Continuing bigeminal PVCs/PACs

[Amy]

Does anyone know anything about continuous double heartbeats?

Last night I had them for over an hour.

Today it’s back; it’s been going on for hours; even when I manage, briefly, to get a ‘normal’ rhythm back (by getting up and walking a bit, or drinking water, or taking a slow deep breath) I can feel and hear it’s not stable / consistent / normal at all, and soon goes back to the double beats. And there was also a brief period of a suddenly much faster HR (maybe 100-120 bpm?) though I was at at rest, which is very rare for me.

I feel *slightly* short of breath, and sometimes very slightly dizzy from it.

What could I do? Should I be worried? I have some old metoprolol - would that maybe reset something if I took a super low dose just for a week or two?

I don’t drink any caffeine, don’t smoke; eat healthy; walk for exercise. I did do some raking and mowing yesterday, and I went on a long walk even though I was already exhausted. (Told myself it was just the body getting used to the change of seasons.) I take multivitamins, NAC, selenium, iron, magnesium. Could my electrolytes be too high? I drink either celery juice or lemon water every day. Could my sodium be too low? I don’t often eat processed foods, though I use plenty of salt on vegetables.

I’ve had a weirdly low resting HR the past couple weeks, 40-45. I’m not on any beta blockers. I’m three years post-op for a St Jude mechanical AVR and aneurysm graft.

I don’t have a cardiologist (not for lack of trying) and would love to hear from anyone who might know a good one in Ohio.

Please let me know if you have any advice or similar experience.

 

[Chuck C]

Very sorry to hear that you're having this issue Amy.

I don't have much experience with this, but I would encourage you to go to the ER to get checked out. Irrelgular heartbeats is not something to take a chance with.

I hope that this resolves soon for you.

 

[Protimenow]

These symptoms sound like something that you have to get checked out. Emergency rooms in the United States are required to see patients, regardless of their ability to pay. (This isn't saying that they won't send you a bill).
There may also be free medical advice lines, staffed by RNs (who will probably just tell you to go to an E.R.).
It will be hard to isolate WHICH supplement - if any - is causing those symptoms, because you take so many.
I've had some weird arrhythmias in the past - including three SIMULTANEOUS different arrhythmias going at the same time. My car was parked across the street from a hospital - the doctors at Urgent Care, where I went because my heart rhythm didn't feel right - didn't trust me to drive across the street without dropping dead while I was on the way - I had to make that short trip in an ambulance). I was hospitalized off and on for about a month because of these arrhythmias. Sometimes (like my case), the surgery damages one of the nodes that regulate rhythm - and the effects may not show up for years (like they did in my heart). You may have the same situation that I did - and you can't ignore it.
I strongly suggest finding a cardiologist - or even better, an electrocardiologist - to get to the bottom of these arrhythmias. When you go the the E.R., you may be seen by a cardiologist -- search for cardiologist finished!! I'm not trying to scare you (maybe I am, actually), but this doesn't seem like something you want to ignore. I don't think that anyone else here will disagree with the idea that you need this checked out---and if I had these symptoms, I wouldn't wait.

 

[gpr100rs]

Does anyone know anything about continuous double heartbeats?

Last night I had them for over an hour.

Today it’s back; it’s been going on for hours; even when I manage, briefly, to get a ‘normal’ rhythm back (by getting up and walking a bit, or drinking water, or taking a slow deep breath) I can feel and hear it’s not stable / consistent / normal at all, and soon goes back to the double beats. And there was also a brief period of a suddenly much faster HR (maybe 100-120 bpm?) though I was at at rest, which is very rare for me.

I feel *slightly* short of breath, and sometimes very slightly dizzy from it.

What could I do? Should I be worried? I have some old metoprolol - would that maybe reset something if I took a super low dose just for a week or two?

I don’t drink any caffeine, don’t smoke; eat healthy; walk for exercise. I did do some raking and mowing yesterday, and I went on a long walk even though I was already exhausted. (Told myself it was just the body getting used to the change of seasons.) I take multivitamins, NAC, selenium, iron, magnesium. Could my electrolytes be too high? I drink either celery juice or lemon water every day. Could my sodium be too low? I don’t often eat processed foods, though I use plenty of salt on vegetables.

I’ve had a weirdly low resting HR the past couple weeks, 40-45. I’m not on any beta blockers. I’m three years post-op for a St Jude mechanical AVR and aneurysm graft.

I don’t have a cardiologist (not for lack of trying) and would love to hear from anyone who might know a good one in Ohio.

Please let me know if you have any advice or similar experience.

Sounds like you're experiencing either premature atrial contractions (PAC) or premature ventricular contractions (PVC). With PAC's, which I get occasionally and can last a week or two and then disappear, there is an extra early half beat followed by a slight delay then a heavy beat which feels like your heart is pounding. I get these when at rest. My resting heart rate is usually 45-50, but I am on 50 mg metoprolol. I exercise, play squash, etc. without issue. Generally, PAC's aren't considered serious unless they are happening regularly, like hundreds of times in a 24 hr period. You also mention a faster HR. You want to make sure this isn't afib, which is potentially serious. Best you at least get an ECG done. I wear an Apple Watch Ultra 2 which has an ECG feature. I also have the Qaly app on my phone which has a yearly subscription price of $120/yr. For this you can get your ECG read by a certified cardiographic technician. As far as a cardiologist in Ohio, I suggest you reach out to the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. They might suggest you wear a 48 hr heart monitor, which is the definitive way to diagnose heart rhythm issues. I had my valve replacement, aorta graph and CABG x 1 at CC 3 yrs ago. One of the top cardiology departments. Heart rhythm issues are very common for us open heart/valve replacement people. All the best.

 

[pellicle]

Hi Amy

What could I do? Should I be worried?

well firstly I'd raise this to the attention of your GP and cardiologist, especially mentioning the feeling light headed. It may be also AFib ... good thing you're already on warfarin.

I have some old metoprolol - would that maybe reset something if I took a super low dose just for a week or two?

if it was me I'd try that ... if the pills are 50mg then I'd begin with taking half of one (I mean I assume it was prescribed to you anyway right?) as soon as you feel any onset of these things. It may take a little while for that to start working. In my case I find that when my tachycardia hits in it takes about 1 to 2 hours to give an effect.

Best Wishes

 

[Protimenow]

My cardiologist said that I was having PACs. I wouldn't do anything, and my heart rate was above 130. Defibrillation in his office stopped the PACs. He suggested another ablation - I had it, and so far, the rhythm hasn't been perfect, but the doctor was able to drop my pacing rate and things seem to be going better.

I hope you find aa good cardiologist and track down what's causing your issues.

 

[Amy]

Well, I’ve been to the ER (waste of time since the sustained double and triple beats don’t show up above a HR of 55 - and I couldn’t get it to go lower in that environment). Had an echo done today; I’m not great at reading those, but what I did notice is:



Ejection fraction
Today: 54% (2D biplane)
2021 preop 75% (m-mode)
2018 67%
2017 71%
2016 70%
2015 61.5%
2013 59%
2012 55%
2011 60-65%
2011 76% calculated
2010 65-70 visually
2010 73%
2007 56%
2006 50-70%

“Left ventricle systolic function is mildly decreased.” Uh, I’d say. 54% just three years post-op? Is this normal?

 

[pellicle]

“Left ventricle systolic function is mildly decreased.” Uh, I’d say. 54% just three years post-op? Is this normal?

its not my area of strength, but it doesn't look right