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[Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Mary Catania (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-15-02 09:45
Dear Lisa, Sarah, and all,
I am taking Toprol XL 50mg (same as pre-ICD). Due to 3 risk factors, I had my ICD implanted July 23 of this year. I had been doing really well with it. All my symptoms just disappeared, and it was wonderful! Suddenly, starting 6 days ago, I am feeling my palpitations and skipped heart beats again every day (except Sun.), for an hour or two at a time each day. It seems to happen (as pre-ICD) after a meal when I'm sitting, either resting or teaching (I'm a piano teacher and teach in my home studio 5 days a week, 7 hours a day). One night in bed I felt it while trying to fall asleep. I'm not getting out of breath or feeling chest pressure, though (that was pre-ICD). On Sun. I read some postings about symptoms returning and actually getting worse. I'm supposed to have the ICD checked in Dec. but am wondering if this is something that warrants calling or seeing the doctor before that time.
My best to you all,
Mary
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[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Sarah B--Board Moderator (---.client.attbi.com)
Date: 10-15-02 10:15
Dear Mary,
Heavy meals can cause an increase in symptoms. I would make sure you are eating smaller meals more often AND call the doctor to move up your appointment. I know they can fiddle with some of the programming --that may be all you need. But you may need a little more toprol, too.
take care,
S
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[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Mary Catania (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-15-02 11:33
Dear Sarah,
Thanks for your quick response. I called Dr. Sherrid and he called me back immediately! He said that these symptoms are not dangerous, just annoying, but that I could increase my Toprol by 25 mg. He said to keep my Dec. appt., that there was no need to see him sooner, that the extra Toprol should help.
I will follow your advice about eating smaller meals, although I think I already do eat small enough meals. For example, this morning for breakfast I had a small whole wheat waffle, 2 oz. of yogurt, and 1 oz. of dried cranberries. Shortly after, I felt mild palpitations and skipped beats for about one and a half hours. I eat a little more than that at lunch and dinner, and a small snack between every meal. I'll try to eat even less at each meal, and add some extra snack times. Thanks,
Mary
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[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Sarah B--Board Moderator (---.client.attbi.com)
Date: 10-15-02 11:42
Dear Mary
Sounds like your meals are quite small already!!! Go for the drugs and keep your appointment. Avoid super cold drinks, though.
take care and I hope you feel better.
S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Lisa Salberg (208.47.172.---)
Date: 10-15-02 11:47
Mary -
Quick note... ICD's do not treat symptoms they only protect against sudden death. Your symptoms need to be managed with medications or if your obstructed with sepatal reduction.
Lisa
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[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Julie E (---.fuse.net)
Date: 10-15-02 13:46
Sarah,
I have never heard anything about really cold drinks. What is the story with that as I drink really cold frozen water all day long.
Julie
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[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Sarah B--Board Moderator (---.client.attbi.com)
Date: 10-15-02 14:43
Dear Julie,
Cold drinks can shock the system and cause palpitations in some people. It sounds like you have immunized yourself by having it cold all day long. However, if you aren't used to it and you suddenly drink something super cold, it sometimes is a problem.
It isn't as often as heavy meals, as far as I can tell. My teeth are chattering just thinking about your water. (I get cold, too, if I drink cold stuff. I'm practically a reptile).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Mary Catania (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-15-02 14:53
Sarah and Lisa,
Yes, I'll go with the medicine. I know that the ICD protects against sudden death, but the pacer seemed to be helping my symptoms. I love my cold water, with just a few ice cubes in it, have been drinking it all my life. I guess I could give up the ice cubes, as long as it's cold enough, but not room temperature. I'll try that.
Mary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Elaine Stannard (---.tnt2.krk1.da.uu.net)
Date: 10-16-02 13:27
Maybe you have a shortage of magnesium ins your system. There is some controversy among cardiologists about the function of magnesium in heart symptoms. Perhaps a nutritionist could advise you. Other minerals can be involved too I think. Calcium,. potassium..
Elaine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Lisa Salberg (208.47.172.---)
Date: 10-16-02 18:00
Have to admit I never heard about the really cold drink thing myself... Talk to your doctor to manage the meds and watch those meals...Large meals are troublesome for many.
Lisa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Linda (---.wmnsmd.adelphia.net)
Date: 10-16-02 18:39
In years gone by (way back when I was a nursing student) we were taught that extremely hot or cold beverages were definite no-nos for cardiac patients. The thought was that they could cause vagal nerve stimulation and cause either very fast or slow heart rates. There seems recently to be less concern about this and ice is no longer forbidden, but it would be prudent to be aware of the possibility. If you feel palpitations or other symptoms with temperature extremes, stay aware from them. Each person is different. Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Lisa Salberg (---.dyn.optonline.net)
Date: 10-16-02 21:07
Thank you nurse Linda!
