Heart Problems, Cardiac Symptoms, But Test Results Normal

My cardiologist had me on the highest dose of beta blocker possible; that is 320 mg of sotacor per day. He warned me that at that dose my heart could STOP!..so he told me to try to reduce the dose. I was alarmed but reducing the dose even by 1/2 of one 80 mg tablet made my heart become totally arrhythmic. So, a high dose of a beta blocker can be dangerous. I was exhausted and felt like an old lady on such a high dose of beta blocker. So I am so glad I decided to push my heart with aerobic exercise and within 4 weeks I got the dose down (always gradually) to zero. And it worked at curing my A-fib.

Hi @heffert,

I think most of us would do without meds if given the option – but sometimes they are necessary. I can most certainly see how the emphasis on diet and exercise, and the societal push to "do things naturally,” can convince us about alternatives or not following the doctor’s recommendations – this is especially true for drugs that treat ‘silent’ or asymptomatic conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease.

Here are a few facts about heart disease:
– Heart disease kills 1 in every 4 people in the United States.
– Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.
– It is also one of the most preventable.
– Some of the most commonly prescribed medications for heart problems are beta blockers.
https://www.cdc.gov/dhdsp/data_statistics/fact_sheets/fs_heart_disease.htm
...and what you should know about beta blockers:
When the heart's arteries become narrowed or weak, the heart compensates by pumping harder and faster. This increases the demand for oxygen and can cause angina, which is chest pain, as well as as high blood pressure or arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat.
Beta blockers slow down the heart to give it a break from working so hard. The heart's squeezing function relaxes a bit, which causes blood pressure to go down, easing pain and helping regulate the heartbeat. Beta blockers also help open up your veins and arteries to improve blood flow. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/beta-blockers/art-20044522

...and detailed information about ventricular tachycardia:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ventricular-tachycardia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355138
I also thought you might wish to view this very interesting article, "Is Any Patient with Chronic Heart Failure Receiving the Right Dose of the Right Beta-Blocker in Primary Care?" https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(19)30311-0/fulltext

@heffert, just as “silent” conditions have no overt symptoms, initially, the consequences of not taking medication may not show up immediately. But by putting your health at risk there can be serious long-term consequences.
Taking medication, as directed by your doctor, is a decision only you can make. Can you talk to your doctor and explain your concerns?

I do need more answers from my doctor. I was told my heart is very healthy. No signs of disease etc. So why or how does this happen? And if I leave it will it only cause problems in the future?

My son was a volunteer, trained paramedic on the local department before they became a full-time paid department and was available at night for many emergency runs to help people in distress, as well as auto accidents in addition to his regular job in the family business.
He liked serving the community and learned much about responding quickly to frightening health problems before they became serious and debilitating. We both learned much about preventive help to keep our hearts working well, including exercise and medications.
It is a balancing act we take and it is o.k. to be cautious about both our reactions to medications and our personal activity choices.
I am just not ready to sit in a rocker half drugged so I can say I lived longer. Life is a little risky when you are 84 and ambitious.
Plus I am learning to be careful because falling is a big problem at my age that can wreck my body in short order. I also try to learn from the experiences of others which is why I contribute to Mayo Clinic Connect. We should celebrate our successes more often. Dorisena

If your heart is healthy, after testing, and an echocardiogram, then you could have a deficiency in magnesium and vitamin D which is very common.

If you were having an issue with palpitations or a fib, you may have a hernia pressing on the Vagus nerve.

There are many reasons why people can have heart symptoms, and they’re not be anything wrong with the heart.

I pray you find the answers you seek, and maybe you need to see an integrative functional MD/cardiologist.

You seem very young for any of this, but you might also be checked for sleep apnea. If you wake suddenly in the middle of the night and your heart is beating that fast, it's like you might have quit breathing and your heart is trying to get more oxygen by beating faster. I wore an oxygen meter all night last week to determine if I have sleep apnea. It was an easy test. I don't have the results yet but it wouldn't surprise me. Makes sense that your heart beats faster when it's deprived of oxygen.

feeling sudden heart jumping in center of chest only for few seconds like 3 to 6 second , occurs at any time and minimum 1 episode in between 1 to 3 month , fear occur at that time. small fatigue also occur. ECG , EcoCG, EEG, Ions, CBC, BP, DC, Thyroid are normal . No family history of heart problems. Still it is undiagnosed. when ever it occur, i try to understand it, but due to insufficient of time of occurrence, i can't able to understand it. what is it ? Also i do regular exercise. and it occurs from 2 years and my age is 21. my height is 170 cm and weight is 50 kg.

I would call 911 if happens again, and also go to cardiologist. Also have sleep study done by sleep doctor. You could have sleep apnea. I had similar symptoms for a few years, had sleep study and found i had quit breathing and had obstructions at night. I am now on CPAP machine.

Is it anaxity or svt or vt ?

call 911 thats dangerous high.