| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| CityCat |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 5:51:28 PM
I just wanted to vent right now. If you don't want to read about my heart problems, please stop now.
I'm having a miserable day. My heart feels like its going to burst out of my ribcage at any minute! I've been tired and cranky, and I've been too irritated to settle long enough for a much needed nap. The only reason I had dinner was because I was a mooch and got fed by one of the nice boys in the downstairs apartment.
I have an irregular heartbeat. It was always assymptomic until I was put on beta-blockers. Now I feel every tremble, skip and hop. All I want to do is rip out the bloody thing just so the craziness will stop. I visited a cardiac arrythmia specialist, and he said my type of heart fibrillation is benign and that I've probably had it all my life and it will not stop me from doing anything I want. Problem is, I have to stay on the beta-blockers until I have an MRI in December and have proof that my heart tissue is healthy.
When all this craziness started, I was stuck in the hospital for 5 days. I became the curiosity; at one point, I had three doctors hovering nearby debating my condition. I just wanted to go home! My driver's licence was suspended, I was put on a hefty dose of beta-blockers, and I had to wait 3 months to see a specialist.
So, I spend most of my days without energy, and listless. Often cranky. And I have to put up with my heart constantly jumping around in my chest. I loved it when my family doctor listened to my heart and commented: "Well! You certainly have a nice regular irregular heartbeat!" Before the beta-blockers, I was LUCKY if I felt my heart skip. It happened so infrequently! I think I'm slowly going bonkers, driven there by the beating of my heart!
And, get this, I'm only 30. So, on top of all my other problems (allergies, skin issues, asthma, poor digestive system, bad eyes, and borderline arthritis) my heart sucks. My on going joke is that I want to trade in my body for a non-defective model, forget about an upgrade!
Sorry for the rant, but some times it's hard to see the end of the tunnel, and I needed let go of the frustration that's been building up. And I have to wait until @#*$'ing DECEMBER until they will even consider taking me off the beta-blockers! AUGH!!!!! 
There. Much better. Thanks. 
Cat |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| CityCat |
Posted - Sep 16 2005 : 4:05:36 PM
Yes, eating apricots can hurt: I'm quite allergic to them. I don't think I have poor potassium levels. My electrolytes are fine. It's the electrical system that's in my heart that has faulty wiring and causes the fibrillations.
Yep, meditation does help, but only to a point. I can't eliminate the fibrillations, but I can calm it down a bit so at least it doesn't feel like it's trying to burst out of my chest. I just want to go back to what it was before: my heart beating away with its own unique, quirky rhythm, and me not knowing about it! And yeah, thinking about it does make it worse. But my ignoring it some times makes it feel like it's trying to get my attention. Well, 3 months until I can get off these stupid beta-blockers!
Cat |
| Kim |
Posted - Sep 16 2005 : 12:47:41 PM
I'm sorry you are going through such a rough patch Cat! ((((((hugs)))))) your way. I know it's hard not to but try not to think about it. I believe thinking about it can make it worse. I know that happens to me when I have anxiety attacks. Have you tried meditation? Thinking good thoughts for you!
farmgirl@heart
Be at peace with yourself and the rest will follow |
| sqrl |
Posted - Sep 16 2005 : 09:40:30 AM
Darlin' I'm sorry your feeling so crappy. My Mother-in-Law have the same thing happen to her. Oh how this just sounds like a western approuch to a situations. Sometimes I just hate our doctors in this counrty. You see, I study holistic nutrition and herbology and western medicine has it's place in the world, it works from energency situtations it's not all bad, it certainly saves lifes. But it treats everyone like a textbook and that erks me. I seriously suggest you look at alternative care. I know there are other ways to help this situation. I certainly don't yet qualified to treat your heart but all of this other aliments you speak of there are many ways of treating or may be even eliminate them. If you are interested and need advise on how to go about doing such things please let me know, I live to figure this stuff out.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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| bluelavender45 |
Posted - Sep 12 2005 : 10:27:03 AM
I have to agree with the menopause thing. The first time my heart went crazy was 7 years ago. I thought I was having a heart attack the ambulance took to the hospital and it was discovered I was really anemic my heart was working harder because of the lack of oxygen due to the lack of blood. Had to have blood transfusion, all this due to fibroids. Then it happened again 4 years later. Heartbeat would be skipping and jumping for one week then it would stop.I hated the feeling. Well, all that stopped the day I started using the hormone patch. Lack of hormone was causing my heart to dance wildly. Now when it happens I know it's because my patch needs changing earlier then usual or I'm not getting enough sleep which can change your hormone level as well. bluelavender45
Let life be more of a dance and less of a battle. |
| CityCat |
Posted - Sep 11 2005 : 5:32:02 PM
Wow. I'm incredibly touched by what everyone has contributed. Thanks!
