palpitations - why can't they diagnose anything????

[Ingrid]

I am a 38 year old female who has really been through the ringer getting my heart checked out.  I have been for ultrasounds, EKG's, two unsuccessful ablations and probably any other testing that you can imagine.  The doctors say that I have a structurally normal heart and not to worry about what I feel.

I have been diagnosed with PVC's, short runs of SVT, and non-sustained v-tach (which I don't think happens too frequently).  I have been on numerous beta-blockers which I do not do well on and I still feel every skipped beat that I get.  I find I get really bad headaches and my blood pressure is super low 80/56 when I am beta blockers.  I naturally have low blood pressure so I think the beta blockers make it even lower.

Why can't they find out why my heart acts up all of the time?  I constantly feel skips, a fluttering sensation and sometimes it just starts pounding for no reason at all!!!!  I can't stand it anymore.  There is not a day that goes by when I don't feel something funny going on in there and it really scares me.  Is there not some operation that can fix what is going on????  Since they have found all of these things that are happening (ie: the PVC's - approximately 10 a day, but really hard ones, svt and non-sustained v-tach), why do they tell me not to worry?????  They have said I could go on an anti-arrythmic if I wanted to but it was not necessary.  I DO NOT want to go on an anti-arrythmic, I am too scared to go on it.

What else can I do?  I am driving my doctor crazy, I go back to her probably once per month and tell her I can't take this heart issue anymore.  She is always very nice to me but I am at the point I am embarrased to go see her because she says she does not know where else to send me.  

What can I do??  Am I driving myself crazy with this.  I really feel there is something wrong in there but everyone tells me there is not and a lot of people get weird sensations.

[LINDA CAROLEO]

Hi Lenore, When you started the magnesium did you get tested and were you magnesium deficient?  My magnesium serum levels tested okay by my intracellular levels came back deficient.

Also, how much magnesium and potassium did you start with and how much are you up to now?  What kind of magnesium are you taking?  Are you taking any calcium?

Thanks, Lin

[Lenore Carfora]

Hello everyone,

I first posted here about a month ago. It was probably one of the best things I ever did for my health. Someone was kind enough to tell me about magnesium difficiency and what it does to the body, including abnormal heart rhythms. I immediately started magnesium and potassium supplements. Within a few days I noticed a drastic decrease in episodes of pvc's. Now, a month later, I barely feel them at all. Since that posting, I have been doing alot of my own research on magnesium difficiency and an amazing 28% of the American population is difficient in this much needed mineral!!!! The symptoms have a range from muscle cramps or spasms to Angina including abnormal heart rhythms!! I come back to the board I first learned how to improve my health to spread the word and possibly help a few more people. I realize this may not be the answer for everyone, but I feel in my 'heart' that a good portion of people who have this problem can find relief simply by supplementing their diets with this mineral. I urge you all to do the research on magnesium, you may want to even discuss this with your doctor first. But I think it is worth it for all of you to at least check it out! If I can help even one person escape the nightmare it will make me very happy! Good luck to all of you, and I pray the suffering will end!

Lenore

[JV]

I have had PVC's for 3 years now.  The bottom line is, the more you pay attention to them, the worse they get.  If the diagnosis is PVC's, trust your doctor and move on with life.  By the way,
I have them almost everyday (sometimes several hundred a day) and sometimes I can go a week without feeling a "skip."
STRESS is a major factor.

[Kathy]

I too suddenly began having PVC's in Jan of the year I was 38. Had all the tests, quit caffeine completely, no coffee, tea, chocolate or cola. Also no medicines with caffeine. It took exactly 7 weeks for the PVC's to stop. I had over 600 on the 24 hr Holter Monitor. I am now 44. I rarely get PVc's They tend to occur when I'm premenstrual or if I eat a large meal. Like I said they are rare now! You can feel them, but as long as you are not having chest pain, shortness of breath, you don't smoke and you have been cleared through your doctor, you should be OK.

[Linda]

Thanks for reminding us that God is in control of all things.  He did place the doctors and their knowledge here for us to use.
Everyone, just make sure you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and friend so that when you do die, we'll all meet in heaven.

[Sven]

I don't care how benign they are, I hate hate hate hate hate
those stupid PVCs. They remind me at least once an hour
of my mortality, which is something I don't really need to
be thinking about that often. No amount of condescending
reassurance from the doctor is ever going to fix that.

The worst thing about skipped beats in an otherwise
healthy person is their unpredictability. Driving the car,
walking down the street, anywhere - anytime. One-offs,
in clusters, big PVCs, little PVCs: they show no mercy.

The only time I rarely notice them is when engaging
in physical exercise - is this because they tend to happen
less then, or because they are less likely to be noticed
when your heart is pounding hard anyway?

Sven