Skipped Beats?

[SHEEPDOG]

Ok, Here's a question for all you that are better educated than me.
I am just over 5 weeks POST OP. I have an ON-X aortic valve. I feel great! Still have the achey shoulders and a knot in my back and some muscle pain on either side of my sternum. Walking is NOT a problem and the aches are controled by Tylenol.
Here's the situation though. I noticed when I get in bed and lay down on my left side, I have some SKIPPED beats. Lasts for only about 10 min. I don't really notice it on my right side. The other day at work, I walked up a hill that would have done me in PRE OP. The good part is I hardly noticed the hill. The bad part is, once I got to the top, the skipped beats started. Only lasted for a few min. I had this PRE OP but I only noticed it when I ate the "wrong" foods.
I go to my regular Cardio on Monday. I will DEFINATELY tell her about it. Does anyone else have these problems? Am I gonna make it?

 

[Bina]

Many, many of us continue to have "weird" beats, they are usually benign.
It is not a skipped beat, but rather 2 beats that are closer together, then the next regular beat comes along.
They are called PVC---premature ventricular contractions, or PAC----premature atrial contractions.
Yes, they are more noticeable when laying on the left side, I make sure to lay on my right side. You'll be fine!

 

[ryen0]

I had them so much before surgery, and then the first few weeks after surgery i didn't have any. Whew. But then of course later i started having them again. If you are like me, you can't help but think "man i thought major surgery would correct this crap" and the answers you usually get from docs are, "well some people live with them all of their life" it does sort of take the good mojo out of getting past the surgery. but really, they are probably nothing. they probably are the most annoying heart symptom though. nobody wants to feel their heart .....pause.

 

[Bridgette]

Yes I have them too, and it's over 18 months since my surgery. I've just learned to live with them.
I get them when lying on my left side too - I sort of think of it as the heart not liking being squashed on, although it's probably nothing to do with that
Mind you, that's when they happen the most - at night, if I turn on to my left side.

I don't know, I think you just learn to put up with the little issues if you can....still tell your cardio about it though, of course.

 

[yankeeman]

Re; Skipped beats

Re; Skipped beats

I have skipped beats if I don't take my beta blocker, Toprol. (Actually the generic equivalent metrotoprol)

Once I take that, they go away

I take it once a day but have been told it's better to cut it in half and take it twice because it is a short-duration drug

 

[tobagotwo]

Yep. I'm surprised we haven't seen more responses, as this is a common complaint. Not to worry.

Lots of people get unpleasant or weird feelings or palpitations (PACs, PVCs, skipped beats, etc.) when they lie on their left side after surgery. It can last a long time in some folks.

The simple explanation seems to be that when you lie on your left side, your lungs and liver (right side of chest) are draped over and partially resting on your heart. Your heart is feeling a bit melodramatic right now, so it takes offence easily to minor insults and crowding. Occasionally, that doesn't go away. Mine still does it some years later, but it just doesn't bother me anymore.

Your echo tech always makes you lie on your left side for the same reason - the heart stays more in place when it's a little bit mashed by its fellow organs and closer to the ribs. It's easier to take readings of that way.

Unfortunately, if your heart isn't enjoying the togetherness, it may affect the echo by showing more arrythmias than are actually typically there, or other mild symptoms displaying cardiac rebuke. Mine does that. The echo tech thinks I have a lot of PVCs and PACs. In fact, I don't, when I'm not lying on my left side having an echo done.

Best wishes,

 

[Faye]

Thanks for asking this question! I have been experiencing the same thing and wondered if the "odd" beating I feel now and then is normal.

 

[dick0236]

There's good news and bad news(just kidding). The good news is, as the others said, it is very common, especially when lying down. The bad news is that it doesn't completely go away (at least mine hasn't). However, I don't often notice the skipping anymore.

 

[pamela]

I don't think that sleeping on your left causes PVC's or PAC's, I do think that we just feel them more on the left because the heart is smooshed in that position and is easier to feel/notice. If you have pvc's during left side rest, odds are you have them when you're standing, you just don't notice them as well.

