PVC, several near synscope & SCARED

[starketcher]

I have had PVCs for about 4 years. Due to my brother's heart problem (died at 38 of an undiagnosed enlarged heart), they did a heart cath and found me to be structurally sound. I was put on atenelol (and flecanaide for a while). I quit the flecanaide and had probably 1-2 pvcs a day.problems. A year and half ago, they found I had hypothyroidism and was put on levoxyl. The PVCs basically stopped. I might have one a month, if that.

I recently opened a business and it has been stressful. Around the time I opened the business, I had some dizziness, but no noticable PVCs. Then a few days later, I had some dizziness then had an episode where I felt I was pushed in the chest and was very dizzy. I check my bp and it was fine 125/75. It did not feel like the usual fluttery, skipped beat PVCs and I was sure it was not. I went to Urgent Care as ti was evening time. They ran an EKG and it was fine. He basically told me that he could find nothing. Gave me some meclizine and sent me home. I felt pretty crappy but went on with opening my store.

A few days later, it happened again. This time my GP was opened and I went there. He thought I had an inner ear problem as the heart sounded fine and based on the ekg from a few days before. My bp was high so he doubled up my atenelol and told me to watch my heart rate which has always been on the slow side. I continued to feel crappy but without dizzy symptoms. I was tired all the time & developed headaches which I have never had before.

I noticed a marked drop in my heart rate (40bpm range). So I stopped the atenelol & kept a check on my bp & heart rate. I was still having some dizziness, but thought it was ear related. I actually felt better for about 1 1/2 weeks than I had in a long while, but was exhausted come nightfall. Once during the night I was awoken to some heart flutters, but not the push. I've been forgetful also.

This past weekend, the push on my heart and dizziness came back--I was lying on the couch. I've felt crappy since--headaches, extreme fatique. I decided to have my thyroid checked and spoke to my endo doctor. SHe indicated what I was describing was not thyroid related and sounded cardiac to her. But ordered blood tests anyway to be sure.

This morning I was alone at my business and it hit again. This time strongly to the point I thought I was going out. That was the time I decided that it must be cardiac related--just not the normal flutters/skips. This was another hard push and near fainting. I was scheduled to go get blood tests, so I called my GP and he worked me in. He did an EKG & ECG and said they were fine, actually his words were "not perfect, but damned near." He said I really needed to see my EP and called him to fit me in in the morning for a consult.He said, no need in guessing what was going on. I kept telling him this did not feel like the previous PVCs (and, at one point a few years ago, I had plenty to discern from). He todl me he hesitated to tell me to take the atenelol due to my slow heart rate (56) already, but for me to take 12.5 (half) of a pill.

This is worse at night.....and I am dreading nightfall now. I will be glad to go to the EP in the morning. Though I know it will be a deal of ordering the heart monitor, going back to get it, then going back yet again for another round of consults.

So after this long long tirade......does this sound like PVCs or something different??

[starketcher]

OK, back from the doctor. As I expected, I have a monitor and an appt in 3 weeks. He does not think this is PVCs as he said PVCs rarely made you dizzy and thinks something else is going on.

He said my P wave was not much but that had been the case on all the EKGs that I have had, so he is not too concerned with that. I put 2+2 together and told him that I had 2 stress tests dues to the upper chamber looking like it was not squeezing enough & mentioned that. I also aske dif this was A-Fib and he said we just did not know at this point & would have to wait to see what the monitor picked up.  He did say if it was A-Fib, then he'd probably put me back on flecanaide.

My slow beat was a concern too, so he said we might have to discuss a pacemaker at some point.

SO, it pretty much is a wait and see.

[starketcher]

I had a decent night. I "normal" PVC and that was it.

The GP increased my atenelol to lower my bp because it was running high. I think in retrospect it was high because I'd just had an incident where I almost passed out. He told me to watch the heart rate & I did. That is when I stopped taking it.

I am going to the EP for the strange beat and near faints adn the low heart rate. But, I know it will be a hurry up and wait type thing..I took all types of meds trying to find something I could take and not want to crawl in bed due to side effects....so I am not looking forward to the medicine-go-round again. But, I expect you are right...the med will be changed.

[cindy707]

Well it sort of sounds like a couple of different things to me that are going on with you.  The dizziness could definately be caused from your blood pressure hitting too low of a point which does cause dizziness and syncopy but on the other hand the doc said that they wanted to increase (?) your dose of beta blockers which makes no sense to me at all.  There are other meds out there that you can be given if they think it is necessary that won't cause your b/p and pulse rate to crash like it keeps doing to you.  This may very well just be an adjustment that you need in your meds and maybe this isn't the right med for you.  Why are you going to an EP?  Have you had an ablation or are you considering one?  Call me crazy but unless i am missing something you aren't experiencing a rapid heart rate you already have a slow one and antenolol is known to relax the heart, block out the adrenaline and pretty much regulate PVC's but this doesn't sound like it is the right med for you to me.  The fatigue i am sure is from the low heart rate, the head aches could be from not enough O2 hitting the brain because of the low pulse rate....i would just wait till your appt. and try to get a definitive answer here because we can't yo yo our hearts like this.  I understand completely the worry that at specific times of the day you dread it because its like you are waiting for a time bomb to go off and another episode to pop up...i would just tell myself that "this time tomorrow" and the other thing is i would not go for another round of consults....i would find a one stop doc that does it all,,,,,diagnosis, EP mapping, surgery, ablations, all of it including doing the blood work up in their office, giving you the holter monitor, etc. in this day and age no one should have to be running from office to office to office....it just adds more stress....good luck tomorrow my friend.....