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Posted 11/11/2006 1:28 AM (GMT 0)
Saw my Cardiologist a month ago and I was again diagnosed with pvc's.  My Dr. perscribed a beta blocker.  Well after my apt of course I have no pvc's for almost a month so I didn't take the beta blocker.  Maybe 2 or 3 a day which is god sent for me.  Well the other night I have been having them every few seconds and I started my beta blocker Wednesday night.  I'm still having the pvc's, but they are not as strong.  Does the beta blocker take a while to kick in?  I want these pvc's gone!  I hate them and can not function. 

Mary

Posted 11/11/2006 3:59 PM (GMT 0)

I went on a beta blocker for AVNRT about 3 weeks ago.  My doctor said it would take about 2 weeks for me to really settle into it, and I think he was right.  I had some small SVT attacks the first week and haven't had any since then.  It took me about 2 weeks to go back to fully functioning at school and work though because it made me really tired and dizzy at first.  I'm pretty much back to normal now though.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think my doctor told me that it was best to take my beta blocker routinely.  I'm on 25mg twice a day.  He told me I could take an extra tablet if I had an attack, but I haven't really needed to.  Perhaps you should continue to take the beta blockers regularly and it'll better control the attacks.

Good luck with it!


Post Edited (legllyblnde) : 11/11/2006 9:02:30 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/13/2006 8:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hi mary-I think it depends on the beta blocker you are taking-I take topral xl an dbecause it is extended realease and not take on demand, it took a few weeks to start working. If they are bothersome check with your doc.

Amy
Posted 11/14/2006 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
I am also taking toprol xl....the pvc's are not as annoying but I do still feel them.  Tonight will be my 6th night....I guess I will just give it more time...thank you very much for the info  :)

Mary

Posted 11/14/2006 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't mention in my post before, but I'm on Toprol XL too.  Guess we're all in the same boat!
Posted 11/14/2006 3:29 PM (GMT 0)
:-)  Hi Mary, I have been taking a beta blocker called Atenalol.  25mg once a day.  My cardio. said it is a very low dosage so I can take more than one if I feel I have to.  I have been on them for over 2 years now and feel they have really helped me.  I believe you have to take a beta blocker regularly, not as you feel you need them.  Have you been feeling better?  Talk to you soon.  "Motherly"
Posted 11/14/2006 9:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Motherly,

I was feeling pretty good a month ago and lasted for a while.  about a week and a half ago I went to a halloween party and have a lot of wine!!!  Well the next day as I am recovering I started getting the pvc's and they were pretty bad so I called my cardiologist and he called in toporal xl.  I am still having the pvc's but they are almost not noticeable.  I've only started taking it last Wed.  so tomorrow will be a week.  I take them every night at 7pm as directed by my Dr.  My thing is, I am having a terrible time with nervousness...which probably is not making the pvc's any better.  So I am trying to think of ways to relieve some of my stress/tension.  Any ideas would be very helpful  :-)

Always nice to hear from you Motherly, how are you doing????

Mary

Posted 11/14/2006 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Bajoey, hope all is well.  Wine really is a trigger for these things!!!  I feel them the next day if I have a couple.  Hope they are gone by now.

Hi Motherly, hope you are well.  You find atenatol works?  They slowed my heart rate way too much.  Did it take you a while to get used to them, and are they worth taking?


