I have no idea, Lois. I "assume" it's something to do with the PVCs I have... that extra heartbeat thing. I don't feel unwell and all my tests were normal so I suppose there's no reason for alarm.
That's the main thing Beth so whatever you do, don't stress about it ! It could be the 'real life' docus you watch - I bet my heart rate changes too - or is it Brad Pitt
I wasn't suggesting you stress over it, Beth. But now that you mentioned the pvcs, I can see the possibility of that being the reason. Glad it's only that. I just had a Doppler on both legs as my ankles and feet blew up like balloons for 2 days in a row. They are back to normal today, but he didn't come until now to take the test. It is negative for DVT or existent clots. So, who knows what that was about. Have an appointment with my doctor Mon. afternoon.
My heart has skipped every seventh beat for at least 50 years. Then at one time it stopped doing the as I had become a active walker. I assume it does it still now but with all the doctors not one has mentioned it.
I agree that you hit retirement age and suddenly go from annual physicals to monthly/weekly appointments. I mean, what the hell happened??? I've gone from Useful Contributor to Net Consumer of Resources in just a couple of years. I had what was assumed to be a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack) stoke in early January 2020. The doctor in the hospital (where I stayed overnight) prescribed a heart monitor and told me "You'll wear it for 30 days. The nurse from Cardiology will come put it on and how you how it works." It looked like one of these that communicated with a dedicated cell phone app: The nurse comes up, puts it on and says "You'll be wearing this for 2 weeks." I told her the doctor said one month, and she snapped back "Two weeks!" Her demeanor told me I was in the middle of a personal battle, and was not merely discussing medical protocol. I later overheard the doctor's voice speaking with the patient in the adjoining room, so I lurked in the hall and pounced on him when he exited. "I just want to clear something up. You said 30 days, the nurse says 2 weeks. Which is it?" He snapped back "30 days!" in a voice that confirmed I was in the middle of something other than this timing thing. So I get home, wear the thing and deal with all the shower issues, and 2 weeks into it the damned cell phone monitor alarms at 3AM!! "Your prescription is up. Please return the unit at your earliest convenience." At 3 O'friggin' clock in the morning!!! And only 2 weeks into it. The next morning I call the doctor and leave a message, reminding him of our hallway encounter and his "30 day" admonition. I get a call back the next day. "Two weeks is fine." Pusillanimous jerk. Fast forward a month or so, and I finally get in to see a cardiologist. He looks at the info and says "I really need to see 3o days worth of data. Here. Put this on." And he hands me a larger one that has 5 sticky electrodes/wired leads and the heavy unit you wear the unit like a pendant...for another 30 days. They did an echo-cardiogram at the hospital and said everything was fine, he did one in his office with a bubbled saline solution to look for a hole in my heart (there is none) and told me he sees "vegetative growth" on my aortic valve. This is not abnormal, and "might" break off and cause TIAs. COVID has disrupted the procedure to get it looked at. To top it all off, my last appointment he says "I don't think you had a stroke. I'm not a neurologist, but I think this was a nerve event." *sigh* I guess that's good news. I don't have any of the risk factors (and had paid out of pocket for a "community vascular screening" not long ago). I saw him a few weeks ago and am scheduled to go back in August, but I don't know what for. I guess for the quick $75 he can charge for the EKG his assistant always gives me. You would think for that kind of money, she would know what systolic and diastolic are. (You would be wrong.) As a side story to this, when I went into the Emergency Room they did blood work and a CT Scan of my head. The ER doctor--sensing someone he could mess with--calls me back into his room with the test results and his assistant sitting there and says "I lost the bet. You do have a brain!" To which I replied: "I heard this about you people. I've been here less than an hour and you're already mixing my records up with someone else!!" At least I got to help make his day. ps: I hope things turn out OK for you, Beth. There's a reason they call it a "practice."
Thanks, John. I guess when we get to this point in life, there's always something to deal with health-wise. Too bad @Bess Barber doesn't come here anymore; she had a TIA last year and y'all could trade war stories. Her doctor took her off caffeine and she was not happy with that.
If my doctor wanted me to quit coffee, I would have to do a quick "Quality of Life Years" risk analysis. I've quit before. I don't want to again. I wonder if she had A-Fib.
I don't recall her mentioning A-Fib. Just a lot of grumbling about "half-caff." She was a lot of fun and I wish she'd come back. She was a smoker and said she wasn't giving that up, haha.
Thanks for all the info. I've had an irregular heart beat as long as I can remember. I go to a PA at my hospital, but haven't been for a year. I hope to get an appointment soon. So far, no one has said it was serious. I've been on the treadmill, had the echo-cardiogram, as well as worn a monitor for a few days - twice in my life) Mine seems to be worse when I am stressed or worried about family matters (I have a lot of those) Because of all that's happened lately (virus, stay at home, change of life-style, etc) it has become worse and worse. Then throw in the mix my troubles with sleep apnea, and I have not been very well, physically, of late. Biggest problem, at my age I do not have the stamina I used to. Sorry for elaborating on my problems, but I need to tell someone.
This is the place where peers unburden. Since it sounds as though anxiety might be a contributing factor, I prescribe more forum typing! Seriously, I have a very nasty large family that has been a dark cloud over my entire life. I understand unrelievable stress. I also understand late-onset inertia!!
Hugh, you're among your peers... none of us has the stamina we used to. Elaborate away; we will all chime in with unsolicited advice.