Concerned about irregular heartbeats.

[Lynn8889]

On Monday I started experiencing irregular heartbeats (skipped beats) and since then they have become more and more frequent). They have concerned me enough to where I went to my Dr. yesterday.  She of course asked me several questions as to any new medication I have/had taken, any caffeine, etc. Nothing whatsoever has changed....I avoid caffeine, only take my ususual meds (synthroid, loppressor (for tachycardia)).  She did an EKG and it showed the irregular beat.  However when I was laying there, I didn't feel the irregular beat.....but managed to show it on the EKG.  Now, the ones I feel are uncomfortable weird beats....like it's skipping.  My Drs. words were "I THINK it may be PAC's, however I want you to wear a Holter monitor" (which I won't get until Monday).  In addition, she ran several blood test). FYI - within the past year, I had a stress test - it was fine other than my cardio. was somewhat concerned I got out of breath so soon after the test started, and an echo - which was fine. These irregular beats are a new thing to me.  My questions are:
1) Nothing has changed in my diet, meds, no stress whatsoever, etc. What could cause these?
2) I was awoken in the middle of the night last night with these and still having more frequent - my chest hurts (left breast area) and sometimes underneath my breast bone area. Is the pain anything to be concerned about? Any info. that you may think might help would be appreciated.  I'm concerned, esp. with the great increase in frequency.  (I am a 35/yo, F, non-smoker, non-drinker, 115 lbs.) Thanks so much!

[Cleveland Clinic]

Lynn,

Thanks for the post.

PVCs and PACs are very common 'extra' heart beats.  Each cell in the heart has the ability to initiate its own beat and is connected to all of the other cells in the heart. When one of these cells gets out of the normal cycle it can initiate an extra beat. When the cells of the top chamber cause this it is a PAC, when the cells in the bottom cause it it is a PVC.
When you consider all of the millions of cells that make up the heart, it really is surprising that it doest happen more!

While some identify specific triggers, most people nver can figure out why they have them.

Overall, with a normal cardiac evaluation, they carry no significant negative prognostic value. As you will quickly see here, there are A LOT of people who suffer from them.


good luck

[Heart3]

Hi:

You have definetly come to the right place.

Most of us here have PVC's or PAC's  -- I have PVC's which feel like skipped beats.  Sometimes you don't notice them, and sometimes they fell like a big thud in your chest which scares the hell out of you.  

We are all told the same thing too by the Dr.s we have seen.  That they are beign(sp) or nothing to worry about in people with healthy hearts.  Read all the posts you will find a lot of great information here that will help relax your mind.  

Non of us are Dr's though, so Make sure you see your DR and ask questions

[glasselkj]

Lynn...I am new to these boards but have read voraciously since getting here :) I just wanted to let you know you are not alone.
I wish there was something I could tell you that would help. I have been having my "skipped beats" and runs of extreme tachycardia for 2 months now. As I sit here and type they PAC's are about every 30 seconds. Oy.
Hopefully you will get some answers with the holtor monitor. With my holtor they found nothing but with the event monitor I just finished they found PAC's and PSVT's? It is very stressful to have these things happening and it feels like it takes over your life. I have had health issues for 2 years now and it seems one system after the next is going down. I am only 36yo (only one year older then you and I have 2 small children and sometimes I am so scared I will not see them raised).
Hopefully they will be able to tell you it is benign. Do you exercise? If you do do you get SOB with exercising?
Good luck.

[Lutheran122]

I had a bad run with cocaine which ended in me maybe having a small sized scar on one of the walls of my heart and very slight enlargement of my LV. I am clean now for 3 months and have lost 15 lbs , and my cholesterol is down from 252 to 181. I also go on my treadmill for 5-10 minutes a day. I am 41 years old. But for years I have had a slight struggle with PAC's or PVC's , nothing like every 30 seconds like I read above but every day I get quite a few..But sometimes like today I have spells where my heart beat totally is off for 10 seconds or so and then it will happen again a few times in the next 10 minutes or so and then go back to normal. I really feel I should be on a beta blocker but my doctor says my problem isn't bad enough to be put on medicine. I fear that one day my heartbeat will go so out of control that I will go into cardiac arrest and no one lives with me to do anything about it. Its so damn scary. I wish I never in my life did drugs , but I can't go back. Is there anything i can do on my own to help limit those times when my heart beat really go's out of whack? I am eating smart now , I don't drink , no caffeine , no more drugs for 3 months and forever and am doing a lot of walking and yet this problem feels like a death sentence for me.

