How many pvc's are normal?

I have heard that EVERYONE has pvc's and pac's.  Is this true?  I have at least 10 every day.  Is it dangerous to have that many?  Do I have more risk of it turning into an arrhythmia that my heart won't get out of?  How can I tell if I am having a pvc or a pac?  My holter showed 13 pac's and 2 pvc's but I always feel the pause and then a hard thump.  Why do they happen more when I run up the stairs or bend over too quickly or am carrying a heavy load?
Worried sick.

[anacyde]

My cardiologist said about 50 are "normal", but this DOES NOT mean that 51 is "abnormal" and it certainly doesn't mean they're dangerous.  I know someone who was having 5,000 PVCs a day and not being treated because they were just simple PVCs.  "Normal" just implies common in this case.

[Carrie41]

Hi there.  That is what I experience.  I am 45 years old and have at least 10 a day.  I have been for every test imaginable and they have caught non-sustained v-tach on my montior and that is what scared the absolute *(&(*& out of me.  I have been totally obsessed with my heart.  They have caught PVC's and PAC's and nobody seems concerned about them.  I get between two and ten a day and freak out at every one of them.  I know exactly how you feel.

[Momto3]

Prior to my ablations (for a different reason), I was having thousands a day, still "normal."  I'm not sure how many I have now, but they make themselves known now and again.

My sister had 400 pvcs records, normal....

The important thing is that in the setting of a structually normal heart, pvcs are considered harmless.

Happy Holidays!

[halpme]

well, did a holter on an average day for me.  750.

They drive me nuts, I get other odd pains.  That said, my heart is structurally normal, and I've had every test short of a cath (including a 64 slice ct).  34 years old.  They say they are normal, so I try every day to deal with them.  I went two weeks recently with very limited pvc's.. then they come back.

[pbanders]

The majority of people have PVC's and never notice them. People who have frequent PVC's get used to what they feel like, and as a result of learning how they feel, notice every single PVC they have, even when their PVC rate drops to "normal" levels.

[LadyNRA]

Mine are probably averaging around 3,000 a day, if I go by 3-4 per minute, for about 16 hours a day, plus the few I have when I sleep.  And yeah, they are annoying.  I feel them when I get frustrated also, and that's a pain because my job is production oriented (they count everything you do all day long).  Plus my BP had been very high.  I had originally blamed it on an increase in my lisopril (from 20 mg to 40 mg).  I was already taking 200 mg of Toprol and had not had any PVCs until just recently.  But my cardiologist didn't like the high BP so agreed to lower my lisinopril back to 20 mg. and added Norvasc.  I had hoped (FERVENTLY) that the PVCs would get much less or disappear but no such luck. So far my BP has gone way down to near normal (at least for now) and I have to see if the trend continues, so the norvasc, in combination with the other stuff, is working.  But still get the durned PVCs.  If it's stress related, it's not due to something obvious, or I wouldn't have them over the weekend, but I do.  

But one of the things the cardiologist did tell me is that my tests show a normal heart (I had the heart attack blood work and echo + x-ray in the ER).  So did my regular doc and the ER docs/cardiologists.  No one is worried, even now that they known how often I get them.  They were so much more concerned about my blood pressure issues.  As far as the PVCs are concerned, no one has mentioned drugs for it, or concern for it. What they did tell me was to do the prudent thing for a 51 year old, overweight woman, and that is to go the ER if I should ever get any symptoms of a heart attack in the future, which, as we know, can happen to anyone at any age, without connection to the benign PVC/PAC issues.

However, like you, I feel concern about one issue...is is possible to have the heart retrain itself so that I'll never have a 'normal' beat again.

[Gabby46]

My EP told me that if you are having less than 20,000 a day and have a structually normal heart the doctors don't worry about it.  He said if you are having over 20,000 per day the PVC's could lead to heart weakness.  I am currently having over 25,000 per day.  I had an ablation, since I cannot take the medications for this, and it did not work.  I am scheduled with a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic next week to see if there is anything else they can do.  Because I am having so many I experience shortness of breath and dizzyness almost constantly.

[finetilthree]

I wonder since I only have around 10 or less everyday, why do I feel like I am going to die very young?

[sherma]

Since my last posting about being very scared about having 50 or so pvc's they are now averaging 3 or 4 per min so that is running into the thousands too - same as "lady".  Having just 10 a day would be such a relief for me.  Please try not to worry even though it is so hard - at the moment I am at my wits end, cant sleep at night with them either.

[finetilthree]

How long did it take for yours to increase that much?  What is your age?  Is there any link between hormones and your sudden increase maybe?

[Carrie41]

I live every day of my life thinking it is the last as well.  I am 45 years old and had a holter when I was 30 and it showed short non-sustained runs of v-tach which sent me over the edge.  I really only get 10 to 20 a day but I feel every single one of them and freak out at every one.  I have been to numerous cardiolgists and EP doctors and they all say don't worry - it is normal!  Yeah right.  I just can't get my head wrapped around the fact that everyone gets these things.  I live my life in constant anxiety about my heart.  I am actually going to see a phycologist next week to ask if they can get me over this heart anxiety and be able to live like a normal person.

[finetilthree]

I should see a counselor too.  I have three kids, ages 3, 5 and 7 months old and I cry all the time b/c I am afraid I won't see them grow up.  I went one time to a therapist and she told me to get a specific book on anxiety and panic which I felt like was a waste of an hour plus $125.00 b/c it didn't help at all.  I wish I could get over the fear of dying.  My life is so limited now compared to what it used to be.  I am embarrassed to admit this, but I am afraid to go shopping, afraid to go to the grocery, afraid to go to the mall because I am afraid I will die while my children are out with me and there will be no one there for them.  I took so much for granted before in my life, stupid stuff like running to WalMart or Old Navy or Michaels and I was never afraid that I would drop dead, but now every time I go somewhere I am afraid.  I wish I didn't feel them happen.  Ignorance is bliss.

[Carrie41]

That is me exactly!  I have been a horrible mess since my kids were babies when I found out I had these things.  I used to cry at the doctors office saying I was scared to give them a bath because I thought I would drop them into the water while having a palpitation.  You are certainly not alone.  My kids are 16 and 11 now and I still live in constant fear.  I am also afraid to go out shopping or whereever because I may have a panic attack when I start getting these skips.  I will have to email you when I see the shrink and see what they they about me.  You would never know in a million years I have anxiety.  I act totally normal but inside I am a complete mess.  I hope to be able to get help as well and believe me if I can do then anyone can!  You must be crazy busy with three little kids like that.  That would be enough to give anyone PVC's!

