Sean Anderson29 said:First off, thanks for the advice.
I’m not entirely sure I followed some of your terminology, so I'll have to look into that later. But, I am 100% certain my FA stems from my head. I've dealt with plenty of stress—unnecessary and harmful—throughout my life, along with various strains on my heart since I was young. However, over the last few years, I’ve slipped into this phase of total isolation. Just my room, minimal time outside, and almost zero contact with people. If I see someone I know, I’m more likely to cross the street than start a conversation. It’s just my room, my room, and more of my room. I go to the kitchen to eat, say a few words to my mother, and that’s it. It’s completely unnatural, though mentally I’ve handled it fine; it actually suited me. But lately, I’ve noticed my body can't keep up. My heart starts racing or skipping beats more frequently. I told my cardiologist that it’s all in my head...
You connected the dots well, though I'm not sure how you did it with just a few details. I was quite surprised, but also relieved to find someone providing arguments that back up what I believe...
Moving forward, I’m thinking about tapering off. After taking half a pill twice tomorrow, I'll drop to a quarter the next day, and then stop entirely the day after. I'll try breathing exercises (meditation), brisk walking, cutting out the TV, changing my diet, and avoiding any physical strain besides walking. I don't want to "cure" myself, per se—just learn to live with it...
I don't know what the exact risk is. The palpitations—which, by the way, never happen in the morning when I'm rested, which supports my theory about psychological causes, right? If these palpitations aren't physically damaging my heart, I can accept them. Stroke? I read somewhere that you need at least 15 minutes of continuous FA to form a clot (otherwise, I'm not taking any blood thinners)... Heart attack? I don't know what that risk looks like...
What am I actually risking if I don't treat this, and what is the prognosis for my lifespan? Even if it's only six months or a year, okay—but then, if I'm hit by another multi-hour arrhythmia and need the ER again, I suppose I'd survive. I don't know what I'm specifically playing with. I suspect things are bad based on the symptoms, but I have no idea how much.
Is my FA permanent, or is everything fine except for those moments when I feel the skips or several in a row? Is FA just the skipping, or does it include the irregular rhythm too? Am I doing okay as long as it isn't skipping? And should I keep taking the beta blocker just to prevent another episode like the last one...
Regardless, I would try to ditch the medication if I knew I wasn't risking too much, especially... If needed, Jose Clark2, I can send you my diagnosis and all the related paperwork so you can get a better picture. Either way, thank YOU.
If you've been taking beta blockers for a while, you shouldn't stop abruptly; you have to taper the dosage down very gradually. To me, your plan seems a bit aggressive. I wouldn't recommend doing this on your own—always consult a doctor. It doesn't necessarily have to be the cardiologist who prescribed them; any cardiologist will do, provided they have the full context. Regarding your cardiac workup, you didn't mention how thorough it actually was. Factors like smoking, inactivity, genetics, family history, weight, or previous heart issues are crucial. Ultimately, you need to rule out underlying cardiovascular disease, such as structural changes or blocked arteries. You need to determine if the rhythm disorder is being driven by ischemic heart disease or structural issues. If you want, you can post your test results and clinical opinions here.