Immediate PVC's (bigeminy) with anxiety

[NBCT]

I am a 44 year old female with MVP and 2+ regurgitation diagnosed six years ago after experiencing the common PAC's, PVC's, SVT etc. all seen on holters and event recorders. I have come from the worst fear of every beat to total acceptance and even tolerance of them in the past few years.
My concern lately is the sudden onset of the irregular beats. I have found ANY increase in my anxiety level triggers immediate PVC's(bigeminy) lasting a while and causing chest discomfort. I have been able to tolerate caffeine, social alcohol, stopped taking Toprol two years ago, but have a fear now due to a strong family history of early fatal MI's and CABG's tending towards genetically high cholesterol.
Should I be checked for blockages with a change in the irregular beats, or attribute it to anxiey changes?  Thank you for your time.

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,

I think the first step is have a holter or event monitor to correlate the symptoms with the rhythm.  I typically wouldn't order a stress test for PVCs, but it depends on the whole picture -- your family history, the chest pain and what brings the chest pain on.  It is worth asking your doctor these questions.  With a strong family history of CAD there are may be reasons for other medications like aspirin, statin, beta blocker, especially if there are other risk factors as well.

Thanks for posting.

[hambone]

Hi!
I have the exact same thing and a similiar family history - except I have AV node PSVT.I have almost backed out suddenly a few times while at rest. Very scarey.
I limit caffeine & can't drink at all.
As I have gotten older (I'm 53) my symptoms have increased. Sometimes I have bigeminy for days on end.  
I get so disgusted with the whole thing, that I never call my doctors unless it starts to get too weird.
Look forward to the Doc's reply. Good luck.
Hambone

[madgrad92]

OK, I have a few questions for you all out there, related a bit to anacyde's post about the "sudden increase" in PVCs. I plan to ask my Dr. these questions, too, but wanted to know some of your experiences.

I can go 2-3 hours a day with 0-2 PVCs and then suddenly have what I call "clusters" of them within an hour's time - during that hour, I might have 15-20 of them, which sort of freaks me out. Do any of you have the same thing? I know that PVCs aren't exactly regular - you don't get one EVERY 5 minutes, for example - but do any of you get these clusters? Are they reason for concern?

Also, at what point do I consider my PVCs "increasing"? For example, if I went from 180 in 24 hours to 400 or so in 24 hours, does this warrant any concern? Any of you have a sudden surge in PVCs, and did you have it checked out with your doctors? Any advice from you intelligent, experienced people would be appreciated. Thanks!

[tickertock]

I went from 0-5 PVCs a day to 6-15 a minute for months non stop, sometimes in bigeminal patterns lasting up to 15 minutes many times in a 24 hour period. I've asked my cardio about this also, his answer was just nature of the beast for some with PVCs.

Luckily this is the less I've had them in the last 16 years, I probably get around 10-20 a month that I'm aware of , of course about once every couple of months I'll get a series of irregular beats that feels similiar to bigeminal PVCs but usually last less than a minute. Hope everyone gets relief soon. Good luck.

[Abeybaby]

To answer your questions, I am told it makes little difference of the frequency change in pvc's. Its only significant if u suffer from Cad. Then perhaps it makes a difference.

[Flycaster305]

I have experienced PVC's for years, as did my father and mother, and my sister and brother experience them as well.  Most of my cousins have them.  My father died at age 87 of prostate cancer, my Mother died at age 94 of a a stroke, we think. We were fortunate to be re-assured by fine doctors, including our father early in life that PVCs should be ignored, which we did, and sometimes when we are together joke about our PVCs; I feel a Disco beat, Sis feels more of a country theme, brother insists his keeps a rock'n roll theme.  I think we are very, very lucky that we aren't distracted by these heart twangs, but we had early assurances and took them seriously.  I have now CHF, but it was caused by smoking, work stress, diet and lack of exercise.  I changed those behaviors but after the horse left the barn, so to speak.  I'd urge anyone with any type of heart issue to address those things that affect the heart earlier than later.  Wish I had.

[mrspizzman]

Tonight I had a very strange episode and I'm not sure where to turn. I experienced a fluttering in my chest then felt the need to cough. My hear rate increased and I began to breathe heavily. Then I began to feel panicky. It lasted about an hour or so. I'm 48, healthy, not overweight, non-smoker. Should I worry or do I have what you all seem to have, anxiety? This has happened a couple times before but I managed to dismiss it. This time I couldn't. Any help would be appreciated.

[sandro]

what brings out my PVC's (sometimes) is certian body movement... does anyone know what that means and does it really matter?

