About 5 or 6 years ago, I started feeling these little “flutters” in my heart. I went in to the doctor, they made me wear a holter monitor. It showed some PVC’s and such. That led to an echocardiogram. I was then told I needed a sleep study to find out if I have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (which I do). I told them I already use CPAP and they said, “Good” and adjusted some of my meds. The flutter went away.
Fast forward to about 6 weeks ago. The flutter returned. So I went back to the doctor and in one of those rare occurrences, my heart actually fluttered while she was listening to my heart. (There is nothing worse than going in and saying something is happening and then having it NOT happen while you are there!) She ordered yet another echocardiogram (which I go to next week) and another monitor. This time, though, its very different.
Instead of wearing this big bulky holter monitor, I am wearing a “Zio Patch”. I have to wear it for two weeks, and wonder if its going to stay on. It’s actually very cool. It just sticks to my chest.
I wish my chest looked like this, but it doesn’t. LOL. I had to shave off a bunch of chest hair and scrub it with this sandpaper-like pad. Then alcohol wipes (FEEL THE BURN!) four times and apply the monitor. Now it is supposed to sit there for two weeks. Any time I feel a flutter or any type of lightheadedness, pain, or other symptom, I push the button and log into the app on my phone and explain what I felt.
My biggest fear is that it won’t happen while the monitor is running. Worrying about that was stupid, because sure enough, I started having flutters within an hour of having it on. With this particular monitor, I hope I put it on right so they actually can read the data! I was the one who had to position it, unlike the holter where a tech placed all the leads. I did what the pictures showed me, so fingers crossed that it is in the right spot.
I will follow up with the doc after the two week monitoring period and find out what the scoop is. Hopefully, it’s just a simple tweak in medication or stress (gee, I’m not sure what could possibly be stressing me out!). Actually, hopefully it’s nothing! We’ll see.
In the words of Herman’s Hermits …. “Baby, baby, can’t you hear my heartbeat?!”
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 
I’ve been throwing PACs & PVCs for years. I wore the bulky monitor thing about nine years ago when I was living in Texas.
Caffeine makes it worse. Dehydration makes it worse. Lack of sleep makes it worse. Stressing makes it worse.
What meds are you on for it?
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Working midnights doesn’t help either! Caffeine flows at night, but no more than I usually drink. Lack of sleep – yep! I’m a sleep tech and I spend all my time at work helping people sleep and telling them how important sleep is, but my sleep sucks!! Stress …. oh yes, I have that too!
They have me on Losartan and Norvasc for my BP. That’s what they tweaked last time. BP has been ok, so maybe there is something else going on. I hope not, but we’ll see…
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So, you have blood pressure issues. I don’t have that. My blood pressure has remained low my entire life, sometimes to the the point dizziness if I stand up too fast. But, that is rare. I think it’s called orthostatic hypotension.
You take two blood pressure drugs? Or is one drug BP & the other for PVCs? They didn’t detect any PACs on you?
The only “drug” I take is bioidentical hormones.
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I believe both meds are for BP. I want to say the first monitor found PVC’s. Not sure about PAC’s. I think I can go back and find the report. I’ll see if I can find out.
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