Hello and my story.

[Bmwpaul1971]

Hello guys. My name is Paul and I have suffered with PVC's, SVT's and slight AF since I was 22, I am now 47. I have had so many 24 hour monitors and ECG's I have lost count. As you all know, your body goes into stealth mode and hides all your symptoms when you have any tests done lol. This has been the most frustrating part of my journey. I got put on propranaol when I was 28 due having an irregular heartbeat. I woke up one day after a night out and my heart was weird. It sorted it within a day but when I tried to come off the medication it would return. The next symptom was a racing heart every I went to the gym and exerted myself. This was scary at times. I was also getting frequent missed beats. This went on for about 10 years until they fitted a device under the skin that records the heart etc. I was diagnosed with SVT's and normal ectopic beats. I was offered an ablation but I declined as the propranaol were keeping most at bay so I said while it was mostly controllable, I would wait. Plus, I had been on escitralopram for anxiety and trying to reduce this over the 4 years on it, but that made my heart terrible. I have still been unable to come off this medication due to the effects on my heart. Anyway, last year I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia and gastritis and duely put on Lansopazole. Struggled on this as it seemed to bloke food being digested which made my heart ten times worse. Last year my heart took a turn for the worse. These extra beats / PVC's got so bad I was getting hundreds a day. Saw the cardiologist who did not do any further tests just changed me to 5mg bisoprolol. These have been ok but do not control the PVC's that well. I have been on a higher dose but I can't cope with the side effects.

I am currently awaiting to see the cardiologist again next month. So sick of the constant extra beats especially after evening meals or lying down, these are the worst. So currently I am fighting various medication for heart, stomach and anxiety to trying to get some medication that works. My biggest problem is all my problems have an effect on each other so is a viscious circle.

[meadfoot]

So sorry you are having all this health hassle. I understand how you feel having all of your symptoms including the gastric issue and hiatus hernia. I find one affects the other and am becoming convinced I need the hernia repairing and gastric issues in general sorting in order not least of all to feel better but hopefully in part aid heart efficiency especially as heart and hiatus hernia and Oesophagus are so close to each other in proximity.

Yes I realise the heart issue is separate but isn't helped by gastric problems. Be good to be treat as a whole rather than being treat in separate parts wouldn't it. Best wishes, hope you get some joy very soon.

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to meadfoot]

Hi, thanks for the reply. My heart wasn't too bad for years. Then last year after having all the trouble with my stomach my heart is terrible. Too much of a coincidence. I'm sick of treating each problem separately when they are so linked together. It's so depressing.

[meadfoot in reply to Bmwpaul1971]

We get stuck in medics own blinkered silos. Sadly it's up to us with the help of our GP to break that deadlock, far from easy but we need to persist. Wouldn't it be good if medics worked together across specialties, now there's a novelty.

[Snobes]

Hello

Like you I have a lot of health issues including now in AF full time. was put on Bispro but found it was giving me cramps so Dr changes it to Noten (Atenolol) which is a medication that has been around for years and that has helped.

As far as an ablation is concerned I had it years ago and it did stop the AF for ten years before it started up again so it might be something you should discuss again with your Doctor..I am now 78 and even I have so many health issues butI have no intention going out of this world yet,

Good luck.

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to Snobes]

I am going to ask the cardiologist about another medication but I don't want hard core stuff as I don' think I'm at that point. My SVT's are mostly controllable by crouching down and holding my breath. This puts it back to a slow rhythm. It's the extra beats that spoil my life currently. Good luck to you too.

[needlestone]

I am 49 and I had most all of the things and symptoms you have. I did have an ablation for the SVT, my heart would get up to 250 bpm as shown on holter monitor. The ablation fixed that but still had many ectopics throughout the day. I doctor suggested I go gluten free to see if that helped. I did and over time all stopped. After being gluten free for 1 year I tried a piece of bread one night and regretted it as all started right back up before I left the restaurant. That episode lasted for 5 days after eating gluten. Also, aspartame and sucralose will set them off. Try looking at the food you are eating, read labels it is worth a try. I don't have to take any meds as long as I adhere to no gluten or artificial sweeteners.

I also have gastric issues and hiatal hernia. I also had my gall bladder removed when all was at its worst with my heart. There is a definite correlation between heart and stomach. They are neighbors too so not surprising.

[Bmwpaul1971 in reply to needlestone]

Gee your story is very like mine. I came off the Lansopazole a couple of weeks ago and actually my heart responded well and ectopics reduced. I didnt have that feeling of something stuck in my chest anymore after eating. Well they changed me to Ranitine at a high dose which was fine but again seemed to block good being digested quickly enough. I always felt food was just sitting in my chest and throat. Reduced the Lansopazole and hay Presto that was much better. However, the acid was back and I started having burning tongue and dry throat. I went back on the Lansopazole and bang, the next day, ectopics and fullness back with vengeance. I stopped them again after 3 days and today the 4th day, heart a ot better. So after a process of my elimination - not the drs I may add! I seem to have found one of the problem medications for Me? I would rather live with acid and burning tongue than 100's of ectopics. Just wish I could find something to settle both.

[Bmwpaul1971]

BTW sorry for the mistakes. My phone predictive text is so annoying lol