My DH needs your help. He has high blood pressure and also experiences PVC - the heart skips a beat or has an extra beat periodically. His cardiologist had him wear a 24 hour monitor last month - diagnosed PVC - said it was not serious and no further treatment warranted at this time. But I see a cycle of worry and anxiety - causing more irregular heartbeats - which causes more anxiety, etc. He is on one blood pressure med, but still a little high. He does things like taking his blood pressure in one of those drugstore devices - getting a very high reading - more stress and anxiety. He feels like a ticking time bomb. I have told him to call his cardiologist first thing in the morning. Not because I think anything is seriously wrong, but because he is going to stress himself into a heart attack.
DH turns 60 this week. His father had a heart attack in his 60s and then a pacemaker.
He is normal weight and plays golf (walking) every weekend. Gym occasionally.
I have repeatedly asked him to cut out the caffeine- soda. He does not smoke or drink.
I’m sorry you and your husband are going through this.
I also have the irregular heartbeat thing, wore the holtor monitor and was told not to worry. Mine comes and goes.
And yeah, you can stress yourself into it – and you can also stress yourself into a more worrisome situation by stressing about the irregular heartbeat, thereby making it a self-fulfilling thing.
It’s really really hard to actually do this, but over the years I’ve come to the realization that it really isn’t turning into something medically problematic. It’s just disconcerting.
I am not an expert, so don’t relax just on account of my post. But if the cardiologist says it’s nothing to worry about, it very likely isn’t.
Cutting out caffeine and soda is a great idea, though. Switch to no-caffeine sodas, go to half/half coffee and slowly taper off to avoid headaches/withdrawal. He should be willing to do that much. It does help…a LOT.
Maybe he can try some relaxation techniques? I’m no expert on them, but every now and then through the years I’ve found some help there. Turn to an expert/pro like yoga/meditation/crunchy people, not to be denigrating at all, but they’re the best at that stuff!
It sounds like perhaps he needs help with anxiety and not cardiac issues. I have PVCs and they are unsettling. I have had to learn deep breathing and some other techniques to curb panic feelings from them or other sensations.
I’m guessing he would not be into yoga or some type of deep breathing? I’d seriously consider a coupje of sessions with a cognitive behavioral therapist who can help him “relearn” how to think about his symptoms, to avoid a vicious cycle.
Thank you. I think he has a competent cardiologist who has told him he is ok, but depending on what happens when he calls her tomorrow, maybe I will suggest a second opinion. I just think he is getting himself worked up and I am sure it is disconcerting, but I am frustrated with it. I am going to insist on the no caffeine- he’s not a coffee drinker - but does drink soda with lunch every day. He insists he is tired and needs the caffeine in the afternoon.
I cannot locate the article now, but I recently read about how alternate nostril breathing can help lower blood pressure. Def worth a google search. Also try the phone app called CALM. I have heard from 3 people who love it and swear it helps to relax them.
There are also mindfulness classes online through UCLA with an over 55 discount. Helpful for everyone. Perhaps you could find a community based one and take it together.
I have a family member who was suffering from a medical condition that got you depressed/anxious which made the condition worse (vicious cycle just like your husband). The suggestions given - stuff like - meditation, yoga, relaxation techniques, mindfulness training, magnesium/camomile tea, are good ones. For my family member, the only thing that really worked was getting into a positive cycle - feeling better makes you relax and worry less which makes you feel better etc. We never got as far as CBT therapy but it was going to be our next move.
Lack of sleep can set off my PVCs. I had a medical resident friend who asked to be medicated because his PVCs got so bad with his crazy (lack of) sleep schedule.
Occasionally I get them if I overeat.
You might want to check with his doctor but a magnesium supplement can sometimes stop PVCs completely. I used to have chronic PVCs and then just by chance, I started taking a calcium supplement with magnesium and they stopped. I didn’t realize at first what had happened. Then my friend with PVCs started preparing for an early death because it was so frequent she was scared. Her doctor recommended a magnesium supplement and within a week, they were gone.
You can have frequent PVCs and be fine. I have a D who was the queen of PVCs with bigeminy and trigeminy, meaning every second or third beat was irregular. She was healthy and led a normal life during that time, but I was glad when it normalized.
