Heart races at night

[beki]

I am a 43 year old active female. Last year went through non Hodgkin

[fearfactor]

Hi!  Yes, I'm still taking the Toprol.  I take 12.5 mg once a day and the doctor said that is such a low dose and I think it's a pregnancy class B so it's OK.  I've had to get off my anxiety meds, so I'm glad I can at least hang onto that Toprol.  I hope the lessened PVCs lasts, too!  Thanks for the good wishes!

[tickertock]

Yes I used to be exactly be that way, the least thing like walking up a single flight of stairs, stooping down, or bending, not to mention heavy lifting would start my heart racing and the PVCs would kick in, yet on an exercise stress test it was determined I had excellent exercise tolerance and my heartrate and B/P response to exercise was within the normal range , had excellent recovery also, though it was determined/documented that I had sinus tachycardia and PVC episodes, my biggest problem same to be heightened heart action awareness, with beta blockers(mainly inderal and now for the last 6-7 years atenolol) no tachycardia and only one bad prolonged episode(lasted 5 months in the 1000s daily) of PVCs nearly 5 years ago.I still get the odd PVC but absolutely nothing to speak of. I have found atenolol much more effective in controlling the tachycardia and PVCs than inderal, though I would say inderal had a more anti anxiety and central calming effect.My tachycardia and PVCs are definitely adrenaline and anxiety triggered in most instances.

[tickertock]

Oh, about your body getting used to beta blockers , yes it definitely can but for me and I'm only speaking of what works for me to avoid this, that is if you start out on 50mg of atenolol daily and after 2 years you find yourself responding less to the 50mg , drop it down to 25mg daily for about 2 months( I know it doesn't seem to make much sense but then your body readjusts to the lower dosage then after 2-3 months you can gradually up the dosage again to 37.5mg daily for a few weeks then get back up to 50mg again daily, these doages are only an example but this way your body doesn't get use to a particular doasge if you alternate the dosages from time to time and therefore keeps you from having to increase the dosage for it to be effective.PLEASE NOTE: Always consult with your doctor before doing this , what works for some or one might not work for you or others. I used to take up to 100mg of atenolol daily, now I alternate between 50-75mg in divided and it's much more effective. AGAIN, ALWAYs consult with your doctor before changing , stopping or alternating the dose of your medications, especially beta blockers.

[Fran71]

Thanks Tickertock!
Since your symptoms sound so much like mine, I have some hope that mine will get better...I don't mind if tachy and PVCs come now and then, even for a few months...I just hope to have long breaks in between....!
What you say about the dosage makes lots of sense. So it means that even if the body adjust to the BB it will "forget" about it quickly if you decrease the dose :-). That is also good news.
You made my day! I know every situation is unique but it's nice to hear of success stories :-). For now, I have long breaks between my PVC crises. I'm currently in one such crisis, so that's why I'm so concerned with my quality of life. But last year I felt so well all the time...Let's hope for the best.

I too am convinced that my PVCs are caused by oversensitivity to adrenaline. I want to tell you a story which sounds weird but is true. I was at the dentist's a few years ago, long before my PVCs started bothering me. As soon as he injected anesthesia my heart started racing like crazy for about 10 seconds. I asked him what the hell he had given me, and he said the anesthesia contained adrenaline. I told him that I had felt it, because it had caused tachycardia. The dentist laughed and said I couldn't have felt it. But I had!! Otherwise, why should I ask him what the anesthesia contained??
I just told this story to my new cardio last Friday, and he told me that it isn't silly at all; on the contrary it is very significant.

Thanks for making my day!

Take care

Fran

[upbeat63]

I've always believed that my panic disorder started at my dentist office when I was in my mid-to late teens for the very reason you just described!

Just following the numbing injection my heart was racing and then I got tipped back in the chair, seemed like the blood was rushing to my head. Well you can imagine I don't like going to the dentist anymore! But it also seems to have carried over to the salon, just sitting in a chair that you can't get out of quickly because the hairstylist is in the middle of a cut or color, it causes me extra anxiety. Strange.

[Fran71]

Hi Upbeat, did you really experience the same thing with adrenaline? The dentist laughed at me back then but I know what I felt: my heart started racing wild for just a few seconds and then was back to normal. And I felt like an electrical current all through me...as if I had been frightened by something. At first I thought I was just scared by the injection, but it was different because the heart accelerated so suddenly and suddnely it slowed down.
The cardiologist said it was a very significant experience. I guess it shows how sensitive to catecolamines my heart is...Bad for me! LOL

Fran