Advice/Suport Required Re Ectopics

[jalba]

Hello,

I am new to the forum.

I am in my very early 60s and male. I am in general good health. Marginally overweight. No history of heart disease or high BP. I have never smoked. My alcohol consumption is purely 4 glasses of wine per week with meals. I don't take drugs or any prescription medication. I very rarely drink coffee, and tea consumption is 3 mugs per day.

My father died of heart disease at age 67, but he was a fairly heavy smoker.

As can be seen from my first posting, I am quite concerned due to my recent experience with ectopics.

The ectopics first started in November 2008, were fierce for three days, then I was no longer aware of them. However, they returned with a vengeance 12 days ago and are making me feel unwell and anxious.

They are constant and 24/7. They never abate. My pulse is erratic with skipped beats and multiple ectopics. My resting pulse fluctuates between 75 and sometimes 130.

I went to A&E because of the above. I was given anti coagulants and a number of ECG's. At the time my resting pulse was fluctuating between 120 and 140.

The generalist consultant and her team could not agree whether it was ectopics or whatever. Eventually she said we are calling it as atrial fibrillation. However, they later passed my history and ecg's to a heart consultant who said it was ectopics. I was discharged and told to take metoprolol tartrate 25mgs three times a day along with 75 mgs of aspirin.

I am resistant to most forms of medication and do not want to take the metoprolol tartrate, particularly because of the extensive list of side effects. I don't want to be reliant on them and/or add other health problems from unwanted side effects.

My wife is terrified she loses me so is pressuring me to take the metoprolol tartrate

I have tried magnesium 250 mgs for 3 days, but with no success.

Are any of you experiencing identical symptoms?

What do you think of metoprolol tartrate, and the potential side effects?

Do you think I would be risking things by not taking the metoprolol tartrate?

Any advice would be welcome.

Thanks.

[kestral]

you have acted correctly by consulting doctors for help with your problems. do not now try to self medicate, do as they advise. i know from my own situation, which is not unlike yours, its difficult, but why involve doctors if you think you know better. dont mean to be blunt, but plain speaking is better than beating around the bush.

regards alan

[jalba]

Alan,

Thanks for your response, however plainly spoken.

I have revised my attitude towards metoprolol tartrate, following the advice from other medical professionals, and the fact that I was getting more concerned with the absolutely constant ectopics and the possible dangerous level of my pulse. I have also stopped the magnesium.

My condition remains frustratingly unchanged.

Re the medical profession, I feel extremely dissatisfied with the way I have been treated. I believe that some of them need to have counselling on how to interact with patients.

Regards

jalba

[kawasaki kid]

hello there....

sorry to here you've started feeling ectopic beats......they are the last thing i would wish on someone to whom i hated.....they are the worst thing possible to put up with on a daily basis....

I started suffering with them last august in which they came in episodes or spates lasting for eight to ten days then passing off for a while....things have progressed since then and its taken seven weeks this time for them to subside......

If you've had all the necessary testing done you will have piece of mind in knowing that the ectopics are benign and do not pose as a problem.... if you feel that you just can not live with them then beta-blockers are your first step for rest bite and in some cases a cure..........in the medical profession they call them a class 2 anti arrythmia drug which are also widely used for anxiety desorders, migrane sufferers, high blood pressure and stress.....so if the doc's prescribed you beta-blockers i'd have full confidance in them knowning the drug has many uses and is extremly popular among the population no matter what the brand name ie.... atenalol, propranalol,metroprol ect or the problem.......

trust the doc's, trust the meds, maybe suffer a few side effects for a short time and hopefully for you put an end to ectopic beats.......give them a try and see how you go for a few months......no harm in trying a well tolerated medication......

hope things work out for you

takecare

chris

[jalba]

Hello Chris,

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Unfortunately I do not know how innocuous these 'ectopics' are.

I was discharged from hospital without having the opportunity to discuss my condition with a doctor.

Initially they were insure but decided on atrial fibrillation. Then a junior house officer said they were ectopics.

It was quite scary monitoring my erratic pulse at over 140 beats pm and not dropping much below 120.

With the beta blocker my resting pulse is between 80 to 95. Sometimes it shoots up to 120 - 130.

I telephoned the hospital 3 days ago and am still waiting for the consultant to phone me back!

[kestral]

reading what you have to say, i think you are being very badly let down by your doctors. you certainly dont need the extra worry their heaping on you. cant do much from where i am but offer my support if you wish to contact me.
alan

[jalba]

reading what you have to say, i think you are being very badly let down by your doctors. you certainly dont need the extra worry their heaping on you. cant do much from where i am but offer my support if you wish to contact me.
alan

Hello Alan,

Thanks for your nice offer.

I am beginning to calm down a little, although I still have the ectopics 24/7.

My resting pulse is still erratic and in the 80s - 90s, but I don't have the same fierceness with the ectopics, which helps. I consequently don't have the same irritability and nervousness.

The metoprolol tartrate seems to be helping.

Until this happened I was totally unaware of this type of problem and the community of fellow sufferers.

I hope that eventually I can shake this off, and I wish the same for all fellow sufferers, as it is a truly unpleasant condition.

Meantime I am going to write to the consultant and hopefully get a response.

Best wishes

[simonk]

Hello

From reading your post top-to-bottom I would advise knocking the tea on the head or moving to decaf. I've been cutting down my caffeine intake over the years as I found that it helped but had a recent relapse with chest pains and ectopics having begun to have a cup of tea in the morning at the station (leaded) and experimented with an occasional Coke.

It may not be your trigger (it certainly is one of mine - even decent chocolate can do it - pity) but caffeine is definitely one to eliminate as far as possible and see if it helps. You can always start again !

Best wishes
Simon

[jalba]

Hello

From reading your post top-to-bottom I would advise knocking the tea on the head or moving to decaf. I've been cutting down my caffeine intake over the years as I found that it helped but had a recent relapse with chest pains and ectopics having begun to have a cup of tea in the morning at the station (leaded) and experimented with an occasional Coke.

It may not be your trigger (it certainly is one of mine - even decent chocolate can do it - pity) but caffeine is definitely one to eliminate as far as possible and see if it helps. You can always start again !

Best wishes
Simon

Hello Simon,

Thanks for your advice.

Surprisingly enough, I have found a cup of tea to be calming.

I first noticed this back in November, when the erratic heart problems commenced.

The actual thumping and discomfort dissipated during the tea drinking, and this lasted for about 30 minutes.

I had never given any credence to a cup of tea at a time of distress, so this was quite a new experience for me.

I don't know if it was the warmth of the tea going down, or the sugar, or whatever!

What I did think could have been the trigger, was Ibuprofen. As I have indicated I am extremely reluctant to take any medication. However, after about 3 months of persistent bursitis, my GP prescribed 1200mgs per day of Ibuprofen. The erratic heart beat correlated with taking this medication.

My GP and other medical professionals say there is no relationship, but a search on the internet indicates that arrhythmia, although rare, is a side effect.

I rarely drink coffee, although I have a penchant for chocolate.

Thanks again, and best wishes also.

[jalba]

It has now been confirmed that I have atrial fibrillation, a much more serious matter than ectopics.

Perhaps this is not the forum for A.F?