premature ventricular contractions. Everyone gets them from time to time, my doctor said. Only, the Holter Monitor showed that I had something like 996 over the 24 hours I was wearing the monitor.
So I’m going on a very low dose of Toprol XL, which is a beta blocker designed to slow down my heartbeat and stop (or perhaps lessen) the extra beats.
The more I see my primary care doc, the more I like her. She’s easy to talk to, she doesn’t talk down to me, and she carefully explains everything she tells me (even though it goes in one ear and out the other with me, since I usually figure I can go home and Google whatever she’s talking about anyway). I trust her completely and I know she’s suggesting the best course of treatment for me.
In case you were wondering.
Now. There’s someone out there who sent me a very informative email about this very topic (PVCs) back when mah heart was a-flutterin’. Could the person who sent me that email send it again, or a close approximation? I lost a lot of email last week (or the week before) and I think that was one of the ones lost.
Thank you in advance.
* * *
I started getting all kinds of comment spam this morning – not as bad as some I’ve heard, but since I have my comments emailed to me as they’re posted, it was getting somewhat annoying. I got about twenty in the space of an hour, and since my Movable Type was somewhat hosed at some point in the past, even if I went to attempt to close comments on an entry (for some reason
this entry attracts the most spam; before I deleted them this morning I had 40 pieces of spam)it didn’t work. That is, I un-checked the “allow comments” box, saved, rebuilt, and comments were still allowed on that entry.
So I threw myself on the mercy of the man I married because he’s a big geeky man who knows how to do the technical shit that is beyond me and begged him to update my Movable Type and since he wasn’t doing anything more interesting, he did so. I was talking about him also installing the
Blacklist plug-in, when he took a gander at the Movable Type features included in the newest version, and pointed out that I can set it so that comments are moderated.
So for now, until the spam slows down, comments will be moderated. What does this mean for you? Not much – you go to the comments field, leave a comment as usual, only instead of your comment immediately showing up, it has to be approved by me. Once the spam slows down I’ll stop moderating, but for now expect moderation to be in effect for at least a week or so.
The newest version of MT has some raaaather interesting features, including searching comments by ip address. Lakewood, NJ has posted five times in the past, three times anonymously, once as “catnip” and once as “Sean.” Would it surprise you that Lakewood, NJ/ catnip/ Sean apparently is very concerned with the weight issues of others? Once s/he commented on the fact that Caroline Rhea is “hefty”, once regarding the 550 pound woman who was on Oprah (kindly doing the math for me – “If she weighed 550, and lost 300 pounds, that would mean she is about 250 now.” and also “She looked great for 250, since she didn’t look that tall. You would think she would look heavier at that weight.”, and the third – well, you already know what I think about that third comment. Also, Lakewood, NJ is a watcher of The Apprentice. In case you were wondering.
Kind of interesting what virtual footprints you leave behind, isn’t it?
* * *
I just deleted six spams in about two seconds.
This new version of MT is absolutely the shit.
* * *
I spent about an hour in front of the computer yesterday, and in the course of that hour got about 3/4 of my Christmas shopping done.
The internet just ROCKS, doesn’t it?
I still have to go out and do some shopping, but to be honest I doubt that it’s going to take me even two hours of actual shopping to pick up what I need (and that only because I’m not sure yet what I want to get for a couple of people).
I should be getting tons of packages in the mail in the next few days, and then it’ll be time for wrapping. Hopefully nothing will get delayed or lost in the mail, but I expect at least one thing will, because that’s just the way it goes.
Now I need to get those Christmas decorations out and start putting them up. We’re not going to put the big tree up this year, because then the spud won’t be able to get to her computer, and we can’t have that! We’ll just have a little tree in the living room. I’m not crazy about the little tree I have right now, because you have to fill the base with sand (or, as I have done in the past, clean kitty litter) and it’s not pre-lit and I loathe putting lights on trees, no matter how small they are.
When the spud and I were at the mall Sunday, we saw a small pre-lit tree at McRae’s that I really liked, but I wasn’t sure if it would fit on the cabinet where we usually put the small tree. I took another look at the cabinet today, and I think the tree will fit just fine. I can’t decide if I want to go out and spend the money on another small tree when we already have a perfectly good one. Probably not, but I’m still thinking about it.
