Please help, I do not know what to do!

[Rebekah35]

Dear Friends,
I am almost 36 years old, am someone who has a lot of weight to lose, battle acid reflux, but am trying to be very pro active with my health. I do not eat sugar, drink caffeine, drink alcohol or smoke.  I know I need to lose weight but now am afraid to exercise b/c every time I do or even minimally exert, I have these irregular heartbeats that are constant and are now closer in rhythm.
   SOMEONE OUT THERE, PLEASE HELP ME, I FEEL I CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS.
I FEEL I CANNOT GO ON LIVING LIKE THIS.  My husband will not listen tome, I do not have supportive family (I really do not have much of a family having come from an abusive background) and do not have a lot of good friends who have stuck by me.  Basically, it seems everyone has given up on me b/c I am always bothered by these symptoms.
  For the past two years, I had them on and off, but never like this.  Accompanying them now is leg pain.
  I have been diagnosed with Panic Disorder and anxiety in the past but I thought I had battled it completely and it was gone.  I have not had a job since October and am not sure how we are going to survive, so my stress is extremely high.
  
I have been suffering every day for almost two weeks now with constant irregular heartbeats.  It is getting so bad that I am waking up at night and it has totally affected my sleep, (It is also causing me to "make up" for sleep during the day) which led to me being sleep deprived for three days and going to the ER because along with this is accompanying constant chest pain and pressure.  
   The ER Came Friday night (It is Monday night now) and they sent three vehicles (I went by ambulance.)
  The first Fire guy said that I had multiple PVC's showing up on the EKG, but they did a few more and apparently that EKG did not get transferred to the hospital b/c when I spoke to the (very rude and compassionless) doctor, she said that my PVC's were not detected on THEIR EKG, as if to negate the fact that the other guy picked them up. I did not think to get a copy of what he had because I have been too bothered and consumed by the heart rhythm abnormality that is CONSTANT.
  I am going to the Cardiologist tomorrow, hoping to get answers, but I have been down this road before, except now, the palpitations are constantly close together.  I had an angiogram last April and it came up "normal" but I was diagnosed with PAC's and PVC's. I was never told what to do about them, but to monitor them and if they got worse, to let the medical doctors know.  Well, I have and it seems that nobody is taking me seriously.  
   I have had serious problems finding a good primary care doctor and my primary care doctor who I called Friday prescribed "Inderal" for me which I did not take b/c the pharmacist said it would mix badly with my Fluoxetine (which I often wonder is even helping me with anxiety at this point) and then I got yelled at today for not taking it, only increasing my blood pressure...
  The ER doctor told me to go to my doctor and would not answer any of my questions or concerns about why it gets worse with exercise, etc.
    I wonder how things have to go before someone starts listening to me.
    I went to the doctor today and she told me that my health is being threatened by high triglycerides at 350 but she said it did not warrant medication at this time and then she said of course I needed to lose weight. How can I lose weight when every time I exercise my heart goes WHACK? I do not know what to do.  Everyone around me keeps telling me to lose weight, to lose weight, but honestly, nobody is helping me with the problem or offering suggestions, so unless they can, they need to keep their mouths shut.
      I hope that there is someone out there who can pray for me and who knows how I feel.  

     I hope there are some people out there who care and who can share insights.
  Please HELP!

Sleepless in Seattle,
Rebekah

[misha_AL]

You probably don't want to hear this but it may (mostly anyway) be in your head OR you could really have something wrong.  I have had bad experiences with medical profession myself.  I have cussed lazy doctors out on more than one occasion.

First, YOU are your primary caregiver and the doctor is helping YOU to correct your issue.  You know your body and its reactions better than ANYONE.  If you have a doctor that will not listen, go to another. Do NOT go through the ER for a doctor.  They are there for emergency care, not general help.  

Does your insurance require you to go through a primary doctor before going to cardiologist?  If not, then call a cardiologist directly and explain calmly your issues and get an appointment.  If you are required to go through your primary doctor, explain you want a cardiologist, if he/she will not listen - then GET ANOTHER DOCTOR ASAP!!  Check around - you will be surprised to find how many people actually have heart disorders - ask them who their general or primary doctor is and see if that doctor is accepting new patients.

ANY doctor who loses their temper with you is a lousy doctor.  A patient can be frustrating but still - no doctor should lose their temper and be a jerk.

Did you call the doctor at the time of the prescription for Inderal or have the pharmacist (who can explain better the interaction issue) call the doctor?  I have them do that all the time if I am in doubt or the pharmacist does not agree with the combination.  It is especially important that you go through one doctor for medical prescriptions and the same pharmacist so the interactions can be caught.

In the meantime, see if the doctor will give you something for stress levels - maybe Lexapro or some other depression medication - personally Lexapro deadens my emotions so tada - no stress.  Anyway, stress will give you heart palpations which increase anxiety, which increase heart palpations... see where I am going ;) .

Anyway, temporarily get a good multivitamin - you are probably deficient in several vitamins which can increase the heart palpitations.  Now, go for a very brisk walk every time you can when your stress gets out of hand.

Get with a good doctor ASAP!!  You probably have a heart palpitation that will not harm you but it can sure freak you out.  It does me when the heart palps kick in.  However, it is urgent that you confirm any issues/diagnosis with an expert in that field.  Cardiologist, electrocardialogist..etc.

Research supplements for heart palpitations on Google.  Try CoQ10 - my personal saviour supplement of choice.. but do with doctor supervision.  Eat more bananas and apples.

Good Luck!  YOU are your caretaker first and foremost.  

To be honest, I would tell my hubby to kiss my **s and run like **** from the relationship too... but that's my worthless 2cents on that subject.

[Jerry_NJ]

Sorry to read you are having so many health problems.  You post is very clear, and that's a good sign, you are able to express yourself well in writing.  Try to "grab" on to that strength to get as calm as you can, then think about some very light exercise you can try, remember just walking slowly is exercise.  If you can do that for just a minute or two, take a rest and try again... you get the idea.  Work your way up longer walks and see if how that goes.

As for weight loss, even with exercise too many calories in means too much weight.  Find ways not to snack, drink more water is a big help.  

The variable results with EKG readings is quite common.  Many, maybe most, people with rhythm problems do not have them 100% of the time, some one EKG will be different from the next, even it the two are taken the same day, or even the same hour.  That's why many have to go onto a 24 hour or longer heart monitor/recorder.  

I can't comment on you medical experience other than to say try to be as clear and logical with the doctors, just like you were on the post to this community, and that may help get answers from them.  It can be helpful, I use it, to make a note of items to discuss when going to see the doctor.  Try to order the question is a priority or other manner that will help you get the answers you're looking for and need.

Above all, be calm and positive, you can beat this and I wish you well too on finding a new job.