Was I misdiagnosed?

[Kyle2009]

I hope this starts a new thread. I don't know where the new question button is, so I hope it shows up.

A few months ago I was diagnosed with atrial and ventricular ectopics. I am told this isn't serious, but I have other symptoms that dont match the symptoms of this diagnosis, symptoms that didn't show up on the 7 day moniter because I never had them.

I have what I call my 'good' attacks and my 'bad' attacks. The good ones are simply the extra beat I feel. If I have multiple extra beats in a row then I feel very ill. I am on a beta blocker to stop these.
The bad ones are what concern me. I cannot find anything that fits my symptoms. What happens is this: My heart feels like it is a balloon, being blown up in my chest. Its an expanding feeling, and there is pressure in my chest when this happens. Then my heart seems to deflate, just like a balloon does, and when it deflates, it shakes, or 'quivers' if you will. It beats erratically for a few seconds then goes back to nomal. The whole thing lasts maybe ten to fifteen seconds.
One night I had three of these attacks in a row, and I honestly thought I was going to die. I couldnt call an ambulance because I simply couldn't move. I was so light headed and half concious, I felt like I was outside of myself. It was the scariest feeling I have had. A week later I went to the doctor, and a few weeks later I had a disagnosis, but its not an explanation for the bad attacks. The medication I am on takes care of most of the 'good' ones, but does nothing to stop the bad. I am concerned that something else is wrong and I would like to know what it could be.


This discussion is related to Scared and seeking professional advice.

[Jerry_NJ]

Yes, your post arrived.

Your "bad" attacks are very unusual in my reading experience, and happily I've never experienced them myself.  

That said, I think it is time to discuss further with your doctor. If you are now having the "bad" ones regularly it is a certainty that the monitor will be recording when they take place.  This should be a big step forward.

I live in the USA, private medicine, so I don't know what you have to go through to get an appointment and get a monitor placed, but it seems to me you have an emergency situation.  

[ireneo]

An event monitor can be worn up to 30 days. If your "bad" attacks only happen once every 30 days, then you would still be able to record one of these. You didn't mention how often they occur.

[Kyle2009]

They are rare, the minor ones are more common. The more major ones I may have one of them every month or so, or longer. I never had one when I had the 7 day moniter, and I had thought there are tests to see what your heart has done in the past, but the only tests I have had show what it did at the time of the testing. I need to know what happened those months ago. If it happens again, well, lets just say I don't want to feel like I'm dying again.

[jsuter69]

I read your post...I feel your apprehension and how scared you must be, I was diagnosed with PVC's , PAC's and SVT but not all of my symptoms feel the same, sometimes they do, but every once in awhile, one of those scary episodes happen...the kind that make me want to call an ambulance....I hate that feeling, scared to death and all alone...(I'm not really by myself, I live with my boyfriend but he just doesn't understand my fears)
I also feel like "maybe" my doctor isn't seeing what REALLY is going on with my heart, maybe it's more serious?? But so far....I'm still here
Goodluck and know my prayers are with you Kyle
Julie