Palpitation

[happinessinme]

Hi everyone,
So i have been suffering from long-term heart problems: (chronic palpitation, tachycardia) it's really a pain for me and annoyed me so much. I'm currently on beta blocker right now, but it doesn't really help.
I need information if anyone experienced it too, or know anyone who experienced it too, which hospital and doctor in singapore what did you/they do to treat this problem, hopefully can share the experience.
I would be glad if anyone could give me some inputs.
Thank's for the help.

[ksl]

Hi everyone,
So i have been suffering from long-term heart problems: (chronic palpitation, tachycardia) it's really a pain for me and annoyed me so much. I'm currently on beta blocker right now, but it doesn't really help.
I need information if anyone experienced it too, or know anyone who experienced it too, which hospital and doctor in Singapore what did you/they do to treat this problem, hopefully can share the experience.
I would be glad if anyone could give me some inputs.
Thanks for the help.

I'm also on beta blocker, plus 5 other tablets and I have pain every day, scary as hell but what to do, I visited my consultant yesterday for my 6 month check up, He appears pleased with me, I just asked for a new heart

I have what is called positional pain, if i twist or lay on my side, the pressure causes heart pain, I have had the pain for 1 year, which i live with daily.

My heart attack happened 2008, probable cause was adrenalin, I had been suffering chemical imbalance for years, like a volcanic eruption I new it was going to happen, the build up of calcium in 3 damaged areas of the artery caused it, after the heart attack it was like the pressure subsided altogether, feel fine today apart from the niggling pain, It's made me more conscious that i may go without notice, so I just do what i enjoy doing, like challenging my own endurance, while running or walking.

My resting heart beat was 42, which is normal for someone so active into endurance sports year in year out.

Though a year without any real exercise puts the weight on quickly. Stay well away from processed foods and junk foods, don't exercise without first getting the go ahead. Palpation are caused by various psychological and physical factors.. Are you not on other tablets too

Dr, Lee Singapore General Heart Centre. Good or Bad who knows! You should know best how you feel not him. I often get dizzy light headed, though blood pressure is fine, the problem is more likely to be lack of oxygen in the blood if you feel like shit go to emergancy unit.

I was like shit for the first year, with 3 emergancies, so he changed the medication and i felt much better, today i cope with it, normally when i run, it's until the heart pain gets to a point that I'm pushing my luck, so I walk.

For a person that has never exercised it is very different, their hearts are not conditioned for exercise, my heart has been conditioned for endurance training over 40 years, so it is naturally stronger, and works less to pump the same amount of blood.

[happinessinme]

Hello to you and i thank you for the reply
I checked the forum frequently but didn't notice the new reply because the number shows next to the topic is 1, i thought it was only my post, not 1 reply, silly me.

Your condition is sort of different from me i guess,
why do you take beta blocker if your BP is low? I thought beta blocker reduces heart rate.
I stay away from junk food too, my doctor gave me an antidepressant but i didn't take it because my anxiety caused by my heart problem not the other way around. Did echo, ekg, holter, t3&t4 test but they didn't find the cause. I think my gastro problem worsen the palpitation too and caused anxiety too. Haven't done endoscopy though. I have been searching on the net and reading people's story and articles about palpitation and tachycardia to find a cure and other possible causes but haven't found anything that helped. Well i have been to the ER too couple of times, they just gave me drugs and did ekg test on me. The thing is when the problem occurs i feel anxious and going to the hospital makes it worse since i'm kind of affraid of hospital. So usually what i can do is lie down and try to calm myself eventhough it's so hard. Have you been to Dr. Lee from Singapore General Heart Centre?

Anyway, this thread got 136 views but only got 1 reply

[paperbags]

hello happinessinme!

Do you mind telling me specifically which beta-blocker you're currently prescribed, if you're also on any other medications (which anti-depressant were you given) and also if you have any other medication conditions? You could PM me if you want =p

ksl's case is rather different from yours. I believe its arrhythmia (abnormal heart rate/heart muscle contraction due to abnormal electrical impulses) for your case whereas ksl has had a heart attack before. Thus, a beta-blocker was prescribed to ksl to reduce the workload of the heart to help prevent further heart attacks.

There are various forms of arrhythmias (atrial fibrillations, ventricular arrhythmia, supraventricular arrhythmia) and they are treated differently with different kinds of drugs. Look up vaughan william classification of anti-arrhythmic drugs and you'll realise that beta-blockers is categorized under class 2 which acts principally on the AV node. It is often used in atrial fibrillation or supra-ventricular tachycardia.

Also, anti-depressants help to reduce your anxiety and if your anxiety is the cause of your heart problem, then anti-depressant should be of good use as it reduces anxiety and relieve your heart problem.

Lastly, know that seeking information online is not an adequate substitute to seeking professional care. So, don't act upon information given on this forum without first consulting your GP as heart problems must be handled critically by someone who has your full medical history.

Also, some lifestyle stuff like avoiding stimulants (caffeine), salty food or smoking should prevent your heart from beating too fast and thereby reducing the pain you're experiencing.

I hope this helps.

