Been taking Atenolol 50mg for 27 years now for mild hypertension but since about a month or so ago I have started having PVCs on a daily basis. An ecogram showed a completely normal heart and subsequent holter test revealed about 3% premature beats but three different cardiolgists all say they same that they are benign and represent no problem at all. Still they are affecting my quality of life and are becoming a nasty nuisance. My GP and one of the cardiologist have suggested a change of beta blocker namely Bisoprolol to help reduce the ectopic beats but I am reluctant to change meds after so long. The Atenolol has kept my BP in check for all these years and has helped me with my anxiety issues including panic attacks. Another option is to start a trial period on an anti- arrhythmic medication called Flecanide so on top of the stress this PVCs cause I am also confused as to the way foward concerning what medication to take. Any suggestions please ?
Advice with best med for ectopics. - Heart Rhythm Diso...
Advice with best med for ectopics.
Many people (including me) who have suffered with ectopics have found a simple and free solution.
Earth yourself regularly.
A growing number of people are finding that they are sensitive to the electricity (EMF) that permeates our environment more and more and that this affects the electrical system that is our body - including our heart. Earthing yourself "normalises" the charges by allowing the negative charge of Mother Earth to do its job. It is a completely natural process.
All you need to do is to kick off your shoes and socks and stand barefoot on soil, grass, sand, unpainted concrete, etc, to start to feel the benefits. Alternatively, go outside and touch something that is already earthed and you will be earthed through it . (Your dog or the leaves of a plant or tree for instance.)
I usually recommend starting with twenty minutes before bedtime as this should ensure a good night's sleep, but you can do this anytime.
Take a chair into the garden and have a cuppa while your bare feet connect you to Mother Earth.
I tried it when I could feel the ectopics and they subsided within a minute of me being Earthed.
Google "Groundology" for more information.
I now use an Earthing mat so that I can Earth myself in comfort indoors.
I've started selling Earthing mats on ebay now because I realised the benefits and want as many people as possible to do the same.
I have heard of so many success stories now that I'm in danger of becoming evangelical about the benefits of Earthing so I hope you'll forgive me if this post sound that way. 
George
I found that Bisoprolol did me no good whatsoever. It took my energy away and made my heart beat too slowly. You will find many on here who cannot tolerate it. Many people take flec on here personally it put me in hospital.
The short answer is all drugs gave side effects so researcher and decide.
I've been taking Bisoprolol for some years and it's helped me immensely. Only 2.5mg a day keeps my PSVT in check. The mild side effects are far outweighed by the benefits for me.
I have never taken Atenolol but I am taking a low dose of Bisoprolol (5mg per day) and it has helped the atrial arrhythmia with no discernible side effects except a slight flattening of mood. Hope this helps.
if you have no other symptoms and no other heart disease or significant calcium hardness i would go for the Flecainide Acetate, way less side effects and you can train to good intensity (which will improve your heart health). i completed a mountain challenge on Bisoprolol with 2 arrhythmias on the way and the next day i stopped taking it, for me it just retarded rhythm too much. I was prepared to suffer rather than take the stuff. now i take Flecainide and i,m tabbing about the hills with no worry of arrythmia at all.
flecainide is dangerous and it is more for malignant arrhythmias.. not a good choice for healthy heart PVC’s
I have been taking Atenolol 50mg for the past 18months, it has kept my BP in check and
reduced my ectopics considerably. Previously I was on Propranolol but this didn't help
my BP so my GP changed me to Atenolol. The only annoying side effect I have had is
hair loss, I wonder if you have noticed this yourself.
Hi. You said you’ve been taking 50mg for 27years and has worked great for you until recently? First question then is what makes you think it’s the atenolol then ? I’ve taken atenolol for about 7 years 25mg for my supraventricular tachycardia but I also have anxiety. It’s worked pretty good but there was a time where I was also getting a lot of palpitations or premature beats. I initially blamed the atenolol too and my dr recommended other medications which I was also hesitant to do. Anyway long story short I tried this other medication propranolol which didn’t work. Tried cutting my meds in half with the blessing of my dr of course. Also didn’t work. I think at the end of the day what helped me was I started exercising more trying to keep my stress levels and anxiety down and guess what my palpitations are gone. I think mine were attributed more to anxiety though. So maybe try working on controlling yourself anxiety better. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions. Hope you feel better
Thanks for your advice. Must say I do suffer from anxiety and the atenolol has helped a lot on that front as well as it reduces considerably any adrenaline rush that in most cases is the trigger for panic attacks and tachycardia. Having said this with the ectopic beats the increase in Atenolol from 50mg a day to 75mg and subsequently to 100mg daily has not helped at all so I am back to the 50mg I have been taking all these years. Waiting to see a electrophysiologist for a second opinion as the to the best way foward particularly with relation to the medication required. Three different cardiologist have all said the same that my PVCs are completely benign but they still cause anguish whenever they occur which on many days last for quite a bit. I have three options live with them until they decide to subside change beta blocker or try Flecanide. Thing is if we knew what triggers this ectopics it would be so much easier but its confusing. Some like you say anxiety others say what we eat or drink whilst others say it happens to many people but yet some notice them others dont. As for my anxiety I actually think I am more relaxed now than some time back but will most probably get professional advice on this issue too.
