Is it possible to "live" with palpitations??

[momabird]

I feel very fortunate to have found this forum where people have the same condition I do and share the same concerns.  I am wondering, after reading all of your stories, is it even possible to "live" a normal life while dealing with the constant fear and anxiety related to this issue??  I am a 40 yr old female whose palpitations started four months ago after 6 months of suffering severe panic attacks.  I have quit smoking, eliminated caffeine, am on a beta blocker, and walk 3 miles a day on a treadmill whenever I am able.  But nothing has stopped these palpitations.  EKG's were all normal as well as the 24 hr holter monitor results.  I don't understand how there can be no apparent cause or cure for this condition.  I, along with all of you, am frustrated and tired of living in constant fear!!  I am, however, glad to find people who actually understand what I am dealing with every single day.  All the "normal" people I know don't understand that if it is not life threatening how I can't just ignore it and get on with my life!!  REALLY??   If it were that simple, we would all be doing it instead of joining this forum for support and possible answers!!  Good luck to everyone else suffering as I do!!  I would appreciate any and all correspondence on this condition!!  Thanks in advance!!

[claytex]

WOULDNT A HEART ABLATION POSSIBLY HELP. I HAD ATRIAL FIBRILLATION FOR `12 YEARS AND FINALLY HAD AN ABLATION AT HEART HOSPITAL  OF AUSTIN LAST YEAR AND SO FAR... ITS FIXED MY PROBLEMS... NO AFIB, NO SKIPPED BEATS JUST A NICE REGULAR HEART BEAT... CLAYTEX

[Ibiza_islander]

My life has gone due to palps n skipped beats. Meds never worked and yesterday my doc said there are no pills to stop them. They said if its afib it's different but if its just palps i have to live with them. I cant. Im mentally insane with fear and the next palp. Im 40 and my lifes gone. All i do is cry for my old life... I live in my bed n never eat.  Im sobbing as i write this. Wd had plans to move to spain but whats  the point now im like this... Im so so sad. Sorry to be selfish  as I know you all have the worry etc. Xx

[kplacido]

Hi ibiza islander. I would like to speak with you about the trouble you are going through. Would you be in touch with me pls?

[ChicagoNick]

I know this is a year ago Ibiza, but I'm going through the very same thing and I also have had MS for 18 years, I"m 53, crippled, I had a brain tumor in 87 I survived without problems. And now I can't walk 10 feet without "Palping out" is what i call it.

My legs are already weak, so some make me fall.. I feel like I'm gonna die 40 times a day now for 4 months. Echo nothing.. ZIO patch which is a new style monitor, you push the button when an event occurs, I'm pushing it all day long.. Just using the first 3 days as a benchmark, that means I've had 1000s of these since they started..

I take xanax now and have been taking methadone for pain for a while now, which could be causing them, right temporal lobe surgery again 87, that could be it, brain stem MS lesions could be it... I'll die before they figure out what's wrong..

In 87 I was misdiagnosed 3 times with migraines til dropped unconscious at work and turned out to be a lemon sized brain tumor on my right lobe between my skull and epidermis.   I was right all along, the Dr's almost killed me at 21.

Good luck, these Cardio doctors do this so much they dont' seem to care unless you're in cardiac arrest.

[dmacd74]

As Claytex responded above, there is the possibility of an ablation to help with pvcs, but for pvcs, ablations don't always work for a number of reasons, one is the location of the errant heart cells, the other is the possibility of blood vessels nearby or in the way. It is easier to ablate the more serious conditions like afib and svt.  Easier and higher success rates I mean.  Moma, I have had pvcs for 18 years now and have had as many as 17K per day.  I have tried anti arrhythimics (very dangerous), calcium channel blockers, and not I am on a beta blocker (toprol) - sorry for all the misspellings.  All I can say is yes, you can learn to live with them, but it is difficult at times.  Pvcs seem to come and go and as far as I can tell, there is no rhythm or reason.  Many times I have thought it was caffeine, decaf coffee, vitamins, fish oil, other supplements, sugar, sugar substitutes, you get the idea.  I can't seem to identify any trigger other than ONE, and that is anxiety!!!  If I have multiple pvcs, I get anxious, then I have more, and it turns into a vicious circle.  Right now I am going through a very bad bout of almost two months, but yesterday I was calm, and I felt like they lessened.  I am considering an ablation because supposedly mine are unifocal, right ventricular, and easy to ablate.  We'll see...  You didn't mention an echocardiogram. Have you had one?  Reassurance goes a long way, and if you are told after the echo, that your valves are in good shape, there is no sclerosis, and your heat output is top notch, you may be able to relax and they will go away.  My ep tells me that they usually go away, in my case it may take up to 8 weeks, but I believe that is true for most people, but they do always seem to return in moments of high stress, for me at least.  You need to be under the care of a good cardiologist, possibly and ep, have all the tests and try to keep stress down.  Write again and let us know how you are.  I try to always remember that the one statement I have heard from doctors over and over again is "pvcs are a benign condition in people without heart disease".  Keep that in mind...

