About a month ago I wrote how I was undergoing another round of heart monitoring for my PVCs and PACs. Well I got the results back a couple weeks ago but I haven’t had time to update my blog until now.
As I predicted, my 2-week monitoring period didn’t show anything concerning other than “occasional” PVCs and PACs. Everything looked great and I have nothing to worry about.
I have to be honest, I was pretty upset; not at the results but at how the whole monitoring period went down. The days leading up to my monitoring period I was having intense PVCs and PACs, which is why I broke down and had the monitoring done in the first place.
But wouldn’t you know it, the day I put the monitor on, my heart was as quiet as a church mouse. I had a feeling that my heart was going to “suddenly” behave over the two-week period and I was just going to be wasting my time and money.
After the monitoring period was over and I shipped the monitor back to be analyzed, I knew they weren’t going to find anything because it was the quietest two weeks I had had in a long time as far as my PVCs and PACs were concerned.
About a week after I sent the monitor back my PVCs and PACs kicked in as usual. Go figure. It’s like my heart loves toying with me. Sometimes I seriously contemplate having one of those implantable heart monitors put in me. Maybe if I knew I was being monitored 24/7, 365 days a year I wouldn’t have any more PVCs and PACs!
Now I patiently wait for the bill to arrive. It always amazes me how long it takes to get my medical bills for these things. After I had my ablation I was getting bills for it still a year after the fact! The bill for this monitoring period will probably cost well over $1,000 (I have a high deductible health insurance plan) and I probably won’t see it until December or sometime early next year.
9/13/16 Update:
I got the bill for this monitoring about a week ago. As suspected, the cost was indeed well over $1,000. The total bill was exactly $2,300! That’s just stupid. Fortunately, my insurance covered all but $50 of it so my actual out-of-pocket cost was low but still, it shouldn’t cost $2,300 to have your heart monitored for 14 days.
I regret having the monitoring done only because I knew it was going to be a total waste of my money. It’s just that my PVCs and PACs were getting so intense back in July that I was “scared” into doing it. Moving forward I’m going to be far more cautious about requesting these. I’m going to wait until I have at least a straight month of hardcore PVCs and PACs before I even think about being monitored again.
Why Can’t I Monitor My Heart Myself?
It really grates me that these heart monitors are so expensive. It shouldn’t cost $1,000+ dollars to have your heart monitored for two weeks, nor should I have to go to my doctor to get “approval.” I should be able to go directly to these companies anytime I want and request a monitoring device for as long as I want – and of course pay accordingly.
Why can’t these companies offer their devices and monitoring services directly to the consumer? It drives me crazy. If I want to monitor my heart rate for a two-week period every month, that should be my prerogative. I shouldn’t have to call my doctor for approval and then go through all the red-tape.
You would think by now someone would invent a device that could reliably and accurately monitor your heart rate continuously for a number of days or weeks. The AliveCor monitor, which I’m a big fan of, is as good as it gets right now but it’s not even close to what would be ideal. It’s not terribly accurate at times and it requires you to manually check your heart rate. And if you don’t hold perfectly still when you use it you’ll get inaccurate readings. You could never use it exercising or even walking.
The monitoring device I just had is so simple. It’s a lightweight, 2-lead monitor that couldn’t be more than $100 if it was sold at retail. Throw in another $400 for the monitoring service over a two-week period and you have something that shouldn’t cost more than $500. Why isn’t this available to the general public? Or why can’t the folks at AliveCor create a similar product and monitoring service that would be available to the general public?
It just drives me crazy. Our healthcare system is so unnecessarily complex, but I digress.
My PVCs and PACs Today
Since I returned the monitor about a month ago I’ve gone back to my usual pattern where I have a string of really bad “heart days” (i.e. noticeable and intense PVCs and PACs) followed by a string of decent to normal “heart days.”
We just took a week-long family vacation and I was sure it was going to be a nightmare as I would probably be staying up late, eating lots of junk food, and drinking a lot more alcohol than I normally would. Despite all of that, wouldn’t you know it I had a really good week!
I only had one really bad “heart day” but the other 6 days of the vacation were almost perfectly normal. I still had occasional PVCs and PACs but they weren’t bad at all. And one day in particular, I had my first 100% normal day since the blanking period days after my ablation over a year ago. On this day of the vacation (it was a Thursday) I went a full 24 hours where I didn’t feel any palpitations. It was so awesome. I just kept thinking (aside from thanking God for blessing me with such a wonderful day), “So this is how normal people live. How fortunate they are!”
