Aa
Safe Antacid?
I have PVCs and PACs. I am starting to think I may have a hiatal hernia which causes them. What is a safe antacid medication I can take to test out this theory?
I had horrid palpitations and non-acid reflux (GERD) - tried prilosec/pepsid combo - helped some...then discovered that taking ambien causes reflux/pain.. within two days two years of PVC's and pain went away!!!! Reevaluate what meds you might be taking that could cause your discomfort.
Well - it sounds like we are on the same page then. I totally agree with all you have said there.
Honestly, if I do have the hernia - I only have symptoms part of the month. So, I would only be taking antacids like 10 days out of the month AT MOST. So, I see no reason to call the Dr for that. I just have heard that some antacids can make arryhthmias worse (the PPIs I believe). So I was just wondering which acid reducers were the absolute safest. Thats all.
I do know magnesium HAS helped so much. So, I do want to see if this can help even more. If not, I will go on with my life. If so - they HECK YEA!! :)
Honestly, if I do have the hernia - I only have symptoms part of the month. So, I would only be taking antacids like 10 days out of the month AT MOST. So, I see no reason to call the Dr for that. I just have heard that some antacids can make arryhthmias worse (the PPIs I believe). So I was just wondering which acid reducers were the absolute safest. Thats all.
I do know magnesium HAS helped so much. So, I do want to see if this can help even more. If not, I will go on with my life. If so - they HECK YEA!! :)
Believe me, I've been trying hard to answer your questions. They are similar to mine. I think the answers may be something like this:
- Cardiologists in general don't worry about PACs or PVCs, and actually also most cases of SVT. They worry about organic heart disease and conditions that are actually dangerous. They have some "red flags" that will get their attention. Don't try this, but if you tell a cardiologist you had an arrhythmia and fainted, they will take you seriously. (again don't fake this, you will probably also lose your driver's lisence). Other conditions are not so serious, and as long as it's not dangerous, they usually don't care how bad you feel. They file that under mental problems and refer you to a therapist.
- Doctors in general are hesitant to treat a condition that is not dangerous (or not a "medical concern"). Somehow I understand that. Somehow I don't. If you have to take magnesium and antacids every day, will that contribute to make you feel healthy?
If you really have hiatal hernia, there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce symptoms. I'm not even sure there is other treatment for it, like surgery. That reminds me of the time my dad visited an internist for an abdominal ultrasound (he also suffer from coronary artery disease, or at least he did, he had bypass surgery done). I asked the doctor if he should do an ultrasound of the carotid arteries, which he refused. The explaination was this:
- What would the benefits from that examination be?
- To see if he is at risk for a stroke.
- Well, did he have symptoms of a stroke?
- No, but what if the arteries are calcified?
- We already know they are. So there is no point in doing an investigation of that..
In other words, the doctors are often hesitant to examine something, even if they know or suspect that everything isn't OK.
In your case, the doctors likely know you have arrhythmias, but as long as they are not dangerous, they see no point in investigating them. You could get another Holter now. If it did show 200 or 500 PVCs, so what? It would still not be an indication for treatment.
I guess the same goes for the suspected hernia. If you have it, so what? You would likely not be a candidate for surgery anyway, so there is really nothing else to do than avoid fatty food, elevate your bed and taking antacids (or whatever the advice is, I'm not sure). Which you are told to do anyway.. :)
- Cardiologists in general don't worry about PACs or PVCs, and actually also most cases of SVT. They worry about organic heart disease and conditions that are actually dangerous. They have some "red flags" that will get their attention. Don't try this, but if you tell a cardiologist you had an arrhythmia and fainted, they will take you seriously. (again don't fake this, you will probably also lose your driver's lisence). Other conditions are not so serious, and as long as it's not dangerous, they usually don't care how bad you feel. They file that under mental problems and refer you to a therapist.