[happinessinme]

Hello there paperbags!

Drugs that i've ever gotten were benzodiazepin, diazepam, metroprolol, atenolol, cordarone, propranolol, and 1 more, but i forgot the name. I've never tried cordarone though and i'm on propranolol right now. Anyway, i'm worried of the side effect years later(i'm 20 y.o).

Thank's for the tips and i don't smoke and drink caffeine.

[paperbags]

hello!

Almost all or I should say all drugs have side-effects and it shouldn't be a worry to you as long as you take your drugs appropriately at the right dose, time and go for regular check-ups.

You may already be aware why you're taking these medications and I see some of them prescribed to you for anxiety,
- Benzodiazepine: anxiolytic (relieve anxiety that is causing your palpitation)

- Diazepam: also an anxiolytic (a benzodiazepine derivative)

- Metoprolol: cardioselective beta-1 blocker (works specifically on your heart only)

- Atenolol: cardioselective beta-1 blocker

- Propanolol: non-selective beta blocker (targets both lungs and heart)

- Cordarone: A class 3 anti-arrhythmic drug which should help with your palpitation and I must say that it is considered very effective but the side-effects could be a potential problem

You have been prescribed medicines with the same class and make sure that you're not taking 2 medicines from the same class like propanolol and atenolol.

Cordarone (Amiodarone) is a drug to be especially careful of as it is well-known to interact with alot of other medicines, including supplements due to its high iodine level as it might affect your thyroid gland. So make sure you tell your GP or any pharmacist if you're gonna take Cordarone.

I am particularly worried for patients if they have problems with their thyroid gland. Drugs like cordarone and propanolol have been identified to cause such problems for a small population of people.

For beta-blockers,
'The effects of beta-blockers on thyroid hormone metabolism may result in elevations of serum free thyroxine (T4) levels and symptoms might not appear until diagnostic tests are carried out'

For cordarone,
'Regular ECG monitoring is recommended in patients on long-term therapy with amiodarone.'
'Elevation of liver enzyme levels occurs quite commonly in patients undergoing treatment with amiodarone and in some cases are asymptomatic. Therefore, close monitoring of hepatic function with liver function tests is recommended as soon as amiodarone is started and regularly during treatment.'

I understand that it can be tough at times to be monitored regularly but these drugs especially amiodarone is one that you must be wary of. If propranolol doesn't work, consult your GP to see if you should be started on amiodarone.

Normally, beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers are given as 1st-line drugs in arrhythmia and amiodarone is given as 2nd-line if the 1st-line drugs doesn't work.

I hope this helped!

[ksl]

antidepressant but i didn't take it because my anxiety caused by my heart problem

You really do need to take the antidepressants as they will help give your mind a rest, they well make you less anxious. It's true that living with anxiety may eventually damage the heart. It was anxiousness that triggered my heart attack, because the arteries are effected by emotions, like anger, and anxiety, so the contract and expand with feelings, and with me being 60% blocked, it doesn't take much movement to trigger an heart attack, so i have to keep relaxed and avoid stress at all times. Not at all easy.

So take your tranquilisers, you will discover that you will not speculate so much on your problem. The mind escalates worry if not controlled, so you need to focus on positive action to improve your thought process.

My blockers are to stop the calcium build up in the arteries, not cholesterol, i have excellent cholesterol levels, because of sport, though weight training is a magnet for calcium accumulation, as the body adjusts to the weights being lifted and the muscles get larger, need the support of the skeleton which attracts the calcium.

My bicep muscle snapped my humerus when i was 24, I was arm wrestling at the time, and the downward pressure of the bicep directly on the humerus was enough to weaken the bone, a slight twist of my wrist, was all that was needed to split the humerus like a cane breaking.

[happinessinme]

paperbags thank you for the inputs.

I don't know which drug more effective for me. The doctor changed the medications a couple of times, Propranolol, Metoprolol, Antenolol back to Metoprolol, Propranolol, Atenolol but now i stay with Propranolol. I couldn't notice the difference either because my condition changes frequently, depends on my sleeping quality too and even when i already took the drug i still can't do activities normally which is annoying. It got worse when i eat sweet, fatty, salty food. Do you know how many hours does the beta blocker last? And how long does it take for it to work after took it?
From what i read on your post, seems like Metoprolol and Atenolol are better than Propranolol? Since it's cardioselective and Propranolol isn't and Cordarone is the strongest drug with more and many side effects among the others which i should get only for last choice if the other beta blocker doesn't work? And if i have thyroid problems i should be carefull of the side effect of beta blocker? But what if i don't have thyroid problem, is it safe for me to take beta blocker?

Is it true (i read it on the net) that antidepressant, anxiety and sleeping pills can caused breathing problem and muscle? Since i often feel breathless and have problem with respiratory muscle weakness, i'm worried to take it.

ksl,
i see, looks like you're a sport person. I wonder if people that exercise regularly still get palpitation and tachycardia problems, since i don't exercise regularly but i wanna get started i hope it can help me a lot. Anyway, i try not to take the antidepressant because i don't wanna get addicted to it and have to depend on it like beta blocker too for the rest of my life, besides of the side effect too, but i try to reconsider it now. I know that i have to stay relax and all that but, it's hard to live without any stress especially with this condition, it's even so much harder since it's taking over my life.

