of these things my ectopics go nuts. I also know I felt a lot more while on a 30 monitor than were recorded, at least I thought I did. My Card ( who I worked for at the time ) and my EP were completely unconcerned. In fact my EP often "one ups" me when I go to see him cause he still has upwards of 20k a day of PVCs and PACs.

I really don't have a point to all this except to say we're going through a lot of the same things. Also, you think your increased fatigue could be due to an exacerbation of your Fibro? I think those of us lucky ducks with autoimmune issues can pop up with some crazy things happening that are hard to pin down to one source. Any strange things going on with me could be the Fibro, RA, being in hypo hell from being sans thyroid or who knows what. Well now I'm just rambling...sorry :)

[RNRita]

I'm sorry you are having all these problems. I am in the same boat.  I am 57 years old, and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Of course, I look young, so it is a silent and chronic pain that no one believes I am having.  I might look young, but I feel old...and in pain.  Something has to be wrong, right?

[mls417]

Interesting.... I've been struggling with PVCs for about 8 months now. I had a 24 hour holter a few months ago and the report showed that every time I pushed the button, nothing was happening. And there were times that PVCs showed up and I *didn't* press the button. (I also thought that was completely ridiculous).

I went to a second cardiologist for a second opinion and he set me up with a 30-day event monitor (just returned it yesterday). About two weeks into the 30-day event monitor the doctor said "Yeah, there's some skipped beats and a few instances of slightly elevated heart rate. Nothing to worry about."

In the meantime, my primary doctor ordered all sorts of blood tests because I was just feeling "unwell" and the only thing out of the ordinary was that I was low in Vitamins D & B. I was feeling really tired and achey with little burning cramps at various spots around my body. I started taking supplements two weeks ago and I think they have helped. Although the past few days I've been having a bad run with the PVCs at night, and my ribs are sore sometimes. If I straighten up like I'm doing the "perfect posture" pose and then press gently at the bottom of my breastbone, it really hurts! (but only sometimes....)  Go figure, if it's not one thing, it's another.  

[itdood]

funny you say that about soda, we speculate there too.  She was a HUGE diet Pepsi drinker, I means tons of it.  She gave that up about a month ago.

[RNRita]

Glad she is doing well.  Vit D deficiency has symptoms of hip pain.  That was a surprise to me, as I have been having hip pain from unknown origin bilaterally for almost a year!  
Funny thing, when I was in nursing school I had the best bone density in my class and I was one of the oldest...ahem....but I hardly drink soda.  That is a consideration for many.  Soda is extremely bad for you. I anyone likes fizzy drinks, Kambucha (some must develop a taste, but I love it) is a great substitute.  Very healthy and delicious.

[itdood]

I take mag and d3 too.  My wife's D measured at 6.    She's getting worked up by endocrinology to see what's up.  She doesn't get any sun, works in dermatology, and uses skin care products with UVA and UVB protection constantly.   Youthful skin, but she's getting issues with stress fractures during exercise.  Two in her foot, and one hip.  Separate incidents, while running.  These healed up nicley.  She got her D into the 40s with prescription.  Still, no sun though.   Dexa scan shows her bones have good density.   We think the low D was caught in time.   She's 49.  

[RNRita]

Hi.  I said I WANT 20 minutes a day.  I live in the lovely Lehigh Valley.  It's terrible for sun.  It's cloudy, overcast and cold and I work during the day.  I am so hoping the sun stays out for a while and spring actually comes.  I also take mag every day.

[SlowHeart92]

I'm sure you're aware but look up magnesium's role in D3 absorption if not. Also K2 which is why those drops are so good.

[SlowHeart92]

I definitely agree with the last sentence. Wait, so you take 5000iu of a good D3 supplement and get 20+ minutes of sun a day, yet are deficient? There's definitely something going on.

Not sure what you could do though. Hope you feel better soon anyway.

[RNRita]

Thanks.  I, actually, am an RN and understand a lot about Vitamin D supplements.  I think my problem is absorption.  I CRAVE the sun.  People think I like to tan, but it isn't that.  I feel terrible unless I get to be in the sun for at least 20 minutes a day. I think our bodies try to tell us what we need.

[SlowHeart92]

Not all Vit D supplements are the same. Can you tell me which one you are taking?

Look up Thorne Research D3/K2 drops. They're by far the best I've seen or used.

[RNRita]

Not sure of what kind it was.  I will say that the person analyzing it called me a "he."  Maybe it was the wrong one.  Honestly, I know my body and absolutely, know that things were going on...Oh well.  I guess they will think I am just another nut case.

[itdood]

Was there any lapse in coverage?   Is this a Cardionet monitor?

[is_something_wrong]

You may be. Vit D defiency may cause a lot of symptoms, from palpitations to pain to depression.

I have a theory regarding potassium. When following a low carb diet, I can have days with thousands of ectopics. When I had an EKG registered, my QT was slightly longer than my normal (about 25 msec) and at that time, I was taking Geodon for anxiety (I'm not psychotic). Geodon is a fairly strong potassium channel blocker, and it really increased the ectopics. Which cannot involve anxiety because Geodon really helped against anxiety (which is why I was taking this fairly unorthodox medication against anxiety).

[RNRita]

So, I do kind of like the blocked PAC theory, because I am not bothered by the sensation of  PVCs and I AM bothered by this one.  

Anyway, a new development.  I did notice that my "palps" come when I am having fatigue.  I am having a ton of it, now.  I mean, I wake up and could go back to sleep a half hour later.  I fall asleep everywhere.  I do not have narcolepsy.  I have muscle aches, hair loss, neuropathy, hip pain and other weird symptoms. I had blood tests which were all normal.  Except one.  Vit D was deficient.  Guess what the symptoms are?  Yup, all of the above.  And I've been taking 5000 ius a day!!!!!  More research needed.  I might be on to something.

[is_something_wrong]

At least in my case, I'm getting a bit "paranoid", believing everything I feel in my chest are ectopics. However, as the "events" have been recorded on Holter, they are not necessarily ectopics, in fact most of the "flips" in my chest/throat are not. I have no idea what they are, could be gas or acid reflux or muscle twitches - or they may be blocked PACs. My PACs tend to occur early in the heart rhythm cycle, causing a nasty sensation when the PAC fires against a closed mitral valve.

If you actually did feel an irregular pulse.. that's more weird. I don't have an answer to that, except the "blocked PAC" theory.