[ChicagoNick]

It's a long time ago, I hope you got better.. I'm going through your thing myself now in 2017 June...

What I said to another lady above...
I know this is a year ago Ibiza, but I'm going through the very same thing and I also have had MS for 18 years, I"m 53, crippled, I had a brain tumor in 87 I survived without problems. And now I can't walk 10 feet without "Palping out" is what i call it.

My legs are already weak, so some make me fall.. I feel like I'm gonna die 40 times a day now for 4 months. Echo nothing.. ZIO patch which is a new style monitor, you push the button when an event occurs, I'm pushing it all day long.. Just using the first 3 days as a benchmark, that means I've had 1000s of these since they started..

I take xanax now and have been taking methadone for pain for a while now, which could be causing them, right temporal lobe surgery again 87, that could be it, brain stem MS lesions could be it... I'll die before they figure out what's wrong..

In 87 I was misdiagnosed 3 times with migraines til dropped unconscious at work and turned out to be a lemon sized brain tumor on my right lobe between my skull and epidermis.   I was right all along, the Dr's almost killed me at 21.

Good luck, these Cardio doctors do this so much they dont' seem to care unless you're in cardiac arrest.

[Mom2four85]

Is it possible? sure; is it easy? never...I've lived with some type of arrhythmia and fainting since I was 9years old. I didn't know it at the time but my heart was stopping when I fainted; which was shown during a tilt table test in 2009.  

2 years ago at the age of 42; I found out I had something dangerous; even though my heart was "structurally" normal...I had over 50,000 pvc's daily and an EKG from back in 2007 showed I had tons of pvc's and in bigeminy from then.  It was a fluke I found out really - I fell broke my foot and had to go in to see a dr when it wouldn't heal. He scared me and told me I would have to have my valves replaced; which I didn't.  

I went to a cardiologist and EP; got a 2nd opinion and no one thought at the time of my ablation that anything was dangerous until the EP got inside and triggered long runs of polymorphic VT which stopped my heart a few times and I had to get an ICD in case it happened again.

After the EPS I had more testing done that showed I had developed some structural issues and possibly had HOCM (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy) and my ANS went into failure as well as nerve damage all over and some minor brain damage which they think was caused by my heart stopping so many times.

Before August 2009, even with major symptoms I walked, ran, did circuit training - I was always dieting and exercising - probably too much, I have 4 children (2 grown 2 younger) did all the yard work, went to parks, zoo's museums, beach, sporting things, had a business of my own and helped my husband in his business.

After ablation; it's been a long long road to recovery trying to figure out why & what happened because there are no clear cut easy answers.  In June 2011; I had 3 Vtach episodes I fainted, suffering a concussion, head contusion and severe neck sprain.  Is it easy knowing at any time my heart can stop again? not really and it's depressing; sometimes it gets to me especially when I'm in pain or feeling bad.  My whole body started failing at young age and they don't know why.

I've tried meds, lifestyle changes, ablation, more meds, Pacemaker/ICD; nothing has helped completely get rid of these purple people eaters and dr's told me there is nothing else medically they can do for me, except treat symptoms...

for now that's ok; one day there may be answers and a cure...until then, I have to take each moment at a time and face the day and what happens as best I can cope and realize not every day can be sunshine and rainbows.

