Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

This is my first post. I’m also 76 and have had palpitations for years, a dry cough for longer, and lightheaded spells/ shortness of breath for the last six months or so.. Long story short, I finally got a diagnosis for silent reflux (while wearing a 30- day event monitor) in mid-December. It reported a 4.5 second electrical silence on January 1st, and I had a two-lead pacemaker implanted on the 5th. I can’t wait for my healing to get to the point where I can ditch the Velcro brace at night and start getting normal sleep on my left side again. It’s nice to tell this to someone who understands.

i would not do it find a qualified medical dr , like for example mayo clinic gives you a throrough evaluation before they even thinkof givingyou a treatment.

I have a slow heart beat. From the beginning of my teenage years, my heart rate was 72 and I was comblimented for such a low heart beat. then a few years ago, I would suddenly have difficulty staying awake at meetings and at the computer. Then one Monday morning, I had difficulty staying awake. I decided to contact the 811 for advice. The nurse directed to my doctor immediately. He sent me off to the Emergency Room immediately. A few weeks later I was called in to have a pacemaker put in my chest. I haven't had problems with it. I am wondering if I can have lazar treatment with my acupuncture treatment along with my acupuncture. The lazar treatment is separate from my acupuncture treatment. e.g. no use of acupuncture needles attached to the lazar machine. The other problem I have is spinal stenosis.

Thank you so much for your advice. That is exactly what I will do. So comforting to know I am not alone.
How are you dealing with your PACs?

They developed within a year because I was going to have surgery and they never told me anything was wrong until now I haven’t had palpitations since that day but my heart does race at night most of the time during the day I am fine but at night it’s when it happens and the chest pain for the most part is all day…I have an appt next Monday for my holter monitor results hopefully they don’t show anything major I will look into going to an electrophysiologist

These things are slow to develop, angieb16. They sneak up on you and clobber you, but they aren't likely to be dangerous, not yet. You are doing the right things, and so are your medical care givers. They need to consider ways to see exactly what is going on, so wearing a Holter monitor for a full day is likely to show when you have the palpitations. It might interest you to know that palpitations are what YOU feel, not what the EKG shows. The real nature of the arrhythmia, if that is what is going on, will be revealed in time. Meanwhile, a visit to a good cardiologist should have you on an anti-coagulant like apixaban (Eliquis) at the very least, and maybe on a low dose of metoprolol if the heart rate is too high much of the time. Again, see a cardiologist ASAP. Also, if there is an arrhythmia, say it turns out to be atrial flutter or fibrillation, those can often be mechanically fixed by an electrophysiologist. They're heart electricians, but with really nice cars. Also, if you have a fairly high 'burden' of ectopic beats (extra or premature beats), you may have to also take an initially low dose of anti-arrhythmic drugs like flecainide, sotolol, diltiazem, propafenone, and so on. Many of us are still alive years after developing an arrhythmia. Just get the rate and rhythm under control as much as you and a cardiologist, or an electrophysiologist, can. You'll feel better and sleep better, and soon you'll come to accept your new condition. Happens to the best of us.

do not go to these small hospitals not known for arrthymias but to a well known hospital that deals with arrthymias and be sure the person you see has the credentials and experience to diagnosis it. go to your primary and ask for a reference to see an electrophysiologist that specializes in this i have this thats how i know

I am lucky in that my ventricular tacycardia (also have atrial) is so far, controlled with low dose metoprolol 12.5mg x2. Watch caffeine intake, dont drink, daily walking is good.
Maybe try a different beta-blocker. Bisoprolol is often the first choice.
Occasionally still get the odd flip flop.