[finetilthree]

Glad to know that I am not alone.  I feel so irrational.  Funny you mentioned the bath thing b/c I am afraid when I am giving the baby his bath b/c I am afraid of drowning him if my heart gives out then.  I know I sound like such an idiot.  I am afraid when I am showering also b/c I am afraid something will happen when I am in the shower NAKED! I get in and get out as quickly as possible! Sometimes I go a week without shaving my legs just so I can get in and get out.  I AM THE WORLD'S BIGGEST IDIOT! But hey, at least I can laugh at myself.

[Carrie41]

I had to snicker at your post cause that is my life to a T.  That is exactly what I worry about as well.  I am scared when there is nobody home and I am in the shower because I fear the same thing.  That is exactly what I thought when I would bath the kids.  I told the doctor I thought for sure my heart would go into v-tach and I would drop the baby.  You are not an idiot (or maybe we both are!)  I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  Where do you live?  We should definately talk!  I just cannot believe that someone else lives the same way I do.  I always told my doctor I thought I was nuts and was losing my mind because of my obsessing about my heart.  She was at wits end with me and didn't know what to do because I was showing up every week crying in her office with kids in tow saying I couldn't take the anxiety about these things anymore.  I also have to sit close to doorways just in case they start to happen when I am in public and have to get out of the spot I am in right away.  I know it sound nuts as well.  My doctor says I may have ancipitory anxiety because I have a PVC and I just wait for the next one.  It is totally a vicious cycle.  I am also going to get another holter next Wednesday because of my instance that there is something not right in my heart.  I have had all the tests done but they did see a short run of non-sustained v-tach and that is what totally set me off.  Even the EP doctors say "even I get them" "don't worry".  Yeah right, I just cannot believe that others get them as hard and as strange as I do.  I honestly don't get that many I guess when I read other posts on the internet.  I get around 10 a day I would say.  From the minute I wake up in the morning I worry, till the time I go to bed at night I worry.  I also take 20mg of Celexa and thought that would stop my worrying (and it did for a while).  They did still happen but I didn't care as much then I had a bunch of them when I was at my son's soccer game and starting freaking out again and I am back to square one.  I honestly don't know how you are doing it with three little kids like that.  That is when I started having really bad palps when I had my first kid and I was strung out all the time.  I work full time and take care of the house (well at least 90% of it).  My husband doesn't help out a #*&& of a lot and I chalk that up to my anxiety issues as well.  I hope it makes you feel a little better when you read my posts because I sure feel better when I read yours......

[PaladinX]

what is the difference between the ones you can feel profoundly and the ones you dont even know exist.  If you feel them strongly does that mean they are more dangerous or a different type then the ones you dont feel?>

i have gotten a holter monitor test done and i guess i didnt have any cause my doctor didnt say anything

[kitcurious]

PVCs and PACs are not palpitations. PVCs and PACs are arrhythmias that the person may or may not notice depending upon how much concentration a person has on such things. Palpitations are the SENSATION that something is fluttering in your chest and they may be an ectopic beat or they may be nerves from when the person is ultra sensitive to the sensation of their heart pounding in general, often because of anxiety.
Benign PVC/PACs are not dangerous so they cannot be more, or less, something they are not.

[finetilthree]

O.K. Here's what I want along with all of your reassurances that these are benign.  I want all of you to GUARANTEE me that I will live to be an old lady and get to do all the stuff with my kids that I want to do (see them go to their first day of Kindergarten, see them sing in the choir or play in the band, see their little Christmas pagents, play sports, etc.).  I WANT IT WRITTEN IN STONE THAT I WILL LIVE TO BE AN OLD LADY!!!!!!! I know, I know, nobody gets that guarantee, but I can dream can't I?  I'm all they've got.

[finetilthree]

I feel infinitely better when I read your posts and the smile on my face is an added bonus.  Email me anytime if you need a friend.  ***@****

[Carrie41]

Glad you feel better reading my posts because the same thing goes for me.  I have emailed you at your hotmail address.

[sherma]

I had my appoint with the cardio on Monday who gave me the results of 50 or so pvc's, then in the night they started with a vengenence and have not stopped since.  So I would say that from 50 to over 3,000 per day developed within hours.  I have been nearly at the end of my tether, I am taking so much valium to calm me down which is not working, my husband is being horrible to me with them, because I can't look after my 4 yr old properly.  I have just turned 42, my period ended last week so I don't think it's hormones at the moment.  But for it to have reached this stage so rapidly is so frightening.  I must admit that I have thought that if this continues then what is the point of living?  I'm feeling that depressed about it all.  Just out of the blue from 50 to 3,000.  I took myself off to see the cardio again on Thursay pm because I just couldn't cope anymore and she caught them on an EKG and said not to worry just ectopics - no meds.  I quit drinking wine in the evenings a while ago, I drink only 1 cup of tea a day, but I have started smoking again this week - simply out of pure fear - only 4 or 5.  2 echos came back normal - that was approx 4 weeks ago.  Sorry to be such a downer, but I am so alone and with my MS and 4 yr old - and a monster of a husband I just need your support.

[finetilthree]

Hi honey.  I don't know if you like Oprah or not (I do), but here is a link from her website that talks about how she went through the same thing we are going through:

http://www.oprah.com/health/omag/health_omag_200208_menopause.jhtml.

Maybe your sudden increase is due to the valium or the smoking.  I won't take hardly ANY medicine (valium included) b/c it all lists palpitations as a side effect.  Please try to calm down.  I know exactly how you feel.  My ex sounds just like your husband in that he is HORRIBLE to me about this stuff.  You are taking good care of your child and it is so hard to do living with the fear of dying.  I bet if you can get rid of some of the anxiety, you will notice a huge decrease in the palps.  When I first got them I had panic attacks really bad.  I would wake up in the morning and already be shaking.  I had no one to lean on or talk to about all this, so I just had to convince myself to stay calm and relax.  Sometimes you have to just put on a movie for the kids and lay down and try to get some rest.  Try to take care of YOU.  I have had some really horrible episodes where I have had one right after another for a few minutes and I was sure I was a gonner, but here I still am.  There will be bad days with scary runs of them, but mostly there are good days with just a few scattered here and there.  Hang in there.  I will pray for you.  Maybe if we all pray for each other, it will get so noisy up there that God will rid us all of these things just to shut us all up!

[Yuen]

HI All,

I am also suffering from PAC, I would say it happens more at night after dinner.  I feel every single of them. It is very annoying.  My EP doctor said not to worry.  He said thet exercise can help to decrease the PAC.  

Does anyone of you know if PAC is related to Ablation.  I had 2 Ablations to correct the SVT.  After the second ablation, I start to have PAC, I never have PAC before the second ablation.  Sometimes, I regret to have done the ablation as I feel PAC is more annoying than SVT.

