any suggestions?

[bama jane]

I have had arrhythmia problems for 8 years daily now.  I have posted before.  I have hundredsof palpitations every day and am exhausted by them.  Symptomatic with shortness of breath, chest pressure,  and weakness at times. What they have found over years are as follows:  pac's, pvc's, pat, junctional rhythm, accelerated junctional rhythm,  bigeminy, trigeminy, sinus arrhythmia, sinus tach, once they saw wandering pace maker.  I have them wake me up from sleep, while I exercise, pretty much any time they can start.  I can't sleep on my left side or will have them constantly.  Bending over or leaning forward can cause them.  Eating can cause them.  They say I have no heart disease, no thyroid disease, no valve problems.  I do have stomach problems which can make them much worse. I feel there is a reason they just started out of the blue 8 years ago, my doctor does a  normal blood work twice a year(cbc panel and cholesterol panel) My cholesterol ratio is 3.3.  Had a clear ct scan of arteries.   Had an ep study 8 years ago but couldn't come up with anything but sinus tach.  Can you tell me what conditions you would check for in a person with my situation (blood tests, etc.) and how you would follow up with them.?  My doc has me come in 2 times a year and I feel she is very good. I keep hoping that someone thinking outside of the box coud come  up with something that might be the cause of this, what would you test for? Tried most of the heart drugs the first year, was hospitalized a lot first year, but I think a lot of the drugs made it worse.  Now am on small dose of atenenol that has kept any racing to 5 minutes or under but have a bout of that a few times a week. Was treated for h pylori but do not know if that affects the heart or not.  I was an international flight attendant and an equestrian, have had parrots, horses, dogs and cats. I am telling you this in case it helps. Father died of heart failure caused from chronic afib and copd.
Thank You

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

It sounds like you have all the appropriate tests.  Unfortunately there is not a good explanation or treatment for what you describe.  I have seen a  few people with similar symptoms and rhythms, but not many.  I typically will try a low dose blocker or calcium channel blocker but it doesn't always help.  I know this isn't very helpful, but probably consistent with what you have heard from your doctor.

[lilbopper]

Hello,

I just wanted to write to you to let you know that for the past 6 years I have been dealing with the same things. I have had most of the arrythmias that you listed.  It seems to vary day to day as to which is the worst...I have had numerous workups w/o much explanation. For now I am on a beta blocker but lately that isnt' doing a whole lot for me.  As far as my docs and I have gotten is to think that it is something with my autonomic nervous system and/or hormones causing this.  I think mainly the ANS.  There doesn't seem to be much to do about it as far as I can tell.  Anyway, I dont have much help to offer, but I do know how you feel.  I am so exhausted and overwhelmed by these heart arrrythmias .

[upbeat633]

I'm looking forward to the doctor's response, and giving you my support. I understand because I've lived with them most of my life, but recently the frequency has gone up, way up. It's no longer easy to accept that I should just ignore them. How do you ignore someone turning the lights on and off in your house 35 times a minute, sometimes two or three or four times in a row. It would drive even the strongest willed person mad.

I'm confused when the doctor recommends a holter, I write down my symptoms and because I get trigeminy and pvcs runs most of the day, they say symptoms do not correlate with pvcs because patient has trigeminy and couplets and triplets without reported symptoms. uggh.

Hang in there. I wish it weren't your situation, but if it helps, you are not alone......