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21064 tn?1309308733

Just checking in with everyone

Hello to our veteran members and welcome to our newbies!! Come one, come all!  If you are still out there lurking and/or reading posts and trying to decide if you should join in, please accept this personal invitation to get to know people from around the world, who really do care!  If you have any questions about joining, I'll do my best to help you navigate the site and to feel comfortable.  There are no dumb questions here!

OK, so.... it's been a couple of weeks since the announcement of Community Leaders and I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas, suggestions, rants, gripes (go easy on me here...lol) or good news they'd like to share.  One of the things I love most about the Heart Forums is the way I feel when I can talk to others who have walked in my shoes.  For those of you who don't remember when I was the one who was scared and confused, I can't even begin to tell you how comforted I felt by strangers (now friends) from these sites.  It's great fun having friends from all around the world. So exciting!  

When I first came to the Forum, sometime around late 2002, I was so scared!  I was anxious, couldn't sleep, worried, and looking for answers about my condition.  What I got in return was not only medical advice (by the doctors), but the support of many people who I had never met.  It was my first time to post on a forum and I was overwhelmed by the sharing and caring!  Since that time, I have made it a point to visit often and contribute to easing others' anxieties, fears and worries.  Let's face it, the heart is a major organ and when we hear something isn't quite right, we tend to get pretty scared!  While the internet can be reassuring and informative, there are many bogus sites which provide inaccurate and/or outdated information.  It's MedHelp's mission to maintain the site, keeping it current and educational.  We can do our part by offering suggestions, support and an "ear" in those wee hours of the morning when someone is searching for a friend to talk to.

OK....that said, I thought it might be fun to share why we're here and how we might be able to help others.  I'll kick it off.......

I'm hear because I feel comfortable with the medical information on the site. In that I may need valve surgery someday, I'm trying to learn as much as I can so that I will be prepared if the need arises.  I hope to help others who are dealing with PVCs, ablations, and/or valve disease.  I've had a lot of echos, EKGs, stress tests, stress echos, holter and event monitors.  I've been through two EPS and 2 successful ablations and would be happy to answer any questions about the tests/procedures.  Now, if someone could just help me with my almost two-year old golden retriever   That's a story for another forum : )

Thanks to all of you for reading and/or contributing on the Heart Forums!  .

Have a great evening everyone!
Connie
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21064 tn?1309308733
We're so glad you found us too : )

See how quickly you pick up the lingo......."EP" ....LOL.  Not sure if you noticed, but there is a link (top right side) for "Health Pages."  There is a page dedicated solely to heart acronyms.  Test on Friday : )

SVT generally refers to supraventricular tachycardia (fast heartrate originating ABOVE the ventricles.  In other words, in the atria).  PSVT refers to a fast heartrate which occurs occasionally above the ventricles, etc.  If I understand correctly, it would be very occasional as opposed to more often.  I'm not sure how much information can be garnered from the EKG, but I believe they can sometimes identify where the ectopics (extra beats) are coming from.  Hey, that would be a great question to post!!  What can you tell by an EKG?  We have several members who can help with that!

Yeah beta blockes can really turn you into a slug.  Generally, it gets better.  But, in the meantime, SLUGGISH!!  I had the same thing happen...BP dropped, HR dropped....tired beyond tired!  I did adjust after some time though.  Some people have luck with the BB's, others do not. Depending on why it was prescribed, I think you should check with your doctor before you change the dose.  Some doctos will suggest cutting the pills in half, some change meds, just depends.

This is my 3rd Golden and he is an alpha dog BIG time!!  He is so stubborn...jumps up, chews, still has occasional accidents (almost 2 years old), assertive, pushy....Yesterday was a great day, so I'm hoping he is growing out of the TERRIBLE ONES!  lol.  Maybe your lab could come for a training session.  I would love to have Samson trained for therapy work, but I've got my hands full at home with him.  He still uses the crate!!  My other goldens were completely housetrained and out of the crate all day at 7-8 months.  Samson will be 2 at the end of May...Maybe we're rounding the bend...fingers crossed

Connie
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Avatar universal
I am so glad that I found this site and all the information in it.Momto3 has been such a help with describing to me what will happen with my ablation. I go to the EP (took me a while to figure out what that acronym was) next Wed. Have a NUC stress and Echo on Monday the 14th.  

