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.

[carole]

What happens "in the heart" to cause a PVC? And what is it that we should be looking for in terms of going back to the doctor? PVCs have been diagnosed; I'm not sure now when to call my doctor--hate to keep asking her my questions. Have had the stress test, worn the Holter monitor. Beta-blockers, as I've read, can have side effects/or no result. So, do we just live with these things? For those of you who have managed to do just that, what kind of mind/body work do you do? Also, any vitamin/mineral supplements that anyone has found to be useful? Many thanks to any info anyone can pass along. Boy! These things can be annoying! I guess reassurance is what I'm in search of.

[A friend]

pvc = premature ventricular contraction  pac = premature atrial contraction

[carole]

Glad to have found this site. I call the feeling I'm experiencing a "fluttering" and my doctor told me they are called PVC's. What does PVC stand for? (I forgot to ask and went to the Internet in search!) I've read the comments of others and am reassured that I am not alone. My PVC's were picked up on a Holter monitor, after nothing showed on EKG or treadmill stress test. Beta-blockers are an alternative, but my doctor is not pushing them. After reading comments by others, I think I'll wait. Questions: What does the abbreviation PVC stand for (vs. PAC) and are there any theories as to what causes them? (other then caffeine or alcohol?) Many thanks for any feedback.

[Sherrie]

I'm very glad I found this web site and enjoyed reading the previous comments. I have been searching for an answer to my heart problems for 11 years and I have been to 5 different doctors with 5 different results. I've had numerous EKG's, 5 echo's, 1 treadmill stress test, lots of blood work and more...I was originally told nothing was wrong and that I was too hyper - I gave up caffeine, alcohol, sugar, ginger and anything else that I could find that was a stimulant and have not touched them since!! I still have the fast heart rate, "Fluttering" feelings and skipped or missed beats (PVC's and PAC's). I take Atenolol 25mg and I have naturally low blood pressure (as low as 90/60 at one point). I have found that a little more that half a pill at night and half of a half in morning works best for me. I was told by my second doctor that I had MVP and some back-flow of blood to the upper chamber. One doctor hears a systolic click and one hears a murmur (1/6). One doctor says PVC's and one says PAC's. My latest doctore/internist did an EKG and has diagnosed me with atrial flutter and PVC's - this doctor, like all the others, has said that these conditions are benign and I sould not WORRY!  I was also told I had atrial flutters by the EMT's that came to my house one night when I was having a heart rate of 180 beats per minute with fluttering feelings. They saw a atrial flutter on the EKG screen while monitoring me. These problems also scare me to death. My medicine has help in the severity of the fluttering and missed beats but has not stopped them completely - like I had hoped! Good book for the definition on PVC's is the Yale University of Heart book.  You can access this by type "Heart" for a search word and the Yale book will be one the choices that will come up. You can view the whole book on screen. Boy, I feel better knowing I'm not alone with this problem.

[comment to cathy]

Does the tambacor help your skipped beats?  I was also prescribed it but was a little worried about going on it.  Why are you going off it?

[wade]

I am a male, age 57, and I have irregular heart beats from time-to-time.  It causes me to reach for my chest because of the sharp pain that results.  I have had an ekg and treadmill test with good results.  My doctor, who I respect, believes it is nothing to worry about.  But I do!  The pain does not last.  I have early stage peripheral vascular disease.  My legs swell at the ankles and I have regular leg pain.  The doctor says to stay off of my feet and elevate my feet.  I would have to retire to do that.  Any comments?  Thanks