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It's so scarry

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Posted 7/1/2006 10:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I usually got to chronic pain because of all the pain I have but I just got out of the hospital second time in 8 months. That probally doesn't sound like much compared to what a lot of you go through but I'm really scarred. I have ventricular tachycardia and had a 8 second run of ventricular fibulation in September. They did a EP study and were going to put a pace maker in but couldn't re-create the beat so they put it off. Since then I lost my insurance and didn't follow up with my cardiologist. I go to the local health dept. and they keep me on my heart meds. Every time I feel a little flutter I panic. I didn't need to be shocked when that happened but the nurses all told me I must had a gaurdian angle with me that night. I started having chest,pains mostly a continous pain in the center of my chest last Saturday and waited until Monday and called 911. I was admitted and there were no changes in the stress test so they were going to let me go home Tuesday night but while I was getting ready to leave my heart rate went up to 145 so they kept me another night. What was so strange was I always have arrthymias(sorry bout the spelling)But the whole time this pain has been going on I've hardly had any is that normal? I'm supposed to follow up with my cardiologist in 4 weeks but I don't know if I'm going to be able to work that out i"m hoping the health dept will send me. My sister , she's 3 years younger than me I'm 42,was diagnosed  Thursday.with a diesaesed heart but I've been doing a lot of reading and I think it's basically the same thing. We've set our quit date for smoking I just hope and pray she has a better chance than me. She has no other life threatening dieseases so maybe when the time comes she can get a transplant. I have asthma COPD and lots of things going on so the quitting smoking wont help me there but I know it will prolong my life some. I talk to the people in chronic pain and they have helped me so many times I thought maybe I could get some peice of mind in here also. Thanks for listening to me. God bless you all.

 

Posted 7/1/2006 6:31 PM (GMT 0)
So sorry to hear of your condition/problems. I tend to stay away from the PVC crowd, but I do know that runs of V-Tach are, or can be deadly really fast.

To me it is a cut and dried deal. Either you get an ICD implanted or take the toxic, anti-arrhythmic medicines. How close are you to a fire department? They are supposed to have the expensive paddle defibrillators. Put them on notice if you can. You have around 6 minutes after you go into cardiac arrest from V-Tach to get your heart defibrillated, or restarted. You should also avoid anything that can trigger tachycardia whether it be caffeine, prescription medicines, OTC meds or food.

If you become obcessed with this condition, it will make it worse. I have arrhythmias now, due to taking some temporary medicines known to cause them. They are just a nuisance to me. I do not sit and try to figure out what type of arrhythmia it (they) are, BUT I do know that if I suspected a run of V-Tach, I would be really scared. Are you taking a beta blocker? If not, surely, surely you should be.

Meditation is great :) I used that last night to try to conquer my pain. It really helped for as long as I could maintain. It is a very simple but powerful force to me.

G-d Bless

Rj
Posted 7/2/2006 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi and thank you. Yes at the moment I'm about 3 minutes away from fire station but are moving but one will still be close by. I do take beta blockers I'm on metroprol 50 mg. twice daily. It works better than the verapamil they had me on. And the daily asprin. I will notify the fire dept when we finish moving I would never have thought of that thanks! I'm waiting on my medic alert bracelet to come in the mail any timeI just hope there will be enough room for everything lol. The doctor filled out the paper for me and he put arrithmias,ventricular tachycardia,heart failure I don't know why he put that since that is what v.t. is asthma, COPD, diabetic, hypertension and I think there was one more but I can't remember now what it was lol. Nothing to laugh about I guess but it sounds kinda crazy dont it. I really wish they put the pacemaker in when they were going to I would feel alot better about it . Again thanks for the suggestion and God bless you also.
Posted 7/2/2006 10:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,  I dont know if you have checked this out or not...but if your able to get services through the health department you should be able to qualify for some form of medicaid.  Have you tried going to the Department of Family Services and filling out the paperwork for this?  They will help pay for medications and hospital bills, doctors.  Aldo, is completely right you dont want to mess around with V-Tach at all so, if you even suspect your heart is getting into that rhythm..call 911. 
Posted 7/2/2006 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Elisha, I live in the state of Tennessee and they cut out health benefits for lots of people. I even took it to appeals hearing and because of my age I can't get any help. You have to have breast or cervical cancer to get it in my age group unless you have minor children. It's just like the didability thing I can't win. But thanks for the thought!