Maxx

Posted 11/14/2006 10:15 PM (GMT 0)
My EP told me no caffeine, alcohol, chocolate or cigarettes if I want to avoid having episodes. They're all triggers because they naturally increase your heart rate. I started on the Toprol 3 weeks ago and haven't had any caffeine, alcohol or chocolate (didn't smoke to begin with) since. I had several small episodes that first week on Toprol and not one single episode since then.
Posted 11/14/2006 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
VIEW IMAGENo episodes!  How great is that?????  Did you have any side effects to the topral when you started, and how often were you getting the episodes?  Thanks

MAXX

Posted 11/15/2006 12:35 AM (GMT 0)
I think I want to kill myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                 No alcohol

                 No caffeine

                 No chocolate

                 No cigaretts

I love chocolate...I love to have an occasional drink...I don't smoke so that is okay...and NEVER have a soda pop???  I hate having this problem, because I feel like I can't live the way I want to.  This is really sad to have...We only have one life and I feel like I have to becareful with everything I eat or drink.  I want to enjoy life and one of the things I love to do is eat  and drink.  Sorry for the *****in...just depressed

 

Posted 11/15/2006 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
 I take atelenol (Tenormin) 25 mg once/day for my irregular beats.    Dr. also yold me i could take an extra one at nite--if i'm having a bad day. (I take one in morning)---last few days eating Dove dark chocolate--guess what?  Lots more---Irregular beats & some SVT-----i'll take an extra Tenormin tonite AND...cut OUT the chocolates!
Posted 11/15/2006 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Bajoey, I feel the same way.  Just getting so depressed about these things.  I do nothing.....and they still happen.  Please hang in there.

What are the side effects of the drug (topral) W.?

Maxx

Posted 11/15/2006 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
Maxx,

I have had no side effects.....still feeling the extra beats though.  After dinner tonight I had a chocolate chip cookie and 5 minutes later I am feeling the xtra beats!!!  I think I like this toporal xl though, when I tried Atenolo I felt like my pvc's got worse...more frequent if at all possible.  Going to go see my regular ps for stress/anxiety tomorrow...will let you guys know how that goes...

Mary

Posted 11/15/2006 2:23 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Mary and Maxx,  I find that sometimes chocolate or alcohol bothers my pvc's enormously and yet other times they don't.  I don't get it.  I think it's whether I'm really stressed out or not.  I have a very high metabolism as it is, so any little thing get's me over stimulated, that is why I think the atenalol works for me.  I always had a very fast heart rate, now I think it's more on the normal side.  I do have to say, I've gained 10 lbs since I've been on atenalol.  But I was way to skinny before.  Maxx, it didn't take me any time to get used to the atenalol at all.  I started feeling better right away and I think that changed my mindset a bit which also calmed me down and helped me.  Just an idea, did you guys ever have Carob?  It's kind of like a natural chocolate without the caffeine.  You can get it in a health food store.  It's a little bitter but it's worth putting up with if you really really love chocolate but can't have the caffeine.  Talk to you soon, Angela (Motherly) :-)

Posted 11/15/2006 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
I understand feeling depressed. I'm only 24 and this has changed my life enormously. Before this I took cardio kickboxing and hip hop dance classes, played on a softball team, traveled all over the country...now I'm afraid to do any of those things. I was planning on going somewhere exotic next year after I take the bar exam (I'm a law student), but now all I can think about is what kind of hospitals they might have. I also had a 5-a-day Coca-Cola habit before this and I went cold turkey in the hospital 3 weeks ago. I'm 24, I'm supposed to be out partying with my friends and enjoying being young. Instead, I'm having ginger ale instead of wine or martinis. However, for me it was worth it to give up all of these things in order to get rid of the episodes. I live alone and the episodes scare me to death. All I want to do is lay on the couch and pray one doesn't happen. A month ago I was the most outgoing, active person you've ever met.

For these reasons, I'm having a catheter ablation done Dec. 1st. My doctor said I could come off the Toprol after that, and I can return to the caffeine (which I desperately need to get through law school!), alcohol, chocolate, etc. Makes the procedure totally worth it!

