Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Beat it

After four visits to my primary care physician, a stress echocardiogram and a month spent wired to a cardiac event monitor, I finally have an answer to the issue of my "weird chest sensation."

Sort of.

Basically, my heart just has an extra beat every so often, and unlike the majority of people this happens to, I can feel it. And then I freak out about it, which exacerbates the issue.

My doctor suggested two courses of action:
  1. learn to live with it, knowing it's not going to kill me
  2. take a very low dose of beta blockers to alleviate the symptoms
I have decided, at least temporarily, to try the beta blocker. I don't like the idea of being on long-term medication, but I've forgotten what it's like to feel "normal." If the meds can make me feel normal again, it will be worth it.

1 comment:

Lori said...

Mine's called mitral valve prolapse. My mother has it. My sister has it. It's an extra beat and it gives me a little head rush and flutter in the chest when it happens.

I was told to reduce caffeine and stress. It worked. :) Well, until I started drinking caffeine again and got stressed. LOL