[raquel 66]

hi....i've been reading the posts from you guys and i too am going through the same thing, i just now was woken up with an episode of svt and also been having palps all day prior to this, i am in tears reading from you, carrie and sherma, i have 5 kids, am 44 and am in a constant state of anxiety, i worry every night before i go to bed as that is most often when i get an svt attack...always arround 3 am....i am awakened to the irregular and very rapid hb...i now avoid driving on the freeway,i,m scared to travel, i,m afraid of being at home alone, on and on and on.I,ve been living with this for almost 7 years now and have learned to " live" with it, but i'm always worried that i'll drop over and leave behind my kids, especially my 8 and 9 year old. I've been told about ablation but there seems to be drawbacks to that as well....sometimes i hope and pray that it will just go away and never come back but i guess that is just wishful thinking, but is such a comfort that this forum exists and to know that there are others out there with the same thing and that they can give advice and support...god bless

[LadyNRA]

My greatest fear (connected with the arrhythmias) would have to be that I'll have heart problems or blacking out while I'm driving, where no one can help me.  Worse still, is that I'll crash into someone else and hurt/kill them, and at the top of the list, that my kids would be in the car. Now for the good news--aside from the annoyance of the thumping and the mild anxiety that no one knows the cause or how to make it better, it's nothing more than that.  Just the thump.  And I'm grateful for just that one symptom.  Better that than something worse.  

I did get a chuckle out of the visual images some of you conjured up (racing out the shower as fast as possible for instance).  And it seems that everyone of us, male and female alike, worry at one level or another no matter how many assurances we get.  It's human nature too.  And nothing to berate ourselves over unless it gets excessive.  One thing that has helped me is that I have a strong faith in God.  I believe it has kept me from royally panicing.  I don't see my future as just a hole in the ground.  True, I don't want to die early because I just love learning and exploring new things now, even at 51.  So many things to see and do until I'm too old to do much of anything.  But at the same time, I believe I'll end up in a better place.  And I know I'll be reunited with my family eventually.  

So while I'm not advocating one faith over another, faith seems to play a part in being healthier, recovering faster, and with better perspectives on their overall health.  It's been studied. So if any of you have spiritual inclinations, whatever they might be, perhaps you could benefit from exploring them better.

[finetilthree]

Hey Lady.  I couldn't agree with you more about faith being important when dealing with these things.  That is the only way I have been able to get some peace in dealing with this.  My feeling is when God is ready for me, there is nothing I can do to stop it so I might as well not worry about it so much. Although at times, I can't help but worry.  I'm sure you've gathered from my posts, that I just cannot bear the thought of leaving my babies even though I have one that has gone ahead of me and is waiting for me.  Usually I just have run of the mill PVC's or PAC's, but this time (with my period) I had some PVC's followed by a few quick beats of PSVT (I'm guessing).  Do you ever get anything other than the run of the mill PVC?

[LadyNRA]

I don't get much more than the thumping either in my chest or my throat, and if I am in a total relaxed state, from just before dozing off, through sleep, and just after waking up, they are either gone (which I doubt) or so mild that I don't feel them.  Of course, once I start thinking about the PVCs, they come back hard enough to notice.  That's the symptom I get.  I do occasionally get them in brief strings of bigemony (2 or 3 in a row) , and that is a bit fear inducing, and sometimes trigemony, but I hang in there, and figure that if I'm not getting any of the other symptoms, I'll be "okay".  And you'll be okay too if the docs are telling you that you have nothing to worry about.  You'll manage.  Enjoy your kids, family, friends, church members, etc.  Love on 'em all day every day, and when you think of them, you'll be thinking of your problems less, and hopefully, that will also make things better.  It works fairly good for me most of the time.  I can't take my mind off it completely, but I enjoy the times when i can.

[manley]

I have been reading many of the posts related to PVCs and I find them to be helpfull in dealing with my occasional PVCs. I am a 46 year old male. I don't smoke or drink alcohol. I have always been in good health and up untill about six months ago I never had a consistent problem with PVC's. I remember an occasional one here or there but at the time I did not know what it was.I too have had all the test done short of the heart caths and the doc sent me home and told me not to worry. PVC's, few or many, will change your life.

One of the observations I made while reading the numerous posts is that it helps each of us who experience or suffer with these frightning events to talk to others who experience the same. People who do not have PVCs have NO idea how life changing it is to have them. For instance. My wife went to the doc with me and heard him say "not to worry", therefore, she never worries about it. She does not even seem concerned when it happens to me. It would be extremely helpful to all of us if our spouses would realize the fear these events bring to our minds, and then just show some good old-fashioned love and concern for our situation.

I know what causes my PVCs. Two things. STRESS and REFLUX. I have a business with numerous employees. That is stressful. I usually deal with the business stress very well. However, home related stress, is the stress that causes my PVCs to come with a vengence. The stress shows up, then the PVCs follow. the along comes that sinking, alone in world feeling, that last a few days.
I tell you, whether you realize it or not, STRESS is the reason for many of us having PVCs.

The reflux will cause them just as quick for me. I take Zantac 75 . One in the morning and one just before bedtime. I eat smaller meals and I NEVER...NEVER allow any caffine in my body.I strictly limit my sugar intake and rarely ever eat fried food. The healthier we are the better our bodies can handle the stresses and demands we put on it. I am convinced that stress is the main cause of PVCs in many young and middle aged people.

I strongly suggest that we all communicate to those around us the importance of eliminating as much stress as possible. Some people care and will listen. Others won't. My best regards to all of you and certianly my prayers go out for you.

[tlcs]

hey everyone....like most of you i have been plagued by pvcs, since at least 18 and here we are 6 years later and out of nowhere (the last 4 days) they have become unbearably worse....when i was 18 i saw two cardiologists and went through the normal gauntlet of tests and was diagnosed with benign pvcs that i should not worry about....and for the past 6 years i have dealt with them because i did not get them that often....i mean mostly everyday but only 1 or 2....somedays were worse and some i did not get any and then some i might have an anxiety attack and have a quick run of bigemny or sustained pvcs....but more or less manageable....always worried about exerting myself too much physically because it would aggravate the pvcs but still manageable....for the past 4 days though out of nowhere i have been getting multiple runs of pvcs almost constantly....i ended up in the ER the other night because i was so afraid and they did a 12 lead EKG and bloodwork and everything came back normal and they attributed it to anxiety/stress....they gave me some atovent in the hospital to calm me down and then some xanax for when i am home....though i have been home i am still getting the constant pvcs mostly when i stand up or am walking around and it is driving me crazy....i would say at least 5 or more per minute....i can not handle this it is driving me crazy and has completely paralyzed me i am afraid to get off the couch....

