Think I have IST and igetting much worse.

[SenseiRebel]

Never been diagnosed with IST but pretty sure I fit the criteria. They never found other abnormalities on an EKG or holtor. My problem is it's been getting worse and now it's preventing me from eating, which Prevacid used to take care of. Overnight I've gone from needing 50mg every 28 hrs, now to every 17 hrs. So now I'm on 50mg every 17 hrs. It suddenly gets much worse after a matter of months I'm seeing. I don't know if it's my condition or if it's Atenolol not working well anymore. They never mention puttting me on anything else. It seems like a joke that I can't eat and they still won't give me extra meds. And I'm concerned about ablation, since my high heart rate would be constant without Atenolol, what will an ablation procedure be like? I can't tolerate a high heart rate all day. I'm deathly terrified.

[LindaTX]

How long have you consistently been on Atenolol?  After so many months or yrs on a drug, it can turn and have a pro-arrythmia effect.  Have you checked out that possibility with your Dr?Do you have an Electrophysiologist? What has an Echo showed in regard to the size of your atrium?  Maybe it's time for you to go shopping for a new Cardio Dr.  If your current Dr won't listen to you then you need to find someone who will and get some results. You have to be proactive with your care. You have to be your own advocate...because no one else is going to be.  Only an EP can tell you your odds on a successful ablation.  

[LindaTX]

I just read over some of your last posts and I'm not so sure your vagus nerve hasn't gotten out of whack with the OD and all the different depression meds, going from one to another.  It might have aggravated the vagus which in turn could be playing havoc with your digestion, as well as swallowing, and your heart rate.  You really should check out posts on the Vagus Nerve on MH and see if you think there might be a connection.  

[SenseiRebel]

Thank you for responding. I've been to a cardio center that was in the top 10 in US and they told me it's malpractice to put me on other drugs due to beta blockers being the only safe ones to prolong life, since they can't tell me there's anything wrong with my heart. I have read through thousands of pages and sites with no answer to my problem. I am not looking for answers anymore, about vagus nerves or anything because I have no faith in finding an answer at this point. I just wanted to know since my possible IST is constant off meds, do they need my heart rate at its max during the EP study and/or ablation? I am terrified of how fast the max is, it feels like it could go over 200. Do they keep it under a certain bpm at all times, even though they need it somewhat fast?

[LindaTX]

I  too, am contemplating an ablation and I am still not looking forward to having it..."but sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do" :)  My heart rate high during a-fib is 150 tops but that is when I am checking it at home.  I know they have to let it get very high, or what it naturally goes up to in order to burn the erratic pathways.  Maybe since we're in the same boat, so to speak, we could keep in touch and encourage each other about what we're dealing with, ok?