I have to admit but there are times I’m so envious of my wife and kids. They have no idea how fortunate they are. I would love to be “normal” where I didn’t have to think or worry about my heart because my heart wasn’t working properly. Instead, I spend every day wondering when my PVCs and PACs are going to kick in and how bad they’re going to be. Then when they do kick in I have to wonder (and worry) if they’re going to get worse or if they’re going to trigger afib.
I know it may sound like I’m discouraged but I’m really not. I’m just being honest about my thoughts and feelings. When my PVCs and PACs get really intense, I just focus on God and keep telling myself all of the wonderful things He’s done for me up to this point. He’s always come through for me, so this too shall pass and He will get me through it!
Case in point: last night was a really rough night. I was having such intense PVCs and PACs I was short of breath and I felt I was in full-fledged atrial fibrillation (I wasn’t). Instead of getting scared or depressed, I just focused on God and prayed and carried on like everything was normal. I knew He would help me. Sure enough, after three intense hours they subsided. I was even able to get a good night of sleep because my heart was mostly “settled” when I went to bed. God is great!
Despite my continuous battle with PVCs and PACs, I’m quite optimistic about the future. I have complete confidence and faith in God that someday I will be cured of these PVCs and PACs just as I have been cured of my afib. My time will come. I just have to be patient, stand strong, and keep the faith! My battles with my heart – be it afib, PVCs, PACs, or whatever else I’m hit with – may last a while but in the end I will be victorious. Someday I will live a normal life just like my family does!
Well, your insurance has covered the bill, but it’s better to discuss the cost before.
Are you still up here? I always find posts that are old. They mailed you results? So far, I was only able to get a call from medical staff and not even the doctor. They told me the doctors report said, “there was no abnormalities.” I’m devastated because although it was a slower week I felt the palpitations the week I had the patch. I’m really upset because now I’ll be paying for the monitor without insurance and I didn’t even get the answers I needed.
The problem has only escalated since then. I get very obvious, disturbing palpitations since then and I’ve even listened to them using my stethoscope. I just can’t believe what the medical staff said. I called to clarify and asked, “so there weren’t any pvcs?” And she just repeated herself, “no ma’am, the report says there were no abnormalities.” I question whether since it was a slow week that’s a way they would tell you there’s no abnormalities (because pvcs that are rare can be seen as normal).
Whatever the problem was has only worsened and now I don’t have insurance to get it looked at. I guess I’ll have to demand to get the actual MD to call me because I can pay for the patch yet it doesn’t even warrant a call from the ordering provider. Crazy world. My question is did your palpitations start at random then progressively get worse? Is there a way to distinguish between pvcs and pacs? Thanks!
Karen:
I am still around – and very active. I’m posting a new blog post or podcast episode just about every week now.
You are preaching to the choir regarding your frustrations with heart monitors. Unfortunately, your experience is the norm for most of us. Unless there is a concerning arrhythmia going on a technician will just tell you everything is fine. It is darn near impossible to get details beyond that. It drives me crazy!!
I’ve had multiple heart monitors over the past few years for my palpitations and the most I’ve been able to get is that I’m having “PVCs and PACs.” Gee, thanks, I could have told you that! I have never been able to get a detailed report on how many I’m having. It is crazy.
This is why I’m so hopeful for technology. The Kardia mobile monitor is an example where there is hope for those of us that want more information and control over our own healthcare! I’m hopeful that there will be a similar device in the near future that will allow us to monitor and record our heart for a 24 hour period so that we can get the details on what’s going on without even dealing with the doctor!
To answer your question, my palpitations have always been random. Some days are better than others. And yet sometimes I’ll go weeks without anything! They are all over the map. The only way to distinguish between PVCs and PACs definitively is to catch them with an ECG, which of course requires a heart monitor of some kind that captures ECGs:)
Travis
Question: Was anyone with this problem a preemie or underweight baby? My 50+ year journey with PVCs, PACs, afib, whatever, started with an ER visit where I was told it was an anxiety attack. For many years I just took xanax when it happened. It always corrected it within about 15 minutes.
I was diagnosed about 15 yrs ago with afib and have taken digoxin and atenolol since, which helps lesson symptoms. Like others, the Holter monitors and other tests never showed anything wrong. I remember episodes as a child when I thought I wasn’t breathing properly. Doctor says maybe it is something I was born with. Hence my first question.
Jan:
So you’re thinking there might be a connection between being a preemie and having afib and other heart arrhythmia. Interesting. I honestly haven’t heard of that connection but who knows. If I find anything on this I’ll update the comments here.