"Waiting to see a electrophysiologist for a second opinion"
I would be very interested in hearing what your EP thinks about Earthing.
Any chance that you might ask him?
Gaetan Chevalier in the US has spent 20 years researching electrophysiology and 10 years researching Earthing and I know that he is convinced, but I wondered if many other EPs had any thoughts on this.
George
Are you in the US philologus? I usually am in the Afib forum since being recently diagnosed. I think you may have answered one of my posts there. I'd be interested to know if a cardiologist anywhere in the US knows about earthing. Most would look at anyone asking that like they are a nut. They don't know anything about nutrition or how vitamins and minerals and electrolytes affect your condition and don't want to know because most Drs want to do what makes them money. So frustrating.
I have been trying to do earthing but not near enough. I'm in Florida and don't dare go in the grass. Too many ants. But I can do it on the concrete. Have to get with it. I hope someday Drs will ( now they are ruled also by the insurance companies) go back to treating the patient and not just symptoms.
Hello Belinda,
If you google Gaetan Chevalier you'll find a few videos he's made about Earthing.
I don't know whether you can get them in the US but you can wear socks that have been impregnated with silver instead of standing on the earth itself. Silver is a good conductor. They are usually sold to people to improve circulation or to help with Athlete's foot as they are microbial.
You don't need to touch the earth to be Earthed - you can touch anything or anyone that is already Earthed, a dog, a plant, etc. If one cell of your body is earthed all of you is because the water in your cells is conductive.
If the water pipes in your home are made of copper then touching a pipe will Earth you.
Tip: make sure that you are well-hydrated before an Earthing session.
Most of the Earthing information I've read is from the US.
Google Clinton Ober, Jack Kruze (brain surgeon) or Laura Koniver MD, and you should be able to get a lot of questions answered.
Koniver is very informative but pushes her products hard - so be prepared!
Kruze is evangelical about Earthing and is hard to follow at times but well worth watching.
Clint Ober wrote the book "Earthing" and helped to produce "The Earthing Movie."
I've also learnt a lot from researching the work done by Prof Gerald Pollack.
Keep well.
George
Thanks for all the info!. Will write it down so I can refer to it.
don’t try flecainide specially if ur arrhythmia is PVC and u have a healthy heart - flecainide can damage a healthy heart or induce malignant arrhythmias, while bisoprolol does not and is very mild u might feel sluggish yeah slow heart rate yeah but u won’t get cardiac arrest, flecainide can actually give u cardiac arrest
Actually I have been on Atenolol 50mg for well over 30 years now for mild hypertension and it has kept my heart rate on the low side high 50s so taking Bisoprolol wouldnt affect me to much. Its just something my GP suggested to see if it could control the increasing PVCs. Its my cardiologist who has suggested Flecanide but your comments does make one think twice. Do you have any credible evidence to what you are saying because even Dr Sanjay Gupta who is one of the best cardiologists in the uk has also suggested Flecanide as the safest and most effective option to treat ectopic beats.
it will help i used to take biso, and besides they are PVCs easy to treat and biso won’t lower ur HR more it’s impossible that u get to 30-40 beats per minute unless ur an athlete and take antiarrhythmics! like they say as long as ur heart beat while standing is not 40-50 ur good to go and yep look for Flecainide articles in google and the majority of them will tell u that most patients that took it had very bad outcomes and some went into cardiac arrest who had a healthy heart! Flecainide is NOT safe at least not for someone like u who had mild arrhythmias and a healthy heart, why risk a measly wimpy annoying PVC by taking Flecainide and that PVC becoming a dangerous tachycardia or fast AFIB? no brainer! plus you will have a very tough time weaning out of Flecainide, read articles!
Bisoprolol is aimed at the heart and what I take.
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