I didn't expect this at age 47.

[NuclearNed]

As of 1:11pm today, I have to wear a 24 hour heart monitor. My heartbeat has been irregular for about a month and a half. I'm one of the most fit people of my age I know, but it doesn't matter - this has made me feel very old and kind of scared.

UPDATE 20171108: I saw the cardiologist yesterday & the news is pretty good. First, my primary physician slightly misdiagnosed me... instead of a PVC, I have a PAC which is the same condition but in a different section of the heart. This is good news; a PVC can indicate that something worse may be going on, but a PAC is almost completely benign. The cardiologist is going to ultrasound my heart in a couple of weeks just to be sure nothing else is going on. He isn't going to put me on any medicines. He said the available medicines would make me feel worse than the PAC is making me feel, and I mostly feel pretty good now that I've cut out all food & drink that contain caffeine.

FINAL UPDATE 20171204: Last Thursday I had the echocardiogram that the dr. wanted, just to be sure that his diagnosis was correct. It was - nothing unusual was found. So I have a benign condition that I can control by avoiding caffeine. That said, I snuck in a little chocolate this weekend, which had minimal if any affect on me.

 

[Red Squirrel]

That sucks. My dad started having heart issues at 39. He's been through many angiograms and other procedures since, including a bypass.

I really need to try to eat better myself. That stuff tends to run in the family and I'm 31 now so it's frighteningly getting closer to the age I have to worry about this stuff. It's just so hard to eat well though, all the unhealthy foods taste better, are more filling, and easier to make.

 

[Crono]

Not the NuclearNed story I was expecting.

Hope it's nothing serious.

 

[BoomerD]

See? Livjng and eating right is NOT a guarantee of good health...Euell Gibbons, the "original" eat healthy celebrity and outdoorsman died od an aortic aneurism...

BUT, I digress...best wishes on a speedy solution...if you croak...can I haz yer stuff?

 

[NuclearNed]

thanks guys. My heartrate has been very slow & irregular ever since I returned from my backpacking trip in the Rockies. I've had this after high elevation trips before, but it's always cleared up in a few days. It's been a month and a half since the hike, so I finally decided it was time to see the Dr. I actually saw him a few weeks ago for my yearly physical, immediately after the trip. At that time we talked at length about the issue as it was ongoing, but he wasn't concerned (because it's happened before & has cleared up on its own).

 

[NuclearNed]

BoomerD - not sure I have anything of value, but I have a nice stack of well-read comic books if you like that sort of thing.

 

[sdifox]

BoomerD - not sure I have anything of value, but I have a nice stack of well-read comic books if you like that sort of thing.

He really just wants your climbing wall. For his dungeon expansion.

I am sure you'll be fine, may just need to breath pure oxygen for a while to wake up your red cells.

<--- not a doctor but I was checked 15 years ago.

 

[Stopsignhank]

I had a boss that had to wear a heart monitor about every 6 months. When he would people would say "don't get Lou upset today, he has his heart monitor on." I used to tell them that was wrong, that they should treat him normally or even try and get Lou upset. Just so the doctor could see what he really goes through. Nope, people would pussy foot around him and wait until the next day to talk to him about issues that would upset him.

 

[NuclearNed]

I had a boss that had to wear a heart monitor about every 6 months. When he would people would say "don't get Lou upset today, he has his heart monitor on." I used to tell them that was wrong, that they should treat him normally or even try and get Lou upset. Just so the doctor could see what he really goes through. Nope, people would pussy foot around him and wait until the next day to talk to him about issues that would upset him.

Yeah - the Dr said I should go through my normal routine today, including my workout. I'm going to push myself pretty hard, unless my body gives me a good reason to lighten up. I want to give them good data so I can get this thing back to normal.

 

[paperfist]

Just throwing this out there as I'm sure you've had loads of tests by know, but did they check your magnesium levels?

 

[lxskllr]

What are the ramifications of an irregular heartbeat? Good luck in any case. Perhaps you have the same thing you always had, but age is slowing down recovery.

 

[KentState]

Sucks but I saw my uncle who was one of the most fit men I know die in his 50's from heart problems. The guy ran marathons, road raced bikes, Golden gloves boxer and was very health conscious. Then my father on the other hand has been very overweight his adult life and is in his mid 70's without any issues besides a bad knee that is partially attributed to polio as a kid. Makes you realize that sometimes it's just a genetic lottery.

