In a message dated 7/20/99 9:35:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<  years ago she was fitted with a pacemaker. Since the birth of this baby
she
 has been experiencing episodes of arythmia - upto 170 beats/minute but
 irregular. She has been admitted to intensive care but has refused
 medication. So far treatment has been to monitor but to startle her -
 presumably to produce natural adrenaline - by ice water plunges and attempts
 to make her angry!!!   >>


I  had WPW ( White-Parkinson -Wolfe ) for the first 38 years of my life. It
was much worst with pregnancy and  breastfeeding. The
electrocardiophysiologist told me it was worsen with age, hormones and stress
( Hello!). I had an ablation done to destroy the extra pathway of electricity
which caused the episodes of rapid heartrate ( 180+ beats/min)  when my last
child was 3 yrs old. I spent 13 days in CCU.
The ice water plunges did nothing except to amuse my kids and make me mad at
the incompentent foolish MD's who came up with that.
I would suggest she make sure she has a correct diagnosis. I had previously
been  diagnosed with everything from stress to hyperglycemia to PMS because
my echograms and EKGs were normal. My heart muscles were normal but not the
electrical pathways. The ECP MD told me that he is seeing more and more women
who have this problem but has been misdiagnosed  and is taking everything
from valium to vitamins to having hysterectomies because their MD didn't test
beyond a EKG or echogram. I did have to be medicated while pregnant but
choose not to during BFing. During my second pregnancy I was in the ER or the
MD office 21 times with episodes of rapid heartbeat so medication was
necessary in order not to compromise the baby's blood flow.  Delivery was
normal and Bfing was normal ( at least it was as normal as possible for a
baby who  marched to the beat of a diffrent drum but that's another story).
At least while Bfing, if I had an episode I was sitting down so I didn't pass
out!!
(I have a weird sense of humor about the whole thing so excuse the last
remark! Humor helped me stay sane during these episodes). I also was
lightheaded, shaky, broke out in sweats and would black out during these
episodes. The episodes would last from a few seconds to several hours.
It is late and I hope this makes sense and is helpful. I would suggest that
she read as much as possible, make sure she has a correct diagnosis, get
information from others with the condition and formulate a plan of action
that best suits her and her family.

Barb Whitehead, IBCLC
Ayden NC
( just returned from a 2 and 1/2 week road trip with my elderly and frail
parents and my 10 yr old through Ala, Miss, La, Texas, Oklahoma, Ark, and
Tenn to visit longlost relatives and see the sights---am barely sane at this
point but hope to recover soon!).

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