Hi Stu
I have tried a couple of types of beta blockers for my ectopics - at lower doses than you are on because yes the higher doses will slow your heart rate down.

I have tried propanolol and atenolol and I have to say that the atenolol did make me feel odd in different ways and I also get my arms getting pins and needles more at night than I did before taking them, so maybe that is a side effect of the tablets.

What I can also say is that they have not helped my ectopics at all, and when I was on a higher dose they were worse because more nasty little ectopics used to sneak in between the normal (but slowed down by bb's heart rate).

I am now doing 20 mg in morning and 10mg in the evening of propanolol and this has worked the best for me so far, but I sitll get ectopics all day every day. But it has lessened the frequency of racing heart episodes from three or four times per week to one or two. Not great really. But I often wonder why I am bothering. Really the cardiologist has told me they are optional. I do suffer from anxiety very badly so my heart problems are probably caused by too much adrenaline going round my body (as I never had heart issues before getting anxiety but it's a whole vicious circle of nastiness).

I have started taking antidepressants for anxiety about a month ago and the side effects from those are hellish. But those side effects are starting to go away and I have moments of clarity again so maybe they are starting to work. (I absolutely hate taking medication but I have come to think that sometimes side effects are worth it for long term gain).

Yes, Stu, you have to decide for yourself that you need to get better with or without medication. Sometimes medication will give you the space you need to do that. (My GP put it well to me when she said that 'if it was as easy as pulling your socks up you would have done that ages ago'.) You may need to work really hard at getting better - I don't have the answers I'm afraid but I am just about to do some cognitive behaviour therapy. The psychologist said that palpitations are more likely in the presence of stress or anxiety, so perhaps tackling the anxiety will go a long way to alleviating the symptoms. The same may or may not be true for you.

You say you are having GI problems that cause the ectopics. But GI problems are also exacerbated by anxiety so have you thought that if you were able to work on the anxiety this might get better and the ectopics could be miraculously resolved too? (I sometimes see you on NMP, so I have the feeling you are anxious too.)

I'm sure RLR will be here later to talk to you but all the side effects could be anxiety regarding taking the medications, some mild effects from being new to the beta blockers, and the others are just your heart beat playing up as it does normally. My cardiologist told me that beta blockers don't work for everyone with ectopics. In fact the recommended treatment for ectopics in people with a normal heart is 'nothing'. I read a very good article in the British Heart Journal recommended by my cardiologist which basically said no treatment is required. Although you have to decide you may feel better taking something or not.

Best of luck to you  Stu.

Thanks everyone,

Ive decided to continue with the medication for the short term and judge the results.  

I think I have a fear of these meds which feeds my anxiety, so I will try to break that link.

Anyway Im off for a weeks break with my family, Im hoping it will be a restfull week (heres hoping).

I hope you all have an anxiety and palpitation free week.  

Stu

Well, 50bpm is not too slow in the presence of beta blocker therapy and as a physician, I've observed hundreds of patients on such therapy with identical results. This does not constitute a problem in of itself.

"Pins and Needles" are due to mild nerve compression and are not the consequence of reduced blood supply in any manner. The actual reduction of blood supply to a limb or even the distal portion of a limb causes intense pain, not pins and needles. It is a common misconception by many people that this symptom is the consequence of reduced blood supply, or ischemia, and I remind all of you here that it is not the case. When you "lean on an arm or leg" you can potentially compress the nerves innervating the distal portion of the limb, causing mild parasthesia that you experience as pins and needles.

Best regards and Good Health

Okay, this is a good case and point. The person you refer to likely had bradycardia (slow heart rate) from reasons other than beta blocker therapy, which can be of significant concern with regarding to any considerations for surgery and the associated anesthesia.

You can't observe someone's case and generalize it to the population. That's the reason that you're having difficulty with your own situation.

Best regards and Good Health

Good Question. Here's the answer; Noteworthy bradycardia in the absence of treatment that would cause it is a potential indicator of cardio-pathology that needs to be investigated further. In the consideration for surgery, such an underlying condition could cause complications as a consequence of the effects of anesthesia which tends to lower heart rate and general metabolism.  

You are focusing on the bradycardia itself and that's not the issue. It's the underlying cause of the bradycardia that's of significance. If the cause is merely medication, then there's no reason to consider that something else has caused the change in heart rate. If bradycardia is present in the absence of beta-blocker therapy or other medication which can lower the normal resting heart rate, then we begin to suspect a physiological cause. There are rare instances in some highly trained and conditioned athletes who have an extraordinarily low resting heart rate in the 50 range.

In general,bradycardia is not considered problematic unless the patient is experiencing negative symptoms, ie fainting, etc.

As for the remainder of your response, you have the tendency to address such matters in a defensive context. None of the postings here are intended to offend you in any manner, Kathryn. Whenever anyone makes a posting concerning medical fact that is incorrect, it is my responsibility to speak out and clarify the matter. I do so in a very straight-forward manner from a logical perspective.

Whenever I hear someone mention that they have 101 things to cope with, I'm always constrained to point out that it's more likely 100 things to worry about and 1 to cope with, because you can only effectively deal with the matter at hand. It takes a lot out of anyone who approaches things that way because they tend to be in a chronic state of being overwhelmed and negative thinking as a consequence is almost assured. Worrying is not an active process at all, but rather entirely passive, meaning that you can worry all you care to and nothing will change at all until you actively do something to affect its course.  

The key is training yourself to apply the majority of your focus to matters that you can directly influence and change for purposes of gain. The rest must await its time and place. This is the land where folks with anxiety live, 101 steps beyond the occurrance of anything. It provides for the multiplication of potential outcomes that are typically influenced by negative thought patterns. Anything becomes possible because there is nothing to frame the speculation into the logical world. It simply drives the mechanism by which the anxiety-stricken person must abide.

Best regards and Good Health