Quick Question About Propranolol Reduction?

[mischamoonlight]

Update: I was doing okay for a few days, didn’t have any at all, but today, more so this evening, I had one, then a few hours later around this time, I’ve had a handful. It honestly set me off a little after not having any for a few days, made me feel agitated and anxious again. Not out of control panic but just a little frightened.

I didn’t do anything different, so not sure what triggered them really. It’s so hard to laugh it off sometimes because my mind switches back to the fear that when I get one or a few that it will start up and then I’ll get them non stop all day and night and that is hard to not think about. Or that something is going on ya know.

Like when I just checked my pulse, I felt one. I mean does checking my pulse subconsciously bring one on? Like does thinking about it really make one happen? I dunno.

[panic_down_under]

I didn't do anything different, so not sure what triggered them really.

Everyone has PVCs. They are a natural part of how the heart works. It's just that most people are not hyper vigilant so don't notice them.

A healthy heart 'dances', a failing one marches in lock step (which can only be detected with EKGs/ECGs).

It's so hard to laugh it off sometimes

Have you tried?

Like when I just checked my pulse, I felt one.

Then stop checking. What purpose does it serve?

I mean does checking my pulse subconsciously bring one on? Like does thinking about it really make one happen? I dunno.

Yes, anxiety can trigger them. To some degree you are feeding the very 'monster' you fear.

[mischamoonlight]

@panic_down_under I know, most of my thinking knows they’re normal, I think it’s just when I feel them strongly I get that surge of anxiety and panic. I guess it’s a process, and breaking that thought that when I get one or two, or a handful sometimes, that I’m gonna end up with thousands of them a day or something.

The medication I know is helping a lot, as I’ve been struggling to go out by myself sometimes. But I managed to go the shop this morning on my own. It was a little difficult because there was so much noise and people that I felt tense. Once I got home, I felt a few PVCs, which I imagine was from the entire buildup of doing such a small task as going to the shop alone.

You’re right, the pulse checking is something I’ve compulsively done for such a long time, almost using it as a reassurance thing but actually isn’t. It’s not as bad as it use to be and I definitely stop myself many times, but I still do it sometimes. Hopefully I can break it eventually, as in not checking at all.

Yeah, I keep forgetting the anxiety can bring on more, it’s just so weird to my brain to think that anxiety can cause more PVCs, and because of how sensitive I am to every sensation in my body, I feel the PVCs more. I didn’t feel any for a few days there, then last night I felt one, which felt a little jarring after such quietness. Then before bed I felt a handful and then they went away before I went asleep.

Then of course today, but yeah, I think it was just jarring to me because I hadn’t felt any for days and then feeling a few kind of made me focus back on them. Thanks for always listening to my ramblings.

[mischamoonlight]

Not sure if it’s the heat, but throughout the whole night my hearts been beating faster, and this morning it’s still beating a little fast, I’m not sure if I’ve overheated in the night, but I felt very shaky, in my legs and arms. Not sure if it was dehydration and anxiety too, just felt like it was beating more than usual. Sorry, I’m a nuisance…

[Sparkling_Fairy]

Did you measure it? I interestingly had something similar last night. Couldn't sleep because my heart felt like it was beating faster. I ended up taking my heart rate and it was 68
I was just feeling it beat harder and that gave the impression of faster. Not that I want to encourage you taking your pulse all the time. But I think every now and then is ok as long as it doesn't become obsessive.

[panic_down_under]

Dehydration can increase the heart rate and anxiety is a common cause, but it may just be serendipity.

You've had every test know to medical science, repeatedly, and none have found a problem so you're very unlikely to expire prematurely. At least not from heart failure. The riskiest part of all this are the trips to and from your GP's surgery and the hospital.

[mischamoonlight]

@Sparkling_Fairy I use to be really obsessive with checking it but I’ve barely been checking it lately, but I do give in sometimes, and I think last night and this morning, kinda like what you said, felt harder and louder so maybe it was just me thinking it was faster, but I woke up wrapped in my duvet and it was really hot, and my legs and arms were like jelly so I think have overheated.

Yeah, I’ve been better about checking it, and I’ve been forcing myself from doing it constantly and only checking like maybe once every couple of days, it’s been a thing that I’ve used as a crutch and kinda reducing it to cope more n my own. Not perfect, but making an effort to do better.

I think because we are so sensitive to the sensations of our hearts we hear it louder, and I think this heat and humidity isn’t helping us feel any better, for me anyway, I really struggle through the heat, I usually get lots of stomach issues and sick. I’m drinking a ton of water, that helps a little.

[mischamoonlight]

@panic_down_under yeah, it’s very humid here right now, for me I always feel very unwell when the weather is humid and heavy in the air. It causes me stomach issues too, cramps and bowel issues. I’m drinking plenty of water I think, but I assume since I was asleep for a few hours and had nothing to drink I would have been a little dehydrated.

Then with the jelly legs and arms, my mum also felt it too, she said she was very warm and could be a bit of heat exhaustion. I get very lethargic when it’s very warm so I don’t go out in the sun often as I just don’t do well in it. Had a few PVCs but think it was something I ate that upset my stomach mostly. I’m making sure to drink plenty of water today.

I know, let a little bit of that panic set in. Hopefully it’ll cool down a bit, at least so my stomach can settle.

[Sparkling_Fairy]

I must be in a different part of Ireland
I know the East is having pretty warm weather, but here in the West it's a breezy 19 with occasional sun.
I'm with you though. If I wake up from an anxious dream I'm always really hot and my heart will be going fast. Due to the Propranolol still only in the 80s, but it feels so fast when it happens in the middle of waking up!

[mischamoonlight]

@Sparkling_Fairy I’m over east, it’s not really sunny just like a humid heat hanging over l😆! It’s never predictable here is it haha!

Yeah, mine is same, it feels much faster than it is or I’m just hearing beating harder but it can be a little unsettling. It’s probably our house though, as it’s been insulated and the filter that takes out some of the air is broken but no one’s been out to fix it so the temperature in the house is between 25-28 at night when the windows are shut. Fans are on full, but it’s still heavy and so warm. I’m hoping they can fix the filter thing and it might help lower the inside temperature.

Yeah, you can probably tell I don’t cope well with the heat or any type of humidity 😮*💨