Amitriptyline thread

[Sez]

Hi Em,

I've had fluttery feelings in my chest and mild chest pains from time to time for as long as I can remember. When I was much younger I used to worry, but was afraid it would turn out to be something serious so I just ignored it. I remember seeing a programme about a children's ward in a hospital (I think it may have been called Children's Hospital!), and they were removing something from a little boy's chest that was causing him pains and palpitations. I didn't know what palpitations were at the time, but I was so scared watching it, I decided to never tell anyone incase they had to do that to me!
As I got older and realised it wasn't killing me, I figured it must be something everyone gets from time to time (as with most of my "weirdness") and that it was normal, so never thought it was worth mentioning until my appointment with Professor Grahame and he was asking about chest pains and palpitations.

[LianneS]

My mum (who has had some palpitations) has had an ecg and it showed up nothing but as that was only put on her for about 10 seconds and she didnt have anything wrong that day she wasnt totally surprised... (though Im sure some things would still show up - am not a dr!!) but today she will be having one attached to her for 24 hours to see if anything shows up..

Lianne

[Retro]

I had the 24hr one years ago but of course true to form nothing happened in the 24hrs I had it on! I was having really bad palpitations shortly after I had my first son. Still get them occasionally but just concentrate on my breathing until they pass.

[sanguine_emma]

Well, off to the GP again in a sec for results of blood tests and ECG. Though if they find anything wrong you'll be able to knock me down with a feather. there's an unwritten law that says 'any test they do on Emma will come back negative or inconclusive'. Anyway, the palpitations are driving me potty and I'm getting pain in my chest as well now which is concerning. I have a feeling that this is left over from the dislocated rib and does not indicate that I have a problem with my heart, but it's still worrying me.

[nonyanomemory]

Both my daughter and I have had echocardiograms because we present with heart murmers. Following these we have both been told that we have floppy mitral valves. At the present time this causes me no other problem other than the fact that I have to take antibiotics prior to dental treatment.

nx

[Retro]

Hi Nonya, have you and your daughter always had the murmur or did it develop? Do you need to get check ups regularly? Who discovered the murmur? I can't remember the last time anyone listened to my heart, probably about 11 years ago when I was having really bad palpitations.

[nonyanomemory]

Hi Retro, I'll pm you but am a little side tracked with life for the minute - don't worry I won't forget! nonya

[jo-jo]

Hiya!

I don't know if this is relevant to this section or to any of the other 'hearty type' issues but I was woken up at 6.00 a.m. thismorning with a sharp pain in my chest - the pain was central and then towards the left side. This wore off but repeated throughout the early morning. As I was in hosp overnight last week with palpitations my Mum thought we had better go to A and E to get me checked over. During the morning I had more pain and palpitations, I felt dizzy and unwell. At the hosp I had an ECG - this was normal - last week it wasn't. The doctor thought that it could be 'indigestion/reflux'(?) . He said that as I am being admitted to the National Neuro Hosp in London next week, he felt SURE that they will investigate this and advise. If it happens again in the meantime - I should go back. I still feel light headed and dizzy.
Ho hum!! I'm not sure that they WILL investigate next week as the tests I am being admitted for are NOTHING to do with my heart. It would be great if they did - - - maybe they will - anyone any pearls of wisdom, any similar experiences, ideas etc. etc.
painfree hugz
XXxx a dizzy Em xxXX

[Sue New]

Hi Em,

When I had my autonomic tests recently at the National Neurological Hospital, I was connected up to a heart monitor all the way through, so I would imagine that they will be able to pick up anything strange going on with your heart when you are there. One of my tests (the deep breathing one) resulted in a "Rare Abnormal Square Wave Response" (they had to do it 3 times and get someone else in to check the monitor to make sure they had recorded it correctly) which when I looked it up on the internet, is apparently suggestive of Congestive Heart Failure (I stopped looking after that as I don't think I should worry until the results have been interpreted properly - no point getting myself worked up for nothing is there

Any way, my point is, I would hope that if you mention all these recent problems to them when you are in the hospital, they will keep a close eye on your heart.

Take care, and I hope you feel a bit better soon

Sue.

[nonyanomemory]

Hi sue, I wish you well with the results of the tests you have recently had.

Em I would put your faith in the forthcoming tests and if there is a problem I am sure you are in the right hands. Trust.

nonya

[LianneS]

Good luck with it all Em and hope you dont get any more 'nasty' episodes...

Lianne

[Guest]

Hi Folks,

I know this thread had ended at the beginning of December, but I was needing to look up palpitations and came across this thread.

I am suffering terribly at the moment and am not sure what my next step should be.........

I, (as I said last year!!!!) in this thread has reported that I too had had my heart checked out and although the ECG was originally slightly abnormal, by the time I saw the cardiologist, my heart had sorted itself out. The cardiologist however did offer that if the palps got out of hand I could go to my GP and he would send a letter of recommendations of tablets to take but they could have side effects!! I declined at the time, happy that my heart wasn't about to stop at any minute!!

However almost a year later my heart is now starting all sorts of nonsense - it goes very fast without warning and I feel light headed, the reason which is probably as Kezzykat describes. But I now also have episodes where my heart seems to miss a regular beat then comes back at me with an extra hard thumping beat and then my heart returns to normal for a few beats and then does the same again :boxer: .

Although I have also had this before it has never been as disturbing and I feel quite unwell, although I cannot say what I feel (does this make sense?).

I am on Nortryptilline, which is supposed to have less side effects than amytriptylline. I had also been drinking a lot of tea and coffee, although the coffee is caffeine free! But I have since started drinking more fruit diluting juice,low cal, of course! I have had very little chocolate (contains caffeine) and although I have gained perhaps a couple of extra pounds over the holidays I would not say I feel bad with my weight either (although I am very overweight).

My main question was to ask if anyone is on any meds to help with their palps and if this does outweigh the side effects, and to give examples of the side effects? I only want to know before I ask my GP for help and he pushes pills onto me!!

I really would appreciate your help on this,

J xx

PS I hope your tests went well and you are on the mend both Sue and Em

[nonyanomemory]

Hi, J, I think you should ask for further evaluation/investigation and discuss what med's the cardiologist was thinking of and what exactly the side effects are he is talking of specifically. At the very least go back to your gp and discuss this current exacerbation of symptoms. Keeping a diary of when and for how long it is happening may be worthwhile to see if you can see any pattern. Anyone who has this level of palpitations would normally get it checked out the problem with us lot is I think we just don't do it sometimes when we should. Have you checked out info here link

nonya

[Guest]

Hi Nonya,

Happy New Year to you.

Thanks for the reply. I think you are right, I cannot get away from going to my GP. Sometimes I still fell like I am being a hypochondriac and I think the GP thinks I read too much and should keep things simple!!

I read the link and the sympotms made interesting reading, but, like it says I shouldn't diagnose myself!! Or they will think I'm a hypochondriac. But, I certainly have a lot of the symptoms listed.

Last night my arrythmias weren't as bad, but I have been trying to lay off the coffee and tea!! (although decaff!!) My heartbeat was still fast but I didn't feel as 'ill' as I did the night before.

However, will keep you posted......

Jane xx

[kayadlington]

I've been taking this at a low dose for two weeks to help with sleep disturbences, and lack of refreshing sleep. But my GP says that I can't take it continuesly as I will become dependent on it. I've to take it for 3 days a week and not take it the rest of the week....if anyone else takes it do they have odd routines like this or do they just take it each night? And does anyone know if the dependence issue is true, I've been checking on the web, but I can't find much info on it as a sleep aid.

Kay