Hypnosis / Autogenic Training for Rhythm Control? Just Fantasy?

[danb1983]

Okay, I'm still crazy, my heartrate had a couple of normal days, and it is still regular, but now walking instead of going to 88ish, thats where it starts and rises up to 95 - up to 100+ after walking up a hill for the rest of the walk.

Just walking around my house it is 90, and now rising up to 110 when walking up stairs. I am really scared it is going to go irregular again, but currently it still goes back down to like 80-85 when sitting (but not 75-80 like a few days ago), but rises very fast when standing and begining to walk, or doing anything even just like getting dressed...

I want to do everything I possibly can to resolve my heartrate issues, and I have been reading around the Internet - here are some passages from a document on autogenic training and hypnosis I have read:


...Eyes closed, sensations are then directed to the right, or to the left arm. Without tensing or moving the arm, feelings of arm heaviness are first searched for, and then amplified. After some time of relaxed determination, results in the entire chosen arm feeling an increased sensation of its own weight.

This sensation once obtained, much as dragging an icon on a computer, is then shifted to the region of the heart and lungs. The entire internal chest milieu is bathed in relaxed heaviness. Heart rate will slow down and blood pressure will automatically ease off.

Once mastered, this exercise can then add the sensation of relaxed warmth. Once weight and warmth sensations become familiar, the autogenic trainee is well on the way to increased hypertension control.



....is possible to expand heart consciousness and calm rhythm through these types of technique? I am sceptical as my rhythm issues are due to long developing heart problems, to physical scars on the hear itself, physical issues rather than just high blood pressure...

Here is the full article: http://www.triroc.com/sunnen/topics/mindtalkheart.htm

 

[kfay]

Dan, Good luck trying that if you want, but I'm betting that it doesn't offer any relief. Have you made an appt. with your Dr. to figure out what is going on? They may want you to wear a holter monitor for a while to see if they can capture some of this rhythm stuff. The Dr.s may be able to help get this sorted.

Kim

 

[acr]

Have you been prescribed beta blockers to slow your heart ?

Ade

 

[Karlynn]

Prior to my surgery I had continual benign arrhythmia. It sounds innocent but it was hugely life disrupting. At that time I practiced self-directed meditation and using part of my Christian faith in that meditation, I was able to get control of some of the arrhythmia - while I was meditating. When I was not - everything would return.

My surgery got rid of 99% of my arrhythmia, but my heart rate was always a bit too high. This is very common with the mitral valve. I have been on a low dose of metoprolol (Toprol) since my surgery almost 18 years ago and it does the trick for the most part. Over the years I've been able to decrease the dose very low (now on 25XL/day) and have some days where I'm sure I probably don't need it. But then there are other days when I do.

I was told that it is very common for people with mitral valve issues to have their HR jump up quickly and stay up, until the exertion is over. You just don't want it too high and it doesn't sound like yours is. It took me a couple of years after surgery for my resting heart rate to go below 85, but it finally did.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Good Information Karlynn!

My Cardiologist is a Big Believer in using the Minimum Dose that provides relief / control of symptoms. He also settled on 25 mg of Toprol which controlled symptoms with NO perceptible side effects. His technique is to cut the dose in half for 2 weeks and see how it works. If OK, then cut again, until symptoms return, then go back to the previous dose.

 

[BDMc]

My experience was something like Karlynn's. I think it is worthwhile, and you may be able to develop control you never suspected. Brian

 

[netmiff]

My thoughts : give it a shot, it can't do you any harm, but go to the doctor and see what he says, especially if the meditation thing doesn't give you any relief. I have a feeling it may take a while to get results from the meditation way.

 

[geebee]

I took biofeedback training in 1985 and still use it today to help with my migraines. It has been proven to lower blood pressure and it does help soothe my migraines if they are not so bad that I can't get control of things. Biofeedback is basically self-hynosis with audio aid from electronically monitored areas of the body (arms, head, feet). Once you have "mastered" it, you can use it without the monitoring system.

Unfortunately it has never helped my a-fib (the irregular part) but it does lower heart rate and blood pressure.

 

[Eva]

.......
I was told that it is very common for people with mitral valve issues to have their HR jump up quickly and stay up, until the exertion is over..........
............. It took me a couple of years after surgery for my resting heart rate to go below 85, but it finally did.

Good Information Karlynn!

My Cardiologist is a Big Believer in using the Minimum Dose that provides relief / control of symptoms. ..............His technique is to cut the dose in half for 2 weeks and see how it works. If OK, then cut again, until symptoms return, then go back to the previous dose.

On September 3, it will be my first anniversary and my pulse is still in the high 80s and with any movement goes up to 90s and 100+. I am hoping this will resolve on its own after another year, as Karlynn mentioned.

As Al said, since I cut my Toprol in half; making it 12.5 mg instead of 25mg only once in late afternoon. It helped a lot..is effective and my pulse does not rise up as easily as before. It goes up to 111 while exercising hard; I do not feel any PVCs either which I used to feel before.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[danb1983]

Im not on any beta blockers, they gave me some nasty side effects when I tried them a couple of months back - I was on bisoprolol, but maybe ill try a different on in the future if i dont stabalize?

Im just trying to do anything and everything I can to stop this. In the last 2 months ive lost 14lbs in weight and been walking every day, but right now my heart is still sort of stuck in a rhythm 10 beats higher on everything Im doing - its not irregular.. maybe itll go back, but its stuck at 85 sitting and raising up bast 100 going up stairs.

Its a hell of an emotional rollercoaster, I feel great and ultra relieved and think im just getting back to normal when it is regular nad normal for a while, but then it will play up like this again...

I am seeing my doctor, but she basically jsut took me off the amiodarone a month ago and wants to see what im like over the next couple of months without anything to see what might be best to do - whether more drugs, or an ablation or whatever - she isn't keen on the ablation though just as ive already had 2 OHSs and might not work or might make things worse for me she fears..

 

[kfay]

Dan, I, too was amiodarone for 2 months after my surgery. My heart was perfect while I was on it and for an additional 2 months after that due to the fact that it has a very long half life. When it was out of my system at 4 months post op, that's when all my rhythm issues started, which have now been going on for 1 year. I hope that you, too, don't develop other rhythm issues a couple of months from now when it is out of your system. Have you worn a holter yet to see exactly what is going on? If it is just a slightly elevated rate, with no actual arrhythmias, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you. Based on what several others who have had mitral problems have stated, a slightly elevated HR doesn't seem to be uncommon.

I know from personal experience that it is easy to become obsessed with every beat when you think something isn't right. If nothing else, push for the monitor just to give you peace of mind that everything is really ok.

Kim

 

[mrsnuffles]

Hi Dan,

Sorry to hear you are having problems. Your heart rates sound pretty much identical to mine. I am 85 at rest, 100 - 110 when walking and goes upto 120 when going prety fast on the cross trainer. I don't let it go above 120 but I am really going some to get it to 120. I am still on Bisoprolol nearly 5 months post-op and I also take Perindopril. I've been told they are to help the heart recover easier and I may or may not come off them in the future. I'd definately recommend finding out about an alternative beta blocker as I really feel that it keeps my heart rate down whie exercising.

Not sure about the Hypnosis stuff but it can't do any harm so give it a go. I'm a firm believer of trying something and if it works, all well and good.

All the best,

Andrew

 

[Bina]

Dan, the Amiodarone is not even out of your system yet....so hang in there.
Maybe a very low dose of BB will work for you.