[pounding]
Author: DENNIS J.BASSETT (---.ts13.qui.ma.net1plus.com)
Date: 12-06-02 17:57
I,ve been living with HCM for most of my life. I,m very symptomatic with shortness of breath, fatigue,and chest pain. I,ve been a lot of meds all of my life, and have an ICD. I,m 100% paced with my pulse set at 60 beats per min. at rest.My concern at this time is I hear my pulse in my head every time I try to relax or rest my head on a pillow.Is this normal, and does anyone else experience this symptom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Matt (---.disney.com)
Date: 12-06-02 18:40
Dennis,
My symptoms are very similar to yours. I've been living with HCM my whole life too, had a myectony at 20 and an ICD implanted just this year (39 now). Only paced with the ICD when my rate gets lower than 60. For years I haven't been able to sleep and one of the major reasons is what you describe about feeling your pulse in your head. I begged and begged and was finally prescribed sleeping pills (Ambien) which has relaxed me a little so the poundings are not as bad. Not gone completely but it helps a lot. I was reluctant to ask for them for months/years because that's just what I needed - another medication. I'm so glad I finally did.
Matt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: connie (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 12-06-02 18:52
Hi Dennis,
I experience the same thing, especially at night when I lay down or when I get quite. I too am very symptomatic....chest pain, dizzy spells, near fainting, swelling hands and feet, asthma type symptoms...ect.....I have been living with these symptoms for about 3 years, it was only a few months ago it was given a name, when I switched Cardiologist's. I take Tiazac 300mg 1 a day, and Toprol XL 100mg 1 a day.....I am scheduled the 2nd week in Jan for a Septal Alcohol Ablation..(controlled heart attack). I am hoping it will help with the symptoms, that have taken control of my life and made it miserable. I long for the day when I can tie my shoes with out seeing stars..ha ha .Good luck to you.............Connie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Jason (---.ushwy1.com)
Date: 12-06-02 19:04
Hello, i've had that alot but my condition is not as bad as any of yours. Sometimes the pouding is terrible. Another thing I have & you can call me nuts, is really cold feet. My wife hates it. I keep my socks on & everything but they are like ice cubes. I dont get much swelling though, not that I have ever noticed. My feet always hurt thiugh. Good luck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Robert Hartwell (---.focal5.interaccess.com)
Date: 12-07-02 06:57
Dennis,
Prior to, and after my myectomy surgery on November 11, 2002, I still experience "pounding" in my head from my pulse. This occurs when I lay flat and my head is at the same level as my heart. This does not happen all of the time, but does occur about 50% of evenings. If I lay on my side, I can hear the pulse in my ear since it is up against the pillow. If I lay on my right side, the "pounding" is much reduced.
I discussed this issue with Dr. Lever while I was at the Cleveland Clinic recovering from surgery. He told me that my heart was fine, and that my blood pressure was very good, and I should not worry that this was a heart related condition. This helped relieve some of the anxiety that I had about this condition and has helped me sleep on those nights without sleep aid.
I have found that large dinners, or late night snacks can contribute to this condition at bedtime. FYI, I do not have either a pacemaker or ICD.
Bob Hartwell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Sarah B. -Board Moderator (---.dsl.chi.megapath.net)
Date: 12-08-02 10:58
HI
There is an older thread related to this about sleeping on your left side ---most of us can't do it!. For me, too, though, you can SEE my pulse in my neck. I can't feel it though, but it freaks people out if they notice it. I tend to wear a lot of mock turtlenecks and scarves.
Anyway, sleeping propped up and on your right side may help. Otherwise, talk to you doctor to see if you need more beta-blockers or --worst case--sleeping pills.
Take care,
S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Tom (---.eosinc.com)
Date: 12-09-02 18:13
Like Robert, I too have found that this condition is increased by eating or even drinking a lot before bedtime. Also, if I'm up around the house doing laundry, etc. and my heart rate is up a bit - same thing.
So, yes, I experience the same thing. I have tried to control the eating or drinking close to bedtime and I also lay on my side w/ my ear just over the edge of my pillow. This helps a bit. Oh, and a humidifier for noise!!! That was a great move.