Travis
Do you consume any caffeine or alcohol?
Edward:
Yes I do – on a daily basis.
Travis
One more quick thing…caffeine sets mine off, even a 1/4 cup. I cannot even take a few sips. I don’t drink alcohol because I have a sensitivity to it. I turn bright red, but when I would attempt to have a 1/2 of a beer, it made my tachycardia way worse…
Thank you so much for this information. I just went through a 31 day course of this and before reading your blog I thought I was crazy. Thank you so much.
Erin:
I’m glad this blog has helped!
Travis
Hello Travis,
Hope you are well and your PAC’s and PVC’s get better. I messaged you 3 months ago about the herbs Wenxin Keli. I took it and from my experience, it didn’t help and I stopped. I tried so many supplements and herbs (magnesium, dribose, Hawthorne, fish oil, etc.) to treat it naturally without drugs but the AFib is winning…just as you mentioned in your posts before.
I’m getting more frequent episodes now so my cardio put me on flecainide and diltiazem to control the episodes. I’ve been on it since November 1 and I’m still getting episodes but not as severe.
My cardio and also an EP I consulted both recommended I do ablation asap because of my age (early 40s) and my health and heart are healthy other than the AFib. I tentatively scheduled a PVI ablation at end of January 2017. I was wondering if you know much about different techniques like FIRM? Do you also know or recommend any good EP in the San Francisco Bay Area?
Thanks Travis if you are able to help.
Kind regards,
Joe
Hey Joe! Sorry to hear the beast is getting the best of you. That’s never fun. Based on what you’re saying, however, it sounds like you would be an ideal ablation candidate!
Now for the GREAT news for you…you have literally the world’s renowned ablationist expert in your backyard! He does ablations out of San Francisco. Please contact me directly via email and I’ll get you the details.
Travis
Thanks Travis. I will email you.
My story, about 14 years ago while marathon training I noticed an irregular heartbeat, flutters in my chest, probably PACs. This went off and on intermittently until 2013 when I started noticing a pattern. Every 2 weeks like clockwork I would have a continuous 24 hour continuous event. Then it would stop and I’d be in normal rhythm until the next 2 weeks, with an occasional flutter here and there.
About a year later 2014 I went to see a cardiologist. I had an echocardiogram and everything was normal. My doc also ordered some bloodwork for possible thyroid issues. I asked him to run my electrolytes and he said “good idea” (who’s the doctor here?). Anyway everything came back normal. My potassium was on the low side (3.5 should be 3-5 normally). He never checked my magnesium.
My theory was from over 20 years of training running hard, marathons, races etc and being a heavy sweater I thought I may have depleted my electrolytes. My doc had me wear a 30-day event monitor and sure enough it was AFIB. My symptoms are different than most afibbers as my heartrate does not increase. I actually have less beats bpm, bradycardia. I also have no dizziness and can go about my normal activities with little problem. My symptoms are mainly discomfort in my chest and some minor pain at times.
I do, however, hate the feeling and it does not do my mental state any good as it continues to progress. Last year, 2015, my events went from 24 hours every 2 weeks to 36 hours once a week. That’s when I decided to take my docs advice and see an electrophysiologist. He, as with my cardiologist, didnt think I was a good candidate for meds but we did discussed a pacemaker and a catheter ablation. I didnt like the sounds of either of these options either so I declined. Especially where I wasnt feeling dizzy or passing out, etc. I also have no BP issues, <120/80 usually.
Then this last April the events progressed to 48 hours twice a week, again almost like overnight (now I'm panicing a bit). Btw I had tried everything up to this point, magnesium, potassium, no caffiene, no alcohol, stress reduction, nothing seemed to work. So I went for a 2nd opinion to Mass General Hospital. I collected all my records, echo disc, doctor notes and wrote a detailed letter of my history. Well when I got to see the doctor at MGH he said he didnt know where my echo disc was and nobody could find the letter I sent. And these people are supposed to be the best?! I said screw these people and had my 1 year follow up with my original EP in Sept.
Finally during my EKG I was having events, not the continuous ones, but these intermittent ones I get leading up to a continuous event. Turns out these were PACs. So my EP ordered a 2 week Zio patch which I wore and sure enough, those now 48 hour continuous events are confirmed afib. So he again offered a pacemaker or catheter ablation but recently I went back on the mag and had a few shorter episodes of 24, and 2-36 hour followed by a 48 hour. I was hoping it may be improving so again I declined the ablation for now.