[ChicagoNick]

Hope you got well.. i'm going through that same stuff here in 2017...nothing seems to have changed how they treat these and people who get them. :(

[Janpes]

Of course it is easy to live with palpitations. We human beings are a lot stronger than we think we are. If they are not life threatening then push them away. Work through them, don't give into them. Don't let them take over your life, we only get the one and to waste it by worry about palpitations is a waste of an opportunity to live a full life.
I know at some point they get us down, really down but I will not let them win. I have a life worth living and so do you, so lets enjoy it!
Good luck and take care

[ireneo]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "palpitations."  If you mean PVC's, then yes you can live with them. There's a good percentage of people that live a long life with PVC's. From what I've read, it's quite common for people to develop some PVC issues as they get older. But they keep on living. So the PVC's won't slow you down; the anxiety and fear are what will take the joy out of your life.

The other comments about a-fib, passing out, having an ICD are more serious heart ailments and need to be treated. But even then, life can be enjoyed.

I don't know what your palpitations are but they can be managed by the doctor and you can live life fully. I've had heart arrhythmias all my life and have been married 38 years (today!), had 3 children and worked with wildlife for over 20 years now. Obviously my crazy heart didn't stop me. And I expect to live a long time. I've made it this far.  :-)

[saimon282]

Hi i have the same problem , i fell that my heart stop for a second and star again and again. I have this for so many years, but lately i have them all the time and the cardiologist said is nothing to worry, but when this bothers me. I can not stop worry i want to run to the ER all the time, i don't know if i can live like this for the rest of my life. I'm so unhappy.

[ChicagoNick]

They tell me the same bullspit in 2017.. I have 50 of these a day, already have MS and crippled, my feeling is they want us disabled people to die off.. SO they don't have to pay medical bills forever. that's just a fact. Obama let 300,000 US vets die waiting for care and begging for care at the SHIIITEHOLE VA.. its a money maker then they drain you out of dough and hope you die at home so they can spend money on DEM ILLEGALS AND SCUM who never fkng worked in their entire fkng lives... Believe it. And they don't want TRUMP to fix it. C SUCKERS ALL OF EM..

[saimon282]

Hi i have the same problem , i fell that my heart stop for a second and star again and again. I have this for so many years, but lately i have them all the time and the cardiologist said is nothing to worry, but when this bothers me. I can not stop worry i want to run to the ER all the time, i don't know if i can live like this for the rest of my life. I'm so unhappy.

[ChicagoNick]

They tell me the same bullspit in 2017.. I have 50 of these a day, already have MS and crippled, my feeling is they want us disabled people to die off.. SO they don't have to pay medical bills forever. that's just a fact. Obama let 300,000 US vets die waiting for care and begging for care at the SHIIITEHOLE VA.. its a money maker then they drain you out of dough and hope you die at home so they can spend money on DEM ILLEGALS AND SCUM who never fkng worked in their entire fkng lives... Believe it. And they don't want TRUMP to fix it. C SUCKERS ALL OF EM..

[Madge270]

My problem is that after eating, when waking, and when being even moderately active, my heart pounds very hard.  The beat is regular now (although I used to have PVCs), but I dan feel my heart pounding for as long as an hour. Sometimes even just bending to one side can trigger them. This has only been going on for the last six months. I feel them in my head and hear them in my right ear (an MRI ruled out problems there). I feel them in the back of my neck, sometimes in the pit of my stomach. My internal medicine doctor used a stethoscope to check my carotid arteries, but felt my heart was fine since I had an echocardiogram just two years ago (only showed slight mitral and tricuspid valve problems, not unusual for someone who is 68).  I don't know whether to go back to my cardiologist (a two hour drive), or take the word of my doctor. I do know that I don't do well on a beta blocker at all, so that's not an option. The heart pounding really  scares me.
I find myself passing up going on long walks with my grandkids, etc., because of this. Not sure what to do, if anything.

