Doctors of VN

#51
#51
kiddiedoc said:
You shouldn't have to ask too many questions. Expect an echo. With a normal EKG and Holter, and assuming a normal echo, you are most likely experiencing some anxiety/panic-type reaction, and the fight or flight adrenergic response is only intensifying your disconcerting heart beats.

If, indeed, everything looks OK, I can recommend a couple of good resources to deal with anxiety without medication.
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Paging kiddiedoc: would love to see these resources/books.
 
#52
#52
InVOLuntary said:
I was about your age when I started getting similar symptoms. It felt like a skip. I would also wake up in the middle of the night occasionally and it would feel like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. My heart was beating so fast that I couldn't even get a pulse. It would only happen once every six months or so or even less frequently.

I went to my primary care physician and he did an ekg which he said looked normal. I was in pretty good shape at the time playing a lot of basketball. He said whatever was going on could be serious and I needed to be checked while my heart was experiencing these abnormalities. He said I should go to the ER or to his office immediately when it was happening. After a year or two I asked my PCP for a referral to a cardiologist. I ended up going to DR. Cox at UT. I wore a beeper like monitor for about 30 days and while I didn't experience the racing I did experience the skipping. He diagnosed me with premature atrial contractions, PACs. But he cautioned me that the racing could be very serious and could lead to a stroke. It was imperative that I get the racing on an EKG.

Several months later I found my heart racing again as the episodes were becoming more frequent. I went to my PCP and was able to get an EKG while experiencing the racing. The next thing I know I'm in an ambulance on the way to UT medical center. I was in atrial fibrillation. My heart was beating 180-200 bpm. I spent three days in the hospital until it finally returned to normal rhythm on it's own.

Over the next couple of years I was placed on a couple of meds that didn't really stop the episodes. Dr cox recommend I go for a sleep study. I was severe sleep apnea. I was placed on a cpap machine. After a few weeks I gave up on it. It was difficult to go to sleep, it was giving me sinus infections, and many nights I would remove it in my sleep. Because of this my sleep Dr sent me to an ENT. The ENT recommend sinus surgery and a tonsillectomy. After these procedures I was truly a new person. My oversized tonsils were severely limiting my breathing while I was sleeping. My afib disappeared over the next year or two as have my PACs. I will occasionally have a PAC if I've had a few drinks. The Dr said alcohol will contribute to these episodes. I used to be dead tired every morning no matter how early I went to bed. Now I seldom sleep to the alarm. My heart Dr. Dr. Cox is one of the leading rhythm specialist in the country actually having at least one procedure named after him. If your still in Knoxville I highly recommend him. He indicated to me that sleep apnea was a contributor to hear rhythm problems.

Sorry for the long post but I hope you can get something from it.
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Who did your sleep study?
 
#53
#53
VolinArizona said:
Paging kiddiedoc: would love to see these resources/books.
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Here is a great, simple, practical resource:

Amazon.com: Mastery of Your Anxiety and Panic: Workbook (Treatments That Work) (9780195311358): David H. Barlow, Michelle G. Craske: Books

There are many online options. Panic Away is a good one:

Panic Away - Your first steps to overcoming anxiety and panic attacks

The good news is that anxiety and panic are some of the most treatable psychiatric conditions. The most successful methods use understanding of the physiology as a basis for treatment, then behavioral therapy for relaxation and working through the attacks.
 
#54
#54
Not to hijack the thread but I don't want to start another.

I've recently began having more myself. It's almost always the same feeling. Out of nowhere I kind of jump because a feeling startles me and makes me take a breath. I have been lucky enough to catch it happen while taking my pulse and it seems to stop then start again. This is quite scary due to how it makes me feel when it happens. If I had a run of them and it wasn't just one then back to normal I don't know how I wouldn't faint.

I have within the last few months had a 14 day monitor and they said it came back normal. They said the ekg was normal. Problem is I see so many people that were told they were normal that ended up having a problem. I guess my fear is it'll slip into some sort of uncontrollable racing or arrhythmia after one of these.
 
#55
#55
BruiserVol said:
Not to hijack the thread but I don't want to start another.

I've recently began having more myself. It's almost always the same feeling. Out of nowhere I kind of jump because a feeling startles me and makes me take a breath. I have been lucky enough to catch it happen while taking my pulse and it seems to stop then start again. This is quite scary due to how it makes me feel when it happens. If I had a run of them and it wasn't just one then back to normal I don't know how I wouldn't faint.

I have within the last few months had a 14 day monitor and they said it came back normal. They said the ekg was normal. Problem is I see so many people that were told they were normal that ended up having a problem. I guess my fear is it'll slip into some sort of uncontrollable racing or arrhythmia after one of these.
Click to expand...

I had the exact same symptoms about 5 years ago. After a bunch of tests, I cut out all caffeine and amazingly, it just resolved itself.
 
#58
#58
Probably should have made a thread to ask this but -- has anyone on VN ever fired their Doctor ? I am not pleased with the attitude mine has - its a hassle to to change and would he write bogus stuff on my file ?
 
#59
#59
508mikey said:
Probably should have made a thread to ask this but -- has anyone on VN ever fired their Doctor ? I am not pleased with the attitude mine has - its a hassle to to change and would he write bogus stuff on my file ?
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Lol... No, he's not going to make stuff up and put it in your medical records.

