Hello

I Am A 42 Year Old Female With Pvc's I Guess. I've Seen 4 Cardiologist And They All Said The Same Thing, Benign, Not Life
Threatening. My Heart Freaks Out. I Have Had This Problem Since
I Was In My Teens. But Back Then It Was Once In A Blue Moon, Now
Its Everyday, At Least For The Last Year. What I Feel Is My Heart Going Into Convalsions. Sometimes Just Once And Sometimes Four
In A Row Skip Beats. It Is The Most Scary Thing (besides Dieing) And It Makes You Feel Like Your Heart Is Going To Stop, Cause Its Out Of Control. They Put Me On Beta Blockers And I Felt That They Got Worst. But The Cardiologist Asured Me That , That Was Not Possible, Beta Blockers Cannot Make Heart Fluttering Worst.(yeah Right) Now One Year Later I Am Still Having Problems So They Decided To Put On Lanoxin, Lowest Dosage Possible. I Am So Scared
To Take It That I Haven't Started The Med. If There Is Anyone Out There That Takes This Med For Heart Fluttering Please Let Me Know About It. I Really Hope That I Can Get Help On This Board, Atleast Some To Talk To About This. This Heart Problem Has Destroyed My Life. I Don't Go Out And I Don't Sleep At Night Cause It Happens Alot At Night. Help Please!:( :(

My Mom has been taking Lanoxin for years - she has atrial fibrilation - I don't think she's had any side effects from it, but I will double check and let you know. Did any of the cardiologists recommend a Holter, or any other heart tests? (EKG, echo, etc?)

First of all thank you so much for responding. Yes I have had a holter moniter, event moniter for 30 days, echo ultrasound and 2 stress test with
pictures of my heart taken before and after. My cardiologist states that my
palpitations are more a bothersome than they are life threatening. Of coarse
I don't feel that way. He put me on the Lanoxin so that my heart won't go
into fibrillation. The last holter moniter recorded a couple of skipped beats.
And one of them was 4 in a row, so he recommended the lanoxin so that I
don't go into fibrillation. I am planning to start taking the medication tonight,
but I always plan on it and then don't do it. I still take atenolol 50mg twice
a day and enalapril 20mg once a day for my blood pressure. I also take an
aspirin 81mg a day and metformin 500mg twice a day for diabetes. I have my
diabetes and blood pressure pretty much under control but I can't get the heart palpitation under control. It is the most scariest thing. I can be having
a wonderful day and the minute my heart starts to skip beats, I get all freaked out and my day is ruined. I have gone to the hospital emergency
room on numerous occasions and by the time I get there my heart is fine. I know that it isn't my imagination, but I just don't understand why the cardiologist thinks its okay. By the way I did pass all the tests they ran.
I'll let you know if I get up the nerve to take the Lanoxin. I just want it work. I guess I will never know unless I take it.:confused: thanks

If I had to recommend one thing, I'd say take the atenolol down to only once a day, 50 mg. and see what happens. If your heartrate seems more stable take the atenolol down to 25 mg.

I say this because I find a correllation between very low blood pressure and missed beats in myself.

Basically, I'm saying, see if a slightly higher BP makes your heartbeat more dependable.
Seems to me that digitalis is a bit of an overkill.:dizzy:, especially for a benign condition. Like taking morphine because you feel a bit "down!" :D

Are you taking a magnesium supplement...one is wise.

Hi Lenin - I've been hearing alot about magnesium supplements lately. I need to check with my doctor first, to make sure there's no inter action with my other meds. If one's magnesium levels are normal, is it still wise to take it?

arlmon,

I think ANYONE with any heart rhythm irregualrities should try magnesium supplementation for a couple weeks. If it doesn't help, he can stop...or not because many people get far less from the diet than they used to.
Sometimes it works overnight MIRACLES in getting the heart rate back on track.

Since almost all magnesium is present OUTSIDE the bloodstream and frank deficiency isn't common, serum Mg is VERY rarely tested. The blood content will tell very little in any case.
Something like 99% of the body's Mg is present in bone, organs, and inside cells.

Thanks Lenin - Luckily, I don't have any heart irregularities. I was checking my latest blood test results, and you're right - there was no mention of magnesium at all.