I requested another round of bloodwork and he agreed, this time I specifically asked for a red blood cell count for mag (picked this info up on your site, thanks) and told the EP I would like to give the mag supplements at least 6 months to try (thanks again) before considering an ablation. I feel in my case there’s some underlying cause. These cycles I seem to be on just don’t make sense.
To me its all about the cause. If you find the cause, you know how to treat it. Unfortunately for me I have to admit I've failed to find the cause up to this point. But haven't given up yet!. Maybe it is the mag deficientcy, or other. I feel if it is a deficiency so all the ablations in the world won’t solve the underlying cause. It’s just masking the fault imo. Anyway I havn't had the bloodwork done yet and will report back if any new developements arise.
I may also try some hawthorne, taurine and other natural approaches and see what that yields. I found a nice post on Steve Ryan’s site under his book "reviews" from an RN that had success with the natural approach which is why I may try the hawthorn solid extract, etc. I plan on buying some today. I am kind of lucky with my symptoms not being as severe as some of you folks, so I feel I still have time to experiment.
The stuff you've all been going through is unbelieveable. I'm such a baby with this stuff I cant imagine my mental state if I had to experience some of the things that you've all experienced. So good luck to all of you and thank you all very much for sharing your stories. Without you folks sharing It would be a whole different ballgame for me. At least thanks to all of you and others I have hope in trying to figure this thing out and maybe can avoid some of the more riskier options.
Thanks again and keep posting,
Bruce
Bruce:
Thanks for sharing your story!
While the goal is to find the cause of afib, it’s unlikely you’ll discover it. If anyone knew the cause of afib, they’d be a billionaire and would be awarded the Noble Peace Prize! The truth is, we don’t know what the cause is.
It’s true that ablations mainly address the symptoms of afib, they really are the best shot at a cure. They may not address the cause but ablations block afib from making our heart beat irregularly. In other words, ablations isolate afib so it can’t do anything. Ideally, we’d have a cure for afib – as in we’d have a way to completely get rid of it – but we’re not there yet. The best we can do is isolate afib and that’s what a good ablation will do.
Taking supplements and going the natural approach *may* work for a time, but in almost all cases afib always wins! You’ve effectively had afib already for many years. You’re well on your way to the progressive stages of afib. It’s unlikely that any supplement will reverse things. Again, you may very well find relief for a while taking supplements, but ultimately afib will likely win. I don’t tell you this to depress you but I feel I owe it to you to shoot straight with you.
I strongly encourage you to find the absolute best EP you can and consider having an expert ablation sooner than later. Afib gets harder and harder to treat so I’d hate to see you drag this out for a long time only to be faced with the same decision in the end anyway – having an ablation. The sooner you address your afib the better odds you have of beating it.
I wouldn’t even entertain the pacemaker option at this point. That option leaves you in afib and only relieves you of your symptoms. A successful ablation on the other hand will stop the afib from occurring in the first place – eliminating the need for a pacemaker all together!
Regardless of your decision, I wish you the best. Just don’t let this drag out too long or you may find yourself in long-standing persistent afib – making an ablation even difficult to work!
Travis
Hello! I am a newbie here and have never posted on a blog. At my doctor’s urging, I am now considering an ablation and I am terrified. My experience is thankfully not as extreme as some mentioned above. I have never been unable to live my normal life since my diagnosis.
I run 12 miles a week, play tennis, work full time and am very active. The only reason I found out about the afib is because I went to my doctor complaining about having to stop suddenly during my run to catch my breath when I shouldn’t have to. Occasionally when at rest it felt like a squirrel was doing flip flops in my chest. I have never worn a monitor. Apparently my HR has been very high at times and I never was concerned because I have no bothersome symptoms.
I don’t take rhythm control drugs – I take diltaziem and a baby aspirin. I have no other health issues and take no other meds so I am considering the ablation so I can hopefully live a future drug-free active life. I am afraid of the risks of the procedure but I don’t want a life of big guns blood thinners and stroke risk. I still have kids at home so I’m trying to asses if it’s worth the risk of my kids losing their mom to do this:(
Hey Catherine! Based on everything you’re telling me here your doctor is making a good recommendation. An ablation is your only shot at putting the beast to bed without a life of drugs (and their potential nasty side effects)!
The risks of ablations today are very minimal. This procedure is about as benign as having dental work done if done by an experienced EP.
