One more PVC question...

[lolathechi]

Hi

Sorry for yet another PVC question ;-)

I was wondering two things..

1) Why are some PVCS not as noticeable and why do some of them make you feel as though this is it I am going to die?? Once in awhile one will come out of the blue and literally knock my socks off.. It makes me jump out of my skin... I have had all the tests done and my heart is fine, just pvcs.. I truly believe 99.9% of them are brought on by the anticipation of them, do you think that is true?

Also... I know that like everyone else on the board I am scared to death of them and I am sooooo scared I will die from one.. Can you please explain to us, why in the setting of a normal heart that we will not die?? Maybe if we all understand why we wont die from them we might not be as scared??? And what prevents a PVS from turning into the ones that cause that deadly arrytmia??

Thanks so much! and sorry to bug about PVCS, we have all been told to move on, forget about them, but it is so hard... You only have one heart and can not surive with out it ;-) I think that is why we are all so worried and concerned.

Thanks for your time and Happy Holidays!

[Cleveland Clinic]

lola,

thanks for the post.

1) Why are some PVCS not as noticeable and why do some of them make you feel as though this is it I am going to die??

No one knows. Each person feels different symptoms from their PVCs. Suffice to say though, your not going to die from them.

Once in awhile one will come out of the blue and literally knock my socks off.. It makes me jump out of my skin... I have had all the tests done and my heart is fine, just pvcs.. I truly believe 99.9% of them are brought on by the anticipation of them, do you think that is true?

There are a lot of triggers. Anxiety can either heighten your awareness of them or may precipitate them.  I can feel an occasional PVC if I quietly sit and wait to feel it.

Can you please explain to us, why in the setting of a normal heart that we will not die?? Maybe if we all understand why we wont die from them we might not be as scared??? And what prevents a PVS from turning into the ones that cause that deadly arrytmia??

The underlying mechanism of a fatal arythmia involves having specific pathways that set up circuits that cause the entire heart to beat in an electrical manner that causes ineffective circulation. Once the circuit is set up, the beats continue over the pathway. In a normal heart, an extra beat occurs because one cell fires too soon, but once that cell causes the extra beat there is no pathway left to continue down and the normal heart beat resumes.

The human body is a marvelous thing. It has a lot of safety mechanisms built in. For instance, we breath and swallow through our mouth even though air and food end up in different places. If you overthink all of the body and complexity it can be quite overwhelming. Instead, you should be thankful that you have a normal heart and channel your anxiety and worry into activities that you know will increase your long term health and fitness.

good luck

[lolathechi]

Ooops I meant to write a PVC from turining into a deadly arrythmai, not a PVS ( dont even know if there is such a thing LOL)

[woodruff]

The heavy thump you feel now and then may be the reult of the heart getting a little bit more full of blood as the result of the "skipped" beat.  Then, it gives one extra hard beat to push out all the blood, and you can really feel it.

Here's a site that gives some information you may find helpful.  

http://www.heartpoint.com/general%20arrhythmias.html

[stlcard1521]

please follow the forum rules. I'm guessing your alias is heart3 (since you closed with "Thanks for your time" in all your posts and your writing style seems the same); if so you've posted 3 questions now this week, youre only suppose to post 2 every 6 months. look up info at places like webmd or the link the guy above posted, or just do a search for "premature ventricular contraction" most of your questions are very general and could be answered by such sources and would allow people with more specific questions to get an answer

[madgeOwens]

I get the feeling from your post that you feel embarrassed or that somehow you are a pest to ask your questions.  Please dont feel that way if thats the case. Some people have a fear they will get cancer, and that fear is very real to them.  You fear that your heart is defective and that fear is very real to you and thus you are sufferring anxiety, which is also very real.
I amm taking anti axiety med as needed now, and just knowing they are there if I need them is helping, so you see, anxiety is strange.  It is the symptoms I get from pvc's, when I get them one on top of the other, that created anxiety for me, and its just a dog chasing its tail after ahwile.  As long as you have had all the tests to rule out heart problems, then you have an irregular heart beat, and you need to keep working with your doctor for the key to the answer on what will help to relieve your fears. Don't go by anything said in here as written in stone ook...its just a support system. Take care. Madge

