heart skips

[Barbara]

I have been plagued with heart skips many years, but lately they are coming in a series.  They come many at a time, lasting about 15 to 30 seconds.  Of course, it seems like an eternity and I totally panic.  I have had all sorts of tests, even going to another hospital for another opinion.  They all say they are benign.  This maybe so, but how long will this go on.  Mentally, its taking a toll.  What scares me is I think my heart will never go back to its normal rhythm.  I am on 50 mg. of atenolol in the A.M., 150 mg. of avapro in the afternoon, and I cut myself down to 25 mg of atenolol in the evening, instead of 50 mg.  My cardiologist thinks this is fine.  I have stopped smoking, and everthing else they recommend.  I know they claim is it not from the stomach, but I do have the gastro problem according to upper GI series.  I burp sour after these are done.  Any suggestion to get my life back to normal.  Thank you for your interest.

[mxg3]

Aaron,

I do not feel the fluttering in connection with my stomach.  For me my stomach will feel completely fine while it occurs.

However, like alot of people on this site, I had my share of stomach problems.  I had a terrible heartburn problem until I started taking Nexium.  I have not taken an alka seltzer in months.  Used to take antacid every day.

Also, I did not mention that I am 39.

Mike

[M-chi]

Hello again everyone, I just posted my first message regardiing pvcs and skipping heart beats.  I forgot to mention that my email address is:  principessa_chi***@**** if you wish to reach me.  Once again, I appreciate comments and suggestions.  I am new to this board and hope there is some help out there for people like me.

[M-chi]

Hello everyone.  I am new to the forum. Last May I woke up one morning and my heart started skipping beats.  I ended up in ER and had an EKG but was told that I had occasional pvcs.  nothing to worry about.  go home.  the pvcs continued and at the end of may I had a 24 hr. holter monitor which revealed 2,085 pvcs in 24 hrs. and 51 bigeminal cycles (skip every other beat).  The diagnosis:  ventricular ectopy.  I then had a stress test done and it was negative.  I also had an echocardiogram done and was normal.  The only thing that was printed on the result was that i have trivial aortic, pulmonary insufficiency which is physiologic in nature.  I don't understand it.  The pvcs continued.  I started taking magnesium citrate and calcium and throughout the summer my heart beat relaxed some in that I was not having as many pvcs.  I even had pvc-free days.  

On Oct. 17, the pvcs returned.  Since then, I get them everyday until present.  They can last for hours and I get them after meals, in my sleep when I move or roll over, when I am walking on the treadmill, when i am doing housework, it doesn't matter what I do, I get them.   In october when it all started up again, I had 2 more 24 hour holter monitors and again it showed the pvcs and only 3 ventricular couplets.  My cardiologist told me that I should not worry and to accept the pvcs and learn to live with them.  I on the other hand just want my regular beating heart back.  

I had blood work done in June and my potassium level was low/normal.  thyroid normal, everything else appeared normal.  How can this be happening?  I am advised by a cardiologist to do meditation and yoga and he is very reticent about prescribing meds for pvcs.  

I am scared.  I keep thinking something is wrong here and I think of things like a floppy valve, mitral valve prolapse, insufficient oxygen to the heart or something...it is just driving me to distraction.  The fear and having to live with the pvcs are ruining my marriage and other relationships.  I quit working and now regret giving up a good job.   I am 39 years old, female and I don't smoke, don't consume alcohol, I don't ingest caffeine and I am very careful with sugar intake.  I eat healthy and take a multi vitamin which is very mild along with the calcium/magnesium which I think sometimes aggravates my symptoms.  Does anyone out there experience the same thing?  I welcome all your suggestions and comments.  I am at my wits end.  Thanks, M-chi.

[mxg3]

I am new to this forum and find it very comforting to read through this thread.  My symptoms are such that I feel my heart skip. I feel a pause and then an big beat and then normal again. I also have been under quite a bit of stress.

I had all of the various tests performed. My holter monitor showed 911 extra atrial beats within a 24-hour period (it was an everage day -- some are worse). I also went to a cardiologist at a top hospital in Chicago and he told me that there is nothing I can do except take a beta blocker (Toprol). I have decided not to take it because, it only affects the symptom and not the cause.

Doctor said that in extreme cases, they could locate the renegade cells that are causing the extra beats and stop them from doing so. I told him that I would rather live with this than go through such a procedure that has many side effects and risks.

I have felt this condition most of my life to a very minimal extent, my problems started last year when I had one of the most stressful days of my life. From that day on, the fluttering has not stopped. While I have periods where it does not happen for week or two at a time, I experience it almost every day.

I notice that if I do not eat right, the condition is more prevalent..e.g. if I skip lunch. Also, caffeine makes the condition worse so I have stopped drinking coffee.

Finally, the condition is worse at night -- especially when I go to bed.

My friends laugh because I eat right, excercise regularly, don't smoke, etc. I guess managing stress is more important than living cleanly.

Mike

[tinabird]

Have suffered several year palps and skips, fainting, panic attacts, and after 3 thorought cardio workups was finally diagnosed with MVP. I thought for years this was all in my head, but it wasn't and just knowing that has really made a difference.
The tenormine, a beta blocker, really helps sometimes with some Zanex when I'm really stressed but between the life style changes I have made and the vitiman supliments which I swear by I do see a difference. Caffine, artifical sweetners and sugar are out and magnisuim and B 's are in.
My point is that I was told time and time again it was nothing, but it is something and that you can't just disregard a pounding skiping heart. There are ways to releive systoms and they should be monitered and checked.
Good luck to you all.

[808]

I've read the posting by Mikeb and I do agree with him that my PAC's and panic attacks are associated with ongoing digestive problems.
I'm 40 yrs. old and have always noticed that my PACs and panic attacks begins with the onset of indigestion.  It usually starts out with a queezy feeling in my stomach (nausea and acid activity), then going to the bathroom feeling the anxiety coming on, then my heart starts racing so I get off of the toilet as fast as I can to head back to a chair, couch, or the bed, then I'm desperately trying to take deep breaths to calm myself down from the palps and skips (I'm always checking my pulse).  I've taken myself (or my wife takes me) to the ER on several occasions thinking that my racing, skipping heart may stop!...and yes, they all say that it's common,  not to worry, and I need to relax!
I've started on Zantac (150mg 2x) to control the high level of acid activity I have and it seems to minimize my indigestion.
I plan to take on Mikeb's "plan of attack" because I do believe my attacks and PACs are triggered by ongoing digestive problems (due to stress and following a big, greasy meal!).
Like all of you, I've gone through all the cardio tests with normal outcomes.
I've recently discovered this forum and I'm glad that I'm not alone. It's really comforting to read all of your experiences, thoughts, suggestions, and support.
Aloha from Hawaii!
808