Author: Mary Catania (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-15-02 09:45
Dear Lisa, Sarah, and all,
I am taking Toprol XL 50mg (same as pre-ICD). Due to 3 risk factors, I had my ICD implanted July 23 of this year. I had been doing really well with it. All my symptoms just disappeared, and it was wonderful! Suddenly, starting 6 days ago, I am feeling my palpitations and skipped heart beats again every day (except Sun.), for an hour or two at a time each day. It seems to happen (as pre-ICD) after a meal when I'm sitting, either resting or teaching (I'm a piano teacher and teach in my home studio 5 days a week, 7 hours a day). One night in bed I felt it while trying to fall asleep. I'm not getting out of breath or feeling chest pressure, though (that was pre-ICD). On Sun. I read some postings about symptoms returning and actually getting worse. I'm supposed to have the ICD checked in Dec. but am wondering if this is something that warrants calling or seeing the doctor before that time.
My best to you all,
Mary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Sarah B--Board Moderator (---.client.attbi.com)
Date: 10-15-02 10:15
Dear Mary,
Heavy meals can cause an increase in symptoms. I would make sure you are eating smaller meals more often AND call the doctor to move up your appointment. I know they can fiddle with some of the programming --that may be all you need. But you may need a little more toprol, too.
take care,
S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Mary Catania (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-15-02 11:33
Dear Sarah,
Thanks for your quick response. I called Dr. Sherrid and he called me back immediately! He said that these symptoms are not dangerous, just annoying, but that I could increase my Toprol by 25 mg. He said to keep my Dec. appt., that there was no need to see him sooner, that the extra Toprol should help.
I will follow your advice about eating smaller meals, although I think I already do eat small enough meals. For example, this morning for breakfast I had a small whole wheat waffle, 2 oz. of yogurt, and 1 oz. of dried cranberries. Shortly after, I felt mild palpitations and skipped beats for about one and a half hours. I eat a little more than that at lunch and dinner, and a small snack between every meal. I'll try to eat even less at each meal, and add some extra snack times. Thanks,
Mary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Sarah B--Board Moderator (---.client.attbi.com)
Date: 10-15-02 11:42
Dear Mary
Sounds like your meals are quite small already!!! Go for the drugs and keep your appointment. Avoid super cold drinks, though.
take care and I hope you feel better.
S
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Lisa Salberg (208.47.172.---)
Date: 10-15-02 11:47
Mary -
Quick note... ICD's do not treat symptoms they only protect against sudden death. Your symptoms need to be managed with medications or if your obstructed with sepatal reduction.
Lisa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Julie E (---.fuse.net)
Date: 10-15-02 13:46
Sarah,
I have never heard anything about really cold drinks. What is the story with that as I drink really cold frozen water all day long.
Julie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Sarah B--Board Moderator (---.client.attbi.com)
Date: 10-15-02 14:43
Dear Julie,
Cold drinks can shock the system and cause palpitations in some people. It sounds like you have immunized yourself by having it cold all day long. However, if you aren't used to it and you suddenly drink something super cold, it sometimes is a problem.
It isn't as often as heavy meals, as far as I can tell. My teeth are chattering just thinking about your water. (I get cold, too, if I drink cold stuff. I'm practically a reptile).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Mary Catania (---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: 10-15-02 14:53
Sarah and Lisa,
Yes, I'll go with the medicine. I know that the ICD protects against sudden death, but the pacer seemed to be helping my symptoms. I love my cold water, with just a few ice cubes in it, have been drinking it all my life. I guess I could give up the ice cubes, as long as it's cold enough, but not room temperature. I'll try that.
Mary
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Elaine Stannard (---.tnt2.krk1.da.uu.net)
Date: 10-16-02 13:27
Maybe you have a shortage of magnesium ins your system. There is some controversy among cardiologists about the function of magnesium in heart symptoms. Perhaps a nutritionist could advise you. Other minerals can be involved too I think. Calcium,. potassium..
Elaine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Lisa Salberg (208.47.172.---)
Date: 10-16-02 18:00
Have to admit I never heard about the really cold drink thing myself... Talk to your doctor to manage the meds and watch those meals...Large meals are troublesome for many.
Lisa
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Linda (---.wmnsmd.adelphia.net)
Date: 10-16-02 18:39
In years gone by (way back when I was a nursing student) we were taught that extremely hot or cold beverages were definite no-nos for cardiac patients. The thought was that they could cause vagal nerve stimulation and cause either very fast or slow heart rates. There seems recently to be less concern about this and ice is no longer forbidden, but it would be prudent to be aware of the possibility. If you feel palpitations or other symptoms with temperature extremes, stay aware from them. Each person is different. Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Re: Pre-ICD Symptoms Returning]
Author: Lisa Salberg (---.dyn.optonline.net)
Date: 10-16-02 21:07
Thank you nurse Linda!