OT my heart

With my propranolol, the doctor gave me 80mg
per day in 4 doses, but I took just 10mg (1 pill)
and felt my heart suddenly become normal in
half an hour.

You do need to experiment to find the correct
dosage, too. My doctor knows that I like to
start at low doses on all meds he gives me.

That was kind of what I thought, that one dose should bring it down,
it's an extended release version, but looking online suggests that it
should be doing the same thing as taking it in 3-4 separate doses, just
more convenient. I realise now I don't have instructions as to what to
do if it doesn't have an effect, my follow up appointment is in a month.
If I don't notice a change by next week, I'll call and let the clinic know.

Thanks
Anne

On Feb 22, 10:29 pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
I expect she wants to slow it down because prolonged fast heart rate
can lead to heart failure. Working at an increased rate means your
heart is working harder than it ought, which usually leads to a series
of events that remodel the heart to adjust to its new workload. Some
remodelling is good, to compensate, but there's a point where
it becomes problemmatic. Your heart may become hypertrophic
(big) and then as heart failure progresses risks of arrhythmias and
other things increase. Some remodelling can be reversed but at
a certain point it is irreversible.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that, she did mention heart
failure and I sort of realised it was related to muscle size, but you
explanation really helps. I wish I knew more numbers, but I guess
without finding a cause yet that's not going to be possible. You don't
happen to know how long beta blockers take to work do you? She told me
to check my pulse rate a few times a day and after taking the first dose
this morning I've not noticed any change today.


I'm afraid I don't know- the extended release may make it a little
slower,
but I'd expect the effect to happen pretty quick. Disclaimer, I'm not
a clinician (I do basic science research) so when it comes to
practical
matters I'm not terribly useful! I'd think if it's not working in a
couple
days a followup phone call is in order.

Mary

Anne Rogers wrote:

I'm thinking I should
probably get my thyroid checked, I noticed a couple of things that could
be related to that.

Good lord, have they not checked it already? It'd be the first thing
I'd think of in someone with tachycardia and no obvious reason. Anaemia
also worth checking for. If the doctors have taken any bloods as part
of investigating the fast heart rate then they almost certainly will
have checked those things, but do make sure they've been done and get
them done straight away if not!


All the best,

Sarah
--
http://www.goodenoughmummy.typepad.com

"That which can be destroyed by the truth, should be" - P. C. Hodgell

Good lord, have they not checked it already? It'd be the first thing
I'd think of in someone with tachycardia and no obvious reason. Anaemia
also worth checking for. If the doctors have taken any bloods as part
of investigating the fast heart rate then they almost certainly will
have checked those things, but do make sure they've been done and get
them done straight away if not!

My primary care doctor didn't take any bloods, so no details would have
gone with the referral. The cardiologist didn't take any blood either. I
had expected when I first went in that blood tests would be a given, but
didn't get my brain in gear and ask if there was anything that should
be checked - shows the importance of writing things down, I know I need
these tests yet have forgotten to communicate it to the doctor on
multiple occasions, even when at my annual at the obgyn he asked me if
there was any bloods I wanted to know!

What my GP in the UK told me was that it was important to step back and
look at the whole patient and consider if there is anything global that
explains localised symptoms and right now I'm thinking that's missing
here. I see my primary care doctor in 2.5 weeks and the cardiologist the
week after that, so I'll ask then.

Thanks, Sarah.

Anne