[lolathechi]

Ummmm... I dont know why you would think that??? I have POSTED once about 3 months ago... I am asking a question because I am scared to death of these things... I dont know why this would bother you?? and why you would be so paranoid I am another user???  I have ONE user ID, and that is Lolathe chi, menaing my chihuahua's name is Lola.. I am here for support and help like most people... Not to be agravated by someone... jeez... Even if I were heart3, why would you be so paranoid...????

To my understanding this is a place for support not someplace people come to be accused of ridiculos things,.. I have MORE important things to worry about (as should you, rather than if I am using a alias)... All I can say is GROW up and last time I checked "Thanks for your time" is used by millions of people a day!!!!!!!

So NO I am not a different perosn, I am Jodie, a 33 year old woman who lives in CT asking a simple question.... About something that scares me half to death!!!! Have some compassion!!!

[lolathechi]

Hi Madge

Thanks so much for your reply... Yes I suffer from a GREAT deal of anxiety and I felt bad asking YET another PVC question ;-))

I know exactly how you feel, or I should say YOU know exactly how I feel ;-) **smiles**..

This has been going on for over 1 .5 years and it is driving me nuts!!!

I treid anti anxiety medicine only to be rushed to the ER the next AM, the MD by accident prescribed the wrong amount, a LARGE amount and made my heart beat 140 beats per minute... ARGHHHH talk about making a heart anxiety a 100's time worse!!!

I just feel like one of these days the PVCS are going to turn into onw huge arrtyhmia and kill me..

Thanks so much for your kind and nice post!!!! Jodie

[dee gee]

There is a very interesting website that answers a lot of heart questions and other health issues.  You can sign up for different topics and they will send you weekly any new information that they have about latest developments.  It is
http://heart.healthcentersonline.com/

[Momto3]

I like the way you posed your question.  As opposed to asking about the mechnics of pvcs or whether or not they are harmful, you asked to understand WHY they are not considered dangerous.  I've been around here for a couple of years, and this is the first time I've seen the question posed in such a manner. I hope you and many others get an answer that you find reassuring and helpful.  

We have all heard that pvcs are harmless, and I for one believe them to be.  However, that being said, I've been where you are and totally understand your frustration, anxiety and fear.  I've had pvcs for a long, long time and over the years, I have tried different meds and anxiety-reducing methods. Beta blockers and avoiding caffeine helped quite a bit, but it seems as though whenever the pvcs really want to "express" themselves, there wasn't much I could do.  For the most part, I learned to live with them.  I guess I had no choice since they wouldn't go away.

In 2003, I had two very successful pvc ablations. Since the procedures, I have not had anywhere even remotely close to the episodes I used to have.  I keep wondering if it will last forever : )

For me, the pvcs weren't necessarily scary.  BUT, the associated anxiety made me so uneasy and fearful. It was like a whole systemic reaction....UGH!!  Though they are medically benign, the "feeling" they generate can feel so threatening.  Hope you are able to find some relief.

BTW, I always figured you were from Chicago (the "chi")....Cute nickname!!!

Please take care and don't worry about asking "another" pvc question.  These doctors are caring and patient and they understand that we are just regular folks looking for some answers.  It beats sitting at home wondering :)

Happy Holidays!!

[heartygirl]

Jodie, I know exactly how you feel - about the PVC's and about being attacked by people on this forum.  I asked my very first question several months ago and the Dr did not answer all my questions so I was lucky enough to be able to post again a few days later to follow up.  Well, needless to say, some of the people on here jumped on me like a pack of wolves.  You would have thought that I called their mother an ugly name or something.  It is utterly ridiculous that people worry about something so petty as how many times people post.  I picture them running to their computer every day - log book in hand - logging every person in their little book that asks a question and OH MY! if a person were to post again soon, they are ready to pounce (even though they are still within the rules!).  