My situation may be different from many of you, as I haven't lived with this long. I had a big episode on Oct. 22nd that put me in the hospital for three days. After that, I had four more substantial episodes that week as I adjusted to the Toprol. Since that week, I haven't had anything. My EP said that most people live with it for a couple of years before they have the procedure, but that because I was so young he was willing to do it now if I wanted. When he told me this I had only had the one big episode and I opted to just go on the Toprol. After having four more later that week, I signed up for the procedure. I can't wait to have it and hopefully put this all behind me!
Posted 11/15/2006 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
LB, good luck. A friend of mine had the procedure - easy as pie, best thing she ever did. I can understand the feeling scared of going anywhere or doing anything, but, we have to stop. If it aint killed us by now - is it going to? Your are doing the right thing in getting the procedure done. Please, lets keep the positive affirmations going. Life is to short to be this "heavy". MAXX
Posted 11/18/2006 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have had to immensly cut back on caffiene, but I never thought of chocolate causing tachy! what a horrible world it would be without chocolate-it is a food group!

AMy
Posted 11/19/2006 12:24 AM (GMT 0)

Hi LB--,

  Good luck.   You'll be in my prayers & i truly feel you'll be just fine!     I'm in my mid 50s--living w this nonsense for 30 yrs--episodes getting worse (scarier)---Please, let me know how it goes.  Thanks---Wotan (Robert)

Posted 11/19/2006 4:46 AM (GMT 0)
amen
Posted 11/19/2006 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Dori18: Glad to see another chocoholic w/tachy! I love dark chocolate & even though they say it's good for the heart, it will send me flying! The time of yr has come for choc covered cherries ... my all time love of eateries. The hot choc made w/water never seems to bother me as long as I stick to 1 or 2 cups ... guess maybe it's not real choc. If you ever find a choc substitute that won't send us flying, let me know. Last Christmas I downed an entire box of choc cov cherries on one 12 hr shift at the hospital. Not only did it send me into severe tachy, everyone told me I was going around like a kid at Halloween time! Too bad I wasn't home or I could have cleaned house real fast! I can't imagine Christmas w/o my chocs!
Posted 11/20/2006 2:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Pegleg, have you ever tried carob?  You can find it in a health food store.  It's a good choc. substitute although it is a little bitter.  But you won't get the caffeine.  I absolutely love Gertrude Hawks peanut butter smidgens and I eat the entire box!!!  So after my suffering with pvc's for a good week, I'll switch to carob.  Definately not as good a real chocolate but it's good enough.  Let me know if you try it. 

Posted 11/20/2006 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
Motherly: Thanks for the advise... I've never tried carob, but I'm going to ck it out. I don't use foods/drinks w/caffeine (except choc), so I won't miss it. Do you know what the fat (trans fat, etc) content is in carob? I'm CAD & looking at possibly another cath in the very near future (just had one 11/16/06). Maybe Christmas will be a little sweeter than I thought!
Posted 3/31/2009 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
My heart does the same thing....flip flops...skips beats....Im scared to exercise. I took a stress test, doc said I had one little flutter, but that was normal for women my age....my heart flutters about 5 times a day or more....he put me on toprol xl 12.5 mg once a day.....I have not taken it yet do to my anxiety disorder...(I am scared to take meds sometimes), but after hearing how much it helped you guys....I m gonna take it today for the first time...I have had it in my cabinet for over a month....I need to get over this anxiety thing....Hope all goes well for you guys....and I will pray for all of you....
I love this site....it is the best thing for someone like me.....you are all angels.....
God Bless,
Angela
Posted 4/16/2009 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone!!
I'm 32years old and 23weeks pregnant. I started having these weird feeling in my heart about a month ago and they have gotten worse. I wake up almost everynight with nightmares and I cant sleep. I was diagnosed with pvc's over the weekend and I started taking a beta blocker last night called lebetalol 100mg. I had a very bad night last night and I tried to nap earlier and the pvc's woke me up again. I cannot sleep on my back because I'm pregnant and sleeping on my sides makes me feel like someone is sqeezing my heart. I feel very frustrated and tired. I have no problem going to sleep...my problem are the nightmares and the horrible feelings I have caused by the pvc's. Any suggestions anyone???
Please help!!
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