[BionicBabe]

Hello to all,
I just discovered this site, after googling insanely about ventricular tachycardia and PVCs. I just found out I have some kind of v-tac and don't know yet how serious it is. I've had PVCs since late adolescence and haven't really worried about it too much until now. I have two daughters less than two years old and my biggest fear is that I will not see them grow up. I am terrified the arrhythmia will kill me. My doc wants to do cardiac catheter and EP study (also with cath). I am terrified of that too. Has anyone had any of these catheter tests?

[ruscular]

I am 46 year old personal trainer, with 75% of one kidneys, and I have PVC's and was told they are benign. I can drop my heart rate from 80 to 60 when I get PVC's. around 15-20 skips per minute. I had it check out and they say I am fine. I feel sluggish then a jolt of energy with the pooling of blood then that push of fresh blood. Kind of a similar feeling I get when I fall in love with a hot girl that I am afraid to ask out. I know it sound kind of juvenile, but it the closest feeling I can think of that makes me feel like I do when the PVC's come on strong. Exercise can improve health. I notice that when I am running or biking vigorously that I don't get skip beats at all, and even after recovering from the workout the heart beat steady until I have fully recover. As for the panic attack, and the rapid heart beat, I would inhale deeply and hold for a count of 3 second and then exhale and repeat cycle 3 time. The force breathing will reset your pattern and the body will ignore the adrenaline rush.  I also teach Tai Chi, and I find that most of the time if I do one cycle of the 24 short form during the panic attack, that I can reset my body back to normal. I follow the guideline for optimum health for the heart. 3X per week 45 minute of cardio, or 4X per week 30 minute cardio. Doing them kind of give me the assurance that my heart is healthy, and that the skip beat is not dued to a bad heart. I drink plenty of juices to make sure my electrolytes are good. Eat a balance diet low in animal fats.
I do worry about them, but this is how I cope with them. I hope I help someone.

[nikkatsmom]

Thanks so much for your previous post. I am a 48 year old female. I just found this site and spent a long time reading previous posts from other people suffering with pvc's.  I could "ditto" most of those comments, I have been very scared at times. Things got better and  I had been free of them for a couple of years, but as of a month ago they are back!  I appreciate everything you wrote because I will start using some of your suggestions. I just saw my cardio last week and waiting for Holter results and to get some assurance that I'm ok.

[katy_m]

I'm a 28 year old female and I've been having alarmingly noticeable PVC's for about 8 years now. I'm crying as I read this because I experience the physical symptoms (the pause, the thud, the rush of adrenaline) and the mental symptoms (the waiting to see if my heart has stopped, the pure terror of such thoughts) on almost a daily basis. I'm a bartender and I lead an active and admittedly stressful lifestyle, but I also run about 20 miles a week and I genuinely love my job. I just got dumped by Tonic health insurance because they've determined I have a 'pre-existing condition', although i've always been given a clean bill of health from the cardiologist! But this has added to my stress, so of course the PVC's are back to 'frequent' status. (40 or 50 pronounced ones per day.)  
Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories-- I can't tell you how it makes me feel to hear others who are going through truly identical situations as mine-- I, too, am at times paralyzed with fear in social or personal situations where I'm imagining myself suddenly keeling over with no warning. But your stories are largely inspirational and reassuring, and they give me hope.
Can anyone elaborate on methods that might lessen the frequency of such episodes? I saw one person mention 'reflux' as a culprit and I'm curious to learn more-- but ANY suggestions would be welcome. PS- my brother experiences the same thing, and we're on the phone to each other at least weekly to discuss it; so few people can understand this kind of debilitating fear derived from such a tangible origin.

[ajwwr82]

i am surprised that so many people feel the way i do. i am only 13 and i get these. i am afraid that i will die in my sleep or perhaps at the stores just like you guys said. i know i shouldnt worry about this at all considering im still just a kid but i just do....one night i actually cried myself to sleep because i was afraid. but i guess you just have to get your mind off of them...good luck everyone and remember so many people are the same way.

[Scot420]

I have read everyones posts and I think I am experiencing similar symptoms but I have other symptoms that I did not see on anyones post.
I am a 49 yr old male, never smoked but drink lite beer on the weekends. Eat pretty healthy, no fast food, minimal red meat and fried foods. Blood pressure 118/76. When I was younger I had experienced several episodes of Atrial Fib. Had echos, stress test, CT scan, blood work, Radioactive imaging after stress test, all came back normal. Have not had Atrial Fib for some time time but know the symptoms. It is more of a fluttering. What I have experienced recently is what I can only describe as my heart stopping for a second and it hurts. It also scares the **** out of me. I also feel ones less intense that do not hurt but are noticeable. I did not experience these everyday, sometimes 1 or 2 every 3 or 4 days or even a week. On Monday of this week I bent over to pick something off the floor and as I came up I experienced one of them that hurt. It caused me to grab my chest. I felt tingling in my left arm, and then several less severe ones followed with sped up heart rate that lasted a minute or two. I jumped in my car and sped off to the ER. When I arrived in the parking lot I felt better so I returned home thinking what my cardiologist said about my heart being normal. But now the remainder of this week I have experienced them each day, not many but definitely more than in the past. I am now afraid to bend over and pick anything up off the floor. These are defintely scary and different than the AF I had years ago. I cannot get into a cardologist for another week and have to get on a plane Monday and I am freaking out! I fly all the time but experiencing one of these on a flight will definitely freak me out! I seem to experience them more when I exert myself not when I am sitting or lying down. So I am worried about travel, going through the airports, staying at hotels by myself.

Is this what you are experiencing or do I have something different?
Do you experience the brief pain?
Tingling in a arm?
Could I be having a PVC and PAC at the sametime?

I am afraid to exercise because I am afraid my heart will go into some kind of arrhythmia and I will drop dead. I read or see this on the news where a perfectly healthy individual collapses come to find out they had some kind heart abnormalty. My other concern is all of the tests done on me tell me that I have a structurally healthy heart. No valve problems, clogged arteries, etc... What I am concerned about is the electrical pathways of my heart. Did anyone have electrical tests done?

When younger after the Atrial Fib the doctors told me to go on a 81mg asprin per day program that it would work as a blood thinner and helps with AF. I have been on that regime for years. I think that may have stopped those from returning. Do any of you use asprin?

I am hoping you all can educate me with your experience.

Scot

[April2]

Scot, that doesn't sound like PVC's to me. PVC's shouldn't be painful. I think it would be wise to see your doctor again and get it checked out, especially if it's been awhile. Have them retest you. I think it would help put your mind at ease. You may need some medication or something at this point.
I wish you well. Take care.


In responding to some of the other posts, I was wondering if lack of sleep and/or caffeine can bring PVC's on? I was getting them quite a bit a year or so ago, but I was under a lot more stress then. They pretty much went away. Lately I've been feeling them more but I'm wondering if it's because I took on a night job so I'm not getting much sleep. I'm also relying on coffee more. Could this be the reason for them coming back? Thanks!

