Not so successful of a story.

[RNRita]

Please don't read further if you are subject to panic because of a story.  Anyway, so like I said before I left, having been almost palp free for almost a year, I started having PVCs, PACs, and the like a week before leaving.  No idea why, except extra stress.  Decided that no heart disturbance was going to ruin MY vacation so I went.  Usually I get to Disney and all is right with the world. I have no issues that I can't deal with.  However, that being said, the weather was record cold and I had to wear multiple layers to walk, walk, run, and walk.....(don't forget the overeating.) When I have to wear a lot of clothing and walk in very cold weather, my heart gets angry...lol.  I had TONS of problems from the drive down to the drive back.  This all lead to extreme anxiety attacks while down there and I couldn't wait till I came back.  I was getting them really bad while walking fast through Universal to get on the new Harry Potter ride (which I was afraid of to begin with....what if I get them on this scary fast-pace ride?) I knew I was getting on the thing and mentally thought, if I die....what a great place to do it.  I didn't.  The ride was amazing.  I had hardly any more palps that day.  Of course the next started more.  I will add that they were just awful most of the time. I was unhappy and angry.  I am a veteran of over 30 years and never thought they could ruin my good time again.  I thought I was done with them...but, they are my companion and WANT to be noticed.  ugh.  Well, anyway, I'm home, alive and have a very stressful time waiting for me for the next month....new job, quitting old horrible job, possibly an offer on my house at the worst possible time where they want me to downsize in 2 weeks....Holidays...Awwww stress.....lovely.  I hope everyone else is doing better.....I'll get through it.  Again, I'm glad for this board.

[Mom2four85]

sorry to hear about your cousin :(  I just can't make myself send for my dad's autopsy report...I'll do it really :P  I need to know what was going on but my half sister said he had heart issues too...January I'm sending for it and I'll have new insurance and can get treated - I think the biggest thing I'm afraid of is going the row with the slew of new doctors and their attitudes about heart issues; pvc's etc.

It's funny, in my mind I see what's going to happen - I get really mean with a doctor and hear myself saying - DR I didn't go to the ER one time dealing with over 50,000 pvc's for 2 years, so I KNOW my own body...but in reality I'm a wuss when it comes to seeing a doctor [sigh]

I was about 40 when my train wreck first started in my body...the past 3 years have been pure he$%*

[jsuter69]

Hello (standing up)
My name is Jules and I'm a hypochondriac :)
Lisa, you said something about lymphoma...yep, that's me too! I just had a cousin, a very close cousin, our mother's were sister's and our father's were brother's...yes, our family tree, does not branch out :)
But seriously, she died a year ago from t-cell lymphoma and from what I've heard, it's genetic, one symptom is mono, she was also a smoker and she kept coughing up blood(this was around March), she was going from doctor to doctor and nobody could figure out why she wasn't getting any better, she went into the hospital on a wednesday( This is August) supposedly had double pnuemonia, went septic, had a temp of 107, she had tumors all over..breasts, kidneys etc...died friday morning around 1:00 am....she was 45
Doctors ordered an autopsy...this is how we found out it was t-cell lymphoma...so now it's been suggested that we get tested once a year...2 months ago, I woke up and I had the taste of blood in my mouth...so I freaked out and headed the my gp...she said I was fine...but I still need to go back for a urinalysis...guess there's something in the urine which can indicate lymphoma...so I've got something going on with my lower half...need a colonoscopy but lost my insurance...my hearts all jacked up...lol...I'm 41 and I'm falling apart :)
So yeah, I'm a tad hypo...just a tad :)
Jules

[yarrow]

It sounds awful, Rita, but funny, too.  Good thing you have a sense of humor about it.

I assume you have talked to a counselor or shrink about the anxiety aspect of it all?

[SassyLassie]

I am so sorry those darned ole PVC's/PAC's tried to ruin your trip. I know if I do anything different or what is fun for most people, mine will act up big time. I get so angry. Mine, too, act up near my period, guess that part is hormonal, although I am in perimenopause, so who knows.  I did have to laugh at the part about feeling close to God but then when the palps started you thought "Not that close however" I can sure relate to that feeling.

