any mountain walkers out there with heart rythmn problems?

[greendave]

I'm new to the site and really interested in talking to people who have similar problems as I have lived with this for 27 years and have no one to talk to about how frightening it can be when you wake at 2 in the morning with a heart pounding away and spend hours trying to relax and slow it down - then when it misses beats as well!!
I am considered very fit and all my workmates are always commenting on my vitality and energy and a lot of the time I feel fantastic until the bad days when my stomach seems to have an effect on my heart and it misses beats, thumps hard etc.
My specific question is to anyone who spends hour after hour climbing up steep mountains and then stops for a break to feel the steady fast rate from the sustained climb change to an irregular beat with some very slow beats followed by faster beats almost like it is slowing right down to a resting pulse then speeding back up to a more realitic rate for the exertion just done.
It really worries me sometimes when i'm on my one high up in the moutains with many more miles to go.

[Clifff]

I'm only 22 years old male, I get these skips with mild exertion and lifting things, its such a drag and a bit terrifying I can't tell you how many night I've tossed and turned with anxiety over this.

My whole family has skipped heart beats and tachycardia, but only one case of sudden death which they never did an autopsy so we don't know the reason, that was my aunt.

My family doesn't really have a history of heart attacks or defects so the skipped beats must not be doing much harm.

But your not alone I feel your pain believe me.
I know this post is old but maybe you still check it so you can hear my story and let me know how the last 5 years has been for you.

[MazamaRich7]

Hi Greendave

I spent 40+ years climbing and leading climbs with the Sierra Club and Portland Mazamas Mountaineering Club, and generally very active in outdoor stuff.  I may have experienced some effects you described during some of those events but never thought it was not normal.  I climbed Mt Hood this June and did fine, but on my 66 birthday early July became very faint, pounding heart, sweating, almost passed out when I tried to carry kayaks a short distance.  Doctor dianosed Atrial Fibrilation and flutter. I was on flecainide for a couple of months but would still trip into A-fib with simple exertion and stair climbs (also tripped on the med side effects). Canceled subsequent climbs I had planned.  

I had PVI heart ablation procedure last week to fix and feel much better already, but will have to wait and see how climbing season goes next year.  I have found there is much research that relates A-fib/flutter to endurance sports, especially in tall endurance athletes - oh well.

Rich

[gin333]

My Dad has the same problems very fit person too, he has had a camera in his heart and its a healthy as a fifty year old.  He is retired.  To regulate the heart beat I google medical doctors work using acupuncture and half the cases who had atrilia fibrualation did not get an attact again! at least you dont get all the side effects of the drugs that can be prescibed.
If your open solutions then google acupuncture atrilia fibrilation, if thats what your doctor diagnosis you have?

[kevk]

I spend almost all of my time outdoors walking up and down hills. I was outside Denver a few years back and made it up to 10,000 feet before having symptoms.  I have taken lots of meds over the years and have a ICD/Pacer, I had the ICD when I was in Denver. I have had to slow down a good bit but can still do the hike.
I do agree with everyone else you need all the test. If you have to take a med thats better than having a more serious problem.

[manny777]

I started having pvc on July 3rd (last month) and the first time I had it for 4 days every 7-10 heartbeats then they were gone for about 3 weeks and got them back for 2 days every 3- 4 heartbeats then they were gone for 2 weeks and now they are back but not as bad maybe once every 10-20 heartbeats, the first day I had them I tought it was my upset stomach jumping but when I could feel it was my heart skipping I got really depressed, now after reading all these posts I just don't pay attention to them, I jog 1.5 miles everyday and feel good while jogging.
I have not gone to see a doctor but will probably make an appointment, I just hate any medicine except tylenol or advil.

[GranRon]

Sounds to me like you would benefit from a 24 hr Holter test and even an event monitor that you could wear for 30 days or so.  Don't rely on the results of tests done in the past.  Just my opinion, but if I were mountain climbing and had the episode you describe, I would get a complete cardio workup, stress, echo, etc, before going back up again.  As Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations."  

[greendave]

Like you I love the outdoors and live for my time in the mountains. I have only just joined the site and prior to this was on my own determined to take no medication and learn rules that would enable me to get on with my life.
I am already getting areas for research and will start with ablation.
thanks for your comments it's good to talk with people who have gone through similar things and can pass on advice

[Sweetwaterguy]

I am a male, age 65.  I am sufficiently fit to walk 18 holes of golf on a hilly Wyoming course and do a 10 mile round trip day hike to a favorite lake at 10000 ft. elevation.  I also have dealt with atril fibrillation and had one episode three years ago when I was two hours hike inside the wilderness boundary in the Wind River mountains.  I took a couple of aspirin to help keep my blood thin and walked out, with no difficulty.  
After that episode, I resolved to investigate ablation.  I was fairly well controlled with sotolol, but I did not want to be just fairly well controlled.  I felt the a fib had the potential to restrict my outdoor lifestyle which I enjoy so much.  I decided to have an ablation which was performed about a year and a half ago.  It has worked beautifully, and I take no medication other than a statin and a daily aspirin.  
   I guess my message to you is there are things that can be done to  successfully treat heart rhythm problems.  A consultation with a specialist in that area is certainly recommended.

[greendave]

Hi Betty
I had loads of test in the hospital when I had my suspected heart attack and lots when I came out. I ended back up there a year or so later when I got my confidence partly back, went to a disco and ended up back in an ambulance on my way to hospital.
I was put on beta blockers but one time the prescription was made out ten times the strength i should have had and my heart nearly stopped.
Over the years I have learned rules that mostly work for me and enable me to get on with my life but then sometimes I get a really nasty reminder which scares me again.
I was thinking that perhaps we should all list what we have learned over the years that lets us live 'normal' lives and perhaps we could then get something together that could help people just starting out trying to cope whike scared to death.
what do tou think?

[greendave]

Thanks for the welcome. I've been alone with this for 27 years so it's going to be good to see how everyone else copes and what tips we all have for living with these symptoms.
at 31 I ended up in an ambulance heading for the cardio unit at our local hospital where I spent 24 hours wired up in intansive care and another week as an inpatient while they ran loads of tests.
The result was there was nothing wrong with my heart and I had not had an heart attack but this experience turned me into a wreck as i lost all confidence in my body and fully expevted another whatever it was at anytime

[mabebesc]

Hi,

I also agree that the first step would be to make an appt. with a cardiologist if you haven't done so yet. It sounds like you're in great physical shape and these wierd beats aren't causing you any symptoms so most likely they won't be cause for concern..  Keep us posted!
Betty

[Momto3]

Hi greendave!

Welcome to the Heart Rhythm community!  

Have you been evaluated by a cardiologist?  If so, what was the diagnosis?  If not, it would be a good idea to see a cardio to find out what's going on.  The main thing about arrythmias is knowing whether you have a structurally normal heart.  If so, many times the weird beats are more annoying than medically significant.  However, in the presence of other cardiac issues, they can be more significant.

Great pictures!
Connie