I am so..down...today

[Ihatepalps2]

hi...lately Ive been a very frequent poster here....had palps for 15 years for anyone not recognizing my whining voice here today! :-)
Been on Atenolol for those 15 years...had all the tests over the years and all say benign mostly PVCs and some PACs...stress..anxiety...blah blah blah..in other words, 3 cardiologists tell me to live with them, ignore them...etc. Over the years its been determined that I cant just live with them, so I was put on the Atenolol, which does NOT magically make them disappear, but it does lessen the load on the heart, slows it down...which did make me feel better. Still had lots of palpitations. Holter worn 2 weeks ago showed only ( I say ONLY because I think last time in 2007 I had 5000) 730 PVCs and a handful of PACs. New cardiologist says " I think the atenolol isnt working for you so much any more. Lets put you on Metoprolol (also know as lopressor) and see what happens. Its the same type of medication, a Beta Blocker."

Well, what happened is that it does NOT act the same in my body....it does not suppress my heartrate at all as well as the Atenolol..something that I noticed right away..gave it a week, and then called him back to say i cant even walk across the room without my heartrate increasing to 80-90.... he said yes, in that respect, it doesnt do the same thing...that is normal for that med..and that I could go back on my Atenolol if I wanted...but the trade off is that the palps will probably increase.

Great. What to do??

I decided that I would stick it out on the new med. I gave myself until yesterday. If I still found my heartrate increasing uncomfortably, I would give it up.
I actually have found its gotten better....my HR now sits at around 65-70 most times....still increases in times of physical activity..but maybe not so much as before..

but the kicker is...I still have the palpitations!!!!!! NOT nearly as bad as before..but..I guess I thought ( dumbly) that they would "go away"......on the new med.

Im sitting here at work today...and even tho they are singles and just pop at random...they are here..and even after all these years...still stop me in my tracks for just a few seconds....

Anyone have experience with them actually going AWAY on the Metoprolol??

*sigh*
Thanks for listening.....

[shondasu]

I'm kind of in the same boat as you right now. Having PVCs for past 2-1/2 years. Tried Atenolol off and on. It slowed heart rate and PVCs, but still had the PVCs. I don't want to be dealing with this for the rest of my life. It seems if they came on so suddenly, they should be able to be gotten rid of just as suddenly! I am wondering if anyone else can recall an event which preceeded their PVCs starting for the first time? Mine was childbirth. I am going to look at Amethysts recommendations. When I had my holter monitor, I was having 12,000 PVCs a day, many of them in multiples. Oh, I do have an anxiety issue, and whenever my anxiety revs up, my PVCs come on strong and heart rate goes over 100. Probably the trip to see your grandmother had the same effect on you. Hang in there, you're not alone!

[Momto3]

Hi "Ihatepalps2"

Sorry to hear that the ectopics are bugging you again...UGH!  Those pesky little things can really mess up a good day!!  

I can tell you first-hand that every BB is not the same for every person.  I took Inderal mostly, but at one point tried Tenormin (atenolol, I believe) and within 20 minutes of the first dose, I started to tremble all over.  Scared the stuffin' (smile) outta me!!  The doctor said it affected my central nervous system...ya think????!!!!  Went back to Inderal, but eventually was able to take it "as needed" and it seemed to work differently.  Not sure that would be an option for you, but maybe something you can discuss with your doctor.  Hope today is a better day : )

I'm sorry about your grandmother.  That's a difficult situation with or without PVCs.  Take care.
Connie

[Ihatepalps2]

No, I havent tried it, but I will go looking for it tonight. I am just bean down by these things. Sorry to be such a downer..but they  were so bad last night, that even after I just wore a holter 2 weeks ago, and was told directly from a cardiologist, that they are benign..I still was debating running to the ER...to catch them on a monitor. There for about a 10 minute stretch...I would have like 6 uneven rocky weird beats in a row--very rarely have I ever had that. I got slightly sweaty...in an air conditioned house..but that couldve been from panicking...I do that...
I was a wreck last night. Of course....before all this..I had gone to see my 95 yr old grandma for the last time--shes at end stage Alzheimers disease at a nursing home...I havent seen her in a long time...but the family and hospice have been called in....I was very nervous when I went there.....and it was a very very upsetting visit....im wondering if that wouldnt have caused this..?

[Amethyst1974]

Hi,

Did you ever tried taking magnesium for your PVC's?

SUPPLEMENT FOR HEART DISEASE
Magnesium taurate: 125 mg four times per day
Coenzyme Q10: 30 mg three times a day
Bromelain: 500 mg three times a day between meals
Vitamine E as mixed tocopherols: 400 IU twice a day
Crategus tincture: 20 drops two or three times a day
Rutin or quercitin (bioflavonoids): 500 mg daily
Biotin: 5 mg daily

I found this in a book titled The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.

Lissette

[momof3kids7]

i had a 27 yr old pt who loved lopressor for her PVCs - i t worked for her