[zeliig]

fish oils protect against arrhythmias....

Maybe everyone knows this already, but just in case
bookmark the following pages

Scroll down the following page link below
and read the following articles.

Fish oils help prevent sudden cardiac death and
fish oils protect against arrhythmias....

http://www.iherb.com/fishoil.html
http://www.fatsforhealth.com/library/libitems/Fish_Oil.php

Use Omega 3's only, don't use cod liver oil or any other oil made from fish liver as a source of omega-3s because these can result in too high of doses of vitamin A!!

You should notice a real difference after only
one month of use.

"Omega 3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of -- or who have -- cardiovascular disease."

-- American Heart Association

[Heart3]

I went to the site you mentioned and also went to visit a couple of other sites that I found under cold water fist for health.

The studio on the site you mentioned said that it was beneficial for men and unconclusive for women.

The other that I found said that it is benefical to both men and women (oh good)

But they mentioned Ventrical Tachardia and possible cardiac arrest.  Does anyone here know enough about this.  Some people here mention Tachardia.  And it seems that some (sinus) tachardia is good and some can be fatal.  How do you know when it is happening where it is coming from?  I guess that is why we are all walking around in fear all the time.....And that is the ****** part of all this.

[tickertock]

Fish oils supplements are not recommended now in persons with coronary heart disease, recent studies have shown it can actually trigger ventricular tachycardia in this population.

It is  better to eat fresh fish twice weekly. Always check with your doctor before starting supplements some can be dangerous, some doctors are still unaware of these latest studies regarding fish oil supplements and are prescribing(recommending) them hand over fist to their cardiac patients unware that the effects can be adverse to them.

[Lynn8889]

Thanks so much for your comments...I appreciate it!  If these are indeed PAC's that I am experiencing....I was unaware that something that is so benign could cause so many symptoms such as the one's I'm experiencing (chest hurts, pain between shoulder blades, fatigue).  Obviously I need to educate myself by reading some info on this forum to see how all of you's and others deal with these.

glasselkj: Thanks for your comment.  Actually, I do get pretty short of breath easily....just short distances make me SOB.  Like you, I also have 3 small children and I too worry and wonder if I'll be around to watch them grow.  I share your same thoughts.

[zeliig]

When Arrhythmia first started for me i was having pac's from one a minute to one every 3 or 4 minutes. This went on for a couple of month's and then i discovered fish oil and flax oil. After three months the pac's were about 50% less and after 5 months about 75% less.

In the last month i have added magnesium ( Magnesium
is a natural calcium blocker that helps maintain normal heartbeat. One study shows a reduction of irregular heartbeats by 70%.Also helped normalize rapid heartbeat (tachycardia.)

I have also added Co Q10 (Q gels only...200 to 300 mg daily)
http://www.holistic-online.com/Remedies/Heart/heart_CoQ10.htm
http://inno-vite.com/index.html

Also Hawthorn
http://www.zhealthinfo.com/hawthorn.htm

Selenium and Potassium are also very important.

7 Months later....some days i get 4 or 5 pac's a day,
some days there is none. I have completely changed my diet,
making sure i get salmon at least twice a week along with the
fish oil and have added olive oil daily.

What i got from the doctor 6 months ago was a statement saying that is was benign pac's,a nerve pill subscription and a pat on the back saying "You'll be fine"......It's funny, laying in bed every night feeling my heart go flip flop didn't feel fine to me!

Im still trying new things weekly....

I Thank God every day for the information i have found on the internet, if i had not given the fish oil a try i would still be lying in bed listening to my heart go flip flop.

[tickertock]

Fish oil has shown to reduce arrhythmias, but as with antirrhythmic drugs like flecainide it is not recommended for someone with coronary heart disease, for those without heart disease that is very different, but like everything else we all respond differently.

[garberville]

I tried the fish oil for about a month for frequent PACs/PVCs.  At first I didn't notice much of a change, then a reduction, then all sorts of crazy beats.  Whether it was related to the fish oil I don't know, but I wasn't willing to risk it so I stopped the supplement.  After a few weeks it was just back to the usual PACs/PVCs.  Everyone's different.

