Verapamil and Heart palpitaions

[TexasCookie]

Does anyone who takes Verapamil have heart palpitations or skipped heart beats? I've been having palps or skipped heart beats for the past few years since dx'd with HBP and the palps come and go but lately STAY and it's driving me crazy. I've been to a cardiologist who did a echo/stress test and said my heart looks fine and is strong but now I'm wearing this King of Hearts Monitor to try and figure out where the palps are coming from.

When I get these it's like a fluttering in my chest and I can feel my heart beating, then stop, then beat, then stop and so on. Sometimes it only goes on a few times but then days like today it has been ALL day long and I'm exhausted I think just from the stress of having to push the button on this thing all day long and call it in all the time.

Needless to say I'm a nervous wreck over the whole thing and ready to crawl in a hole and hide

[CASSIEBEL]

Hi,
I used to take Verapamil about 10yrs ago. I too have palps but with every med I've ever taken for HBP ( 8 over the last 25 yrs). The only thing that helps me is a beta blocker (Atenolol)
I agree they will drive you crazy and make your Bp go up cause they make you nervous. They can't just be ignored.
May I ask where in TX?
Cass

[TexasCookie]

Glad to know I'm not the only one. These are VERY frustrating and really scare the poop out of me.

I'm outside of SAn ANtonio about 40 miles. You in TX?

[Machaon]

Originally Posted by TexasCookie

Does anyone who takes Verapamil have heart palpitations or skipped heart beats?

I was on Verapamil, three times per day, for many years. When I was on it, I could not eat or drink anything with calcium, within 2.5 hours of my Verapamil. I had to limit the amount of calcium that I consumed during the day. I could not take a vitamin-mineral pill.

I also couldn't take any other med within 2.5 hours of my verapamil.

If I did consume calcium, or take another med, within 2.5 hours of my verapamil, my heart would pound hard and fast for many hours, and sometimes for more than a day.

You might not have the same problems, with Verapamil, that I did. Everyone is different and reacts somewhat differently. But since Verapamil blocks calcium from getting to the heart, consuming significant amounts of calcium in foods and drinks, or pills, might have unpredictable effects on the heart.

[CASSIEBEL]

Originally Posted by TexasCookie

Glad to know I'm not the only one. These are VERY frustrating and really scare the poop out of me.

I'm outside of SAn ANtonio about 40 miles. You in TX?

Yep,
Just east of Houston in La Porte. 40mi in which direction?
I Know how scary those palps can be and even when a cardiologist told me "nothing to worry about" it's hard NOT to worry when your heart is jumping around in your chest.
They don't loke to give beta blockers with verapamil cause they both slow your heart down.
Hope it gets better.
Cass