I have pre-mature and skipped heartbeats. My doctor prescribed beta blocker for me. It does help and I dont feel the pounding of my heart now. But I am getting worried if I would have to take the beta blocker indefinitely. I am not even 40 years old yet and I can't imagine I will have to take a medication daily for the rest of my life. Is there any chance that I can get myself off the hook later?
I am taking one pill of 25mg daily. Instead of taking the whole pill, I am thinking about to just take half of it daily. Is it a good idea?
Originally posted by windchaser1: I have pre-mature and skipped heartbeats. My doctor prescribed beta blocker for me. It does help and I dont feel the pounding of my heart now. But I am getting worried if I would have to take the beta blocker indefinitely. I am not even 40 years old yet and I can't imagine I will have to take a medication daily for the rest of my life. Is there any chance that I can get myself off the hook later?
I am taking one pill of 25mg daily. Instead of taking the whole pill, I am thinking about to just take half of it daily. Is it a good idea?
Please advice.
My dear, if having to take a pill for the rest of your life will give you a long life expectency with an excellent quality of life, take the pill. You need to read some of these others post to get a proper perpective on heart diseases.
I dont really have problem to take it everyday. But I heard any medication will gradually lose its effectiveness if you continously take it for a prolonged period of time. What will happen 10 years later when beta blocker can't help my heart anymore?
That can happen in some cases, but there are other beta blockers that can be used. In addition, ten years from now we may have a newer class of more effective medications used for treatment. The positive side to this is: at least there is a treatment.
Windchaser- It hasn't been mentioned here yet...but PVCs are often benign (I presume your doctor has told you that?) and although frightening often do NOT last a lifetime and either disappear entirely or lessen to such an extent that they are so occasional that you won't need meds for them.
Hang on to that.
I had them for over 3 months once (a skip every 20 seconds, every hour of every day, 24 hours a day).. Unrelenting. Was just about to discuss meds for them when they simply vanished.
A lot of people on this board swear by magnesium supplements for PVCs.
I've seen posts where people have said that their doctor recommended 400mg (1 tablet) of Magnesuim Oxide (not sulfate or citrate) taken 1/day.
It is soluble in water, which means your body will get rid of any excess magnesium ... It is a safe thing to try with minimal side effects....
Even though many cardiologists suggest magnesiuim before beta blockers, you should, if you are interested in this route, consult with your doc about it. Also do NOT quit the beta blocker cold turkey without talking to your doctor. It's one of the drugs that one should be "weaned" off of, depending on dose, how long you've been on it and any other health issues you might have.
The concept of magnesium makes sense because the heart's electrical system is controlled by magnesium, calcium, potassium, sodium and other electolytic molecules.
You might even consider a calcium/magnesium combo. but again, shoot for magnesium 400mg. even in combo form.
zuzu xx
[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 08-22-2003).]
beta blocker 