[tickertock]

Please read DR MJM response on 11/19/2005 to a question posted by dmil241 on Coronary Artery Spasm apparently hes well aware of the debate concerning fish oils in patients with CAD.

[madgeOwens]

You sound just like me. I have skipped beats...halter monitor showed pac's and pvc's and they were associated with my symptoms of light headed, short of breath and chest pain. My cardiology work up shows there is nothing wrong with my heart.....so thet call these arrythmias, palpitations and or pvc's.
The thing is they will treat the symptoms for you. I have stress in my life more than norman just now, so in addition to Inderol for pvc's I have started klonpkin for anxiety. SO far Im good except for the nerve pill makes me feel looped for forst hour.......whoohoo....after that it settles back........dont give up if they are bothering you, treat the symptoms and if heart is healthy after evaluating tests....don't worry about the flip flops.......good luck

[madgeOwens]

one more thing about fish oil..........I have tried that and zip nada.........so one down ahhahaha its funny all the different ideas you read........whatever works......

[Lynn8889]

I forgot to add,  I have problems with being lightheaded often...this have been going on for a long time...so I am unable to tell if the lightheaded I have is my usual thing or if it's a symptom of my irregular beats. Thanks so much Dr.

[windowgirl]

Was your scar dectected on an mri? After feeling my first pvcs at about 20(now 43)and complaining to my Dr. for years(he said they were benign), he refered me to a Cardio in 2001. He did a complete workup inc. ekg., signaled average ekg, echo stress(no blockage) echo and a heart mri( which was relatively new for the heart at the time).All test for normal including the echo which showed nothing(even the one from June 2005 shows nothing and the scar tissue is not visible))except for the MRI(2001) which showed a small "dyskinetic" or scar tissue in the wall of the ventricle. The cardio said this is what is most likely causing the PVCS and since most people don;t get screened for PVCS with a MRI, it is likley the many PVCS sufferers have some minor defect like that. He Said it could have been caused by a virus, been there since birth, who knows(I've never taken drugs). He also said it is benign and since nothing has changed for years, it is benign and my prognosis is excellent. I have yet to find to find another PVC sufferer that has the same finding as myself. Perhaps he is right, 95%+ of PVC sufferers don't get screened with a MRI. But like many of you, these PVCS have controlled my life and scared me for many years.

[windowgirl]

Oh,I forgot! My cardio is such a thoroughness freak(by his own admission)that last year (June 2004)he did a new test on me- A T-Wave Alternans test. This test dectects minor changes in voltage in the T waves(It's kind of like a EKG except you have 30 leads on(Instead of 12) and walk on the tread mill a little). It is either positive or negative. Positive means  the patient has a greater risk of developing a dangerous arrythmia. Mine was negative.

[Rich1968]

Last week when going in to see my physician for shoulder (right) pain, they noticed I had a irregular heart beat and did a EKG, and said sure enough I had an irregular heart beat. They made me an appointment next Friday for a stress test and ran blood work. My wife who is going to school to be an RN listened to my heart and said that she could hear a delay in my heart beat every 3-4 beats. This is scaring the **** out of me, I am 37 years old, non-smoker, I do not drink, every year I get my blood drawn and a physical exam, normal cholesterol, low blood pressure. What is giong on? My wife said it could be atrial fibrillation, is that serious? My doctor does not seem to concerned with getting me in there sooner, but ever since I was told this I can not stop thinking about this and I can feel it in my pulse, the skip in my heart beat. Can I die from this, do I need to be more aggressive about getting in and having them do somthing? They told me to take it easy until the test, but now I'm scared to do anything! I do not know who responds to this, but I would love to hear from a Doctor or Cardiologist.I do have sleep apnea and am on a c-pap machine I have read that there is a correlation between atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea, could this have caused this? I went 2-3 years undiagnosed until my wife insisted me going to see a sleep specialist and was diagnosed with slight to moderated sleep apnea.  Thank you

[woodruff]

Rich, you're probaby really freaked now, but take a breath and think about a couple of things:

Since you noticed the odd heartbeats, are you feeling physically worse than you did before?  Have you developed weakness or shortness of breath that keeps you from, say, going up stairs as easily as you did a couple of days ago?  If there's been no change in your ability to do stuff you've been doing, you probably don't need to worry a lot before you get your stress test.

Second, how fast is your heart rate?  If it's chugging along pretty steadily under a hundred beats per minute (never mind the occasional skipped beat), it doesn't sound like atrial fibrillation.