Oh! Speaking of McRae’s, if you have need for luggage, they’re having an awesome sale. You can get two suitcases and a duffel bag for less than $40. I think the suitcases are 25″ and 20″, but I can’t swear to it. Quite a bargain, though, that’s for sure!
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Spot’s favorite place to sleep during the day – on my side of the bed, by the pillows, so that when I lay down to talk to Fred, I get covered with cat hair. Bastard. Good thing for him he’s so damn cute.
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I LOVE the little pink paw pads on kitties feet. They are ripe for tickling…which my cats HATE! But they are cute.
Good luck with the meds for your PVCs. I hope you start feeling better soon. 🙂
Why all of a sudden do you get comment spam? I don’t understand. A lot of journallers are talking about this lately. Did someone just figure out how to do it, and this is the result? Fucking spammers man!!!
Amy – I know, I can’t possibly look at those little kitty toes and not tickle them, but my cats hate it, too. But then, if they liked it, I probably wouldn’t be so desperate to do it all the time! 🙂
Catriona – Thanks! But actually, I was feeling okay already, just the occasional fluttering in my chest. Hopefully that will go away!
Robyn – I have no idea why they suddenly started, they just seem to have come out of nowhere. I think the people responsible for creating spamming programs should be hung.
This is NOT spam.
Everytime I come across SPAM the Monty Python song starts a’goin’ in me head ARG!!!!!
I have the same thing with the PVC’s. Take Toprol XL 25 mg for them, my Doc says they are common in people with low thyroid. I asked to stop taking the Toprol because I don’t like taking meds, the doc said no because the PVC’s will return. I love my Doc, she’s da bomb!
I am so glad you lurve us because I am a dumbass and signed up for the Christmas card twice. I didn’t know that Altztimers happened so young! 🙁
Ditto on the pink kitty pads. These are a few of my favorite things.
I happen to have an adorable pic of a kitty on my site..one entry back…heh heh heh.
I must say, you have one fabulous husband over there (just read his journal entry for today)! It sure doesn’t hurt to have a geek nearby in times of crisis, does it?
Can I have Fred? His entry rawks! I think I want to either have one of you or be one of you, yours sounds like one fun marriage! Maybe my husband (contract programmer)and I could just move to south and we could couple date.
Cats would be this-much-closer-to-perfect pets if only they didn’t shed. I love them despite this imperfection, however.
:o)
I’ve got mild tricuspid regurge and mild mitral valve prolapse. I’m on “monitor” right now.
Kitty TOES! My favorite 🙂
Best of luck with the PVC issues Robyn – my hubby was on beta blockers for a while, but his doctor eventually took him off because of his age. Of course every once in a while he likes to slip in the “I can’t do housework because I have a bad heart!” excuse…have you tried that one yet? It works wonders on the ones who love you – either that or you’ll get an eye roll and a middle finger, hehe.
I get the PVCs too.. and also take Toprol XL. I take 50mg @ night and 100 mg in the morning. Is that a lot? And your “rocking” docs don’t live near St. Louis do they? Mine sucks! I so need to find a new doc – but hate hate HATE even the thought of going to a new one. Maybe after the first of the year…
I’ve never been tested for Thyroid probs tho..
Hey! I grew up in NJ and Lakewood is where all the hookers live!
Robyn, can I ask, I know you love your doctor but does she ever ‘suggest’ that your weight is the cause of whatever problems you are having…like the valve thingie?? I am overweight and I also have a GREAT doc and she is ever so gentle in ‘reminding’ me I ‘should’ lose weight… heck, I am working on it and she knows it and she understands my history…lifelong obesity (since infancy) and that I am somewhat of an addict, one bite of a bagel and its bang… I NEED carbs…
oh Lordie, hope Lakewood doesn’t attack me…. I notice she hasn’t written again. I’d love to see what she looks like…
anyway, thanks again for your journal… you are awesome and I also join the others and say you have a great hubby…. maybe you guys should go on that show where the wives switch places and live with the family for a week….. would be interesting to see you two on t.v. and you’d get 50,000 bucks….
