Airplane travel with PVC's/PAC's

[Carey01]

I have been diagnosed with PVC's/PAC's.  I am 39 F with a history of hypertension which I take a 50mg Cozaar for daily.  Seems to control it pretty well.  I do not have anything structurally wrong with my heart and have never had a heart attack or anything like that.  My skips seem to be getting worse in that they are more frequent and seem to come together one after another. They are very adversely affecting my life because they come out of nowhere and I have NO CONTROL over them.  They have me convinced I could die from them because of how they feel! My questions are these:

1.  Is it safe to travel on an airplane with these?
2.  My Dr wants me to try Toprol but I have read so many negative things about it.  He says take it only when you feel a bout coming on. Make sense?
3.  If you feel them does that mean they are worse than if you don't?
4.  Once and for ALL, do PVC'S/PAC's lead to other heart problems?
5.  Can you recommend any reading to help us understand what they are and are not?


Thanks so much for what you do!    

[Carey01]

So after those great results I had a 3 or 4 minute period of them today ..I mean the kind where you fell EVERY SINGLE THUD AND EVERYTHING FEELS OUT OF SYNC.   Do you know what I mean?  Anyway, I had a lot of trouble thinking I wasn't going to drop dead ... still!
I so badly hope I can get this under control.

[Barbarella]

CONGRATS on your great test result.  My Cardiologist told me almost the same what yours said, and that took most of my fears out of it.  I still HATE them with a passion but the fear of dropping dead is gone.

Please remember what your cardiologist told you.  Don't make the mistake so many people make no matter how much they are re-assured that they have a healthy heart they still keep on worrying about it, they do not trust what their doctors/cardiologists tell them.  If people don't believe and trust what their cardiologists tell them about their PVC's that they are benign they will have this fear ruining their daily lifes.  

When I get PVC's when out I do not rush home anymore.  I remember what my Cardiologist told me, and say to the PVC's "screw you, bring it on" I still don't like the feeling, but at least I can go on with my life without worrying that I will drop dead or that they will damage my heart.

[Carey01]

I had a stress echo today for the skips.  My heart rate got up to 175 (not pleasant) and the PAC'S started as they ran me of the treadmill.  The heart Dr said they are there but that my heart is structurally 'gorgeous" and I have nothing to worry about. He said try your very best to ignore them and don;t waste a minute worrying about them!

[Carey01]

Thanks Bromley.  I just about have myself convinced to try it.

Nurse-- Its small like the size of 1/2 deck of cards.  They put 3 electrodes on you and when you wan to take a shower you just unhook the 3 and reattach them with the extra sticky tabs they give you.  My PVC's werent caught either until i did the 30 day one.  Its really not that inconvenient at all and very easy to hide.  If you tuck in the wires it looks like a pager.  

[NurseKagome]

totally would love to do the 30 day event monitor, except thats not possible for at least a year. its great that our healthcare is free, but you gotta wait for it. thats the only down side. i want a 30 day monitor since the chances of catching something then would be so much greater. how does it work? what does it look like? are there still the ekg lines and stickers like the others? it's smaller? can you take a shower?

did you say that you don't get the runs but you do get the fast beats? talk to you soon!

[Carey01]

I do get those "runs" and periods where my heart absolutely starts beating very strangely.  Its horribly frightening.  I am considering taking a Beta Blocker because I can NOT stand the way it feels!  HAve you tried a 30 day event monitor?  Since the holter monitor isnt picking it up that may be the way to go.  Plus they are much smaller than the 1 or 2 day monitors.  That way if you get a "run" of those bad ones and its caught on tape, if your Dr says its benign maybe you'll feel a lot more at ease.