hOW DO i KNOW IF ARRHYTMIA OR PALPS?

[nancyjo]

I posted earlier and asked about the almost blacking out with hard skips, if i wore an event monitor for 30 days and recorded some of these feelings, although, none this bad, shouldn't that show if it is serious? also, when i did stress test and echogram of heart, wouldn't that show anything serious? My vision has gotten worse over last few weeks also. until 4 weeks ago. never had problems with vision at all. They have done brain scan and eeg also.i don't want to worry that they have missed something. the nausea and vomiting is better. Thank you. i see heart doctor tomorrow to see about the monitor results and will tell him about the severe flutters. my heart feels like it shakes and quivers at times. this is new. nancy

[winnie]

Yes, my family doctor advised me to take CO-Q10 supplement.  It is good for the heart muscle.  For the pvc's I also take magnessium.  Although I do not take them every day, zinc and potassium are good also.  But you should not take too much of the potassium.  Bananas are a good source of potassium.  I have had pvc's for just one year.  They scared me because I figured I had heart disease along with the high blood pressure that I've been fighting for over 10 years.  Many of the meds for BP do not agree with me.  At present I am on Diovan HT but it doesn't lower the pressure very much.  

[Steven M.]

  To Joanne which I believe is the person who wrote the previous note. I wanna let you know that your story is exactly word for word what I would of wrote. you are not alone. I'm 22. I've had this for several years. I'm about to go see the cardiologists again just to get the same answer. That I'm fine. Well I know I'm not. I get these palpatations or arythmias every time I get to upset or when I physically assert myself. I have panic/anxiety disorder also and definately makes my situation worse. But that is not the problem when I try to play soccer or surf. I read some of these stories and it seems as if everyones symptons just got worse and worse. It is very scary. I wish someone had some really positive news to brighten up this situation. Like, "I've had this for years and it never got worse! It's only gotten better". but I'm afraid that isn't going to be the case. My mom has arythmias but different from what I get. she takes a supplement called Q10. She swears by it. She said it has made a world of a difference. Beta Blockers did not work for her. I'm going to start trieng the Q10 tonight. I suggest you do also, you can get it from a vitamin store.

[Joanne]

Oh boy...I am really scared.  This is my first time to this sight.  I have suffered from palpitations for a few years and recently they have gotten more frequent.  I saw a cardiologist today and had an EKG (normal) and blood tests (normal).  Thursday I will have an ecocardiogram (I anticipate it to be normal as I had one a couple of years ago which was normal).  I suffer from premature beats, although I don't yet know if they are PVC's pr PAC's.  Reading your above comments has really got me concerned because I couldn't imagine sitting through these palpitations for a hours at a time...I can barely sustain one!  I also suffer from panic/anxiety disorder, which doesn't make the situation any better.  If you have any advice for me, I'd really appreciate it.  I feel so alone.

[nancyjo]

please e-mail me and deb too, so we can talk about this. go to columbus hospital friday for test. it does help to know other people feel these too and haven't died!!!!  :)nancy ***@****

[Deb]

Thank you for your recent comment.  I did read your other questions and answers, and I am glad you are having this test.  Hope you will get a diagnosis and treatment that helps.  I have tried to post a question, but the site is always full.  I am too aware of how you feel!  My PVC's are not as bad as they were a few years back, although I still have them everyday, just not for hours at a time.  When they did go on for hours, I would experience pain in my chest also, so I know that feeling, too.  The cardiologist that diagnosed PVC's said he did not know where the pain came from, so he did a stress test.  Passed with flying colors!  At his advising cut out caffeine and cold medications (although I took very few anyway).  PVC's are better, as I stated, and I've tried to just live with them.  However, this quivering in my chest and neck area have me concerned.  This started a while back and has progressively gotten worse.  My family physcian has tried to figure out what causes this, but so far all test are normal.  Have had CT scan, MRI, along with numerous blood test.  I now know I have a slight herniated disc (C5 & C6) and ciari malformation, but neither are severe.  I totally feel I am on my own to find out what causes these quivers.  I've also wondered about medications, but I'm assured that the medications I take would not cause anything like this.  I take premarin, because I have had a hysterectomy, and clonodine, because over the years I have developed high blood pressure, which seems to be of more concern to my doctor than PVC's or these quivers.  The blood pressure medication is probably what made my PVC's get better.  All this said,  I am just so tired, both from PVC's and this quivering and trying so hard to get a diagnosis.  Just knowing there is another person who has some of the same symptoms as me, ironically as this sounds, has made me feel some better!  Hope your test goes really well and that a cure is on the way.  I will pray that you will finally get better.  Thanks.

[nancyjo]

Saw heart doctor this week and he is doing a procedure next week out of town to check the electrical part of my heart to tell me to be assured, nothing serious or yes, i need a defibulator? i posted again 3 days ago questions about this procedure, had answers from folks, but not doctor yet on this site. must say i am scared. the episodes are getting longer lasting and the feeling of dizzy is worse also now get a tingling on chest and arms with them. he said 30 day monitor showed pvc's witha few that could be electrical disurbances, so that is why the test. still, all i hear about quiver, shaking heart feeling can still be related to stress. i do have all  alot of gas and previous posts seem to relate the 2. I am on atenolol to slow my heart rate (from 100-110, to now 70) and pharmasisit said i can't mix mallox or such with that drug and i also take aciphex for stomach and can't mix mallox witht that either or i would sure try that to stop these flutters skips, etc. friday is last heart test to do with me. I catch myself sitting, dreading, expecting my heart to do something. It has altered my whole life and i hate it. afraid to go anywhere because my heart might do it again real bad........ really want friday over with so i know for sure. you can e-mail if you want and thanks. ***@****

[Rhonda]

I've had the feeling that my heart was "skipping a beat" and it happens when I'm stressed. Also, for dull headaches--have you considered that you may not be drinking enough water?  My mother had headaches for months.  Just dull throbbing headaches that never went away.  She went to many docs but no answer.  I happened to read somewhere that slight dehydration can cause headaches.  And I already knew my mom didn't drink much water.  She upped her water intake and the headaches went away.  Sometimes the best solution is the easy solution.

[Deb]

I read your questions today in search of answers for some health issues of my own.  I started havin PVC's about 10 years ago.  It got to the point that it would go on for hours.  When I would see a doctor, my heart would always seem to beat normally.  Finally, I saw a cardiologist.  When I described what was going on, he diagnosed it as PVC's.  However, it would sometimes make me feel like blacking out and even hurt after long episodes.  My EKG's always seem normal as does a stress test.  Like you, about 2 years ago, I began to experience the quivering or shaking of my heart.  It is always at night, usually after being asleep only briefly.  I've expressed concern to my doctor, but have not had a clear diagnosis thus far.  I am very concerned that this is something I should not dismiss as normal for my body.  If you have a diagnosis after wearing the monitor, please share your info with me.  I'm interested in finding answers!  Thanks.

[nancyjo]

It is not migraines i'm sure. i just keep dull headaches all the time. the flutter, shakes, quiver and almost passing out really scares me. plus, a few times the skips actually hurt.wonder if bad gas and constipated can cause heart flutters?thanks for responding. nancy

[Victoria]

Nancy, have you ruled out migraine head aches?

[CCF-M.D.-DLB]

If you had your symptoms while wearing the event monitor and no arrhythmia was seen, then your symptoms are not due to an arrhythmia. With all these normal tests it is unlikely that your heart is the source of your symptoms, though the visual loss is concerning. Might be worth seeing an opthalmologist.