- Doctors in general are hesitant to treat a condition that is not dangerous (or not a "medical concern"). Somehow I understand that. Somehow I don't. If you have to take magnesium and antacids every day, will that contribute to make you feel healthy?
If you really have hiatal hernia, there are lifestyle changes you can make to reduce symptoms. I'm not even sure there is other treatment for it, like surgery. That reminds me of the time my dad visited an internist for an abdominal ultrasound (he also suffer from coronary artery disease, or at least he did, he had bypass surgery done). I asked the doctor if he should do an ultrasound of the carotid arteries, which he refused. The explaination was this:
- What would the benefits from that examination be?
- To see if he is at risk for a stroke.
- Well, did he have symptoms of a stroke?
- No, but what if the arteries are calcified?
- We already know they are. So there is no point in doing an investigation of that..
In other words, the doctors are often hesitant to examine something, even if they know or suspect that everything isn't OK.
In your case, the doctors likely know you have arrhythmias, but as long as they are not dangerous, they see no point in investigating them. You could get another Holter now. If it did show 200 or 500 PVCs, so what? It would still not be an indication for treatment.
I guess the same goes for the suspected hernia. If you have it, so what? You would likely not be a candidate for surgery anyway, so there is really nothing else to do than avoid fatty food, elevate your bed and taking antacids (or whatever the advice is, I'm not sure). Which you are told to do anyway.. :)
I cannot answer that. I have no idea really. I would rather not feel them, of course. But I would not like knowing I have many either. I would probably chose not to feel them or even know about them honestly.
I have accepted they are benign for the most part. But I also do not glorify the medical profession so much that I think they know everything. If they don't know the whys or hows then how can they say with complete certainty that they are harmless?? (playing devil's advocate)
For over a decade I went to many Drs, RNs, and ERs with a speeding and skipping heart. They patted me on the head, marked my chart as a hypochondriac and gave me xanax. To them, I was a nervous woman and too young to have a heart problem. They didnt even bother to hook me up to an ekg.
As I got closer to 30 and ended up in the ER with 170 rate for 4 hours - FINALLY they took me seriously. I was treated like a freak for so long up until then. But for some reason, they still have a hard time listening. They get you in and out within 5 minutes and dont even listen. Its not their fault...it is the industry. So I do have a hard time trusting them and leaving everything up to them.
If I called my Dr today and suggested I think I had a hiatal hernia...I would likely be ignored. She'd tell me to take an antacid and call it a day. And even if she ordered a scope...why go through that and pay 100s of dollars when there isn't much they can do for it anyway. Each time I call the Dr. I lose credibility - the more I fall into that hypochondriac role. Even my therapist told me that. So I really prefer to only call when it is necessary and can really make a difference.
While I can accept these and not let them ruin my life - I do not see how I could ever not feel them. I dont see how they could be completely ignored. They are far too noticeable. I still go about my day. I dont lay her in a puddle of my own pee and tears. But I cant imagine ever being able to not feel them or ignore them completely. I am really envious of those who can do that. Apparently I am not that strong.
I appreciate where you are coming from. I just feel that you may not be understanding me and my simple desire to just feel better in a situation where the Drs/Professionals just have not provided a willingness or abilty to help. Maybe I just live in a bad area with close minded Drs. I mean, my docs do not even believe in ever taking supplements or vitamins. They care about keeping the patient alive and that is pretty much where it ends.
I have accepted they are benign for the most part. But I also do not glorify the medical profession so much that I think they know everything. If they don't know the whys or hows then how can they say with complete certainty that they are harmless?? (playing devil's advocate)
For over a decade I went to many Drs, RNs, and ERs with a speeding and skipping heart. They patted me on the head, marked my chart as a hypochondriac and gave me xanax. To them, I was a nervous woman and too young to have a heart problem. They didnt even bother to hook me up to an ekg.
As I got closer to 30 and ended up in the ER with 170 rate for 4 hours - FINALLY they took me seriously. I was treated like a freak for so long up until then. But for some reason, they still have a hard time listening. They get you in and out within 5 minutes and dont even listen. Its not their fault...it is the industry. So I do have a hard time trusting them and leaving everything up to them.