[Tony37738]

My daughter went for her 2 yr. check up. The doctor was doing a routine checkup--when out of the blue, she says, "your daughter has an abnormal heart beat." They immediately hooked her up to an EKG and it showed the abnormal heart beat. Afterward (the same day ) my husband and I had to take her for a chest ex-ray.Within a few weeks, (a lifetime of waiting for my husband and me), We went to see the Pediatric Cardiologist-after looking at her EKG and Ex-ray he tells us that she a PVC'S and her heart is just slightly bigger than normal (nothing to really worry about--He says!??) Right!! Anyway, he wanted her to wear a Holter monitor for 24 hours--the 1st time the monitor stop working after 3 hour, therefore, we had to make her wear it another 24 hours. I was so nervous about her condition that I went to the hospital and requested a copy of the Holter Monitor reading with the hospital doctors reading. My daughter is having 32,148 PVC'S in a 24 hour period-with something called Bigeminal runs. She averages 20 to 48 PVC's per MINUTE!! My question is what should be done--if anything in a 2yr old child? What kind of damage is this doing to her heart at such an early age? Should we be restricting her play (my husband was flipping her upside down--and I was like, "Hey--wait...don't do that", of course my daughter was laughing so hard that she couldn't catch her breath--but those things are scary to me.

[April2]

People might see this better if you post this under a new post. I don't know what to tell you otherwise. I know PVC's can be normal and that most people actually have them but I don't know when it gets to the point that it's concerning.
I wish you well. God bless!

[jenn475]

I have continuous bigeminy which means every other beat is a pvc.  I worry, but not as much as some of the others may about the effects of irregular heart beats.  I go to school full time for RN, work part time on the cardiac floor of a hospital as a Monitor Tech, and I have four children.  I do have a hard time sleeping due to the constant awareness of the irregular beats but I try to focus on relaxation techniques before bed.  At first I was as frightened as some of the others, but I believe as long as there are no other signs or symptoms of illness that they must be harmless.  I do believe that if people are very concerned about having pvc's joining support groups such as this web page helps by expressing feelings and gives one a sence of peace.  

[jenn475]

with any type of left arm pain related to heart issues I would definetly go to the ER immediately!!!!!!!!

[shell_bell21]

So glad to find this forum. I felt like my heart was skipping a beat and it was soo scary. We had recently bought a house and I figured it was just stress related. They subsided for a while, but then I had my third child and one day I felt a very distinct PVC that definitely caught my attention. From that day on all I could think about was my next heart beat. The fear consumed my life. I ended up going to my doctor for something unrelated and mentioned the skipped heart beats to her. She referred me to a cardiologist after she could not detect anything in her office. After dealing with the anxiety and fear of going to a cardiologist, I finally decided I had had enough, and was not going to ignore this anymore. I have always heard early treatment is always the best. So I went to the cardiologist and he did an echo and I wore a holter monitor. It seemed like a forever to get the results. But when I went back in for a follow up he called them "PVC's" and said I had around 4-500/ day. Definitely noticeable to me, but absolutely harmless. I am 32 years old, a former athlete with 3 kids in good health. This cardiologist visit has been almost one year ago, and I still think about the PVC's daily. But I know that you must use your faith to get passed it, know that God is good, technology is available, and you're not going to die from this.
Choose to ignore them and live your life. We all have that inner voice that tells you if something is wrong or not. It is up to you to take every thought captive. I know that when you feel a PVC, it makes you anxious, and you sit and wait on the next one. Stop.Relax, and trust God.
I hope this post will help the next person as a few posts have helped me.
-Blessings

[clch]

I had ablation for atrial fibrillation.  After that, which appears to be successful, I had lots of PAC's.  They sucked until I learned that 500mg of sodium per day would ultimately solve my problem.  Try it out for yourself - over the counter.  Can't hurt.  Worked like a miracle for me!

[Trackermom]

500 mg sodium?  Never heard of that.  Magnesium and Potassium are great for the heart and even if you have a good blood level of Magnesium it doesn't mean it is in the muscles.
Taking them together helps with absorption into the muscles.

[keljok78]

Im so scared I have PVC's 15 % of the time I feell pain in my chest and up neck and down my arm i get heat flushes and sweat profussly I am so scared I don't understand any of this

[samhayward]

i get the lot pvc skip beats everything u can think of and its not nice at all

[californiaparalawyer358]

LIQUID CALCIUM CITRATE (better than Carbonate supplements)

I have experienced almost complete relief from PVC's by taking 1 Tbsp of liquid calcium ... take 2 Tbsp, two times daily, be sure to take with food.  Take this in addition to a regular multi-vitamin and drink plenty of water all day (but don't overdo it.. 8 glasses of 8 oz each is enough)

I used to have dozens of PVCs every day and sometimes very strong ones.  My doctor told me my heart is normal and to stop worrying about them and make sure I get plenty of minerals in my diet, especially calcium, magnesium and potassium.

I have had SEVERAL friends and family who also report to me that they have cured their PVC's after taking this advice.  It may not work for everyone because PVC's can have different causes, but I suspect for most people it's because of mineral imbalance.

In full disclosure, I still get the occasional PVC, and sometimes even get them a little more frequently, which I attribute to triggers (alcohol, not enough sleep, caffeine, eating too much, eating starchy/fat foods, etc.).  Avoiding triggers obviously helps.

However, if I keep my CALCIUM, POTASSIUM and MAGNESIUM levels up with lots of water, they are much less frequent and not as strong, and sometimes I go weeks without noticing a single one.  When I forget the supplements, they come right back, that same day in fact.  I have NO doubt that in my case they are caused by calcium deficiency.

Hope this helps some of you - see a doctor if you need to put your mind at ease.

Note that calcium citrate is better than calcium carbonate because it absorbs easier into cells... you need to drink water to keep your electrolytes up... avoiding triggers is still the best way to avoid PVC's... also LIQUID CALCIUM SHOULD BE STORED AT ROOM TEMP AND NOT USED FROM A BOTTLE THAT HAS BEEN OPEN FOR MORE THAN 3 MONTHS  - GET A NEW BOTTLE.. it's not spoiled, it just doesn't work as well.  Calcium carbonate supps can be effective for some people.

[californiaparalawyer358]

Take 1 Tbsp two times daily, not 2 Tbsp two times daily - that was a mistake, sorry...

Be sure not to exceed the recommended dosage on the bottle... sorry about that...

DO NOT exceed 1,000 mg or 1gram of calcium supplements daily without checking with your doctor.