Good luck!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: john jordan (---.public.lawson.webtv.net)
Date: 12-10-02 17:12
hi jason, i have very cold feet, i take lopressor twice a day 50mg each time. i think it might cause cold feet. there was a few comments on cold feet, hands, and nose a while back. im wearing two pair of socks all the time. stay warm, john
Author: DENNIS J.BASSETT (---.ts13.qui.ma.net1plus.com)
Date: 12-06-02 17:57
I,ve been living with HCM for most of my life. I,m very symptomatic with shortness of breath, fatigue,and chest pain. I,ve been a lot of meds all of my life, and have an ICD. I,m 100% paced with my pulse set at 60 beats per min. at rest.My concern at this time is I hear my pulse in my head every time I try to relax or rest my head on a pillow.Is this normal, and does anyone else experience this symptom.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Matt (---.disney.com)
Date: 12-06-02 18:40
Dennis,
My symptoms are very similar to yours. I've been living with HCM my whole life too, had a myectony at 20 and an ICD implanted just this year (39 now). Only paced with the ICD when my rate gets lower than 60. For years I haven't been able to sleep and one of the major reasons is what you describe about feeling your pulse in your head. I begged and begged and was finally prescribed sleeping pills (Ambien) which has relaxed me a little so the poundings are not as bad. Not gone completely but it helps a lot. I was reluctant to ask for them for months/years because that's just what I needed - another medication. I'm so glad I finally did.
Matt
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: connie (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 12-06-02 18:52
Hi Dennis,
I experience the same thing, especially at night when I lay down or when I get quite. I too am very symptomatic....chest pain, dizzy spells, near fainting, swelling hands and feet, asthma type symptoms...ect.....I have been living with these symptoms for about 3 years, it was only a few months ago it was given a name, when I switched Cardiologist's. I take Tiazac 300mg 1 a day, and Toprol XL 100mg 1 a day.....I am scheduled the 2nd week in Jan for a Septal Alcohol Ablation..(controlled heart attack). I am hoping it will help with the symptoms, that have taken control of my life and made it miserable. I long for the day when I can tie my shoes with out seeing stars..ha ha .Good luck to you.............Connie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Jason (---.ushwy1.com)
Date: 12-06-02 19:04
Hello, i've had that alot but my condition is not as bad as any of yours. Sometimes the pouding is terrible. Another thing I have & you can call me nuts, is really cold feet. My wife hates it. I keep my socks on & everything but they are like ice cubes. I dont get much swelling though, not that I have ever noticed. My feet always hurt thiugh. Good luck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Robert Hartwell (---.focal5.interaccess.com)
Date: 12-07-02 06:57
Dennis,
Prior to, and after my myectomy surgery on November 11, 2002, I still experience "pounding" in my head from my pulse. This occurs when I lay flat and my head is at the same level as my heart. This does not happen all of the time, but does occur about 50% of evenings. If I lay on my side, I can hear the pulse in my ear since it is up against the pillow. If I lay on my right side, the "pounding" is much reduced.
I discussed this issue with Dr. Lever while I was at the Cleveland Clinic recovering from surgery. He told me that my heart was fine, and that my blood pressure was very good, and I should not worry that this was a heart related condition. This helped relieve some of the anxiety that I had about this condition and has helped me sleep on those nights without sleep aid.
I have found that large dinners, or late night snacks can contribute to this condition at bedtime. FYI, I do not have either a pacemaker or ICD.
Bob Hartwell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Sarah B. -Board Moderator (---.dsl.chi.megapath.net)
Date: 12-08-02 10:58
HI
There is an older thread related to this about sleeping on your left side ---most of us can't do it!. For me, too, though, you can SEE my pulse in my neck. I can't feel it though, but it freaks people out if they notice it. I tend to wear a lot of mock turtlenecks and scarves.
Anyway, sleeping propped up and on your right side may help. Otherwise, talk to you doctor to see if you need more beta-blockers or --worst case--sleeping pills.
Take care,
S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: Tom (---.eosinc.com)
Date: 12-09-02 18:13
Like Robert, I too have found that this condition is increased by eating or even drinking a lot before bedtime. Also, if I'm up around the house doing laundry, etc. and my heart rate is up a bit - same thing.
So, yes, I experience the same thing. I have tried to control the eating or drinking close to bedtime and I also lay on my side w/ my ear just over the edge of my pillow. This helps a bit. Oh, and a humidifier for noise!!! That was a great move.
Good luck!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: pounding]
Author: john jordan (---.public.lawson.webtv.net)
Date: 12-10-02 17:12
hi jason, i have very cold feet, i take lopressor twice a day 50mg each time. i think it might cause cold feet. there was a few comments on cold feet, hands, and nose a while back. im wearing two pair of socks all the time. stay warm, john