Having said that, you don’t want just any EP doing your ablation. While the risks are minimal, the success rates are also minimal because of the skills required to do these effectively. You want the most experienced EP you can find – period. And not just because you want to minimize your risks (although that is certainly important), but because you also want the absolute best shot at having a successful procedure (i.e. no more afib)!
If you’d like to discuss this privately via email or on the phone, feel free to contact me via my contact page:
https://www.livingwithatrialfibrillation.com/contact/
Otherwise if you have additional questions, feel free to fire away here!
I wish you well!
Travis
Hello Catherine,
Scary co-misery but a happy ending…
You be glad that your sudden shortness of breath during a run somehow go you to a doctor to diagnose Afib the first time it happened. I was unfortunate or silly enough to think it was the pollen in the air 2 springs ago. The result was a few months of undiagnosed afib that got me into heart failure (enlarged heart, swelling and inefficient heart.
As of my appointments THIS week, now my heart is back to normal size and efficiency, but it took 14 months after paroxysmal ablation, slowly improving my exercise and recently reduction of heart rate meds. Important to note that I run, bike, swim, tennis, walk, etc. and my cardiologist and PCP encourage it all.
From my reading and recent healthcare experience & limited research, I have to say we should not be afraid of exercise, but inactivity and negative anxiety. Most importantly I switched to a plant-based diet to lose weight and improve my overall health.
Best wishes and prayers!
I had my first A Fib in May. I did the 911 and cardioversion in the ER. A 2-week monitor showed A Fib off and on. I’m on my 3rd med now but still have PAC’s so now on Metropopol and Propafenone.
I have no energy and sure can’t work out like I did. My question is, is everyone still working full-time?
I’m struggling;)
Mary:
Sorry to hear about your fairly recent diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. You’re still very young and have caught this early. I would strongly encourage you to consider having an ablation. Otherwise I can guarantee you your doctor will just keep you on the drugs the rest of your life.
When I’d have my afib episodes I couldn’t do anything. I was bed-ridden. I honestly don’t know how people even function, let alone work, when they are in afib! I admire their strength. There is a blog run by a guy who has persistent afib and is a regular runner! I have no idea how he does it.
I wish you the best!
Travis
So glad I found your site!! I wish I would have been more involved in blogs the past 10 years but I feel I have somewhat of a unique situation/condition that I tend to ignore my A-Fib except for the past few years.
Since hitting my 40’s, my PVCs and PACs have progressively gotten worse. My first experience with A-Fib was back around 1994. I haven’t met anyone that has experienced what I have. After having 3 or 4 bouts with A-Fib in my 20’s, I went A-Fib-free from 1999 till around 2009…and since 2009 I have only experienced true A-Fib 3 times. But as of late, I think because of age, my heart tends to be more annoying.
The only thing I can say is that I notice an interesting correlation between loss of sleep and stress. The past two times I went into A-Fib it was 4:15 in the morning, dead tired and stressed out over work etc. It put me in the hospital and took me 18 hrs to convert but last week I converted on my own in 3 hrs which has never happened before. Eventually this condition will probably become more chronic but in the meantime it seems a little bizarre compared to most sufferers. Anyways, I send my best to all! Don’t give up and be positive.
Tony:
Thanks for sharing your story! You were really young when afib reared its ugly head. I’m glad to hear you were able to go 10 years without any episodes. You’re very fortunate! I hope your afib doesn’t get progressively worse. If it does, given your young age and long history already with afib, I strongly recommend you get an ablation by an expert EP.
Stay in touch and I wish you the best!
Travis
Hello! It is so helpful reading all the posts. As Travis knows, I had an ablation on 8/24 which went well I am told and I felt pretty good for several days thereafter. My A Fib had gradually become more frequent after being diagnosed officially in 2015 although I had it before that based on all that I have learned about the flip flops etc. They started after a bad fall where I crushed my knee the end of 2011.
Anyway on 8/29 I went back to my desk job and did not feel well all day and the next day worked from home. By around noon my heart was racing and of course I was shared to death. I was so tired I even “passed out” for about an hour of sleep. After dealing with it for a couple of hours, the nurse finally advised it was unusual after the procedure for the blips to last that long and to get to ER.
My friend took me to the Urgency Room as I don’t like ER and the way they treated me the last time. UR was awesome and got the rate down but the blood pressure kept going low. They checked me into United and both my EP and Cardiologist and the Nurse Practitioners saw me each of the 4 days. Apparently this reaction after the procedure was unanticipated so once the heart went to NSR the next morning, I started a testing of Tikosyn for anti arrhythmia to help keep the heart calm for better healing.