Check the label and follow the product's own directions

[erijon]

Please keep in mind that Calcium Citrate has the risk of the following side effects;

•nausea/vomiting
•loss of appetite
•unusual weight loss
•mental/mood changes
•bone/muscle pain
•headache
•increased thirst/urination
•weakness
•unusual tiredness

In addition, it should only be avoided or only taken under a doctor's care if you already have any of the following;

•kidney disease
•kidney stones
•little or no stomach acid (achlorhydria)
•heart disease
•disease of the pancreas
•a certain lung disease (sarcoidosis)
•difficulty absorbing nutrition from food (malabsorption syndrome)

One should always check with a medical professional before starting any new treatment including over the counter supplements as there can be many factors that may not be know. This is a case of ask your doctor first.

Jon .

[catnip4475]

I have been experiencing skipped beats for the last three years. I have seen a cardiologist about it, and he assures me that my heart is fine.  Hearing that from him helped me for a while, but then I started getting scared again every time I had a skipped beat. I began obsessing over my health and worrying that I was going to die young. I then began seeing a psychiatrist, which helped me a little. The best advice she gave me was this: when I start to feel panicky, breath in slowly through the nose for the four seconds then breath out slowly through the mouth for three seconds and repeat this up to ten times. She told me this works because your system can eiter be in panic mode or calm mode, and this forces it into calm. I also find it helpful to think to myself while I am going to sleep, that I am healthy and strong, and that I will only get more healthy every day. I also tell myself that I will gradually stop being afraid and that my skipped beats will diminish. This seems to working for me. A phrase that I like but never really understood until now is "This too shall pass" I hope this is helpful to all or at least some of you. At least we know that we are not alone in this.

[purpledls]

Hi.  I was diagnosed with pac's and pvc's December of 2009.  I actually rushed to the hospital two times over the holiday because I thought I was dying.  I will have to admit that  anxiety set in after experiencing the pac's and pvc's.  I find that I notice mine more in the evening when I am settling down after being busy all day.  I will have a couple of good weeks and then I will have a bad week. They seem like they come in cycle's.  When wearing the halter monitor for 24 hours it had recorded about 200 of them. I had 3 ekg's and a echogram and everything was normal. My cardiologists told me to give up all caffeine and he put me on metoprolol.  He also told me that they could possibly go away on their own.  Thanks for all of the posts.  I gathered some good info..  Good luck everyone:)

[stringplayer]

My ablation was a disaster.  I posted about it last year.  I guess it is on here.  I am in my 50's and play concerts all over.  Constantly having 10 or 15 a minute.  Can't stand it but I handle it.  Heart muscle is fine.  I have played 2 hr concerts while in Bigeminy, every other beat.
Disgusting.  No meds.  Heart rate is too slow.  52 at night sitting around.  

[meenaseven]

I am new to this site and I have read your post and many others and you are all worried about your pac's and pvc's.  I was a mother of three with the youngest being 3 years old when I got my first pac's.  I was 38 years old when I had my heart cath. done at the Cleveland Clinic.  I have been to the University of Michigan medical center and seen all the doctors and had all the tests - event monitor for one month -
done all the stress testing, etc.  I was told the pac's, etc. were not life threatening and had echo's, all the blood work, been to many ER's around the country and
guess what ----  I have seen my children graduate high school, college, get married and I am a grand mother of 7 great kids.  I fully expect to see my oldest grand daughter graduate high school in three years.  I am in generally good health and just turned 70 recently.  Are the pac's life threatening?  NO!  Are they quality of life threatening?  Yes they are.  I still hate it when I get a lot of them or they wake me up at night --- like tonight ---- that's why I am on this site.  I find if
I get up and get my mind busy they don't bother me so much.  Don't stop going to
the grocery store or living your daily life.  You are letting this condition take over.
Enjoy your life and your family and I am living proof that you will probably live to be and "old" lady (I don't feel a day over 40) as long as you take care of yourself and have all your normal check up's and keep a good attitude.  Good luck. and now my
heart has settled down and I am going back to bed.

[vienna13]

Great post. Great attitude !!

[Mom2four85]

pac's and pvc's are completely different feelings and symptoms to me...while most pac's are not life threatening (notice I says most) pvc's can be...unfortunately some dr's don't realize this and patients like me suffer - no test pointed to the arrhythmia's I've suffered since age 9 to be dangerous... well yes they did they were just overlooked and brushed under the rug.  

Some dr's think multi focal pvc's aren't dangerous, others think they can be - mine turned out to be malignant and caused all kinds of problems.  I ignored symptoms for too many years and believed my dr's when they said "nothing" was wrong, it's all in your head, you're as healthy as a horse.

Everyone in the world gets arrhythmia's at some time in our lives, some of us feel them and are symptomatic, while others don't feel them at all.  What's "normal" in one person may not be normal in someone else.  Some people panic and have anxiety over 5 or 50 pvc's a day, while others like myself live and deal with 20,000, 30,000 and even 50,000 pvc's daily.

After suffering for over 35 years, my heart finally had enough, luckily my EP was really good and saved my life when my heart stopped 3 times during my EPS.  I was dx with Polymorphic VT (malignant arrhythmia's) no known cause found yet.

[vienna13]

The point is : ATTITUDE :)

Like people use words:"suffering".....I would never use that word that easily , might say: had this unpleasant feeling, but I feel great still, because my life is a gift.  Our body cannot be all the time in perfect stage unfortunately, we are often feeling discomfort, but “suffering”?
I have defined totally different things by that word, like if one has a terrible migraine headache. Or  one dying in pain or  been tortured.
  Again: in my opinion all about attitude. I have a positive attitude about my beautiful wonderful heart.:)Even when I learned I have a real heart condition (refuse to use the word: heart disease):)
So should I suffer? No way. It was time in the first year I had many many heart pains, and I smiled and just did everything as usual. Exercise, gardening, working, minding my look,:) ,getting the right food for body and mind ,try to stay young looking, which I accomplished . Now 7 years later I feel excellent, like I never had a heart muscle weakness.
  But of course we are all different. Sorry just had to say my point with more words.:)
Take care.

[vienna13]

One more thing: We are all in a "life threatening " situation in every minute after we came to this world.  So with POSITIVE ATTITUDE we better make the most of that life.
The NOW is our life, not the what might happen if..........

[Mom2four85]

sorry I have SUFFERED with 50,000 pvc's for days, hours, months and years on end....no two ways about it - suffered through and dealt with what most people can only imagine; led my life and acted like nothing was wrong and lived life to the fullest.. never let how I was feeling get me down...when someone else can go through that type of "torture" and pain daily then they can truly know what I'm feeling...just my personal opinion...just like I can't know what a person with cancer is going through because I've never had cancer...

each of us have our own opinions and I respect others and expect the way I feel to be respected also - I have truly "suffered" i.e. felt the pain and distress of my heart being "quirky" and stopping...just my own feelings and no 2 people will feel the same things the same way, I've 'suffered' heart muscle weakness i.e. cardiomyopathy which weakened my heart and suffered through malignant dangerous arrhythmia's that lead to sudden cardiac death...

