Heart Palpitations/ Tachycardia

[Roda]

Luckily, mushroom I did not go into a-fib. They did an ekg and other than the tachy, it was fine. I still don't feel quite right. I've decided that I too feel I need to supplement some magnesium. I'm going to put it to my PCP again and if I don't get anywhere with her I'll discusss it with my endo.

As of right now I'm still swallowing the horsepills, I mean the postassium pills. I was initally at the start of all of this put on varapamil to help slow the heart rate down. They wanted to give me a beta blocker but I refused because of past experience and side effects. I quit taking it after a week, because I felt it was contributing to my fluid retention since it was a vasodialator. It was keeping my heart rate somewhat lower, but I feel it is just masking the problem at this point.

Weird thing is when I swell up the legs are the worst(probably have some venous insufficiency), but I get fluid retention all over, after I lay down for the morning or night it is either better or gone. Then when I get up to start my normal day it starts all over again. I was told it wasn't my kidneys or my liver since all looked picture perfect on labs. The PCP somehow looking at me ruled out lymphatics and heart, but don't know how... After the swelling goes down a bit I get a lot of twitching in my legs and it kept me up last night. Hence why I was inquiring about the mag. I go to my endocrinologist in April, so I hope I can deal with the fluid till then. I am wearing thigh high compression stockings at work, and up until the weather turned warm was wearing them all the time at home with the exception of at night. I had about a 5 day reprieve when I did take the diuretic from the swelling. My legs felt good and my pants no longer cut into my waist.

I too never cheet. I have no desire to. That's not to say I havn't gotten glutened on accident. I take this disease very serious and I really have no desire to add to my collection of autoimmune diseases or otherwise.

I also had a melt down today while I was talking to my mom. I had went earlier to buy some shorts and I only tried the one pair on. I bought two other pair in a different color but same size and brand. I got them home and low and behold the two other colors(I didn't try those on) didn't fit! I was already upset I had to buy a size 16 and then have that happen on top. I told my mom I wasn't happy right now and that I was a fat flippen duck(not the exact word I used ) and I was disscusted with myself. I weigh as much now as I did when delivered my two boys! I never did loose weight gluten free and now I'm just gaining more. The fluid retention doesn't help, but underneath it, I'm still overweight. Oh well, I'll figure something out. Unfortunately, with this thing cropping up with the potassium and the swelling for the last six months, it makes it near impossible to exercise.

[Blue-eyed bandit]

I think magnesium is perfectly safe as my ER doc and PC told me it was fine to take and helps hold potassium. I too get palpitations and it can be frightening. I never cheat either!! Anyways i would be careful supplementing potassium as too much can cause palpitations as well. Try getting ur potassium from foods like potatoes with skin, oranges, fortified juices etc. If you want magnesium, calcium and potassium you could try a smooothie I take but it is high in natural sugars. 1 cup each of ice and unsweetened vanilla milk, 2 ripe bananas, 1 large spoonful each of ground flaxseed and almond butter- blend and enjoy .

[mushroom]

Try getting ur potassium from foods like potatoes with skin, oranges, fortified juices etc. If you want magnesium, calcium and potassium you could try a smooothie I take but it is high in natural sugars. 1 cup each of ice and unsweetened vanilla milk, 2 ripe bananas, 1 large spoonful each of ground flaxseed and almond butter- blend and enjoy .

Ahh, you see, this is part of my problem. My food intolerances include potatoes (especially the lectins in the skin), oranges, tomatoes (bye-bye V8 juice). These were all previously high consumption foods for me and probably the cause of current intolerance. And you really shouldn't have more than one banana a day. I do do a lot of smoothies with almond / hemp milk often, 1 banana, some frozen mango in place of ice cubes (bought by the bag from TJ's), ground flaxseed, sometimes strawberries. And I snack on almonds. So I have to rely on supplements to make up for what the diuretic takes out.

[Blue-eyed bandit]

Yes that's tricky... I can't imagine taking potassium because I had to after an ER visit for palps and the potassium gave me intense stomach pains as well as more palps even though my bloodwork was normal after 2-3 testings. I stopped it and had much fewer palps.

[mushroom]

Yes, the balance between not enough and too much potassium is not easy. Add to that the problem that what they measure in the blood is higher than the amount that is typically in the cells... they normally don't account for that. .I was admitted to hospital for afib, told them it was because my potassium was low (hadn't been able to get gluten free potassium over a weekend so ate WAAAYYY too many bananas) and they tested my blood level and told me it was fine (3.5 which is marginal). Next day's blood test they told me, guess what, my potassium was low (no kidding???!!) and gave me an IV and I popped right out of afib I mean, what does the patient know? They're just the patient. Ignore what they say and rely on a stupid test.

[Blue-eyed bandit]

Geez!! I think we have an even more sensitive time too digesting minerals and such so we can overdo it and still not get enough. I HATE palpitations!!

[Blue-eyed bandit]

Well it's been awhile since I posted but the doctor told me everything was fine on my holter event recorder and just PACs in couplets and bigeminy. Well I refused to take off my moniter because they hadn't caught the runs of palpitations I've been getting. And guess what I recorded two runs- bad news it's nonsustained ventricular tachyicardia ( NSVT ) and atrial tachycardia. Boo! needless to say very frightening. Luckily my heart is structurally normal so as of now I'm waiting to see an electrophysiologist for a treatment plan if any. Anyone else on hear going through this?!

[Blue-eyed bandit]

Here! Oops

[mushroom]

I have atrial fibrillation which started with my food intolelrances, and is now an entity on its own whether I eat the foods or not, AND is getting more frequent and bothersome. I am going in next week to have a PVI (pulmonary vein isolation) ablation procedure since, like you, my heart is structurally sound and it's just the electrical wiring that is messed up

[Blue-eyed bandit]

Good luck with your ablation! My moms husband had a cathedar ablation done for afib and has had zero episodes since!! I'm going to go see an electrophysiologist soon to see what can be done if anything about mine. I only have a low sudden cardiac death risk but I imagine it will only get worse the older I get and the risk higher.

[mushroom]

Good luck with your ablation! My moms husband had a cathedar ablation done for afib and has had zero episodes since!! I'm going to go see an electrophysiologist soon to see what can be done if anything about mine. I only have a low sudden cardiac death risk but I imagine it will only get worse the older I get and the risk higher.

Thanks!

The one bad thing about afib is that it does only get worse, even if the cardiac risk is not high. It can be quite debilitating and you are so young. It has developed to the point now where ablation is being considered as a first line treatment rather than what to do when you have exhausted all other options (like all those meds . )

Do you take magnesium and potassium supplements? These can help keep your heart's electrical system operating at its potential - you need the right sodium / potassium ratio, and intercellular magnesium levels. Check out afibbers.org. and specifically the current forum.

[Blue-eyed bandit]

I have NSVT ( non sustained ventricular tactcardia) and atrial tachycardia both different than afib. I have had very good results with magnesium taurate.