 

[SHEEPDOG]

Thanks all

Thanks all

I knew I could count on you all to give me the answer. I will talk to the cardio about it on Monday. Like I said, I had them pre-op to a lesser degree and usually after eating greasy food. (at least thats the way it seemed to me) Just started to notice them a few weeks ago but only just getting to where I can sleep on either side w/o chest muscle and back pain. As long as they re benign I can deal with it.

 

[JCSydney]

You guys are amazing, I thought it was just me that this was happening to, I should have asked the question myself.

Jeff.

 

[CThrock]

I would mention it to your cardio dr but I get the same thing every once in awhile. I mentioned it to my dr and he had wear a monitor for a few days to see what was up. To say the least you know what happened don't you? NOTHING!!! So dr said it looked completely normal. I don't get them very much so I'm not going to worry about it.
Hope yours is the same thing "nothing to worry about"..
Let us know what the dr says on Monday.
God Bless

 

[PairoDocs]

Sheepdog,

I also have noticed the return of my PVCs since I got off all beta blockers. I had to due to the debilitating side-effects. The PVCs are very mild and infrequent. I don't get trigemeny or any of the other more complicated arhythmias anymore. I can still feel every one of them, though. It was such a feeling that warned me 12/9/07 that something was wrong. When I got 20 powerful PVCs in a row, I felt every one of them--the rest is history. That was abnormal, but that funny squirmy feeling I get with singles I generally forget about them since they're isolated.

As for the left vs right side laying down, it's true that the heavy liver is on the right side, and can shift a bit. It's also true that our hearts point to the left and our left ventricle (of course) is there and is the first to encounter ribcage when our liver, pancreas, stomach, etc. shift. People with mitral valve prolapse also notice increased PVCs when on their left sides more than right. Now post surgery I don't notice as much difference in frequency, but they seem louder and more intense when I'm on my left. In general my internal sense of my heartbeat is stronger when I'm on my left as well, but I can still sleep on my left side.

I guess some of us still have touchy hearts that have minds of their own and send 'protest' signals to us in the form of PVCs as if saying "Hey! I'm being squashed here--roll over will-ya!" Or "Watch those bloating foods! I need some beating room here!"

Speaking of being squashed, I managed my healing shoulder and back pain by lots of chest and arm stretches. I read about contractures that people get from being afraid to straighten up post surgery and didn't want that to happen to me. I was getting a keloid and, even if it hurt, I didn't want it to keep me hunched over the rest of my life. So I did something that would make a chiropractor wince. I would find a nice flat door opening or some other fairly narrow (as in 2 x 4 width; about 3-4 inches wide) vertical flat smooth surface. I'd line myself up with my shoulder blades spread, and with as good posture as my condition would allow, I'd firmly smack my back against said vertical surface. I'd do it two or three times until I'd feel my misaligned vertebrae sort of crunch back into position. Almost immediately my pain would lessen. This had been a problem when I was about 3-5 weeks post surgery. I first had to do it sometimes several times a day, then just once daily, then every few days, and now almost never have to do it. I also lay down on my bed on my back and did away with the pillows for as long as I could stand it--the pillows of course were there for sleeping, though. Later (about 7 weeks onward) I frequently lay on my back with my head actually hanging down off the end of my bed. Kept up the stretching exercises, etc. The result? The best posture of my life.

I'll pray that the Lord helps you with the back, PVCs, and emotional stuff post surgery. I needed (and still need) lots of prayer to get me through the immediate post surgical time and the half year since then, and I suspect you will likewise. You can count on us to do it--it takes someone who has truly been there to really understand how to pray for help for you.

Chris

 

[SHEEPDOG]

Chris

Chris

Thanks so much for the thoughtful and through post. I guess it was the walking up hill PVC's that bothered me most. I was feeling so good heading up the sidewalk and when I got to the top, BAM, there it was. BEAT, BEAT, ......., BEAT, BEAT, BEAT, ......., BEAT.I guess 4 weeks (at that time) is pretty soon to not expect some protest from my healing heart. I was on Lisinopril pre surg and my Surg switched me to LOPRESSOR (or something like that) in the hospital. My resting HR can get down to 60 now with no problem. I don't like that and hope to go back to Lisinopril on Monday. The PVC's weren't a problem on that.
I will let ya'all know what Cardio says on Monday.