[paperbags]

Propanolol was given probably due to its lipid solubility and long half-life, allowing it to work longer than other beta-blockers and it shouldn't be a problem unless you're asthmatic. I wouldn't say that atenolol and metoprolol is better than propranolol but it all comes down how selective it is (propranolol is not recommended if you have lungs problem).

'Metoprolol is considered a relatively lipid soluble compound (less soluble than propranolol and more lipid soluble than atenolol).'

It is safe to take a beta-blocker regardless of whether or not you have thyroid problem but then you should be monitored more often as the thyroid gland (master gland) is responsible for the other endocrine glands/system. So, it will kind of affect your metabolism rate of drugs and stuff. Hence, for your case, it is safe to take your beta-blocker but if it isn't working well for you, consult your doctor to be started on cordarone to see if it will relieve your symptoms better. There are lots of side-effects and precautions to take when started on cordarone but it shouldn't be a problem if you're monitored closely.

I would say that anti-depressants tend to slow down your body system, including your breathing or heart rate. If you often feel breathless, it could be due to the beta-blocker's side-effect (bradycardia, slow heart-rate). Propranolol was thus given to help counter your palpitation.

Normally, the use of sleeping pills is potentially worrying in someone with breathing difficulties (COPD or asthma) for fear that they might not wake up in time if they experience breathing difficulty during the night which could lead to dire consequences. So normally, it is advisable to not use such a high dose of sleeping pill but to slowly titrate up the dose.

Which side-effects are you particularly worried of anyway?

[ksl]

Well I stopped rampiril on the 7th, due to a severe hives rash on face and neck, only to find out, it is not Rampiril as i had an outbreak today. My blood test results came at the weekend, not good, GGT has risen from 78 203 and i have protein in my urine. I stopped the asprin 2 days ago too, but still no luck, so the rash maybe because of my liver. Just sent an email to request a stop on all medication for a week to see if it helps.

It is not effecting my running though. I broke my personal best record last night 10km 450 meters in 1hr. 9 minutes the previous record was 1hr 13 minutes. Weight has dropped to 91kg from 96kg

My target is 10km in 1 hr, so it means dropping more weight to achieve that goal!

[happinessinme]

No, i guess my breathing problem wasn't caused by Propranolol because i have this breathing problem before i took Propranolol. Although i don't know if Propranolol worsen my breathing problem, since i haven't found the caused of my breathing problem.

I'm worried of the side effect because of my breathing problem, respiratory muscle weakness and i think i have sleep apnea. Because a couple of times i got awake during my sleep and i found my self isn't breathing, i have to catch my breath and i felt like i almost die. I have been to the sleep lab (sleeping in the hospital, they put wires and monitored me) but couldn't detect it, because it happens randomly and i didn't even sleep on that night because i have insomnia and i didn't feel comfortable too.

Wow ksl! I wish i could run that long without getting sick. Did you get liver problem because of taking many drugs for long time?

[ksl]

No, i guess my breathing problem wasn't caused by Propranolol because i have this breathing problem before i took Propranolol. Although i don't know if Propranolol worsen my breathing problem, since i haven't found the caused of my breathing problem.

I'm worried of the side effect because of my breathing problem, respiratory muscle weakness and i think i have sleep apnea. Because a couple of times i got awake during my sleep and i found my self isn't breathing, i have to catch my breath and i felt like i almost die. I have been to the sleep lab (sleeping in the hospital, they put wires and monitored me) but couldn't detect it, because it happens randomly and i didn't even sleep on that night because i have insomnia and i didn't feel comfortable too.

Wow ksl! I wish i could run that long without getting sick. Did you get liver problem because of taking many drugs for long time?

My liver problem may have been caused by military experimental trials on nerve agents, I was first diagnosed with a fatty liver at the age of 30, though no doubt quantities of alcohol, may have played a role too. I have evidence that the nerve agent used, damages liver from the FDA website, the drug was removed because of health and safty issues.

My drinking days are now over until i can bring down the liver enzyme count, its in the scarring stage, so i may need a biopsy to see what is actually going on. Though i feel very well apart from being overweight, which is frustrating. I have dropped 8kg since June 6th, so its going in the right direction, I keep an eye on my diet, but do not eat less. I eat better low GI foods.

I also monitor my blood sugar and urine, after I had a scare of blood sugar reading of 265, after eating a coconut cake in Ikea, that was a real calorie bomb and too sweet, it was sickly. I will tell the chef next time i'm in there!

I'm not diabetic! Though monitoring is the best way to ensure, one doesn't become diatbetic! At 60, the reaper is not far behind, he's just looking for a weak spot So stay strong and positive!

[happinessinme]

Sounds scarry,
but you seem so energetic and full of spirit, good for you. I often feel worry and down because of my condition.
I'm avoiding sweet food too, and salty food, although it's hard.
Anyway, no one replys here anymore.