Palpitations - cardiac sarc?

• By IreneMarie
• Posted November 4, 2009 at 8:58 pm
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No expert, but palpitations yes. A-fib required me to have 2 ablations - one which almost did me in. Now I have a different arrhythmia and mod. to severe mitral valve disease. I am convinced it is Sarc induced, but my whole family has heart disease of some sort. Scans have shown nothing so I think only a PET scan or biopsy during valve replacement will tell the real tale.

I don't think I'll ever be completely free of Sarc Meds but often wonder how they will handle those meds in the immediate post op period when most of your life regimen goes out the window because they don't see the importance of or get the communique about the these meds that can not be stopped abruptly. I saw it happen all the time and it happened last time to me as well. Doctors just don't follow through - they have blinders on and only think about the 'now'.

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• By mama-Kaz
• Posted November 4, 2009 at 9:25 pm
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Hi ,I have severe palpatations amd have had cardiac surgery and a P.E.T. scan to rule out heart sarcoid,it was negative,,I have what they call A.V.N.R.T (aventrical node re-entry tachycardia) thats a mouth full!! they offered me Ablation(lasering the spot") or meds.I chose the med. because if,and this is from the Electrocardiologists mouth the sarcoid does "decide '' to ever go to the heart muscle,it has a pre-determined scar to adhere to with the granuloma,so It was my choice to do the (beta blocking medication) it keeps the beats regular and I am doing fine,You should be evaluated by a Cardiologist not an E.R. doctor half of them dont even know what sarcoidosis is!! so Good luck kepp all of us posted but most irregular beats are what alot of people already have ,had ,or develpoed for many ,many simple explanations hope this brings you some comfort,but DON'T IGNORE IT EVER,,, HAVE A GOOD EVENING MaMa-Kaz

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• By Todd_O
• Posted November 4, 2009 at 9:52 pm
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Mama-Kaz is 100% correct...see a cardiologist, specifically an electrophysiologist and ask for a cardiac MRI WITH contrast.

I went to the ER on 8/11/09 with shortness of breath and they did an EKG on me, but completely missed the fact that I was in partial A/V block. I eventually saw my new best friend, the electrophysiologist, on 8/27, and I had an EKG done in his office. He compared the two scans and showed me how severe my A/V block was. I had a cardiac MRI done that evening which showed sarc in the heart. He wanted me in the hospital that night, but I couldn't due to my dad's funeral on Saturday the 29th, but checked into the hospital right after the funeral.

His colleague came in to see me at 7am Sunday morning with the printout of my heart monitor, which showed I was now in FULL A/V block, and by 8:30, I had a temporary pacemaker installed. They put an ICD (defibrillator/pacemaker combo) in on 8/31 and I've felt great ever since.

Hope this helps,

Todd

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• By littlemissmel
• Posted November 5, 2009 at 4:46 pm
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I have fluttering, skipping, thumping and rushing heart symptoms. I had an MRI of my heart which came back normal. I have Atrial Tachycardia, still waiting to see the cardiologist to see where we go from here, but in the meantime my GP has put me on betablockers which wear off by early evening causing the symptoms to kick off again when i'm trying to sleep. The worst has to be the skipping/palpatating when i'm asleep and wake up gasping for air.. not nice.

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• By IreneMarie
• Posted November 5, 2009 at 6:50 pm
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I had to have a Maze ablation after failing simple ablation and regular and even experimental meds. It cleared up the A-fib but then PVCs started. Now even a valve is shot.

Good luck,
I.

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• By Southerngirl
• Posted November 6, 2009 at 9:58 am
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I've had severe palpitaitons for a while. I somtimes end up in the emergency room and spend several hours trying to explain my situation and why I need something for the pain that sometimes accompanies the condition.
I have had what I feel like is every cardiac test under the sun and so far, none has come up with any cardiac problem or sarcoidosis of the heart. that's good news!
However, it is very debilitating and one of the most frequent symptoms that will shut me down and affect my quality of life. Whatever info you find, I would love to hear about. Keep us posted!

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• By Rougeaud
• Posted November 6, 2009 at 11:52 am
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Thank you Southerngirl and everyone else who responded to this thread. Some of you do indeed have some major diagnosed issues, and I wish you all the best of luck and strength in overcoming the difficulties. As for me, my irregular beats seem to have reduced a bit since I have taken caffeine out of my diet for the last 3 days. Mine feel more like a shot of adrenalin. I always was a bit of an adrenalin junkie - as a pilot, I always got upside down in every plane that was capable of it (and even in a helicopter as well)!
So for now I am hoping that this thing is not going to go any further, particularly as we are booked on a week's cruise in the Caribbean in just over a week's time...

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