If I called my Dr today and suggested I think I had a hiatal hernia...I would likely be ignored. She'd tell me to take an antacid and call it a day. And even if she ordered a scope...why go through that and pay 100s of dollars when there isn't much they can do for it anyway. Each time I call the Dr. I lose credibility - the more I fall into that hypochondriac role. Even my therapist told me that. So I really prefer to only call when it is necessary and can really make a difference.
While I can accept these and not let them ruin my life - I do not see how I could ever not feel them. I dont see how they could be completely ignored. They are far too noticeable. I still go about my day. I dont lay her in a puddle of my own pee and tears. But I cant imagine ever being able to not feel them or ignore them completely. I am really envious of those who can do that. Apparently I am not that strong.
I appreciate where you are coming from. I just feel that you may not be understanding me and my simple desire to just feel better in a situation where the Drs/Professionals just have not provided a willingness or abilty to help. Maybe I just live in a bad area with close minded Drs. I mean, my docs do not even believe in ever taking supplements or vitamins. They care about keeping the patient alive and that is pretty much where it ends.
You probably misunderstand.
Of course, hiatal hernia can cause (benign) arrhythmias. So can lots of conditions. Of course, magnesium can be helpful. In some people. Usually, it won't hurt to try. But there are some exceptions, like people with AV block which also manifest with skipped beats. They should NEVER take magnesium without the doctor's approval, because the condition may get far worse and (it can cause lethal arrhythmias).
My point is - let your doctor do the diagnosing. You can tell your doctor what is bothering you, but you (and I) should not do this self-diagnosing based on what we read.
You will never find a permanent cure for your PACs and PVCs. It's meaningless to try. What you can do, is to lose focus on them. They will be there, but you will not necessarily notice them. And when you don't notice them, they will reduce anyway.
Everyone don't have thousands of PVCs. Some people have less, some people have more. My point is, you can have thousands of PVCs and still have a healthy heart. My mom had a recent flare-up of PVCs, up to 15.000/day. She visited a cardiologist and her heart was completely healthy. She achieved 14 METs on the bike. Not bad for a 60 y/o female.
No one, not even her cardiologist, could explain why she got this sudden increase in PVCs. But he could reassure her they were not dangerous. She is not feeling bad, in fact she doesn't notice her PVCs. Would you prefer to be in her situation, having thousands of PVCs without noticing them? (think about that question....)
Why? Why not?
Of course, hiatal hernia can cause (benign) arrhythmias. So can lots of conditions. Of course, magnesium can be helpful. In some people. Usually, it won't hurt to try. But there are some exceptions, like people with AV block which also manifest with skipped beats. They should NEVER take magnesium without the doctor's approval, because the condition may get far worse and (it can cause lethal arrhythmias).
My point is - let your doctor do the diagnosing. You can tell your doctor what is bothering you, but you (and I) should not do this self-diagnosing based on what we read.
You will never find a permanent cure for your PACs and PVCs. It's meaningless to try. What you can do, is to lose focus on them. They will be there, but you will not necessarily notice them. And when you don't notice them, they will reduce anyway.
Everyone don't have thousands of PVCs. Some people have less, some people have more. My point is, you can have thousands of PVCs and still have a healthy heart. My mom had a recent flare-up of PVCs, up to 15.000/day. She visited a cardiologist and her heart was completely healthy. She achieved 14 METs on the bike. Not bad for a 60 y/o female.
No one, not even her cardiologist, could explain why she got this sudden increase in PVCs. But he could reassure her they were not dangerous. She is not feeling bad, in fact she doesn't notice her PVCs. Would you prefer to be in her situation, having thousands of PVCs without noticing them? (think about that question....)
Why? Why not?
