Has anyone tried acupuncture?

[RickDG]

I'm scheduled for my first acupuncture session on Monday for my sustained VT.  I figure if three RF ablations in five months plus metroprolol and flecainide can't control it very well, perhaps I'd try something else.  Just wondering if anyone else has had experience with it.  Since my last ablation in mid September I have had three bouts of VT that have lasted about half an hour each so I know they didn't get it.  To top it off, the last three times it has happened at the gym, which it never used to.  I used to only go into VT at night, but now it seems like if it's going to happen it's during a workout.

[lucyluu]

I have the same med situation as you.  I have never been on heart meds before and found the side effects to be terrible.  One of the herbs I am on has been slowly replacing my Propranolol.  I only need to take it once this week so that was nice because the Propranolol was giving me insomnia.  I will always keep it on hand just in case but for the most part my PVC's were really under control this week.

Good luck to you and you should post to let us know what you thought of your treatment.  Just remember Chinese medicine takes time.  Thats why most Americans dont like it:)

[PikaPika88]

My GP also is a qualify Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncturist.   I know they use treatment and herbs to stop my heavy period very effective.  1 dose of herb and it spot on.  No need hormone therapy.

[SassyLassie]

I have been going to an acupuncturist for over a year, and YES, it has helped. You see, it is based on the theory that if energy is being blocked to one spot, then it is only naturally that it is being blocked to others. Acupuncture opens up these energy paths, known as QI (pronounced CHI) and there really is something to it. I started going when I had horrendous upper back spasms, anxiety and pain all over, it has helped. I go once a week.  

Before the treatment, she feels my pulses in different spots on my wrist, and she tell by how they feel, what areas I am lacking QI, usually, it is my kidneys and spleen, and these two areas control nerves,anxiety, etc. She can tell also if my pulse is "wiry" or "slippery" she then places the tiny, thin needles accordingly in different parts of my body, when finished, she rechecks my pulses, and the ones that signify weak heart QI are always better, it is truly amazing. The Chinese have a term for the PVC's and such, it is called "Running Piglet Syndrome" and when you think about it, it makes sense, your heart is sort of like a scared piglet running when it acts like it does. Oh sure, I still get those horrid things, but, by and large, I have to admit, at times at least, they are better. I have not had a treatment in two weeks, and I notice it, I will be glad to go this Wednesday and get fixed up. Oh yes, they should also look at your tongue, both on top and under, you can not believe the info they can get from that. I do not understand it all, but, I DO know there is something to it.

My doctor has a degree in Naturopathy, Chinese medicine and acupuncture, she went to the Cadillac of Naturopathic schools, called "Bastry" it is outside of Seattle. She is very knowledgeable in both Eastern and Western medicine. She is the one who even ordered my echo from the cardiologist. She is so thorough and conscientious. I am so blessed to have her.

I do agree with lucyluu however, make sure whomever you see has a degree, knows what they are doing and is familiar with both types of medicine, meaning not only alternative but the conventional as well. A bad practitioner can do as much harm as a good one can do good.

Best of luck and let us know how it goes.

[RickDG]

Jerry & Lucy,

I haven't met the acupuncturist yet, however he comes highly recommended from three people I know, two who have been treated by him and the owner of my fitness center who knows him and has heard good things about him.  He's a chiropractor in addition to being an acupuncturist and I'm not sure if he has any experience w/ heart rhythm issues but I figure it's worth one visit to find out.

Lucy, thanks for the tip on the herbs.  To be honest, I am a little aprehensive about taking anything other than what I have been prescribed already.  I'm not a big fan of what I'm taking to begin with, had never been on meds in my life until a few months ago when I found out the hard way that my "anxiety" attacks were really VT.

I'll keep you posted.  Thanks!

[lucyluu]

I go to acupuncture once a week.  Ive been going since August when my heart really got out of control.  I went for the same reason as you.  What the hell because nothing else is working.  When I first went I had nerve damage, back pain and out of control PVC's.  Since August I have been put on herbs and now have no more nerve damage or back pain.  The pain was treated in one visit and the nerve damage took around a month and a half to completely go away.  My feet and legs were turning purple and burning all the time.  As for my PVC's I do not get any more chest pain with them.  I am still getting them.  I can feel 6 of them a day but I dont know how many Im not feeling.  

My acupuncturist is very confident and we created a plan for my heart after we treated the other symptoms.  I am going to let her do her thing for 2 more months plus herbs since we have had progress.  At the end of the 2 months she wants me to go back to the Cardiologist and redo my tests and see what happens.  I like her style.

Be very careful when choosing an Acupuncturist.  There are some squirrels out there.  Research and then do more research.  Please know that if you take the herbs you are on your own with the Acupuncturist.  The Chinese herbs do not show up in the American medical books so no doc can help you if you have a problem.  My Acupuncturist has a PHD also so she knows a little of American health care plus her own.  Please research because I want your experience to be very positive.  I have 2 friends that really urged me to see this woman because they have had success with their own issues.  It can be a great thing when done right.

[Jerry_NJ]

We look with interest to lean from your experiment with acupuncture.  I have no experience with the procedure, but I have heard here and there that it works for some things.

Do you have a practitioner who claims to be able to give relief from heart rhythm problems?