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.

[Lisa I.]

For 15 years I suffered from palpitations with heart rates up to 140 beats per minute at rest, dizziness, and shortness of breath.  I could go a year without any symptoms and then suddenly get symptoms for months.  Doctors pretty much told me that I was stressed and too young to have any heart problems.  You can imagine that over a 15 year period of time how frustrated I was.  In January 1999, I went to an electrophysiologist (a cardiologist who deals with electrical disturbances of the heart) and was diagnosed with arrythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia.  This is a rare, genetic heart condition which causes normal tissue of the right ventricle to die, and it is replaced by fatty tissue.  This condition is really in the "new" stages.  There is a research center and registry in Arizona, run by Dr. Marcus, however there is much inconsistency between physicians when it comes to long term prognosis and making the diagnosis, as well as treatment.  I am writing to you and ANY patient who may have a gut feeling that something is not right.  This condition is responsible for sudden death.  I do not want to scare anyone, after all I am now 35 years old and am still here, however, be an advocate for yourself.  Anyone with symptoms of unexplained ventricular tachycardia or persistent palpitations should raise the question of ARVD to their physician.  If your physician does not know what it is find one that does.  There are many sites to research about ARVD. Good luck and God bless!

[Jerry]

Too bad you didn't post your name, or at least part of it,
"someone who cares," so that we can thank you for your
prayer.

That was a very nice thing to come in here and do (although
you'll likely get flack from some people about doing it).

Thank you,

      ----- Jerry

[someone who cares]

Father God, I come to you on behalf of everyone that has written to this forum discussing their conditoion.  Father , you created us and you know exactly what is going on inside our bodies.  And Father I pray right now in the name of Jesus that you would touch our bodies. Take away the irregualr beats, take away the rapid  heartbeats.  Remove any stress out of our lives.  Give us peace that passes all understanding. Lord do what only you can do.  When the doctors say no, or I don't know, we know Lord that you know all things.  So we claim healing in our bodies right now.  We come against every attack of the enemy.  Father your word says that by your stripes we are healed, and we stand on that word right now.  In Jesus name.  Amen.  Everyone be blessed!!!

[Laura ( Louisiana)]

Alot of you with mitral valve prolapse may have "mitral valve prolapse syndrome". It is a syndrome of symptoms related to dysautonomy of the nervous system. Palpitations such as PVC's and panic attacks are two of the symptoms. I bought a book by Lyn Fredrickson R.N., that helped me understand what was happening to me. If my heart goes really crazy I still tend to worry, but my anxiety has decreased tremendously. You can go to mitralvalveprolapse.com for more information. Wow, I don't mean to sound like an advertisement. I am a registered nurse and would just like to let you know what helped me. If you would like you can e-mail me at ***@****.

[ZEET]

I know exactly what you're saying. I started feeling weird things with my heart since 1993. I was 33 at the time, and didn't see anyone about it until I had no other choice in feb. 1998, when my heart was going nuts all day long. The following month in march of 98, I saw a cardiologist for the first time, and he said the same" nothing wrong, picture perfect heart." But he did want me to start toprol. I went to a second cardiologist because I really didn't want to srart medication. After all the tests, he says the same. He doesn't doubt what I say I'm feeling, but he said he got to get it on paper. I have had event monitors, and holter monitors, and my syntoms were not recorded. But he did put me on toprol. It is so frustrating and scary. I think the worst part has to be is when you feel so lousy on and off, and I try not to complain too much, but when you do say something, I get the feeling people don't believe me. I get that feeling sometimes from my mother in law and sister in law. I come from a family both on my father and mother side that has heart problems. My mother had been on inderal since she was 40, she is now 72. My sister has dealt with these problems since 1985 and had a ablation done in 96. My 15 year old nephew heart rate one day this past jan. went to 245, this was the first time he ever had any problems with his heart. He had an ablation done in feb. Now my neice who is 17 just started to have a fast heart , and she currently has an event monitor. Hopefully things will get resolved.

[Jill Cannella]

Oh my God, I can not tell you how both relieved and frightened I am at the same time.  When I read your message just moments ago, it was just like me writing the letter.  Everything you have said is exactly what I have been experiencing for years.  I am 33 years old.  I have noticed problems with my heart since I was 15.  I have been going to doctor after doctor with the same reply.  Nothing is wrong with you.  I did have several doctors tell me that I probably had Mitral Valve Prolapse and prescribed Inderol for me.  I studied up on this extensively, and although I have many of the symptons, it just didnt seem right.  Last August I went back to the cardiologist and told him that I was fed up with feeling this way.  He said "that he was really sorry and he did not doubt my discomfort, however, unless they could actually see something on an EKG then he couldnt tell me anything more."  The problem was, that anytime I was having an attack, I wasnt able to get in to see the doctor, so he was not able to see what was going on.  I constantly feel my heartbeat and I have occasional mild attacks.  But at the onsought of a "Big Attack"  I get this strange headache and feel extraordinarily tired.  The attacks last for a week.  They scare me to death.  I finally went to the hospital last week and made them put a holter moniter on me while the attacks were happening.  They called me today, to inform me that I had PVC.  And what do you think they told me......"It's no big deal, your heart is structurally sound.  You can take your Inderol if you want, but there is no need to worry.  The problem is, that when these attacks happen, I feel like I am dying or could die.  I don't know what to do and I am sick of feeling this way.  I share your feelings 100%.  I read some of the comments that people made that said just get over it they have the same problem and its just life kindof attitude.  However, from reading your message you sound just as desparate as me and just as frightened and fed up.  I totally understand this and am so happy just to find someone after all this time of thinking I was crazy, to feel just like me.  Sincerely.  Please feel free to respond to this if you feel like it.  ***@****