Jules, I think I am border line hypochondriac too, I can feel others pain and "flutters" big time. If I worked near a Cardiac Care unit, I would not doubt drive myself nuts, I would probably want to hook myself up to the equipment all the time.

STRESS, it is a dirty word, especially for those of us that have these horrendous arrhythmias. UGH!!!!

[LUKE22]

Sounds like a successful story to me! You made it all the way to Disney and back and your still here! Ive had the same problem when going on vacations or even shorter out of town trips. The PAC's and PVC's are with me the whole time and they take a lot of the enjoyment out of the trip. For some reason the best part of the trip is when I get back! Ive been dealing with PAC's,PVC's for over 20years and just when I think they are gone for good they return. I always try to analyze what food, drink or mood triggers them but I have never quite figured them out. I just try my best to live with them as best I can. One thing I do know is that when they do get overwhelming, I can always come here and feel much better especially after reading that there are others out there who are feeling the same way!

[jsuter69]

LOL!! You just made me laugh out loud..lol.
.I never felt so close to God then when seeing the splendor of his creation in all its glory.......then my heart started jumping around and I thought, "Not ready to be that close to God!"  lol
I'm always looking for defibrillators...malls, school...I'm in luck because I work on a cardiac/tele unit at a local hospital..lol..I walk by it, just to make sure it's charging..lol! Even thought about buying a "dynamap"..lol..so I can check my v/s at home :)
I too notice more pvc's and pac's around the time of my period..and I'm not trying to make light of your recent "situation", but when I'm not in pvc or pac mode, it's def easier to smile! I'm now studying for my TEAS Exam...talk about STRESS...my test is tomorrow...and I heard the exam is even harder now...I SUCK at tests, especially timed tests!! I just pray my withered old heart can take it...lol! BTW, I met a young girl, she's 18, and is in the hospital because she's 35 wks pregnant and has hypertropic cardiomyopathy, super sad, she has a ICD and lost her mom when she was 11, her mom just dropped dead in front of her and so did her 13yr old brother, she said it took him 10yrs to develop these symptoms and it only took her 6mths?!? Life is so short! And as I was talking to this highschool senior, my heart went out to her, so precious and so darn young...just wish I could've done something more...you know?

[Mom2four85]

Rita sorry your trip wasn't as great as it normally is, WDW is so much fun but can be alot of stress/anxiety also - for me i'm glad I have a reason now not to ride rides lol never been able to stand them - my older kids call me chicken :P

Hey Jules...I'm beginning to think I'm a hypocondriac - all these pains and nausea is making me look up symptoms and driving me nuts...since my dad died of lymphoma; it's like I'm trying to put that on my plate too lol ugh I'm a mess.  My new dr is really going to hate me, I've typed out spreadsheets of blood test results & tests/surgery I've had then lists of questions and possible causes (this is where I hide in embarassment) Hopefully we both go and they tell us it's all in our heads :P

[RNRita]

I can laugh now, but on the way back, we took a different route...a BEAUTIFUL breathtaking cruise through the mountains.  What views! I never felt so close to God then when seeing the splendor of his creation in all its glory.......then my heart started jumping around and I thought, "Not ready to be that close to God!"  lol  I started worrying that it was finally going to happen on some mountain without a defibrillator!!! Do you BELIEVE this?  After I got home I realized I had EXTREME PMS so all this should have been expected.  And all this WITH the aide of Xanax.  My body is so very reactive.  What a hoot, huh?

[jsuter69]

I was so afraid to read your story..lol..I'm the biggest hypochondriac ever..lol..just KNEW I'd get whatever I'd read about...lol! It's not that I just read about something and "get it"...lol..I actually am feeling something, I read a story, compare symptoms...then I wonder if I have it...so lately I've been worried about colon cancer...
I'm so far off point right now..lol..sorry, but I get the same way you get but I don't even have to go on vacation to get anxiety, going to work gets me going, going to the movies, going to class, anytime I leave my house or am put in a position where I'm alone causes me great panc! Every night before I leave for work, I break out in hives...very visible! So yes, I felt your pain!