Until March of this year, I had absolutely NO idea that I had an irregular heartbeat. Before this, the only time my heart would race would be if I had too much alcohol. One of my friends said that she always new that I had an irregular heartbeat, but I don't recall her ever telling me about it! From what I can understand, my heart has always had an irregular heartbeat and will always have an irregular heartbeat. Until I was put on beta-blockers, I never felt the funny rhythm and it never did spasms or anything. If my heart skipped a beat or flubbed a beat, it was never more than once in a while. Being on beta-blockers has made my heart beat deliberately irregularly. It was FREAKY to have an echocardiogram and actually see my heart not function properly. That stressed me out, and probably caused my heart to fibrillate even more!
When I was stuck in the hospital over this, my mom and my aunt visited, and mentioned that my grandfather had a heart murmur, and that my aunt has a heart murmur too. My heart thing is not the same, but, knowing that "defective" hearts run in the family is not reassuring!
The beta-blocker that I'm on is called Metoprolol. I thought it might react to my allergy medicine, so I asked my pharmacist, and he said I wouldn't have a problem with my particular brand. I didn't know about Seldane: I used to use that years ago! Scary! I also know that some pain-killers will react badly with this beta-blocker so I have to be careful which one I used. To be on the safe side though, I haven't used any since being on beta-blockers.
The valves of my heart are fine. The echocardiogram proved that. The electrical signal being sent to the ventricle on the side of the heart going to the lungs, isn't firing correctly. So, my heart functions like a heart, but the squeezing rhythm is screwed up.
Today was a better day. The thudding that was driving me insane yesterday is only a dull thump in comparison. The cacophany is now only a periodic tapping. I guess it will come and go. I might have pushed myself too much yesterday by going for a walk. Unbelievable, eh? A walk! Something I'm supposed to do to keep in shape. I can't win...
So, I will try to take things easy, but it's so frustrating at times. I had to stop exercising when I was put on beta-blockers because it completely exhausted me. Climbing the stairs up to my apartment was a real struggle. It's better now, but some days, all I do is come home from work and collapse on the couch. I've watch way too much tv since March. And when they took my licence away (I got it back recently, yay!) I had to walk 3 blocks to the bus stop, and by the time I got to work, I was too tired to work. Damn beta-blockers! Now with my licence back, it's much easier and less tiring.
Oh, there I go complaining again. But really, today has been a better day. Nothing to complain about. Although I miss drinking tea. I guess I could drink non-caffeinated, but it just wouldn't be the same...
Cat
ps. Yeah, me farmgirl. Me tough. Me get through this!  |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Sep 11 2005 : 11:35:05 AM
I took Corocidin one night way back in 1975, when I was at a cabin in the woods and having an asthma attack. I was up all night, rocking on the front porch so I would not wake anyone else. My heart was RACING!!! I was scared to death, and I had taken two of them! I will never do that again, as I have found out that some forms of antihistamine-type drugs make my heart rate skip all over the place. Good point, Lori and Bramble!
My heart also did the palpitation thing when I went through menopause, and I have heard that hormone level changes, in pregnancy, menopause, or anytime can make a heart flutter.
Thinking of you, Cat.
jpbluesky |
| bramble |
Posted - Sep 11 2005 : 10:36:21 AM
That's a great point Lorij! I had to stop taking an allergy medication (Claritn-D) when our medical plan changed and noticed that I was having no episodes of a "racing" or "jumpy" heartbeat. When I mentioned this to my doctor he asked why I hadn't mentioned it sooner and sent me for a stress test and I had to wear the monitor that recorded my heartbeat for 48 hours. It was the allergy medication.
Did you ever take the medication Seldane back in the 80's? It was recalled because it caused heart valve damage leading to mitral valve prolapse and some other heart related problems.I have been on beta blockers for migraines too and yes they can make you feel bad, but please follow through with the diagnostic tests suggested for you. It would be awful to get so frustrated that a missed test is what keeps you from a conclusive dianosis.
PS... Don't underestimate the effect of caffeine. The radiologists who read my mammograms every six months can tell me whether I have cut back or not before ever asking from the films they read. Scary ,huh? Be well and take GOOD care of yourself.
with a happy heart |
| greyghost |
Posted - Sep 11 2005 : 05:40:17 AM
Oh Cat - I haven't been through what you have but I know how the skips and flutters feel! They're AWFUL! I'm told it's harmless, I get it from both my dad and my mother's side of the family (not my mother tho - she's fine!). If I have caffeine 2 days in a row, or am under stress, or if I have two glasses of wine instead of one, I'll have those annoying thumps and flutters and skips. I cannot imagine having my driver license taken away! How AWFUL, mean and rude over something that so many people have.