 

[Exterous]

As of 1:11pm today, I have to wear a 24 hour heart monitor. My heartbeat has been irregular for about a month and a half. I'm one of the most fit people of my age I know, but it doesn't matter - this has made me feel very old and kind of scared.

If it makes you feel better I had to wear one at 33. Fortunately it was just premature ventricular contractions which my doctor told me is the most common diagnosis and generally has no side effects. Hopefully that holds true for you as well

If its the active monitor ones look at the glass as half full: I got a great sense of relief when the irregularity happened and I didn't immediately get a call from the company telling me to go to the hospital

 

[WelshBloke]

I'm 47 and fairly fit and was diagnosed with AF recently.

I had a bad episode at work and they literally turned me off and then back on which seemed to fix it (I'm also on bisoprolol and flecanide as I'm too much of a pussy to have ablation).

It worried me for a while but shit happens! Got to get on with life anyway.

 

[rh71]

heart issues - any idea if it's due to diet and eating red meats often?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Given the climbing and areas you do it in, could lymes desease be a possibility?

 

[GeekDrew]

I had a boss that had to wear a heart monitor about every 6 months. When he would people would say "don't get Lou upset today, he has his heart monitor on." I used to tell them that was wrong, that they should treat him normally or even try and get Lou upset. Just so the doctor could see what he really goes through. Nope, people would pussy foot around him and wait until the next day to talk to him about issues that would upset him.

This bullshit upsets me to no end. The times I needed to be monitored closely, everyone (coworkers and family) would almost entirely ignore me, so the result was that I had *excellent* days monitored, never reflecting any problems. And then the day after the monitoring period, everyone would unload their crap on me particularly badly, seemingly making up for lost time, and it made me mentally + physically sick every. single. time.

Coworkers like yours and mine need to be beaten with intellect hammers, because they sure as shit don't grasp anything remotely resembling reality if they think what they do helps anyone.

 

[GeekDrew]

As of 1:11pm today, I have to wear a 24 hour heart monitor. My heartbeat has been irregular for about a month and a half. I'm one of the most fit people of my age I know, but it doesn't matter - this has made me feel very old and kind of scared.

I completely understand the feeling old and kind of scared stuff. I'm 32 and have felt that way numerous times. For what it's worth, I've spent enough time in and around healthcare facilities now that I'm kind-of over that sentiment... I've seen a lot of people who are a lot younger than me, with more severe problems. It can be hard to force yourself to think this way, but a heart monitor in and of itself isn't something to worry about. It's just a diagnostic tool, like event viewer/syslog is.

 

[preCRT]

If you smoke, please stop.

 

[John Connor]

So I guess a heart monitor sends its data via a cell phone signal then?


My mom is on a CPAP after she had quadruple bypass surgery and I was trying to figure out how in the world to connect it to WIFI. LOL Turns it it's a cell signal.

 

[sdifox]

So I guess a heart monitor sends its data via a cell phone signal then?


My mom is on a CPAP after she had quadruple bypass surgery and I was trying to figure out how in the world to connect it to WIFI. LOL Turns it it's a cell signal.

No they record it, you take it off after a period of time and they pull the data.

Wait the one your mom has is cellullar? What is the point?

 

[WelshBloke]

No they record it, you take it off after a period of time and they pull the data.

Wait the one your mom has is cellullar? What is the point?

I had to play mine down the phone if any thing "exciting" happened!

 

[sdifox]

I had to play mine down the phone if any thing "exciting" happened!

Mine was record and return to pull, so was my wife's

We dont have fancy cellullar units.

Play yours on the phone? Did they give you an acoustic coupler as well?

 

[John Connor]

No they record it, you take it off after a period of time and they pull the data.

This post seems to indicate they have versions that use cell.

If its the active monitor ones look at the glass as half full: I got a great sense of relief when the irregularity happened and I didn't immediately get a call from the company telling me to go to the hospital

Wait the one your mom has is cellullar? What is the point?

I'm not sure if the data is fed to the doctor or not, but I do know that my mom can check a website and see how she did while sleeping, how many times the mask was taken off, if there was any need to up the air pressure, etc. .

 

[sdifox]

This post seems to indicate they have versions that use cell.





I'm not sure if the data is fed to the doctor or not, but I do know that my mom can check a website and see how she did while sleeping, how many times the mask was taken off, if there was any need to up the air pressure, etc. .

Doh, missed the CPAP part. Thought it was cardiogram. Yeah if they need to monitor her beathing in real time, it would have cellullar link.