[bama jane]

I have had these irregular beats for 7 years daily and yes I do sometimes go a few hours without any only to start having a lot in an hour, sometimes a few every minute and sometimes runs of them. If you look up old posts you will see that some people on here have over 20 thousand a day. I feel pressure with mine as well (SOMETIMES) and also have atrial tach issues. I think everyone with these rhythm issues fears that they will become worse. Hope you feel better.

[DebHasPVCs]

What a great post!  It sounds like you have a pretty cool family, all able to sit around and characterize and laugh about your PVCs.  You have the proof positive that people can live to a ripe old age with PVCs.  Maybe we should all try to "be friends" with our PVCs - give them a name, say hello when they come to visit us, hang out... Mine are around all day long, so I guess I've got a constant companion with me.

Thanks for helping me see the lighter side of things.

[tickertock]

I know from your previous post that you and I both suffer from AS if I'm not mistaken. I sure like the one about locking the gate after the horse got out the barn, happens to a lot of us, it's never too late to turn the tide. Good luck.

[madgrad92]

My PVCs and my SVT can be triggered by certain body movements - usually twisting or reaching up. This is probably due to the vagus nerve getting closer to the heart. It stimulates the extra wiring we have, bringing on the PVCs. I once had an SVT episode that started when I reached back to hand my kids something in the backseat. It stopped when I turned forward, started when I reached back, stopped when I turned forward, etc., about 5 times. It was SO weird. I really think we have high vagal tone (common in people with anxiety). I truly believe if we can learn to desensitize ourselves to these "extra beats," we'll be a lot happier. I'm actually thinking about hypnosis if I can't conquer the fear on my own.

[yoshi74]

Certain body movements bring on quite a bit of my PAC's/PVC episodes. I am so gald you asked that question. I have rarely seen this being talked about so once again, I thought it was only me. I could be stirring something vigoursly, or folding clothes, or even reaching for something and they start up. It has even happened while I was shampooing my hair! I am not sure how or why Sandro, but it does happen to me quite often so feel more at ease that it does happen to others...and please, if anyone has these sensations from certain movements...please share.

[tickertock]

Bending, stooping,kneeling, reaching my arms above head, twisting my body from left to right or vice versa, also taking a deep breath can trigger PVCs for me sometimes with tachycardia occuring along with PVCs, lucklily I rarely get this anymore with the atenolol.

[yoshi74]

I have been on Innopran XL 120mg for a couple of months now and they seem to have subsided somewhat. January and February of this year were real rough for me...Palps were real bad and my anxiety level was through the roof because of them. I was depressed and convinced I was going to drop dead any minute. Not a fun way to live...or not live shall I say. They are not completely gone...but at least they are not as bad as they were earlier in the year. I wonder if these meds run their course because I was on Inderal for a couple of years and the PAC's/PVC's were not happening as often as they were prior to the start of the med, but then January of 03, out of the blue, I got a real bad run of them that sent me to the ER...they then changed me over to Toprol XL. I got pregnant so they took me off of them, and then I was fine for a year and a half or so, then jan feb of 06, they fired back up and now I am on Innopran. Anyway, just wondering if anyone had heard of these meds running their course and your body getting immune to them.

[Abeybaby]

I read your reply and was surprised that you get some many pvc and even bigemeny for days on end. That must be difficult to manage and would like to know how you do it? I am 41, male, with unifocal pvc's and I seem to be getting more of them as I age. I hate them and often they are a main contributor to my own personal unhappiness. Feel lousy most days and often avoid long trips or remote destinations for fear that something may happen. Its not a way to live but its what I have been used to over the last 9 yrs or so when the pvc's reared their ugly head. I am starting to get two and three beat runs but my cardio says to ignore very hard to so. I am interested in your insights and can be contacted via email at abe-***@****

Many tks

[sandro]

you know whats funny, my girlfriend left me 3 months ago because we stopped haveing sex on a count of my PVC"s during sex. has anyone else had this problem because personally its hard to be comfortable haveing sex and that reeeeeeally SUCKS. i lost someone i loved, and i mean LOVED...i guess she din't love me as much as i loved her :(

[madgrad92]

Loved ones have a hard time with this. My husband has been extremely patient, but I know that those of us on this board who suffer from anything scary enough to get us to the ER a few times sometimes need more than patience. Our significant others hear the word "benign," and they can't understand why we can't get past it. I had a tumor removed from my neck three years ago - assessment? Benign. Never gave it another thought. The problem with PVCs is that they give you a constant physical reminder of their presence (sometimes WAY more than they need to!). PLEASE, please read some of the books I recommended on another post (I think). Dr. Claire Weekes (Peace from NErvous Suffering and Hope and Help for Your Nerves) as well as Edmund Bourne's Anxiety and Phobia Workbook. You're suffering from tremendous agorophobia (it's not just fear of public places, like you think), and you need to get help. You're NOT going to die from PVCs. Not to get too graphic with you, but I have sex with my husband while I'm having PVCs. You know what the payback is? Fewer PVCs and a healthier heart!! Don't stop yourself from doing what you love to do.