I think you will feel better if you educate yourself a little about your ticker and skipped beats.  First, go up to the top of the page here, and look at the doctor's post (the second one from the top).  That will get you started.

Next, check out the site below, which explains some of the functions of the heart:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/heart4.htm

Then, just googling something like "symptoms atrial fibrillation" should give you idea of what that condition is like.  It will almost certainly reassure you.

There are lots and lots of folks here who suffer from dropped or skipped beats, and I suspect you are going to get a lot of reassurance from them, as well.

[Lutheran122]

Windowgirl my scar was detected on a stress test with cardiolite and it wasn't there last year. The report said it like this..

Mild anterior wall defect  , abnormal study consists of a small size scar in the distribution of the LAD which can not be ruled out HOWEVER there is significant breast attenuation seen.


My cardiologist told me that a breast attenation is my diaphram may have been in the way of the test and that can cause a false positive for a scar in the anterior wall which is were the small scar was visualized and I confirmed that on this page below..and others.

http://www.indyrad.iupui.edu/public/lectures/HTML/NM-RM/NucMed/CV08.htm

So short of an angiogram I don't know for 100% sure that the scar is even there but I am living my life under the assumption that it is there. So I watch my salt , no fried food , no drugs anymore at all , no drinking , no smoking , 20m of zocor a day and i also take a cholesterol removing supplement right before I eat anything. The stress test showed no Ischemia , but I want to do as much as possible to keep any more plaq from getting into my vessels. Anyway , the damn pvc's and the times that my hearts rhythm go's out of psync is what really disturbs and scares me half to death..I read about omega 3's and so i started taking them now I read the above post that says eat fish dont take the pills. What fish should I buy that has low salt but is full of omega 3's , I am a poor cook so I need guidance. I almost never have fish. Please someone give me some advice.

[LynnSB]

Actually, the info about fish oil is incorrect. There is a LOT of research showing fish oil is very beneficial. There are 2 studies to the contrary but they do NOT CONCLUDE what is posted above.I’m a science/medical journalist by profession. Unfortunately, many publications and tv shows for laypeople go with splashy headlines and don’t really get the facts of studies across. Science is more complicated than one study reaching  a certain conclusion and that being the last word on a subject.?  Two clinical studies published in 2004 showed that fish oil may prevent arrhythmias; then  2 studies this year had different outcomes when it comes to people with serious heart conditions.
Oregon Health and Science University study ONLY looked at people with serious enough rhythm problems to have implanted defibrillators (with memory chip that registed all arrhythmias.) Fish oil supplementation did not reduce the risk of arrhythmia, and raised it slightly the risk some categories of these very ill patients.  Next the SOFA Dutch study replicated the Oregon study  in regard to people with an ICD and a history of arrhythmiaThe VERY LARGE SOFA study did NOT replicate other findings of the Oregon study. Researchers found a reduced risk of death for some of the sickest participants . Fewer participants in a subgroup of 342 patients who’d suffered a previous heart attack who were taking  fish oil died or experienced a serious arrhythmia compared to the patients on placebo oil (28 percent versus 35 percent).  Also,  unlike the Oregon study, the fish oil group did not show any increased risk of arrhythmia.The findings of the SOFA trial do not contradict the findings of the many studies that show beneficial effects on heart rate and risk of sudden cardiac death among heart patients and the general population.

And, the SFOA study revealed a reduced risk of death for some of the sickest participants.  Among the subgroup of 342 patients who’d suffered a previous heart attack, fewer of those on fish oil died or experienced either a serious arrhythmia compared to the patients on placebo oil (28 percent versus 35 percent).  The  lead SOFA researcher Ingeborg Brouwer said : “The SOFA trial does not indicate a strong beneficial effect of omega-3 PUFA [polyunsaturated fatty acid] from fish on life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia. However, patients with a previous myocardial infarction [heart attack] might still benefit from fish oil.  In any case, we found no indications that fish oil would harm patients.”

[Heart3]

Hi Rich,   You sound like all of us.  If it is a pause or a skipped beat that you feel, it is probably a PVC OR PAC.  Once you get it checked out by the cardiologist you will feel better, but your fear you have to control or it will get you.  