Anyway, I am trying to lighten the mood and show you that you do have friends on here and so you won't feel alone like I did.  

Good luck and ignore the ones that insist on being rude.

[tickertock]

Like momto3 i like the way you asked the questions. I have one or two friends living in New Haven, Connecticut, just curious were you on a cruiseship a few years back. I understand the way you feel regarding PVCs, I have ones that I can barely feel, then ones that make you shoot straight up if you are laying in bed when you feel them, those are the most awful feeling ones.
Hope you feel better soon.

[lolathechi]

Hi guys!

Thanks so much for your kind responses ;-) As you all know living with these are at times a nightmare... People who dont have them DO NOT understand what we go through... My friends and family just dont get it.. I always get told " The doctor said you are FINE, there is NOTHING wrong with your heart, you need to accept it and move on, a million people would love to be in your shoes" Yes... I know it is all true, but it is so hard to accept and understand!! Like I said we only have one heart and we need it ;-)

Momto3 ....I am so glad your albation helped.. I am wayyy to scared to consider it ;-) I have heard horror stories and seen many successes. But that is sooooooooo wonderful yours helped!! If they could guarantee it helping LOL I would do it in a second! But with my luck.......... well.. it would not be good,. I am always the 1% of unlucky thigs!! And you are TOATLLY right about teh anxiety.. That is what drives me to the end... the anxiety of them and waiting for them to come... I sit here and wait for those beats... I know that is a BAD thing to do.... But I am a anxious person by nature.. I guess it finally caught up with me!! Thanks so much for your kind words and reassurance, it did help me ;-)

Heartygirl..... You are totally right, i was laughing when you said they keep a log, I think you hit the nail on the head... I dont know why some of them have to be so rude!! We are all here for help and support.. Yes, if someone abusues the questions.. I agree someone should say something,. But come on... give a little compassion if people ask one extra question.. jeez... i am so sorry you went through that.. I dont remember reading the posts about that,, but sorry!! that is not a fun thing to go through... And the thing that kills me is sometimes no one asks a question, there have been days with no questions and days with only oen question... I posted about 9am est and i got through...so maybe they wait till it is too late??? From what I see most ?? are pvc related.. and it seems like some get annoyed and tell you to go to webmd, etc.. those are great sites... but my questions are not answered on there, as most arent, it is great for basic understanding.. but not when you have a specific question....

Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOO much for your support!!! it means a WHOLE LOT to me,.. ;-) thanks!!!!!

[lolathechi]

oops hit post comment before I could finish..

Nope, no cruise, though I wish I were or had been on one LOL.. I live in Fairfield.. which isnt too far from New Haven...

Ohhhhh i hate those pvcs, those are the scary ones.. the ones where you gasp and grab onto whatever is cloest and feel as though, this is it, I am dying...

I hope if we can find out why they WONT or CANT kill us, maybe it will make accpetance eaiser??? I just thought of it last night.. I was trying to figure out how to accept these...

Ohh and also to momto3 again ;-) nope, not from Chicago, when I first started with the anixety, heart, pvc fear, I got a chihuahua puppy to have constant company ( one so small I can sneak her in anyplace in my purse or know it is known as her purse!!) this really helped me more than anything in the world.. I already had a bunch of big dogs, and horses.. but this little angel, she saved me from going nuts, her name is Lola, so hence lolathechi ;-) since her I have 6 more and one more on the way... Needless to say I would need one HUGE purse to bring all with me.. but Lola still goes EVERYWHERE with me.... ;-) I know when she is with me, I can not go nuts and loose control.. I have to make sure she is okay.. it keeps me in touch wiht reality... I had such severe panic with the pvc's i could harldy go anyplace alone, a trip to home depot or the supermarket was tortue... but I am almost 100% cured of those fears now!! Thanks to Lola!!! ;-)

[LynnSB]