 

[dick0236]

To Jeff in Australia....You are right about this forum being "amazing". For a very long time I experienced these kinds of "little" problems. I never brought these kinds of concerns to the attention of my docs, either I would forget to ask or I wasn't sure I wanted to know. This question was one of many that I have gotten answers to thru VR.com.

This truly is a great informational resource.

 

[R&N Brown]

Hello All, Hello Sheepdog, I am just over 4 weeks post-op. I also had an On-X valve installed, and...I have what I feel is an irregular heart rhythm no matter what position my body is in! I'm going to try this laying on my left side to see if it is more pronounced, I haven't really taken notice.

At times, after a good brisk walk or after climbing a hefty flight of stairs I can almost see my chest moving my heart beats pretty strong and it flutters some. It's a strange feeling. I did not have any of this pre-op.

Overall how do you feel? I feel good.

Rob

 

[tobagotwo]

Note that Louise is correct that you can feel it more when lying on your left side, for the same reasons it's easier to echo that way (the heart is to the left of center). However, most people seem to note that any palpitations or other symptoms do increase notably as well.

The other thing that seems to be part of lying on the left side shortly after surgery is that "not right" feeling that many get. It ranges from just an uncomfortable feeling to a feeling that something is very wrong, sometimes even making people feel that they're doing harm by lying on the left (not likely). While the other reactions (palpitations, etc.) may come back on and off, most people do eventually get comfortable with lying on the left side again, as the feeling of discomfort or dread dissipates over time.

A heavy meal may exacerbate the feeling, as the full stomach can push the diaphragm up, adding another dimension to the internal squeeze.

Of course, if you're not comfortable right now on your left side, you can just roll over (slowly and carefully, if your rib cage is still healing). Why poke the sleeping bear?

Best wishes,

 

[SHEEPDOG]

I feel really good Rob

I feel really good Rob

At 5 weeks, I guess I feel really good. I have been back to work for week. (just sitting and answering phones really, no police work) I still have one little knot at my shoulder blade. I cant get my wife to rub it. When she did a few days ago, it hurt but then was pretty OK for a few days. Gonna ask her again tonight. Maybe if I ask REALLY nicely. Other than that, I noticed the muscle pain in my chest is moving away from my sternum. I only have a scar of almost 3" so a lot of pressure was placed in one very small area of muscle. It is moving out and getting less. My chest is still sore to cough and laugh. I haven't done the nose thing yet! KNOCK...KNOCK on wood! That SCARES me. The knot in my back makes deep breathing a bit painful unless done slowly. You can't sn#^%e and breath in slowly. I can't wait till this is over.
How's things up north? I guess if you say you are doing good, you must be. Thats great to hear! keep up the recovery!

 

[Snoviper]

I just started noticing the same thing, I am two and a half weeks post op and went in last week to have my pacemaker adjusted. Well I had heart block after surgery but when I went in to have the pace maker checked they said my heart was working on its own. So they adjusted the pacemaker to wait and see if my heart beats and then assist, after surgery it was just set to pace continuously. Well after they changed the settings I started noticing the irregular beats especially when laying on my left side.

 

[SHEEPDOG]

Hey You Guys!

Hey You Guys!

Went to cardio today, mentioned my PVC,PAC problem. she never batted an eye. "Yes, that happens" was all I got. My INR was a bit high but the dose will be adjusted for a day with recheck in a week.
SIDE NOTE: Some poor old lady had her husband giving her 10 mg a day of Coumadin X 3 days. She weighs 90lbs soaking wet and the clinic nurse got an INR of 10!
My Cardio is the opposite of my Surg. Cardio actually talks to you and you dont feel like you are keeping her. Surg was GREAT but not the best BEDSIDE MANNER. I don't want to be his friend.I wanted him to save my life and he did that.
So, Cardio said apt in 6 months. I guess that is good, huh?
Also, "skipped beats" are benign as most of you said. Thanks so much for the help.