I am 1 year 5 months out from AVR surgery with an On-X mechanical valve and, up until last week, had pretty well zero issues. While on vacation I had been indulging a bit more than usual in alcohol 
and particularly regular coffee. On a road trip to visit some friends the lady of the house prepared morning cofee, something she had never done before , and I indulged in a couple of cups of unknown but stronger than usual construction, and a third at the local diner. On the trip home I started to feel some episodes of jumping/bumping of my normal heart beat - double and skipped beats - with that fluttery feeling in my lower chest/stomach :eek2:. This continued on and off for the next couple of days with me hoping every day that the feelings would subside on their own. On the fourth day after a disturbed night and morning full of flutters we decided a visit to the local emergency was in order to be sure nothing else was going on. In emerg they hooked me up, examined me, took ECG, blood and chest X-Rays - all normal. As someone else has noted - the best way to stop the symptoms is to go to the doctor :biggrin2:! so the Doc saw only one premature beat in the three hours I was there! He mentioned that there is a Holiday Syndrome where folks do stuff different than their normal on vacation that can trigger episodes so he gave me the OK but cautioned that if things flared up again to go to my own Doc at home. I experienced some episodes of lesser degree for the next few days and did not feel 100% until the 8th day out, presumably when all of the extra doses of caffein had worked their way out!
SO.....just a note of caution to watch out for high caffein doses if you are not used to taking them and be careful on vacation not to go too crazy :biggrin2:!!
Cameron
and particularly regular coffee. On a road trip to visit some friends the lady of the house prepared morning cofee, something she had never done before , and I indulged in a couple of cups of unknown but stronger than usual construction, and a third at the local diner. On the trip home I started to feel some episodes of jumping/bumping of my normal heart beat - double and skipped beats - with that fluttery feeling in my lower chest/stomach :eek2:. This continued on and off for the next couple of days with me hoping every day that the feelings would subside on their own. On the fourth day after a disturbed night and morning full of flutters we decided a visit to the local emergency was in order to be sure nothing else was going on. In emerg they hooked me up, examined me, took ECG, blood and chest X-Rays - all normal. As someone else has noted - the best way to stop the symptoms is to go to the doctor :biggrin2:! so the Doc saw only one premature beat in the three hours I was there! He mentioned that there is a Holiday Syndrome where folks do stuff different than their normal on vacation that can trigger episodes so he gave me the OK but cautioned that if things flared up again to go to my own Doc at home. I experienced some episodes of lesser degree for the next few days and did not feel 100% until the 8th day out, presumably when all of the extra doses of caffein had worked their way out!SO.....just a note of caution to watch out for high caffein doses if you are not used to taking them and be careful on vacation not to go too crazy :biggrin2:!!
Cameron