It requires 5 rounds over 72 hours and constant monitoring of something called the QT part of your EKG. Once they got the dose right my heart beat normal and still does and after 3 days the BP came back to my normal ranges. So needless to say, this was a very discouraging and scary time, but Travis has been so helpful in me understanding things do happen during the banding time of healing.
One thing I have realized is thinking I am normal right away and able to do what I am used to is naive. I have a tough time being at rest or getting a solid round of sleep yet feel that perhaps working more part-time for a few weeks will help restore my stability. I still have some times where I have the chest pressure or some burning feeling yet feel it is the inflammation and healing at work.
Will check in with the Nurse Practitioner at my Wed 9/14 visit and have a conversation. I still can’t say I am glad I did it, yet it seems all part of a greater plan for my total healing and expansion of my heart connection. Thanks Travis for staying in touch and caring so very much. Talk to you soon.
Carol:
You’re awesome! Thanks so much for your kind words and it’s been great communicating with you privately during your “ablation journey.” I’m so happy to hear you’re feeling better after the initial bumpy ride immediately after the ablation.
And I know it’s not easy to “take it easy” when you want to go go go and just be yourself but it’s important that for the next 8 weeks in particular, you just relax and go easy on yourself both physically and mentally. Give your heart the “peace” it needs to fully heal. Then once the blanking period is done you can go go go…lol.
Keep in touch and God Bless!
Travis
I certainly am trying to take it easy. With work I try and stay as stress free as I can although at times it is difficult but I just keep reminding myself I am healing and that the work item isn’t really all that critical! I am also going to ask about switching to 4 days vs 5 and give myself a bit of a break.
It would be ideal to be able to take off but short-term disability needs the doctor’s okay so we are waiting on that. If it comes through I will take it as needed on the days when things are not quite as good! Yesterday was like a miracle to me and I felt awesome until late night when the system acted up and so I sleep walked through work today and I’m trying to keep the heart calm!
Week 3 as the nurses remind me and there will be more really good days. I don’t seem to have A fib just having those PACs I guess and flutter at times. Not really sure with how different they can be on the same day! Travis you have been such a mental health and emotional well being life saver so thanks again and talk soon on progress!
Carol:
I’m so thrilled that you’re feeling better and better every day! I can’t wait until you’re completely off your drugs and back to normal again. Your day will come!
Travis
Tomorrow I go in for my ablation. I am very very nervous and scared about going. I am sure some have felt that and others may have not. I am hopeful and excited to hopefully in a road ahead without afib but I do understand it is not always a smooth road but at least it is a road that hopefully will lead to a life with no or little afib. Any heads up on what to expect please let me know. Thank you for the support like this site that I can relate and be a part of.
B:
I apologize for not getting a reply to you before your ablation. This blog gets so many comments that I have to go through to approve and then respond to that sometimes it takes me a few days to get to everyone.
Well you’re three days past your ablation so I’m assuming you’re home and on the mend. I’d love it if you could respond back here with your experience and how you’re doing today. I hope you’re doing great!
God Bless.
Travis
I’m new to your blog but very interested. I was first diagnosed at 37 with afib and was told I’m so young but now I see that you were even younger. It gives me hope. It’s easy to get down about my situation. I watch my family enjoying things and having a beer and wish I could.
I’m going through a bad spot now because of complications with medication, but months ago I was just fine and medication-free. I feel like the different prescriptions I’ve been given have had a part in it. It is funny how heart monitors find ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I thought I was the only one. You ask a GREAT question. Why can’t we purchase our own heart monitor?! Sounds like a Million Dollar idea to me. Anyway, hope you keep moving forward and winning the fight. I’ll try to follow your lead
Dorian
Dorian:
Welcome to my blog. I’m glad you’re finding it helpful! Sorry to hear that you too have afib at such a young age. When you were first diagnosed did they immediately put you on medications or did they do a heart monitor for a while first to see how often you’re in afib?
I don’t know what medications you’re on but it’s definitely possibly they are causing more harm than good but I don’t know your full health history so it’s impossible to say for sure. I had afib for 9 years and didn’t take a single medication until the 9th year when it got really bad. Even then, however, I only took flecainide “as needed” (pill in the pocket).
They wanted to try medications first for a while but I wouldn’t have it. I insisted on an ablation. It was the smartest decision I ever made!
I wish you well and please keep in touch!
Travis
I’ve seen both your comments and just earlier today my NEW cardiologist called and we discussed an ablation! I will be getting more details from her and an electro-some person soon. I’m assuming it’s really expensive, but I’d do about anything for piece of mind.
