Cardizem la...will i be on this medication forever?!
Question: I was diagnosed with heart palpitations after cocaine use. I am a 21 year old male in otherwise excellent shape. When I have the palpitations, my heart does not speed up, it just beats harder and it can be annoying when trying to sleep. The cardiologist said my echocardiogram was completely normal and that my stress test on the treadmill was very good. He just said that I should run more often so that my heart can become more efficient. He also had me wear a holter monitor and he said there were no arrythmias to be concerned with.
He perscribed 180mg of cardizem la for my heart palpitations. I dont know if the medication is working or if its getting better on its own. I dont know what is going on.
But my question is...will I have to be on this medicine forever? My cardiologist suspects 3-6 months tops on the medication is all I will have to do. What are your experiences?
ALSO...
If I do come off the medication..do I have to wean off?
Answers: I was diagnosed with heart palpitations after cocaine use. I am a 21 year old male in otherwise excellent shape. When I have the palpitations, my heart does not speed up, it just beats harder and it can be annoying when trying to sleep. The cardiologist said my echocardiogram was completely normal and that my stress test on the treadmill was very good. He just said that I should run more often so that my heart can become more efficient. He also had me wear a holter monitor and he said there were no arrythmias to be concerned with.
He perscribed 180mg of cardizem la for my heart palpitations. I dont know if the medication is working or if its getting better on its own. I dont know what is going on.
But my question is...will I have to be on this medicine forever? My cardiologist suspects 3-6 months tops on the medication is all I will have to do. What are your experiences?
ALSO...
If I do come off the medication..do I have to wean off?
Cocaine use can seriously mess with the electrical activity of your heart. It does so by affecting the influx/outflux of calcium in the heart muxcle cells. Cardizem is a calcium channel antagonist. I hope you have stopped the cocaine, and I suspect your cardiologist is just being cautious. If your cocaine use has ceased there is no reason you should not be able to discontinue. You do not need to wean off this class of drugs.