I have MR as well.... not sure if this has any thing to do with the SVT.  Also, on some papers I was reading... once it said I had SVT and another time in the same paper it referred to it as a PSVT...are they the same thing? Can they tell by the EKG what causes the SVT?

I think that the Metropolol stuff they put me on is wacking out my system.  I took my blood pressure night before last and it was 86/48 and pulse was 58.... I took my bl. pressure because I was sitting there seeing this little white lights flying around my head.... I am on 25mg 2x's a day.  Maybe cut to 1x, ya think?  

Thanks again for all the info...and Momto3...what kind of doggie problems you having? My yellow lab is a good teacher!

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21064 tn?1309308733
Amy,

Thanks for the kind words and the big laugh about golden retrievers!!  If you hear any advice, please pass it along : )

Thanks again!
connie
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Avatar universal
Thanks, Momto3 for your generous and maternal spirit!  I've received such comfort from this site, especially the postings of veterans like yourself, Sueinns, Artaud, PVCman, Artskip, Finetillthree, Fearfactor, Sillyheart and the lady in Kentucky (I can't remember her username).  I know I've left out many more.  I thank God for this site and for all of the courageous posters.  We'll all be fine, I know.  Sadly, I have no advice regarding Golden Retreivers !!:)

Gratefully,
Amy
Helpful - 0
21064 tn?1309308733
UGH!!  I meant to say "I'm HERE" not "I'm "HEAR" because ......  Should have proofread that...sorry.

Hey Upbeat,

The event monitor was helpful for me because I could record the events and the doctor could correlate what I was feeling to what was actually happening.  The Holter monitors are great for recording longer periods of time.  The event monitor is cool because it doesn't record all the "normal" arrythmias (the ones you're used to).  You can transmit a variety and because you have it for 30 days (or more), you have a better chance of catching the occasional werid stuff.

Thanks for the kind words.  There was a poster in my early posting days who was my inspiration ; )  so I thank you for that.  Like you, I could not in a million years imagine that these beats could in ANY way be normal!!  But, I too, learned to accept them.  I had a couple isolated PVCs last night and I was thinking how peculiar they felt.  I wonder how I would handle thousands now....I'll leave that to another lifetime...LOL

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Avatar universal
You have been an inspiration to me. I thought I was the only one with high frequency pvcs.

In desperation after so many years of having pvcs I came to this site and I've found so many other people who have similar experiences but more importantly--information.

A shame really that there are so many people, but also in a bizzare way, a great comfort to me. I'm not alone!

And after all this time, I still have questions. You said you had an event monitor in addition to the other tests you've had. Can you tell me if that provided any information that was different than a 24 or 48hour holter monitor? I was recommended one recently, but I honestly don't see how it could help so I declined. It might catch the long strings of pvcs, which prompted me to see the EP in the first place, but really that was the only time theyve been that long. I'm used to the 3-10 beat ones. Like you said to someone else on this site, unless you are fully aware of the sensations, how do you know how to record the event?
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Avatar universal
Thanks Momto3.  I know this site has been a godsend to me.  My arrhythmia came on very suddenly and I was scared out of my wits.  Anyone who has never experienced it has no idea how life altering it can be.   Finding information was tough.  And try explaining your symptoms to someone who can't relate - they think you're kookoo.  It's not something that you hear a lot about and my family doctor wasn't at all helpful.  

I am a knowledge is power type of person.  To go from "thinking I'm going to die" to being able to ignore (for the most part) my arrhythmia has been incredible.  So I check in and learn something every day.  
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