My flutters started at 22, I had no idea what was causing it at first, but over time I figured out it was all of the above and was managing it. I only found out two months ago that my dad and aunt have the same problems, I'm 28 now.
I know what you mean about being young and feeling like your warranty gave out. Wondering what the NEXT 20 years will be like! Endometriosis, herniated disk and one malformed vertebrae, arrythmia, and the cartilidge in both my knees is breaking up - they make some wild noise!
Never been on Beta Blockers - but I do know how the IQ drop feels. That's how I know I'm getting a migraine - I can't think of simple words or names of people I know really well, I cannot spell, and cannot do simple math. It's annoying, you feel like your head got packed with mud instead of grey matter.
You'll get through this - we're farmgirls - we're tough!
(That's something my dad used to tell me when I was younger and was hurt or upset over something. He'd bounce me on his knee and say "I'm tough, I'm tough, I'm very, very tough." and I'd start laughing. My mother claims this ruined me for life as I have a tendency to push through pain instead of listening to it and behaving! But I maintain he did me a favor.)
-Lynn |
| Jana |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 10:06:16 PM
I'm sorry you are going thru this. I started having constant "skipped" beats when I was pregnant 18 years ago. It never stopped. I was also told that it was harmless. Didn't feel very harmless. I was also getting panicky when it happened, not sure if it caused the panic or the other way around. At any rate, I take Klonopin for it and it helps immensely. With that being said, it CAN be habit forming in some people. I am a recovering opiate addict but have NOT developed an addiction to the Klonopin. I also don't use caffeine or alcohol or cold medications or any of that stuff. Does stress make it worse for you or is it out of the blue? Mine seems to be both. I'm glad you shared. This kind of thing can make a person feel like their kind of losing it. OH! I've also read that hormonal changes premenstrually and menopausally can cause these skips and flutters. 
Jana |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 9:04:17 PM
Oh my Cat, My heart (no pun intended) goes out to you dear. I know how frightening this must be for you and frustrating! I will keep you in my prayers. Can I ask if your heart has bothered you for very long or is this a recent occurance? Do you notice it's flare up during times of stress or anxiety? I had rhumatic fever when I was 12 and have heart damage... a mitral valve prolapse. The valve does not close completly and there is some blood leakage. Was on beta blockers at age 26 ( I am 49). I know how HORRIBLE this drug makes one feel! It made me stupid, literally! I couldn't remember how to do simple tasks and spelling simple words. I told my doctor I felt like the IQ dropped 40 or so points! I got off of them after several months. Take charge of your body and get varied opinions! Listen to it... (your body) I cannot go to rock concerts...I feel the vibrations in my chest and feel I will die. ( like my heart will explode) They are a NO NO for me...you are lucky to have gotten out of that concert when you did Cat! Stay away from caffeine. Keep taking your beta blockers until a physician says to back off them...like someone said they have to be weaned off. I am not a physician or a nurse, but have had the experience of these meds and they are very powerful. You should be monitored on a regular basis while on them...and report your symptoms to your doctor. try to do relaxing things, get plenty of rest, avoid stressors as much as you can. Stress and anxiety aggrivate my heart rhythm. Bless you! Jenny
Being is what it is. Jean Paul Sartre |
| lonestargal |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 8:36:20 PM
Oh Cat, I really don't have any other advice that what has already been offered but wanted to let you know we will all pray for you. Keep your chin up and I'm sure things will get better for you once some tests are run. I'm so sorry you are feeling like this. |
| CityCat |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 7:36:10 PM
Here's the story how I ended up in the hospital:
I went to a concert. It was a favourite band of mine, A Northern Chorus, from nearby Hamilton playing in a favourite bar here in Guelph. Since they are popular, the place was packed. I squished my way to the front and stood by the right speakers (I wear earplugs, no worries!). I like being up front cuz a) I know the guys in the band and was hoping to talk to them after their set and b) I like to watch how they play. It was a great concert. Right near the end, the music swelled, and everyone sustained one single note, vibrating everything. After that, I didn't feel well. I needed to sit, and took one step forward and my legs didn't work: I crumpled. I remember falling and everything flashing like someone was taking pictures. I was on the ground, awkwardly sitting on one leg, my left hand slapped the floor. Luckily, I went to this concert with my housemate Scott, and he grabbed me, and got me out of the crowd. With the help of security, I was assisted down the stairs and outside for some much needed air. As per procedure, the bar called an ambulance and asked that I stay for them to check me out. When they got there, I had perked up a lot; I felt fine, I could get up and wasn't feeling dizzy or anything. The paramedics still wanted to check me out, so I hopped into their ambulance, and they poked and proded, and then hooked me up to a heart monitor. They all crowded around it, and then suddenly I was strapped into a gurney and transported to the local hospital, where I stayed for the next 5 days. The heart monitor showed a crazy, crazy rhythm that subsided, but didn't go away. I was hooked up to a machine that booped and beeped and sounded an alarm when my heart did any number of acrobatics. I went in Thursday night, and I didn't get out until late Tuesday afternoon. They hooked me up to a portable monitor. They wanted info on how my heart functioned over a number of days. Then I had trouble getting discharged from the hospital because it was March Break. In order to let me go, they had to confirm that my case was going to be transfered to a specialist. The specialists weren't around cuz they were on vacation. I had to wait 2 days for them to track somebody down.