I hear you!  These irregular beats can be totally terrifying and, for me, there are different qualities to different kinds that scare me more than others -- does that make any sense? I woke up this morning feeling unusually exhausted... after going downstairs my heart started skipping. It was probably a run of premature atrial beats or PVCs or both. and I felt sort of a flushed feeling and slight weakness -- but mostly I was terrified. Yep, despite COUNTLESS month long event monitors, EKGs, an EP study and ablation ( which fixed one problem but not all) and reassurances by the finest cardiologist and electrophysiologists in the state that my heart , yes, does those PVC, PAC things but I am in no danger at all ---- my day was destroyed. I am still so worried. I try so hard but I've had skips off and on all day -- probably 10 as I wrote this post. It pushes my fear buttons. I can honestly say that these things have destroyed a great deal of my life. I'm ashamed to say that, but it is the truth.

[upbeat63]

We've all been there, so hang in there. I don't know who counts questions, but certainly it is not those of us who are here for support.

I expereince high frequency PVCs, but I used to get such bad panic attacks I thought the world was ending. When I finally decided not to let the PVCs or the anxiety rule my life, I had to take baby steps to establish that goal. You know, driving down the street and giving myself a pat on the back for getting that far. Then I would tell myself the grocery store parking lot was my next goal. Then when I got there, just one item from the store was my next goal. Pretty soon I'd done all the shopping I needed and I was walking out the door smiling. Glad you have a little friend help you get through your anxiety.

But it's the same for the PVCs. At over 20,000/day I get lots of practice telling myself, "that one didn't kill me, I'm still here". Even though I might say that several times a day, there are those that knock my socks off and I have to go back to the begining. Remember, baby steps. You'll get to the point that you focus on the positive and not the PVCs. You'll always notice some, but if you have wonderful things in your life, you'll start to notice the wonderful things more. Focus on the positive, practice daily. Hope your life is full of wonderful things to distract you from the PVCs.

[heartygirl]

I have had the same panic feelings that you are talking about.  I too had to do baby steps.  I got a little farther down the road every day without panicking and now I can drive completely alone just fine as long as I don't have to go over 30 minutes away, then I get nervous.  
I definitely think that those of us that have anxiety get a higher amount of PVC's/PAC's than the "normal" population just because there is more adrenaline flowing in our system.
I sometimes wonder if my anxiety caused the PVC's or if the PVC's cause the anxiety..... I don't know but it is very hard to deal sometimes.   This forum is great support!

[stlcard1521]

Well, sorry if you're not heart3. I was reading through the posts, and saw heart3 had 2 posts within a couple days, and the format of your posts seem very very similar (the greetings are the same, posts finish with "Thanks for your time," and messags have lots of words ACCENTUATED in caps and lots of smiley faces). The title sounded as if it was a continuation of those posts as well. Didn't mean to offend you, I know I was trying to post for several days a couple months back and I had trouble getting a post in, and its frustrating when you want an answer and you see people ask general questions and use several posts in a short amount of time.

Anyway, I know theyre scary. They won't hurt you though, just gotta give them some time to soak in and eventually it wont bother you as much. Regular excercise has greatly reduced mine, much more than medication. I think they are psychological for a lot of people, so try not to worry too much even though it can be difficult. Good luck with them.

[prl423]

I am new to this forum as a writer, but have been a big reader of this whole Palpitation issue for many many years now.  When I was about 22 years old, I experienced my very first palpitation, and it scared the hell outta me.  Today at age 51, I still get them, and they still scare the hell outta me.  This condition has been a life ruining condition for me.  

Yes, I have been to the doctors, and all of them seem to say somewhat of the same thing.  I have read that they all basically say the same thing, and sometimes I wonder why I keep reading the same things over and over again.  However for me, I have now clear evidence as to the cause of my pvc's, and I can make my heart produce even more.  I have read so much about the underlying problems that could be associated with PVC's, and I have to admit that "stress" is my cause, and I can now prove it convincingly.

Much more to come.

PRL423

[madgeOwens]

I am becoming addicted to this site hahaha.........
I went back on the Inderol and I am human again, so I am hoping for the same calm and pvc free days for everyone:) Take care Madge.....Its no "Picnic" and we fellow sufferers know that.