It's not a big deal. Just check your network for other Doctors and ask around. Then make an appointment.
 
#60
#60
508mikey said:
Probably should have made a thread to ask this but -- has anyone on VN ever fired their Doctor ? I am not pleased with the attitude mine has - its a hassle to to change and would he write bogus stuff on my file ?
Click to expand...

I've had a few I've told to get bent.

I have one that I use now. He is my regular ole Doctor. Cool as he can be. Shakes my hand upon entering the room. Sits down and talks to me. Not the in and out here's a prescription, see ya.

He's young and very personable. I like it.
 
#61
#61
508mikey said:
Probably should have made a thread to ask this but -- has anyone on VN ever fired their Doctor ? I am not pleased with the attitude mine has - its a hassle to to change and would he write bogus stuff on my file ?
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Amazing how almost everything can trace back to a Seinfeld episode

Get Dr Van Nostrand to go get your chart
 
#64
#64
VolinArizona said:
So, need some insights into questions I should ask my cardiologist on Monday during my first appointment with him.

Background:

32 years old
male
5'10" 205 (down 12 pounds in 12 weeks ON PURPOSE with diet and exercise :birgits_giggle:)

Had a 4-5 month bout with health anxiety last year that I overcame.

Came back 2-3 months ago.

Started having some heart palpitations a couple months ago, and could feel the skipped heartbeats when I'd check my pulse. The skipped beats only really happen when I move around a bit.

Kept weightlifting and doing intense cardio sessions. Never had chest pain or lightheadedness. Lots of anxiety about the skipped beats though.

Went to PCP last week - EKG looked fantastic (very minor right bundle branch block that was nothing). Made me wear 24 hour holter monitor. Had 350 PVCs over 24 hours (not bad they said). Usually benign. They said I had 125 PVCs between 6am and 7am but I think that's a mistake.

Doc refers me to cardiologist because I have a strong family history of mitral valve prolapse. No idea if I have it. However, doc said nothing is alarming, but doing this to rule out the bad stuff even though the only reason I'm being referred is due to family heart history.

SO, I go Monday for the first appt with cardiologist.

What should I ask? What should I expect?

I assume we will do an echo at some point - maybe a stress echo?

Had a clean stress test last year, but I don't remember many palpitations last year.

Anyway - what should I ask? Also, does this sound serious or benign?

THANKS
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Have you tried taking a salt tablet and/or walking it off?
 
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#65
#65
BruiserVol said:
Not to hijack the thread but I don't want to start another.

I've recently began having more myself. It's almost always the same feeling. Out of nowhere I kind of jump because a feeling startles me and makes me take a breath. I have been lucky enough to catch it happen while taking my pulse and it seems to stop then start again. This is quite scary due to how it makes me feel when it happens. If I had a run of them and it wasn't just one then back to normal I don't know how I wouldn't faint.

I have within the last few months had a 14 day monitor and they said it came back normal. They said the ekg was normal. Problem is I see so many people that were told they were normal that ended up having a problem. I guess my fear is it'll slip into some sort of uncontrollable racing or arrhythmia after one of these.
Click to expand...

What are you doing typically when you notice these jumps? Have you made a diary of sorts of what you're doing when these happen? List things like: what time of day is it, were you doing physical activity prior to an event, I was walking, sitting on the couch, lifting a box, taking a drink, eating lunch, etc.?

When you had the 14 day monitor do you distinctly remember feeling one of these jumps?
 
#66
#66
Coug said:
What are you doing typically when you notice these jumps? Have you made a diary of sorts of what you're doing when these happen? List things like: what time of day is it, were you doing physical activity prior to an event, I was walking, sitting on the couch, lifting a box, taking a drink, eating lunch, etc.?

When you had the 14 day monitor do you distinctly remember feeling one of these jumps?
Click to expand...

Sometimes after I eat it feels weird for a certain amount of time then goes away. Usually after the first meal of the day for whatever the reason. They happen when I am just watching tv or something and I'll get up and walk around and it helps. With that being said, they have happened after exercise before too. Sometimes they happen when I lean over. And the absolute most usual time they happen is when I take a deep breath. You know how heart rate increases upon inhalation and decreases when you exhale? Well when I inhale sometimes it'll skip then it'll go back to normal. Strange.

I wore the monitor and they told me it was programmed to pick up things it considered bad even if I didn't press it. I did hit it quite a few times and they still told me it was normal so.
 
#68
#68
508mikey said:
Probably should have made a thread to ask this but -- has anyone on VN ever fired their Doctor ? I am not pleased with the attitude mine has - its a hassle to to change and would he write bogus stuff on my file ?
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Yes sir. I did last year. My doc told me in January I had 6-8 months to live. I not only went and got a 2nd opinion, I got a 3rd, then decided which doctoe to use. It's been 1 year and I'm still breathing.
I don't think fired is the correct word but I would think many people have changed doctors.
 
#70
#70
Gramps said:
Yes sir. I did last year. My doc told me in January I had 6-8 months to live. I not only went and got a 2nd opinion, I got a 3rd, then decided which doctoe to use. It's been 1 year and I'm still breathing.
I don't think fired is the correct word but I would think many people have changed doctors.
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I see the term fired alot - here is an article --# 9 is my beef with him Access Denied (link works I checked it)
 
#72
#72
My real life dr told me to drink more alcohol to increase good cholesterol. Thoughts?
 
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