I'm not sure why the previous post was directed to me? I do not see anything in my reply that warranted something like this response?

[BodhidharmaCharma]

With pvc's, it's the quality of the pvc, not the quantity, that matters.  It all has to do with how the electrical impulses work in your heart, and there is a wide range that is normal for several different people.  There are pvc's that are life threatening, but only because they are significantly more electrically larger than normal missed heart beats.

http://www.seltrekelectricalsolutions.ca

[chem49]

i am 51 and just started experiencing pvc's went to er and all tests were normal, followed up with my pcp, more tests, no change, scheduled with a cardiologist.  I have these constantly all day and night. takes my breath away and i am feeling extremely tired now.  something is defintely not right, and i don't know what to do , i have to wait 2 weeks to see a cardiologist.  no one really seems to care, i feel hopeless reading all of this information that they are normal and nothing to do about it.  somehow have your heart beat extra doesn't seem normal to me, sounds as if it will wear your heart out at an earlier age and you could die young.  

[canadianeh007]

i am 28 years old and have been feeling these pvcs for about 4 months now. I have had every test in the book and everything came back normal. i went to see a cardiologist and the way he explained it to me was "do you ever get a twitch behind your eye? its the same thing." your heart is a muscle, and muscles twitch. its just what they do. these are completly normal, and everyone gets them. there is no point in freaking out and stressing about them because when you stress out your body releases adrenaline into your body which is only harder on your heart. learn to relax. take deep breaths...for as long as you need. take up yoga. cut back on caffine. you will find they will calm down emmensly, and you will learn to ignore them. as long as i am feeling great in every other way, i couldnt imagine letting this take over my life. you shouldnt either.  

[2worried4words]

I recently have been diagnosed with pvcs and they drive me nuts. at this very moment i feel like they are never gonna stop. i dont understand how they can be considered normal.

[kevonie]

I started having PVC's when I was 31, about 1500 a day.  They started me on Toprol and Lonoxin.  They have calmed down unless I am stressed.  I believe they started from drinking too many diet Mt. Dews a day but they are miserable when they are going on and scary.  I now have been diagnosed with PAC in addition and SVT's.  I don't know that any of them know what the crap they are talking about.  They just put you on meds and send you out the door.  I have been told to go to the Cleveland Heart Clinic.  They can do an oblation (ablation).  I have been just too scared to do it but as I get older I am seriously considering it.  

[Mom2four85]

Those of you with arrhythmia's should also join us in the Heart Rhythm forum http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Heart-Rhythm/show/92 and check out this Live Health Chat Dr. Peter Borek from Cleveland Clinic did Tuesday on  Arrhythmias: Different Types and Available Treatment Options  http://www.medhelp.org/health_chats/archive/64

[Kennspinn]

I just got out of the hospital for severe PVC's. They are crazy and they have ruined and changed my life.  I have had them on and off the last 4 years.  They usually did not happen only when I was stressed or after I excersised.  So I decided to go to a cardoilogist for them and he gave me a Excersis Stree Echo.  They saw a few what they said at the time PAC's. They told me to go on down the road as well. I keep on trucking and by the way I am a very anxious person always have been my whole life. I worried sick to death about these and avoided everything that caused them.  Now my cardo doc had started puting me on Beta Blocker started with Corgaurd for a while and than they put me on Motroppol. Well after the Metropol I began to get them day in and day out.  They are happing probobly 8 to 10 a min and sometime 2 or 3 in a row those are really scary.  I have been dealing with this for the last three weeks I get no break from them at all.  The docters told me to stop the Motropol all togather.  I do have a bottle of xanex and i pop one of those in when things get to hard to handle right now.  When I sit still and focus on them they do get worse but when I go out and do any exerswise at all they get worse to.  So now I have to go back to the cardologies again to wear another holter moiniter to see if they need to due a surgery, pacemaker etc. I will let everyone know on this forum that if you worry about these all day every day they will turn into a worse situation.  They have for me and now I need to start the process of re living a different life than before.  I have a 3 year old and a Wife that I love so Much but it is hard for them to see me like this at all.

[Ayeshasocal]

I know this sounds like a broken record, but...I'm thrilled to have found this sight. I'm a 49 year old, ultra healthy female who for the past 3 years thought she was going into cardiac arrest on a daily basis. I'm a long distance runner and some days I've felt like my heart would explode if I took another step. PAC's are now pretty much non-stop, I wake up in the morning, take a nice deep breath, and accept it will be my last easy breath of the day. Like everyone else on this board, my doctor has told me my heart is healthy, but regretfully, my PAC's are severe. I genetically have high blood pressure; this morning 185/92. My doctor put me on 25mg of Motropol last week (switched from Cozar), which he increased today to 50mg because it wasn't working...after reading kennspinn's post, I'm wondering if it's making things worse though. Physically this condition is ridiculously draining, and I don't understand why our cardiologists are so quick to tell us to learn to live with them. PAC's hurt, and for me, have altered my quality of day to day life. I just don't ever feel 100% "together" does that make sense? On a good note, I'm really happy to have found this forum.

[lola1915]

wow, how wonderful to find this forum although unhappy that we are all here for this horrid reason. i was 32 when i had my first pvc..went to dr. emergency...he sent me to er....cardio....all the usual..has intermittent pvc's for a while ..they totally changed my life i had 2 young children at he time. surprisingly they diminished greatly over the years..i am now 47  i started nursing school 2 years ago. about 6 months ago i had what i call a pvc attack. that was the begining fo the end.. same panic, had it in class rushed to cardiologist...same story...i have been on toprol xl 100mg 2xdaily for 15 years. 3 days ago , was th eend... i began to get them anywhere from 6-12 a minute  they are non stop i have run ons that they were finally able to see on the holter i wore ( i still dont have the results) i was in the emrgency room yet again... i have had countless ekg's, echo, nuclear stress and the gold standard: a heart mri (which took me 3 tries cuz i couldnt be in a tunnel that long with pvc's ). All the tests come back normal, i have no structural abnormalities which apparently make these pvc's dangerous. the ep changed my meds it took me a month to actually change them  he said toprol is a terrible med... he is weaning me off that and giving me verapamil, which in my head will kill me. I am afraid to take anything becuz of these stupid pvc's. I am like all of u, afraid to go out, afraid to be alone, i tell  my kids to call 911 if they see i dont feel well ( what a burden to put on ur kids).. as i write this, my heart is skipping a mile a minute... non stop  funny i'm thinking i'm gonna drop while writing about these horrid things.... any advice or something new would be greatly appreciatedddd......thanks   good luck to all

[Mammag]

I am 26 an have 4-6 pVC's a minute. Thats about 5,000 a day. My blood pressure is real low an I get dizzy constantly with a bulging pulsating thing in the left side of my neck. I faint an get clammy an sweat profusely . Could I  have heart problems? My numbers from my EKG are:
RR-902
P-114
PR-188
QRS-92
QT-406
QTC-432
I am a mother of three an I'm waiting two weeks for my holter results. Does anyone have any ideas?