Posted 7/2/2006 5:10 PM (GMT 0)

 Hi Cr Grandma,

 I'm not an Expert , but have been a " Heart Patient" all my life . I'm almost 51 , and had a PDA closure in 1960 ( patent ductus Valve ) I was 4 years old . Since then have been diagnosed with Wolfe Parkinson White Syndrome,  your  periods of  Rapid heartbeats  possibly could be related to WPWS , you might wish to have your Cardiologist check for it .

 here is a site you may research for symptoms and information and questions to take to your Cardio

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/medical/wolff_parkinson_white_syndrome.htm

 The reason why I'm posting this , is because I used to have " bouts  of over 150-200  BPM's, arm & chest  pain , dizzyness, for no apparent reasons , as in laying down watching TV , resting ..

 Dr's in ER , back then (70's- mid 80's ) called it Panic attacks ..  I was after all a Female , and Females didnt have Heart attacks , back then , it was all in our Heads / Emotional ..

 Finally in 1984, I was rushed to ER  with  HR over 200 and while the EKG was running , a  Cardio caught the " attack "  and diagnosed it as WPWS .  put on medication , INDERAL . Symptoms stopped for 3 years.. Then a few more Episodes  on & off thru-out the past 20 years .

 Now I have been having  Feeling / Attention getting ( meaning I feel them , Ka Thump , Double Thump , forget the Thump ..  butterfly flipping over type  ) PAC's & PVC's  very frequently these past 6 mos , I'm Past Menopause, and  after 20 plus years have had to see the Cardio again ,  EKG, Stress test, Holter .. and have been told  my PAC's & PVC's are Benign .. ( not  dangerous )  and now on toprol . Which seems to help a bit .

 Or maybe it was the Combination of my  meds and my Cutting out Caffine and slowing on Smoking . ( Also tring to quit ) :) Who knows ..lol .. I'm here  44 years after being  experimental Child Heart Surgery recipient. But what I have learned is to Not Panic !!! that only makes the Heart race faster..

 Idea's to help .. If Not a 911 Emergency .

 When you feel the  symptoms ,  sit or lay down ,take slow deep breaths , Change Focus from whats going on in your Heart to something else , Think of something Funny or happy memories , instead of what  your heart is doing,  put on  favorite music you can sing to , change TV, channels , anything to get your  mind OFF the Flutters & flip Flops , rapid beats ).

 If Driving, and you feel the " attack " comming on .. I have found that this works .. Cough and Cough hard several times .. The Diaphram will contract and push against the Heart area & " reset " the room the heart has to  react .. The Heart is after all a Muscle , so is the Diaphram . they react to  each others " job/ space  in the chest cavity"..

 Higher Power Blessing to all in this Thread , it's nice to be able to  discuss , all of our heart related problems , and support and offer our info . to others ..  yeah   

Posted 7/3/2006 2:00 AM (GMT 0)
Wow, you've really been through it. Thanks for the suggestions I will try to keep them in mind when it happens. It's so hard dealing with this chronic pain I have from other condtions but when my heart does crazy things I do freak out and just knowing any day could be my last is hard to deal with. But you have gave me more courage than I had a few minutes ago. Thank you for that. Take care of yourself.
Posted 7/3/2006 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
 Well Gran , not to minimize your fears of " knowing  any day could be your last ". Hun , any day can be anyones last day here on Earth , so Just set your mind to making each day the best day you can have , make sure to tell those you love that you love them every day . Help others and make someone Smile .

 I used to worry & fret like you do .. but then I realized or accepted .. that we are born to die ,  we just dont know when we are going to .

 As for the pain you're in , I'm sorry to hear that ,  If you can try Relaxation Therapy , Deep breathing exercises like Lamaz.

 Take care have a happy 4th ..

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