[momabird]

Yes, I do mean pvc's.  That's what the ER doctor called them.  I have not had an echocardiogram done due to the fact that I don't have any insurance.  But, right now, there is no price I could put on something that could possible ease my mind to where I could actually learn to live with this condition.  I guess the "not knowing" is pretty hard to deal with too!!  Not to meantion the fear and anxiety!!  I don't know if an ablation would be benefical or not since I have not even seen a cardiologist, only my primary MD and an excellent ER doctor.  @Janpes, I absolutely love your positive attitude!!  Most days, I do allright!!  But on the days when the skipped beats are so many, it is really difficult to deal with!!  Again, I am truly grateful to ALL of you for the advice, comfort, and support!!  I'll update as anything new developes.

[coun79try]

You can do it with a little faith and prayer. I am 31 and about 2 years ago my heart starting going crazy. I have had tons of test done but they cant figure out the cause. Sometimes it to fast, it skips, extra beats and sometimes it slowest down so much i swear it fixing to stop. At first i had a really difficult time with it. I couldn't eat or sleep and stayed depressed all the time. But then i realized that i was just making myself worse and that i could only control the things i could change and the rest i prayed about. So i came to terms that I wanted to enjoy and make the best out of my life everyday because when it came my time i wanted to look back and say i had a lot of fun. After a while it seemed to start getting better, i no longer take meds, I still have days that don't go well but im not going to let it get the best of what's left of my life weather i live to be old or not. You have to find things in your life to look forward to because mind over matter can do a lot. We just found out the other day that we was having a baby boy and after 4 miscarriages we have finally got over the hump. So don't give up don't stop living. I wish you the best of luck

[saimon282]

Thank you so much for you advise, i know is not easy to it, but i have to try all i can. and congratulations for you baby, best of luck

[SLG46]

I am new to this and still haven't had all test dones.  I had >10,000 PVC's on a Holter Monitor and they haven't gotten much better in two weeks.  Very scary.  I have been a nurse for 20 years but didn't do alot of cardiac care.  Mainly orthopedics.  This stuff is scary especially when youhave young kids.  I am driving and feel like a frog is trying to jump out of my throat.  People don't get it unless they live with it.  (Husband)  I try to act normal so I don't scare my kids but they don't stop easily,

[capecoddebbie]

Hi!  I am a 60 yr. old woman who started having lots of pvc's 2 years ago.  Actually, I have had them all my adult life, back then they were about 1000 per day, now they are over 3000.  I have had the echo-cardiogram, holter monitor and see my cardiologist every 6 months.  He said they were benign (unless the heart starts to beat rapidly, I faint or get very weak, or get considerable chest pain.)  Benign, unless....! Yeah - Well, it is very hard NOT to think of these things stopping and crashing all the time.  

I also have a very difficult anxiety problem.  It does seem like a never ending struggle.  One thing that has helped me is taking a couple of slow cleansing breaths, and consciously thinking of relaxing my chest and abdomen.  With practice, this is very effective for me.  They actually seem to slow way down.  

My pcp, my cardiologist, and my daughter (an RN who has worked lots in cardiology) said tons of relatively healthy people have pvc's, and lots of those people never even know they are having them.  I can't imagine someone could not feel these stops and thumps, but I guess they are not lying!  

I keep telling myself that it has been almost 2 years, and I am still alive and still do most of the things I use to.  The times when I have gotten really anxious, like at the doctors, and the pvc's went wild, I still lived and was fine.  I hope this helps!

[momabird]

You guys are all so great!!  Thanks for taking the time to share your stories and for all of the encouragement.  I am soon to have the echocardiogram done which should provide me with alot of peace when they can tell me with confidence that nothing is structurally wrong with my heart.  After that, I intend on coming off of the two medications that I am on since they lower my heart rate and blood pressure to the point to where I am exhausted ALL the time.  I can't stand the "down" feeling all the time, especially when they DON'T stop the palpitations.  And then, we will just go from there.  I do have faith, and I do pray ALOT!!  He is the only reason that I have not completely lost my mind yet!!  LOL!!  =)  I will be praying for all of you as well!!  And coun79try, congrats on your baby!!  I have four myself, ages 18, 16, 6, and 3!!  They are why I am fighting hard to find a way to live with this!!  I don't want to miss any of their lives while feeling sorry for mine!!  Thanks again, EVERYONE!!