PVCs may be "normal". But I am unwilling to accept that we should just sit here and feel poorly if there is a chance we wouldnt have to. And sure - I bet everyone does have blips here and there. But I cannot be convinced that everyone has 100s, 1000s or 10s of thousands in a day. Some of our hearts are clearly more sensitive. The 100 PVCs in 48 hours was during a good time, certainly not at the worst. But regardless, I am not here because I am freaking out or an anxious mess. I have been having these for well over 10 years now. I do not feel I am being irrational. I am simply looking for ways to feel better. I see nothing wrong with that.
BTW, starting Magnesium has helped my PVCs by at least 75%. WAYY better. I know for certain I was mag deficient. If I had just resolved to sit on my butt and accept feeling like crap - I never would have learned that and I would not be feeling MUCH better today. Just because something is benign doesn't mean we cannot seek a better quality of life.
I have reasons for the things I do and the the ways I think. I will make a post about my hiatal hernia hypothesis. You make think I am wasting time or focusing on the wrong thing...but I am feeling better. Isnt THAT what is truly important?
BTW, starting Magnesium has helped my PVCs by at least 75%. WAYY better. I know for certain I was mag deficient. If I had just resolved to sit on my butt and accept feeling like crap - I never would have learned that and I would not be feeling MUCH better today. Just because something is benign doesn't mean we cannot seek a better quality of life.
I have reasons for the things I do and the the ways I think. I will make a post about my hiatal hernia hypothesis. You make think I am wasting time or focusing on the wrong thing...but I am feeling better. Isnt THAT what is truly important?
I think you ignore what is really causing your PVCs and PACs, if there is anything at all.
From your previous posts, I remember (correct me if I'm wrong) you had approx. 100 premature beats during 48 hours? You probably have LESS premature beats than average.
I've been where you are. I've suspected a lot of cardiac causes (heart failure, myocarditis, coronary artery disease, CPVT, Brugada, LQTS, pericarditis) and even more non-cardiac causes (hypercalcemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, pheocromocytoma, sarcoidosis, carcinoid, hiatal hernia, hypoglycemia, hyper and hypothyroidea, dehydration, high/low blood pressure, +++) as cause for my premature beats.
I've read all this in detail, and honestly it has just increased my anxiety. The fact that cardiologists shake their heads when listening to me and asking where on earth I've learned all this, is fun, but not worth it. We fail to see the real problem. We fail to accept that this is actually normal, and slightly increased by the anxiety.
Your heart is fine. My heart is fine. I admit, I struggle to accept it. But at least I've stopped the endless and meaningless research for further causes. So should you.
If you are bothered with GERD, the medications are generally safe. Some of them contain a lot of calcium, keep that in mind. But try not to use this as "treatment" for PACs/PVCs. We can all get some PACs or PVCs after or during meals without necessarily having a disease.
From your previous posts, I remember (correct me if I'm wrong) you had approx. 100 premature beats during 48 hours? You probably have LESS premature beats than average.
I've been where you are. I've suspected a lot of cardiac causes (heart failure, myocarditis, coronary artery disease, CPVT, Brugada, LQTS, pericarditis) and even more non-cardiac causes (hypercalcemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, pheocromocytoma, sarcoidosis, carcinoid, hiatal hernia, hypoglycemia, hyper and hypothyroidea, dehydration, high/low blood pressure, +++) as cause for my premature beats.
I've read all this in detail, and honestly it has just increased my anxiety. The fact that cardiologists shake their heads when listening to me and asking where on earth I've learned all this, is fun, but not worth it. We fail to see the real problem. We fail to accept that this is actually normal, and slightly increased by the anxiety.
Your heart is fine. My heart is fine. I admit, I struggle to accept it. But at least I've stopped the endless and meaningless research for further causes. So should you.
If you are bothered with GERD, the medications are generally safe. Some of them contain a lot of calcium, keep that in mind. But try not to use this as "treatment" for PACs/PVCs. We can all get some PACs or PVCs after or during meals without necessarily having a disease.
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