Im back....they are back...

[Ihatepalps2]

well..I havent been here for a while..a month I think. End of July, I saw a cardiologist, because the palpitations Ive had for 20 years were really bad..this happens to me every couple years...I go a long time with a few..then for no reason bam! They are back..I suffer for about 3 weeks, then call the Dr...they refer me to cardio, who has me wear the holter and all looks ok. Same thing in July. Saw Cardio mid-August...said the holter ( caught on a GOOD day) didnt show anything dangerous. I never have any symptoms except the skipped beats..well, I take that back..my chest always feels "funny" when they are happening. So..I had been on Atenolol for 15 years. He said its an older drug, and maybe my body has gotten used to it...he put me on Metoprolol. 50 mg 2 x a day. I hated it for the first few weeks, I could feel my heart beating..and it wasnt kept at the slow rate that the Atenolol kept it at. I called, and they said to "give it time"..so..I did.
And it did get better, or, I got used to it. The palpitations lasted a few days after I started the new med, and then pretty much disappeared. I have a TON of stress in my life--including my 51 yr old husband having a heart attack right after I had work the holter...hes fine...had a stent put in and is ok...but as of Aug 15 we changed our lifestyle. Our diet...100%. I havent had red meat since we started the cardio diet ( Im doing it with him)...we watch sodium, sugar, calories, fat...we have very little sat fat, mostly surviving on chicken, turkey salad, veggies.

But to get to why Im here.... on a friday night. I woke up Thurs AM with terrible stomach pains...had to run to the bathroom several times..felt lousy...took my temp..was 100.4. I didnt feel good at all that whole day...headachy...but had things to do, and I did them. I also had the palpitations come back 150%. They are still with me. They are HORRIBLE. And odd...theres no..skip pause.......thump........like usual. They seem to be strong...and alot of them just out of sync...doesnt really seem to be any skipped beats....its like..almost all of my beats are just..at random...
I wonder if whatever sickness I have could be causing them this time...? of course...they consume me....
help....

[BobRBob]

Yes, I'm glad to hear you're feeling better as well. As for the dehydration, I've found that to be an important factor and, like you, I often forget to gulp down the mandatory requirement of water each day. Glad I read this. I'm going to fill up right now!

[Mom2four85]

you're welcome :)

I drink alot normally but them telling me with my problems to drink 2 liters of fluids a day is extremely hard - I feel like I'm floating all the time :P

glad to hear you're feeling better

[Ihatepalps2]

yes, very good point. I was NOT drinking much of anything all day Thursday...nauseated....so by Thurs night, I was drinking some water, but I never thought---yes...that couldve thrown me out of whack, and would explain why yesterday they were so bad---and I know this too! Dumb me! I know about getting enough fluids! Now today, cautiously, Im moving about the house here, cleaning, etc...and knock on wood as the saying goes...Ive had none....

Im going to fill up my water jug and force it down. Thank you!!!!

[Jerry_NJ]

Good point on the dehydration idea.  I too have a hard time drinking enough water.  I hope the 12+ oz of tea I drink once a day counts.  I also have about 16 oz of decaf coffee, mostly water.  All other water is happenstance... I do use it to take my evening dose of medications.

One problem I have, as an old guy with the usual prostate related problems, is trying to sleep through the night without having to get up and had for the bathroom.  I assume even women have to discharge the fluids, so it may be wise to get most of the "forced" water down before 7 pm... assuming 10+pm is bedtime.

[Mom2four85]

wow it sounds like you've had your hands ful and going through alot of stress, how are you feeling now?

with your stomach bug/virus could it be possible you got extremely dehydrated? sounds like a stomach bug my oldest daughter had last week

I know I read somewhere about dehydration & palpations.  With me I have to drink 2 liters of fluids a day, which is such a pain and hard to do.

not sure how long those are good for - but I have to have them once a year

[Ihatepalps2]

It a very remote possibility that I may have that in addition to the benign PACs & PVCs...but only this year, and only 2 times in this year for 7 & 9 seconds each, I had a "fast,racing heartrate".... Dr said could be afib, but would be hard to get on a monitor since I have it very, very rarely. No, what Im having is a slow, plodding along mixed up heartbeat. Although when I was typing my post which was about a half hour ago, it was bumping along. Now...its fine. I wonder if my diet doesnt have something to do with it? But we are eating healthier than we ever have...OR..I wonder when I had stomach pains the other night, and slightly feverish...it seemed like that brought them on...?
I dont know. I go thru this every time they pound their way back into my life. I agonize over what brought them on THIS time. I guess I just thought the Metoprolol was going to do the trick...but...from what I read here, NO medicine "does the trick" completely....
I wouldnt go to the ER ( the thought is there..tho...like it always is) unless I was to have SOME other symptom....
Ive only gone 1 time in my life to the ER for palpitations...and they did a good workup on me..but...sammmmme result as all the others. Benign....harmless...
* sigh*
why cant I just believe that?

Oh...one other thing...anybody know how long an Echocardiogram AND stress test is "good" for? I had both in march 08....
I had one in March of 2

[Jerry_NJ]

Has anyone mentioned atrial fibrillation?  That is a problem that can cause a fast irregular HB at the ventricle level.  The left atrium is fibrillating, but only some of them get through to cause a the ventricle beat.