I Love virtual footprints!
Kay – I have to tell you, chances are pretty good you’ll get two cards, then! 🙂
Kirsten – I haven’t tried that yet – I need to, but I think if I said “Oh, my heart – I can’t do housework!” Fred would say “Fine” and in two weeks we wouldn’t be able to move around the house because of the humongous cat hair dust bunnies!
Kris – I don’t know if that’s a lot – my doctor said that the average person who is prescribed Toprol XL takes about 100 mg a day. Sorry, no – my awesome doc is in Madison, AL. Maybe you should move? She’s worth it! 🙂
Tammy – good to know. Hee!
Anonymous – no, she knows I’m working on my weight. The valve thing is definitely not a weight thing, though, or so she told me. But no, she’s perfectly aware that I’m working on the weight loss issues and we talk about it every time I see her, so she knows I’m aware of the fact that I’m, y’know, fat. 🙂
I heard on NPR tonight while I was driving back from NJ where I post under the name “Sean”, (hehehehe) that Microsoft filed a bunch of lawsuits today to try and stop canned spammers. I also have seen quite a few journalers mention recently that tons of spam in their comments sections are sometimes virtually shutting their sites down. I’m not techno enough to know if they’re connected, but I can smell a consipiracicy theory a mile away. Perhaps this all is somehow connected to the fact that Fred won’t reveal what kind of car he drives. Call me Oliver Stone, but I think there’s a connection.
What a fabulous geek husband you have! I have a handy-dandy car dork around the house, so I never need to go to Jiffy Lube for an oil change or anything, but high-tech just isn’t his bag.
I’ve always wanted to tell you thanks for all your wonderful kitty stories and pictures- I have 3 cats and I always feel like I’m the slightest bit obsessed with my pets. Then I read you and Fred, and I feel ever so much better. BTW- I think if we got your buy Stumpy together with my hellion Pablo-cat, they’d have quite the time. Think it over.
I’ve been taking the Toprol XL for about a year now for blood pressure and all I can tell you is that I feel better than I did before. I also take a low dose. Hookers in Lakewood, eh? My in-laws live there.
Who says YOU have to put the lights on the tree? Sounds like a Spud task to me. (My own Christmas tree task was squirting the tree with water from a Windex bottle every day so it wouldn’t dry out and catch fire and KILL US ALL IN OUR BEDS, but that’s a different Christmas story).
oh I can’t believe I forgot to sign my name in the previous post I made, not anonymous..LOl I was just wondering about the doc thing… I’ve gone to doc in boxes who assume I don’t know I’m fat… and proceed to tell me, Ya know, your knee wouldn’t hurt so much if you lost weight” jackass obviously didn’t listen… I told him I pulled something WHILE EXERCISING…. UGH… anyway, I still think you and fred would be great on that show where they swap wives for a week…
DEB
After my pacemaker was put it, it sent my little heart into shock and I started having two things – PVCs and SVT. I am now on two medications for them. Lanoxin for the SVT and toptrol XL (Low dose like you!) for the PVCs. Blood sisters I tell ya.
Robyn, I also get PVCs which generally scare the beejeebers out of me but the doc says are harmless. There’s a yahoo email group (at http://groups.yahoo.com), PeoplewithPVCs where folks share their pvc experiences and what helps, what doesn’t. Recently someone asked if weight had an affect and several people responded that they were normal weight and had pvcs. It’s great comparing notes with other folks who have the same problem and it’s also reassuring.
Interestingly, some women find their pvcs seem to be related to their periods (perhaps a hormone connection?). Some find that taking magnesium, calcium and potassium (be VERY careful on the potassium) supplements seems to help. I’m one of those. Also, some are bothered by caffiene (no affect on my pvcs). Well, I’ve gone on more than I intended. I just mainly wanted to give you a heads up on the yahoo group.
Best Wishes,
Theresa
OK, EVERYone beat me to commenting on Spot’s cute little pink footsie-pads, but I’m going to do it anyway, because I LOVE kitty footsie-pads, especially pink ones!
I love the kitty pads too. I love your journal. You are the first Christmas card I have signed up for. Thank you and feel better.