PDA

View Full Version : Abnormal EKG and strange advice



85634
12-11-10, 22:47
I just got back from the MD because I was having heart flutters and missed beats. Had an abnormal EKG with some slight issue that she said was normal. Attributed it to stress, poor blood glucose control, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, etc ....

She told me to drink more water, manage my stress, lay off caffeine, sugar, and alcohol, and manage my blood glucose/protein levels more. Which all made sense to me.

Then she told me to eat a diet of 60% protein!! This is high even for a body-builder!!! RDA is only 10-15% and in that high of levels one may be rsiking kidney or liver damage. This sort of information made me doubt her and even her assessment.

Who wants to be told to "drink more liquids" when their heart is fluttering and skipping beats??? I am just having a hard time accepting this even though I want so much to know that it's normal and feeling reassured.

Going home
13-11-10, 01:06
Hi, well i think its really all about balance (I'm assuming you mean the British ECG test here?) Ectopics and flutters can be caused by whatever we put into our stomachs as well as being stress related. If our digestive system is irritated so can the heart be..this has been proven. Did she recomend more protein because you don't really eat any at the moment?

Anna x

85634
13-11-10, 02:09
No, she didn't even ask me about it or how much I eat. Just told me to eat that much. I'm just having trouble settling myself down and believing that this condition is harmless/normal and doesn't need additional investigation when she would give me such blatantly wrong medical advice.

Going home
13-11-10, 02:16
I understand your concern about the protein, but I think a balanced diet is more or less 60% protein, and the rest in carbs and veg. If you were only eating protein and not much else then there would be a problem, but if you can fill your plate with a mix of these, then protein would always be the prominent part of the meal. And if she told you to lay off the caffeine, sugar and alcohol, does this mean you need to? you didn't say in your first post if there was a reason for her to say this to you.

Anna xx

alicegreen
13-11-10, 17:47
What exactly was teh abnormality shown on your EKG?

I suspect she recommended a high protein diet as opposed to eating more carbs as it will mean better blood glucose control.

85634
15-11-10, 11:56
What is wrong on my EKG is that when I breath (inhale) there is a very slight arrthymia. It has something to do with dehydration. She said it is common. She could hear my heart "pause" between beats or something. Not sure the exact name of it.

And a 60% protein diet could lead to kidney and liver damage, plus high fat intake and a lack of proper vitamins & nutrients. It is not recommended by National Heart Association, I won't follow it, although I will increase my protein.