The hospital doctor I saw there was giving me the worst case scenario ie. surgery! It was the Guelph doctor who whacked me with a whopper of a dosage, suspended my driver's licence and scared me with inserting a pacemaker discussion or other more radical surgery. My subsequent meeting with the heart specialist told me that my heart is fine, and that it will always beat funny. But to be on the extra, extra safe side, they want to do an MRI to make sure the heart tissue is healthy. If its not healthy, well, that a whole new situation! And, until that MRI happens, I can't get off the beta-blockers. I argued with the guy to no avail. I was able to reduce the dosage, but it still sucks. There are no other people I can bug. I asked my family doctor, and I trust her. And since I can't prove it's completely ruining my life since I can put in a full days work, get around okay, etc., I can't stop taking the crappy things. The secretary at the cardiac institute was sympathetic, but she said just to hang in there. sigh. 
Thanks for the good thoughts. Any suggestions to alleviate the effects of the beta-blockers will be gratefully accepted. 
Cat
ps. I thought that maybe caffeine wasn't good, so I stopped having my daily 3 cups of tea. I didn't find a change. My local health guru has me on coenzyme Q10, but I haven't had any results yet, and I was told it will take some time for that to take affect. I eat well, lots of fruit and veggies, I shop for local stuff and organic when I can. I don't drink milk anymore, and switched to soy milk. I haven't sworn off meat, but I have minimized consumption and trying to eat more fish. My other health issues are managed. I have a system that keeps my skin ezcema free. My allergies are manageable. I know my physical limitations, and take glucosamine. I'm careful about what I consume and take acidophilus daily. I know all the things that are wrong with my body, I just could never forsee ANOTHER thing wrong with it. Another thing to manage and worry about. If I'm like this right now, what will get worse in the future?! I know I shouldn't think like that, but it's so hard not to... |
| quiltedess |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 7:30:25 PM
Cat:
I'm very sorry your not feeling well. Make sure the doctors know how badly you feel. Maybe there is an adjustment that can be made in the medication. It is totally frustrating when you're not feeling well. Please keep us posted on how things go.
Nancy |
| showmemom |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 6:30:35 PM
hey cat-
big hug from missouri!! so sorry to hear you're feeling unwell-it really sucks to have the one thing (your body) you can depend on act up--scary as H*** too, isn't it?
does modifying your diet do anything? stuff like caffeine and nicotine can flood your body and stir up all kinds of trouble.
i agree w/daisyfarm-don't just quit taking your beta-blockers-you'll have to slowly ease off them.
can you get another opinion? is there another doctor or nurse practitioner you can go to sooner than 3 months from now? will look in my books and see if there's anything you can do for yourself.
hang in there-and vent if you need to-that's what we're here for.
talk to you soon.
karen
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
Victor Hugo |
| DaisyFarm |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 6:15:03 PM
I'm so sorry you're feeling so crappy Cat. Heart arythmia can really knock the stuffing out of you, not to mention it's nerve wracking. You do know that you cannot just stop the beta blockers, right? You must be weaned off of them. I took them for migraines and they make you feel pretty lousy.
Know that we're thinking about you and don't mind the rant at all.
Hugs from Vancouver Island.
Live a good and honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time. |
| Clare |
Posted - Sep 10 2005 : 6:09:12 PM
Cat, I can empathize with how frustrating your condition is right now. Maybe I missed the point of why you had to be in the hospital for 5 days? Why are you on beta-blockers? Also, the thing to remember is that YOU and only YOU are in charge of your body. Don't fall into the trap of listening and obeying if your body is telling you what's happening is not tolerable. Something should be done now. Either a different dosage, or some other means to make life a heck of alot more tolerable immediately. You also might start investigating alternative and homeopathic treatments for all of your conditions. You do not have to be a victim of these conditions for the rest of your life. I'm pretty confident that with the help of a professional nautopathic doctor that alot of things will change for the positive with all of your conditions. Please start. These days the web is an infinite source of information. Don't take it all as gospel, but use it as a tool to continue to research options and ask the right questions. Be pro-active. Here's a big hug to soothe your day. ((((((hugs))))))) 
**** Love is the great work - though every heart is first an apprentice. - Hafiz
Set a high value on spontaneous kindness. - Samuel Johnson****
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