Update on my PACS scare

Hey everyone,

I went and saw the cardiologist I had wanted to see all along today, he is considered one of the best in our area.  He said that he has looked at all the tests and everything looks just fine.  He wants me to continue on the 40MG of zocor and start taking 81mg baby aspirin per day.  He told me that I don't need the atenolol.  He said that his wife has PACS and that they will not hurt me.  He said if an insurance company called him and was working on quoting me life insurance he would tell them that I have nothing wrong with me and I'm expected to live a long life.  He was very reassuring.  He said that there is no danger in how many of these I have, he said they are harmless and I should just do my best to forget about them....he said they will not wear my heart out over time and that I could "take that to the bank".  

He really did reassure me.  He said with my family history of two uncles dieing in their 40's that he thinks it's reasonable to have a stress echo done every year, he said that would help with my peace of mind as well.

The girl who hooked me up to take two EKG's on my today said that she has premature beats quite often also...

I am going to start zoloft and continue working on my anxiety.....and I am going to do my best to forget about these things.  Hopefully I can do it!!!  

Thanks,  Grant

[GrantN]

Just also...to confirm, I feel the PACS all day long.....there are some times during the day when they are worse...like afternoons, and after I eat.  One time yesterday I was feeling a pause (PAC) every 8th heart beat....and then I'd go 30 or 35 beats before having another pause.  I hate it!  But I am going to try and brush it off, as hard as that is to do.

[GrantN]

Man.....reassurance can only go so far....had a good first half of the day but they seem to come on with a vengence the second half.  I keep trying to remember what the doctor told me, but man, it is tough....does anyone else out there just feel like you are on a never ending roller coaster with these premature beats????

[CFS56]

Mine are always worse at night...actually starting about 4:30 or 5.  I don't know why they do that but you can almost set your clock by it. Today has been a bad day, stressful, had 2 arguments, just a bad day.  And my heart has been weird all day, my heart rate got close to 100bpm there for a bit and for somebody that is used to it being around 65, it felt like it was flying.  But I know stress makes it worse and I try not to get too upset.   Honestly, if they are that worrisome to you the atenolol will not hurt you and it may help.

[rmontgom21740]

Grant,

It is true what your doctor told you.  The PACs/PVCs wont hurt you but one thing I can tell you for sure is that having that many drives a person crazy.  Its also ture that you don't need the beta blocker and I was in your shoes for years.... not wanting to take the drug for fear of what it might do to me.  Well, if they bother you that much which I am sure they do then you should give the beta blocker a try.  It has taken my PAC's from 20 a minute to about 5 or 6 a day (I hope it continues to work).  Also my dose is very low and the Doctor tells me I could even just take it as needed if I wanted to.  Might be worth a try for just a little while to see if it helps and to bring your stress level down.  Don't look at it as something you will always need. Just something to give you a break from this.  

[TatiSD]

If you're going to start the Zoloft, you have to be a bit patient and see how that works for you.  It takes 3-4 weeks to build into your system.
I can totally relate to your reaction of being reassured by the doctors, only to get some pac's and immediately fall right down into anxiety, frustration and anger.  So , it's easy to say you'll accept them when you don't feel them, but when they come, the reassurances you heard earlier in the day, fly out the window.  All of this is due to not being able now to truly accept and believe the reassurances.  So maybe Zoloft will help you ease up that reaction of panic and then it may be easier to believe your doctor's reassurances.  Hang in there.  

[GrantN]

thank you very much for the comments guys, I'm hoping to get away and enjoy a float trip down the river with good friends and a few beers this weekend!  My heart is calm now, I've felt a couple....but a couple isolated ones here and there I have been able to accept....it's when I get multiple ones per minute that bother me and that seems to happen later in the day...second half for sure.  Only to calm down a little before bed, it's a weird pattern.

Anyway, I am keeping the atenolol on my rmontgom...thanks for the advice, I probably will at some point give it a shot.

TatiSD, thank you so much for comment on Zoloft, I really appreciate it!  I am going to start it Monday and I will definitely be patient and give it a good month.  My brother and a good friend are on it and they say it did good for them....they don't have palps (that they can feel anyway) though.  

Are any of you guys that I have been talking to on facebook?  If so, message me your email or message me and I'll send you my email back and you can look me up.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Thanks,

Grant