palpitations

[Caroline]

I suffer from severe heart palpitations (female - age 39).  Five to six times per day I feel funny things going on in my heart.  Sometimes I get three hard beats followed by a pause and then a thump. Other times I just get a thump and yet other times a fluttering feeling.  I have been through every test imaginable and the doctors cannot find anything wrong with me.  They once caught a short run of v-tach on a holter monitor but I have had two EP studies and they could not induce anything so they told me not to worry.  I WORRY!!!!!!  I have read terrible things about v-tach and it really scares me to think that my heart can go into this rythum.  They say that I am super sensitive and too tuned into my heart.  Who wouldn't be when they feel all of these weird things going on?  Do you think the doctors could have overlooked something with all of this testing I have had done - or am I just making a big deal about nothing.  These things have really taken over my whole life. Should I really be ignoring all of the bumping, thumping, fluttering etc?

I was prescribed atenolol years ago (which I go on and off) - I hate being on any drugs.  I have very low blood pressure (90/50).  I started on 25mg of atenolol but I get terrible headaches and my heart still skips like crazy.  I thought atenolol was supposed to help people with migrane headaches as well so I can't understand why I get the awful headaches when I am on it.  Would 50mg of atenolol not drop my blood pressure too much?  I have heard of people that are taking atenolol that say their palpitations have stopped completely? Why some people and not others. My EP doctor said I could try mexitil if I really wanted to but it was not necessary (I think she was trying to pacify my because I have become such a nuisance worrying about these things).  I am too scared to try mexitil as well though.  I would like to try to get to am American Heart Clinic (one such as the Cleveland one), but I don't know how a Canadian would go about getting to be seeing in one.  I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Thank you for any information you can give me.

[Concerned Atenolol user]

Has anyone heard of Atenolol causing your hair to thin or to fall out? I take 25mg of Atenolol - half in morning and half in evening. I agree with Dennis, on I hate the notion of being chained to any drug forever, though any side effect is better than these palpitations - But I don't want my hair to get thin or fall out.  I'm a 29 year old female! Does anyone have any info on this?

[Dennis]

So many people are made miserable by this condition; if I had the money, I'd endow an institute to come up with a better solution!  I've had these "flip-flops" (PVCs) for decades.  They've usually been associated with stomach pressure or esophageal spasms: gas, acid food, cold liquids, etc.  Medical opinion has been that this "reflux" triggers affect the vaso-vagal nerve which effectively sends a message telling the heart to slow down -- at the same moment the heart is trying to speed up so it sort of "trips over itself."  If you go to the GI forum here you'll see many similar complaints. The problem is that despite all the information and reassuring words provided by doctors, this phenomenon seems to send a message direct to the brain: "emergency! help! help!" -- a message that is very hard to ignore.  It definitely tends to spoil your day.  I've had weeks with none, and days with many. It's become so troublesome lately that Dr prescribed a beta-blocker (Atenolol) and the first 25 mg dose stopped the flip-flops cold.  The side-effect of extreme fatigue (climbing San Francisco hills suddenly felt like I was wearing a 100lb pack) slowly went away, and that dose, taken half in morning and half in evening has remained pretty effective.  A bad morning recently elicited the advice from Dr. to take some extra atenolol--it wouldn't hurt.  The remaining side effect is being extra sensitive to cold air (that causes the flopping regardless -- or because of -- the atenolol). But I hate the notion of being chained to any drug forever, though any side effect is better than these palpitations.  Courage to all!

[Cathy]

The Tambocorhas gotten rid of 90% of the pvc's, and i have not had a run of v-tach since.  I do get the pvc's occasionally, but for the most part, they are not daily like they used to be.

I have been on the Tambocor for about 2 years now.  My doctor wanted me to go on the medication to get a "break" from the PVC's so I could gain more confidience in myself, since they were taking over my life.  But now, he says I need to come off because it is such a strong drug, and he cannot be certain of the long term side effects.  I am, however, terrified to come off because I am so used to not having the PVC's.  The minor side effects I have experienced have been:  numbness in my lips, tongue and throat, visual disturbances and, unfortunately, a little bit of hair loss.  I hope this helps you.  Good luck!
cathy

[Keith M to Sherry]

Your comments re: movement and fluttering. this is exactly the same as my own experience.My skipped beats/fluttering began around 3 years ago. I had no previous history or Med problems and one day they just started. They are nearly always associated with changes in posture or sudden movement. I have had every test possible and they have all come up negative, however, I take great reassurance from this. I have tried Atenolol, Propranolol etc to no avail. I now take high dosage (3g daily)of Gamma Linolenic Acid(Evening Primrose Oil) and this has helped enormously. Prior to taking this, My problem was evident all day, every day, but now I can go for days without an episode. My record is 7 days. I found that it took around 8 - 10 weeks before any improvment began. Hope this helps.
***@****

[Sherry]

To Craig-When you lay on your left side your heart beat waves bounces off your ribbs - This is why you can feel the heart beat more and your blood pressure can have an effect on your heart rate and how it reacts. When the nurse performs an ECHO they have you lay on your left side. Also, if any one is dehydrated then you can have more heart flutter symptoms.
To David from April 11, 2000-Travel can effect heart flutters - at least it does with me. High altitude can really mess with my heart rate to the point I would sware I was dying! Drink lots of water and NO sugar or caffeine.  Stress will also drive your heart rate crazy - I have learned that everything has to be done in a calm manner. Pick your stressfull moments and then just let the otherones pass you by. I also have trouble with waking up to heart palpitations-sometimes I'm dreaming and have had a rush of adrenilin(sp) and sometimes I have no reason for the event. But it scares me to death. My heart flutters tend to be triggered by movement - bending my head to my feet, stretching in a certain position or getting up too fast from a sitting position. Although, they can happen on there own with no movement from me.
Does anybody else have the movement/heart flutter problem?

[david]

I have started to have scary palpitations recently after a sustained period of stress and extensive travel. I have had ECGs -ALL CLEAR - and seen several doctors - all say hyperventilation/panic attacks. Things seem to be improving since I started breathing exercises. However I am still experiencing up to thirty minute palpitation periods almost always when I wake up from sleep. Does anyone know why this happens at that time? It is of course
very disturbing and is playing havoc with my sleeping patterns as I am reluctant to go to bed.

THANKS,