[oney199274]

i know how u feel i started with them now and again now i have them ever min of the day they r so frightening u r scared to do anything incase they start i dnt know about u but as soon as i go outside or in a crowd they start and i know they will so i get ancious before i even step out the door and then its a vicious circle that y cant get out of . they r so scare and it is not easy to forget about them not when they r there all the time and u cant stop thinking about them its not nice at all i have had them now for about 15yr

[sugarcane77]

Today I've been feeling some skipped beats or palpitations so decided to search for people like me wow after reading all of your stories its what I live through daily....so happy to have found you all...take care,be happy!!!!

[Gemstar92]

Hey,
I've had heart palpitations my entire life, I learned how to get rid of the attack fast, by quickly speeding my heart up even more then lying down with short breathes. Mine can be very painful, jaw tightness, sweating and blood rush, they can happen when ever relaxing, exercising but you can live with it it's just tolerating it. I have also fainted during an attack when I was 6 years old, all I was doing is sitting down. My advice is keep strong plenty of cardio keep your heart muscle strong.

[ozzie0]

Thank you

[ozzie0]

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and wisdom!

[AshLovesFlowers]

I have recently started having heart palpitations a month ago and it has been a very frightening time for me. I've been to the er, my primary care  physician and a cardiologist and they all do not seem to be alarmed. They try to reassure me that I will be OK but it's a very scary thing to live with. I am happy that I found this forum with others like myself who are living with this condition. It's very encouraging.. Thank you all.

[Lia1927]

It's great to have found this community.  53 year old female who's suffered from PVCs 20+ years.  Have had tests done and now learning to live with them.  Not easy, but can be done.  Trying not to let them take the joy out of my life.  I do like seeing a cardiologists regularly just for peace of mind.  I don't take medications and try to use natural "relaxation" methods.  They get worse with stress (very bad).  Glad to be here with you all.

[Martinez_21]

Oh wow this is me ive had a rough year it all started nov of last year i had my daughter nov 4 and during my pregnancy i would have occasional skipped beats my ob told me to look for a cardiologist but i ddnt listen so going back in nov i had my daughter 2 weeks after i had the hemmorage everyone says to be careful with so i went to the e.r bleeding severly i had to get a d&c to stop the bleeding and i had to get a blood transfusion thats when they saw i had a small clot in my left leg n saw my heart rate higj they ddnt think much of it then on jan i went in with severe kidney n bladder infection n once again a fast rate also they saw my heart was super fast i was put on coumadin n they dissmissed my heart rate so on april the clot grew and got lodged into my lung i was drove to the hospital my heart in the 160 couldnt breath i was put on meds n hospitalized yet they still saw my heart rate fast they ddnt do much so i started suffering fron anxiety n panic attacks by june i was rushed to the e.r severe palpitations and heart rate going at 180. N up i was rushed to the icu where they diagnosed me with atrial flutter i was put on beta blockers but my body ddnt react well so on july 28 i had a heart ablation with hope of getting rid of palpitations boy was i wrong turned out they got my diagnosis wrong once in my heart they saw i had atrial tachychardia right after the surgery i was hospitalized for a week because the palps wouldnt stop so now im 5 months post op n i still feel them not often but its nerve wrecking my anxiety keeps me scared of what if i get then again? Whar if the docs are wrong n i die from this? Its hard but i tell myself atleast i dont get them often i just dont like living in fear

[MaryMary1307]

Hi!
I may be relocating to Austin and was wondering which doctor you see and the hospital you had the procedure done in. I'm in my mid 40's and have been experiencing heart palpitations since I was 39. They have gotten much worse and I had three SVT episodes within the last year (all while walking for exercise). My cardio  doc in Atlanta said all tests results came back normal. I have shortness of breath often with the PVC's. Glad results were normal, but I feel like crap! I worry I am going to drop dead :(

[MaryMary1307]

Hi!
I may be relocating to Austin and was wondering which doctor you see and the hospital you had the procedure done in. I'm in my mid 40's and have been experiencing heart palpitations since I was 39. They have gotten much worse and I had three SVT episodes within the last year (all while walking for exercise). My cardio  doc in Atlanta said all tests results came back normal. I have shortness of breath often with the PVC's. Glad results were normal, but I feel like crap! I worry I am going to drop dead :(