First, I’ll be getting a holter monitor again hopefully this week. It puts you in that really weird position of hoping they find something, and hoping they find nothing. If they find something we can correct it, and if they find nothing I’m healthy.
Oh and when I was first diagnosed I was in the emergency room and they started me on Metoprolol. Took for a month then quit cold turkey. No problems for over a full year. Was prescribed Corticosteroids this year and my heart went AFIB again. The latest med I’ve taken was cardizem. Stopped it about two weeks ago after a month of taking it. I don’t feel very well and a little dizzy. Now I’ve been given Flecainide (pill in pocket when needed). I’m trying to avoid drugs and get back to being healthy on my own.
Dorian:
That’s awesome to hear! The “electro person” is an electrophysiologist, or EP for short. They specialize in heart arrhythmias. An EP is who you want to be working with.
I know what you mean with the monitor. It’s definitely a double-edged sword. But here’s the thing. You have afib – period. You may not always be in afib, but you have the condition so even if they don’t find anything doesn’t mean you’re good to go. I could have had my ablation years ago but because I was only having one episode a year I held off. In hindsight, I wish I would have pulled the trigger sooner.
That’s crazy that they would put you on a drug immediately. It would make more sense to put you on a monitor first for a 30-day period to see just how often you have afib – if you have it at all. I found out about my afib in the ER as well but fortunately they didn’t jump to drugs with me. They cardioverted me in the hospital and sent me on my way – thankfully!!
I wish you well. Keep us posted.
Travis
Hi Travis,
I had to chuckle when reading your post. I get so aggravated when my heart profusely “acts up” before and after monitoring, but runs so smoothly as soon as a monitor is on! Ugh, it’s like what the heck?! Maybe like you said, I just need to invest in a monitor and wear it 24/7. ;)
I, too, often envy others who sail through life without a stray regard to their heart rhythm. I am one who is cardio aware, as the doctor calls it. I always have been, even from a young age, but especially tuned in since my first documented AFib episode in 2012. I also notice the PACs are worse when my heart rate is in the low to mid 60s.
Do you get positional PVCs & PACs? How about after eating or drinking? I can lift my arms up, sit a certain way, bend over, look up, or swallow something and have a quick burst. Bowel disturbances will 100% kick them in as well as certain thoughts, like something scary or exciting. All of my AFib episodes were triggered by stomach issues; three of the five episodes were after ingesting something cold on a full stomach.
I’m just curious because the medical professionals I have dealt with explain that these instances could not possibly trigger heart palpitations or AFib. I beg to differ. I’ve been on Flecainide since February. It has helped some. The Cardizem I think helped better, but my BP and heart rate are naturally low, so the Cardizem made it too low. I keep resisting the ablation my EP recommends. Maybe one day.
Thanks for the updates. It’s good to hear from others.
Sheila
Hey Sheila! I definitely get positional PVCs and PACs. If I lie on my left side even for a minute, they go absolutely crazy. For that reason I haven’t slept on my left side since my ablation. I also get them bad whenever I sit back in any kind of reclining chair – or if I sit back in bed reading a book. Basically the only time I get relief is when I’m standing, sitting completely upright, or moving around. And oddly enough I get a little relief when I go to sleep (on my right side of course).
I have naturally low blood pressure and a low heart rate as well so I wouldn’t be a candidate for Cardizem either. Fortunately, my ablation cured my afib (at least so far) so I don’t have to take any drugs. I just need to get these PVCs and PACs taken care of somehow:)
Take care!
Travis
This stuff works for piggies and bunnies. No telling how many years of how many phases of how many trials it will take before (and if!) it will be approved and available to you and me. But I’m hopeful:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=eleclazine%5BTitle%2FAbstract%5D
Meantime, I’ve been doing two things that seem to help: All of us who take magnesium supplements are at risk of a shortage of potassium, which is at least as essential as mag for good rhythm. To get enough, I take a half teaspoon 3x/day of the NOW brand potassium powder. That equals to about 525 mg, more than you could easily get from the teeny dose tabs available. Helps me with the “flip-flops”. Just pass this by your doc first though, particularly if you’re on a diuretic or an ACE inhibitor that effects your potassium.
I read recently that an infusion of selenium before heart surgery minimizes the dreaded post-op afib. I reasoned that it couldn’t hurt to eat three or four Brazil nuts daily. They’re loaded with selenium so you shouldn’t eat more than four or five a day. Overdose can be nasty. Does it help? Maybe. It’s so hard to tell when you’re your own experiment with only one subject.