[sandro]

i'm checking different book stores for those books. i really appreciate your help and comfort...really, i do. thank you sooo much.

[loucipher7]

I just happened to run across this forum cuz i was concerned with what i'm having and if they are pvc's ?
What i get, and it is sometimes triggered by moving my arm a certain way, sitting a certain way and even sleeping on my side but it also can be just random.
It feels like my heart is missing a beat and then i get like one big beat then it goes back to normal for a while. I usually have just a few like that within the span of maybe a half hour or so. Sometimes it can last for hours tho but it usually only lasts for a max of a few days then i can go for a week or so with nothing. I am trying to nail down whether it's caused by caffene or sugar cuz it seems like it is.
I also have tremor and have been diagosed with anxiety/panic attacks tho i think the majority of it stems from the tremors.
I have been to the doctor and emergency room several times but they have never found anything wrong with my heart even though i do experience heart attack like symptoms from time to time.
If anyone has any comments or advice for me i would appreciate any feedback at ***@**** or on here.
Thanks.

[madgrad92]

Sandro, you may need to check amazon for the books. I found the anxiety and phobia workbook at a barnes and noble, but the weekes books I had to order from amazon.

Loucipher, it sounds like PVCs or PACs. They're benign, but you need to get a full cardiac workup to be sure. They'll give you a stress echo, an EKG, and probably have you wear a 24-hour monitor to "catch" the beats. Heart attack symptoms are a trademark of anxiety, and PVCs/PACs can certainly be exacerbated by anxiety. Caffeine and sugar can bring them on, but usually it's a different trigger. Caffeine, for me, has little effect - though I haven't had it for about two years now, just as a precaution.

[pvcdrivinmecrazy]

HI MY NAME IS ROSE AND I'VE BEEN HAVING PVC'S FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS AND THEY BASICALLY RULE MY LIFE, I AM SO SICK I DON'T NO WHAT TO DO ANY SUGGESTIONS?

[woodruff]

Read, read, read all the comments on this board about pvcs.  Go back to the beginning of this topic, and start there.  In addition, there is a search function on the board.  Just type in pvcs, and you'll see other, earlier discussions of this subject.

If you spend enough time going over the messages, you'll see that most people start out in the emotional state you are in, and gradually come to an understanding of what's going on and how to deal with it all.

[Gary-Fisher]

i too get them in clusters sometimes. these things scare the **** outta me.

i started getting them about 4 years ago at the age of 18. i was put on toprol for heart palpitations. i later had (what i think is a pvc) i didnt have one again for a few months. they slowly started to increase to once or twice a day. i could go weeks/monts without having one, then all of a sudden have 5 or 6 in a row.

this past month has been pure hell for me. im seeing a new doctor to see if they can find what the problem is. i was put on a 48 hour heart moniter thiny. yesterday i had a pvc (i think anyway) after that i stood up to go sit over on my couch, and i had 15-20 in about 2 min time. i was scared.

because when i get them, it feels like my heart stops and i get the breath knocked outta me. so everytime i get one, i have to take a sudden deep breath. i started to panic and called 911. they done some blood work, ekg, etc and everything was fine (i guess)

the doc in the er said it sounded like pvcs. i called my doctor today to let him know i went to the er and all that, and he said it was good that this happened while i was wearing the moniter (i have worn 3 prior over the past few years and they never caught anything).

what was wierd about it was i kept having them up to the point i was loaded up in the ems. i didnt have any in the ems, or at the hospital. but as soon as i got home, i had about 5 in a row. i started to freak out again, but i just layed down and tried to ignore them.

so, i guess i was having pvcs. does that sound like a pvc to yall? scares the living daylights outta me. i thought i was having a heart attack or something and was gonna die. scary feeling when you feel your heart stop and go over and over.

[yoshi74]

Yes they are extremely alarming and very hard to deal with. If all your tests turn out ok and these episodes you are having are PAC's/PVC's and are benign, the only thing left to do is to learn how to deal with them and this forum will do wonders. I have had these things for 14 years and nothing has helped me like being on this forum the past couple of months. Trust me, it is still very hard for me to understand why I have them and why a Dr. can tell you not to worry. I mean, it's your heart, your main organ...anyway, I don't want to freak you out...these are just some of the things I still think about. Good Luck and please come back to this forum as much as possible. It WILL ease your concerns. Even read past posts if you have too.