[ThinkPositive44]

This is my personal experience with Heart Cath, EP and Heart Ablation to NSVT. I'm 44 and suddenly developed runs of PVC's. Within 4 weeks they went from 60/day to over 20,000/day. Did all imaginable tests and doctors all said "don't worry about it" as "my heart and pipes are all structurally sound". I seeked help from an EP doctor (Electro Physiologist) as I did not want to live with this condition. We decided to go for a EP study followed by an irrigated catheter ablation. It was the best decision I ever made for myself. 4 months later I am enjoying a PVC and NSVT free life. Meds did not work for me. Regular cardiologists are not specialized on pvc's/pac's as this are electro conduction related problems in your heart. Only Electro Physiologist can tell you more. Insist to be seen by an EP. All the best to you all.

[5haperider]

I have had pvc's since I was 18, I am now 51. I've had test done ,been to diffrent doctors all say the same thing , do not worry about them. I get quite a few of these in a minute non stop. I notice I get them more when my HR is low it gets down into the 40's but when I stand it goes up to the 130's. My BP is low at home but when I go to the DR. it goes sky high. I was put on Bystolic 5 mg  a day which was good for the anxiety,and a lower HR. but it really dropped my BP 80/49. so it didn't really help with the pvc's was told to go to 2.5 1x  a day still to low so I stopped taking anything all together. My pvc's and pac's come in spurts but when they do they are constant I go for a couple months without them, but when they come back it seems like they last forever. My Bp and HR is all over the place too. The only thing that calms them down is Co- Q10 sometimes, been having them for 3 weeks now, also I have alot of diffrent sensations always scary. I use to always go to the ER when  I would get them for this long, but I got tired of hearing the same thing over and over. Don't worry about them. Easy for them to say.

[machtwo]

Thank God I discovered this forum! I don't feel so alone and scared. I certainly empathize with everyone who feels the discomfort of PVC's. I'm 44, I started getting them about a month ago and they're getting worse! They started maybe 1 or 2 a minute and now I'm experiencing runs of them as well, 2 and sometimes 3 in a row and then normal heartbeat and then intermittent ones and then more runs of them. Doctors say they're benign but the sensation is bothersome and quite disturbing and certainly causes anxiety! I notice them heavily at night when I first go to bed. Then they start. That weird sensation of flip flop followed by that pause and heavy pound. I HATE them! Prior to bed, I try to relax with chamomile tea and I even feel sleepy and relaxed and feel my pulse in my neck and everything is normal. The minute I hit my bed and try to sleep they start in with a vengeance! I too suffer anxiety and I'm also bipolar, but I was diagnosed in 2003 and have never experienced these sensations until about a month ago. I'm now 44. I'm developing a fear of going to bed now. I've tried diet and exercise and nothing works. They checked my electrolytes and everything is fine. Blood is full of nutrients, albumen levels look great. I dunno, maybe my lack of a normal circadian rhythm (sleep cycle) due to my bipolar condition contributed to these. I can't help but think these things are not going away, but it's enlightening to hear others mention Electro-Physiologists. I've never even heard of such a doctor. I will see if the VA hospital has any available. Thanks all and best wishes.

[machtwo]

I know what you mean about the 2 and 3 PVC's in a row being scary! I get the same thing. Terrible.

[lovdede]

Your NOT going to DIE!! I feel the same way and have felt the same way now for 15 years. PVCs started with me at the age of 23 and I am 38 and still get them. Sometimes I can go months without any then out of no where its like CRAZY every other beat a pvc,waking up from sleeping with heart beating out of control... I know how you feel. I sit here and think how is this not going to kill me!! But its been so many years now and I still worry. What I can tell you is this if I have wasted 15 years thinking im going to die and it has affected my life. DOnt make the same mistake I did. Also I once read someone say walk into a cancer patients room and tell them about your PVCs and they will take your PVCs over there problem any day. Even though I hear people say not to worry, I myself telling you not to worry. Im still going to worry cause its scary!! But i have thousands a day! If your only have a few just be happy and i can tell you If i can live with thousands im sure you can with a few :) good luck to you.

[suzyqqq27]

I just got my hoter monitor report back today.  I had just over 1,000 PVCs in a 19-hour period (I ripped the thing off after 19 hours instead of 24 'cause my skin was so irritated by the tape they used).  I also had atrial tachycardia and was in tachycardia for 22% of the time with a 24 second episode where my heart beat between 250 and 300 beats per minute...I didn't even know that  heart could beat that fast without exploding. :)  

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that they said the PVCs were benign even though I feel them all and they drive me crazy.  Also, my sister had a successful ablation last year and she had 29,000 PVCs on her holter prior to the surgery!!!  29,000!!!  Her heart rate was 37 bpm because she had so many ineffective beats.  She suffered from bigemeny and trigemeny and this is the kicker...NEVER noticed one.  She said she felt faint and dizzy sometimes but not one flutter, thump or flip flop.  I can't believe it as I feel every one.  She's a physician and sometimes after two PVCs, the sinus rhythm thump would be so strong that her stethoscope would actually jump off her lab coat.

They wouldn't have even fixed hers because they said her heart was otherwise healthy but because she was having so few "regular" heart beats that her blood wasn't pumping effectively around her body anymore and that was affecting her quality of life and health.

Now, if she never died from her PVCs, we won't die from a measly thousand or so a day.

Just a thought,
S.

[suzyqqq27]

that was supposed to say "holter" and not hoter.

Sorry about that - hate typos.

[vicvicvic1991]

Hey,
I'm recently a new pvc incomer lets say. On Saturday afternoon i started noticing skipped heart beats ranging from every 10 seconds to every few minutes. I ended up going to the ER eventually as I did not know what they were and I was having them so frequently. Anyways doc did some kind of test to "catch" one as he put it then I was out of there and he said everything was fine and they would go away. Its now monday night ( i know only two days) but i still get them just as much and I'm scared it may be something worse. I am definitely calling my cardiologist tomorrow to do a thousands tests so i feel better about it ( i get anxiety quite a bit and so things like that just dont get out of my head). Anyways the fact that i prob have from like 4-6 (lets hope not more) a minute i range in the thousands a day and i feel every single one of them... I'm 20 years old. Last year i did do a stress test, a holter and some kind of heart ultrasound thing. Everything came out fine. however this is the first time i ever feel the pvcs and they are so strong and frequent its flipping me out. Anyways thought I'd share my story hoping any of you can give me some guidance and reassurance