Jeffrey:
Eleclazine? I’ve never heard of it. It’s always interesting following the path these new drugs take. There was a very promising drug not too long ago called vanoxerine. I was keeping an eye on its development. Everything looked great until their latest rounds of testing where apparently the wheels fell off the bus. I don’t know what the specific problems were but apparently the new found side effects were “deadly” so the company behind it immediately shut down all development of it. It’s now history.
I wish there were more promising drugs on the immediate horizon but I don’t see any. It seems these drugs take decades to come to fruition – if they ever make it in the first place.
I used to take the same potassium you take as well but I think it made my palpitations worse so I stopped taking it. I’m super sensitive to any supplemental potassium so I keep it to a minimum (but I don’t avoid it in foods as I do fine with it in foods). I should start drinking low-sodium V8 again.
Travis
That’s a shame about your potassium response. I started it for two reasons. It supposedly lowers blood pressure. It boosts your body’s synthesis of nitric oxide, which keeps your endothelium flexible and responsive. It seems to have helped my PACs and PVCs as well, but who wants to quit what might be working and risk the return of the demons — just to see??
Ya, I was hoping the supplemental potassium would help but for me it just made things worse. I’m glad it’s working for you!
Travis
Hi Travis !
It’s so nice to see you so optimistic and determined to overcome this difficult time. It’s truly inspirational for me, since myself I’m not in the best mood concerning my afib issue. In fact, the more data I get, the more I read about atrial fibrillation related news, research and outcomes ant the more I deal with my own beast, the more concerned I become. That’s why your thoughts are kind of a bout of fresh air for me. I’d like so very much to “contaminate” from you.
About this period of heart monitoring, I also experienced this strange behaviour, meaning that each monitoring period in the last 2 years were just perfect. Last time, 1 month ago, my EP just laughed in my (long, concerned) face saying that my 90 recorded PACs/48 hours were probably less than his own. I don’t know, wearing that device is some kind of a big placebo, or the beast is just hiding? Anyway, it’s a fact that the deep connection between mind and heart it’s something that we’re so little aware of. The only good thing about this is that in Romania,a 48-hours heart monitoring cost only around $70 :)
Thanks Marius! I’m glad you find my writing inspirational. It’s imperative that we all remain as positive and optimistic as we can. The truth is, there has never been a better time for us afibbers as treatments become more effective with every passing year. Plus, don’t underestimate the power of God. I know some people will roll their eyes at that comment but you’ll be surprised what constant faith can do!
$70 for heart monitoring? What a bargain! I can’t wait to see what my bill will be. I’ll be sure to update this post when it comes. I’m assuming it will be well over $1,000 but we shall see.
Take care!
Travis
Thanks for the update Travis. It is so good having someone like you to keep us updated with news. Thanks also for your kind words on my upcoming procedure as this has been a rough several months. Have the rest of a great weekend. Carol
Thanks for your kind words, Carol. I’ll be contacting you privately about your upcoming procedure. Keep the faith!
Travis
Hi Travis, I feel your frustration, I noticed that you mentioned more than once in this post and previous ones that the PVC’s and PAC’s feel like a full-fledged Afib episodes, allow me to be the devil’s advocate and ask, is it possible that they are? maybe a different type like slower or milder afib, we all know it is hard sometimes to capture afib except on a proper ECG monitor, too bad you couldn’t capture them on the last heart monitor, in my case, the only times I was able to capture and document Afib episodes were at the ER, maybe next time you have the PVC’s attack you should consider going to an ER or your GP with an ECG (cheaper) just to verify that these are 100% not a different Afib presentation beyond a shadow of doubt, wishing you the best.
Saad
Hey Saad. As always, it’s great to hear from you! I’ve thought about that many times – that I might in fact be in afib. However, I’m fairly certain it’s not. When these episodes get really bad I jump on my AliveCor monitor and it always shows frequent PVCs and PACs but never afib.
Furthermore, when I check my pulse it’s very steady but not in a good solid NSR way. For example, it will be something like this: thump thump thump thump etc. And with each thump it’s a very pronounced thump too, which is very typical of PVCs. My heart rate also never gets high during these episodes. If anything it gets low. My resting heart rate these days is around 60 and during these episodes it never goes above that. If I was in afib, I would expect my rate to go up some.
But we think alike. Every time I have these bad episodes I wonder if I’m in afib but I don’t think it is.
Take care!
Travis
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