Becareful what you search on the internet, some of the information will scare you more.  Sometimes it is better just to hear what the DR has to say....  I reasearched PVC's when I first found out that was what mine were, and let me tell you I got more freaked out, and it took longer for me to get my life back,  some of us start to avoid certain things like going places or taking trips etc because we are afraid of what if it happens when I am there.

Someone above posted to check your heart rate.  Feel your pulse at your neck or wrist.  Count the beats in a minute (you might even feel the skipps to) but just count the beats if it is under 100 it is still normal.....:) ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE READ...  

++++But definetly see the Cardiologist, and make a little list of quesitons so when you get there you don't forget.  Even something that you think might be silly to ask, just ask it and get an answer.    WE ARE NOT DR'S HERE.  WE ONLY HAVE INFORMATION THAT SEEMS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH.   SO READ THE POSTS, BUT ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DR....:)+++++

[Roy31104]

My name is Roy...and I am concerned about a very recent heart problem I am having. It seems that when I lay down my heart beats normally, but then it beats double for a second, then goes back to normall, then beats double again. I am very concerned and nervous about this and I am looking for help. I am 18 years old and worried.

[Momto3]

I am not a doctor and cannot say for sure, but it sounds like what you are experiencing are pvcs and/or pacs.  These are essentially harmless and benign heartbeats that some people feels and others do not.  As you can attest, it can be quite a scary feeling the first time it happens.  Have you checked with your regular doctor?  There are some noninvasive tests (ekg, monitors) that can be used to identify the feeling you are having and put your mind (and heart) at ease.

The doctors on this forum readily point out that in a healthy, young person, heart disease is very unlikely.  However, some people feel better once they have been checked over by their own physician (double insurance).  Take care and try not to worry...You're very likely just feeling benign pvcs and/or pacs.  Check with your family doctor for some reassurance.

[upbeat63]

Hello, sorry for posting on someone's else's thread, but I wanted to let you know that after reading some other posts, you and I really do sound like twins, from the high frequency all the way down to nsvt which was also the most frightening thing I've experienced.

I also wanted to thank you for your very nice comments several days back, and give you one of my own--you have been a god send to me.  

I want to let everyone know this forum is exceptionally valuable. Having suffered PVCs for 22 years (and they have been ever increasing to 24,000per day) I found this forum. And the clevland doctors, and momto3 and tickertock and ALL who post have given me the courage to keep on keeping on. I'm famous for saying that you should focus on the positive and not the PVCs, because I've had about as many as any one can stand, but even to get a few is lousy. If I hadn't met momto3 on this forum, I'd probably still be spiralling out of control in fear and anxiety. And again, I've had these things for 22 years. But any change can cause you to question again. So be patient with yourself and each other. I'm rebounding from a particularily bad spell of trigeminy, but I'm feeling better today, I even had a string of normal beats for almost 30 beats. Glorious. PVCs have become so frequent for me, Ive jokedthat they sometimes put me to sleep like a lullabye, but that's not to say that they can't also driveme half-way insane. I hope everyone hangs in there and thank you once again for all your help.

[Momto3]

Thanks as always for the kind words!!  

You have definitely earned your Gold Wings in the PVC Frequent Flier Club!!!  

30 normal beats IN A ROW!!!  WOOHOO!!!  That IS a big deal to us who deal with these peculiar beats in the high numbers.  Here's to 30 more!!

I can't remember if I mentioned this, but, after I had the ablations and I finally had a normal heartbeat, it was weird!!  It was a little disconcerting until I got used to it.  I was SO used to the pvcs that they were "normal" for me.  My last 3 cardio exams (every 6 mos), my doctor and I laughed at the tick-tock of my new rhythm.  Now, I like it.  I actually feel the occasional beats more now...probably cuz they are truly "out of sync."  It's been a little over 2 years since my second procedure, and so far, so good.  I get a few isolated pvcs and an occasional spurt of nsvt, but totally manageable.  

I really feel for people who are debilitated by arrythmias.  They can be scary, uncomfortable, and downright awful feeling.  When I was having lots of them, I never really did figure out anything that worked for me, other than avoiding caffeine and taking time out to relax.  It is so different for everyone...and we just need to be supportive.  I still equate our ectopics to headaches that others suffer...they are NOT life-threatening, but certainly life-altering.  Management is the key, and it takes time and patience.

Take care and enjoy the hoiday season!!
connie

[belle5008]

A related discussion, PVCs and indigestion? was started.