He sounds like me! I even ended up in the hospital because of it a couple of weeks ago- due to the anxiety, not the cardiac issues. Felt the PVCs and was a tad short of breath and panicked. And panic attacks can feel like heart attacks.
I’m on a second blood pressure pill now to treat the PVC’s - not because they are dangerous but because if I feel them too strongly they cause stress. So my doctor felt that treating them was wise. I also do a lot of self-talk to reassure myself that the PVCs are harmless. When I feel them they are a reminder that I haven’t slept enough or foolishly thought one glass of caffeinated pop would be okay. I’m using them as a tool to help myself and thus reframing my reaction to them. Perhaps your husband can do the same.
You say his BP is still slightly elevated. What kind of readings is he getting?
Also, I highly suggest getting a BP monitor for your house. They aren’t expensive. That way he can take readings in the comfort of his own home and on a regular basis.
Take the home blood pressure monitor to the doctor’s office and make sure it’s getting the same reading as the one in the doctor’s office. The ones you use at home often run much higher so he needs to know whether his BP is really high or just reading high on his device.
I have a couple of minor heart problems and I am very sensitive to stress and prone to anxiety. For both of my heart conditions, caffeine or any other type of stimulant is a big no-no. Carbs and sweets included. I can’t even eat one bite of a brownie. I don’t drink anything but water (I used to be addicted to soda). I don’t have high blood pressure, actually mine is very low, but I do have high cholesterol which doesn’t help with feeling anxious about my symptoms.
I agree with everything ^^^^^. I can totally sympathize with your husband because it is very scary to feel (and hear) your heart thumping irregularly. I usually get my worst symptoms at night - if this is the case for your husband, changing sleeping positions sometimes helps - also elevating his head might help . Also not eating heavy meals at night is advised. Having a white noise machine helps me not hear my heart pounding at night.
What type of BP med is he on - a beta blocker? That should help with the anxiety and the PVC’s. Perhaps his dose needs to be increased a bit since he is having a hard time dealing with his symptoms? I think most cardiologists are kind of dismissive of mild heart conditions - I’ve had to tell mine “Hey, I know this is not a serious condition, but it is something that is hard to deal with on a day to day basis, so could we please try another treatment approach that will help me feel better?” Not to stereotype, but men probably don’t like to sound like complainers and he might not have told the doctor how he feels. You say that YOU hate the idea of him taking a medication, and that you are getting frustrated with him. Please try to be supportive. Having to deal with constant heart symptoms along with anxiety can be very troubling. Unless you have been in his shoes it is hard to imagine how it feels. My husband tries to be supportive, but I can tell that he thinks I should just relax and ignore it, but he’s not feeling the sensations that I am, and he’s not hearing his heart pounding in his ears all night. It’s not something that is easy to ignore.
I hope he can get his concerns addressed by his doctor.
Just noting that walking during golf isn’t aerobic exercise.
And agree that learning stress control techniques is important, not just adding meds to cover the results of stressing. Might be mindfulness, yoga or breathing. Look up Dr Weil’s 4-7-8 Relaxing Breath technique. Good luck. When our DHs go through this, it can stress us, too.
I have an irregular heartbeat. It definitely acts up more if I am not getting regular exercise. Even daily walking seems to tame it. I might notice it once every couple months when I am getting regular exercise, and daily when I’m not.
My comment about being frustrated with him is in the context that he is stressing himself out so much, yet has an excuse for why he cannot give up caffeine, exercise more, etc. From what you have all suggested, lots of ways for him to cope and improve this situation.
He did have a home blood pressure device for a while, not sure what happened to it.
We’ll see what happens today when he calls cardiologist.
Caffeine should be the first thing to go. I sometimes go through periods with lots of palpitations and it is quite disconcerting. Giving up caffeine has helped immensely.
He should also try engaging in some cardio exercise, not just walking while playing golf. Something that keeps his heart rate up for a sustained period would be better than brief periods you get while walking from tee to tee would be good, even if just power walking. Offer to go with him!
Obviously, all this is secondary to him getting a second opinion, imo.
This sounds like my H. High BP, currently under lots of stress, sixty yo, suffered an irregular heartbeat in June and got very scared. He is better now. What helped him? Talking to a doctor he trusted, so getting that second opinion might help. He also cut down on caffeine and started exercising more regularly. I’ll pm you, too.