[lolathechi]

Thanks to everyone for all their support!!! I know we all go through the same things!! It is so difficult and hard to bear at times. This site and reading everyones comments has helped me so much.. I am so glad to know there are people who understand what I go through everyday.. It is horrible thing when the first thing you do every morning is take your pulse and prepare for the skipped beats.. I have tried so hard to stop it.. but it is second nature by now.. How I long to go back to the days when all I worried about was trivial... I feel for everyone.. I will pray for everyone. I wish none of us had to go through this .. but atleast we have this forum where we know we are not alone. Thanks again for all the support and stories.. I am so grateful to the doctor who answered my questions ;-) I am still trying to figure out the meaning to the why we dont die part ( I cant get "mechanical" things through my head).. And then if it is what I think he means.. basically we are not "wired" for the deadly arrythima to take place.. then how does one get "wired" for that to happen?? and is it something tests would show?/ does this make sense???

[Heart3]

I am heart3.  The starter of this thread is someone else.  And I haven't read all the post on this thread yet, but I am in no way embarrassed of posting any of my comments.  I to suffer as everyone else here.  And my questions and comments are valid.

Glad to see you are all so supportive...?????

[Heart3]

Okay, Now that I have had time to read all the post.

I thank you JODI for posting such a great question.  I never thought of wording it quite that way, or I figured that they wouldn't give an answer to that --  I have had PVC's for 9 years at least, and sometimes months go by and I hardly notice them at all, then all of a sudden BOOM there they are in full force.  Or as you put it you don't really notice them and one throws you for a loop.  All we can do is get reassurance from our Dr. and Cardio's and sites like this one that we are okay and that our hearts are still strong.

STLCARD1521 --  I don't know why you would have put a negative spin on Jodi's post.  Even if it was "me" would it really have mattered.  All questions are valid and help all of us understand more about our hearts.  

MOMTO3 AND HEARTYGIRL - and everyone, you are all very supportive and we all appreciate that...:) I look forward to reading you replys to all the posts...:) (did i use to many smiles?)  

[LynnSB]

I just came across this on the Heart Rhythm Society web site and thought I'd pass it along ( doesn't really directly relate to all of us worried about PVCs and PACs but still interesting). If I find any more info on green tea and arrhythmia, will post it:
Green Tea Reduces Heart Rhythm Disorders After Heart Attacks

Flavonoids found in green tea may contribute to a lower incidence of ventricular arrhythmias after a heart attack. This study examined the link between Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG), a type of flavonoid with high concentrations in green tea, on "Human-Ether-A-Gogo Related Gene" (HERG), a potassium channel shown to be present in a form of Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) – a disorder of the electrical system that can be inherited, acquired after taking certain medications, or caused by a combination of heredity and medications.

[stlcard1521]

Like I said, I'm sorry to both of you. I just read down the forum and i noticed the posts were very similar. I realize they are valid questions, but like I said before it took me awhile to get a post when I wanted an answer awhile back, and it frustrated me when I saw people ask several questions in a short time or questions they could easily find the answer to if they did a little research, and I'm sure there are people in the same shoes waiting to post a question right now. I meant to be looking out for them, but I was wrong and over reacted. I'm sorry to both of you.

[netrox]

It's funny reading this because I know the anxiety you have. I get that axiety a lot but after countless hours of reading on PVC's - I am pretty convinced PVC's are nothing to worry about in absence of heart disease but it can be unsettling at times. My anxiety actually often causes my heart to beat faster than it should be. I'd get 120 beats per minute and I'd fret out and it'll get more forceful.

If I take a deep breath, my heart rate drops noticably for a few seconds then returns back to high rate. From what I understood, SVT does not change its rate when you take deep breaths, right? If that's the case, I probably had sinus tachycardia.

By the way, I drink lots of green tea. I have not noticed any significant changes in my PVC frequency and I am not surprised it may reduce the risk of fatal arryhmias after heart attacks but that's a bit too early to determine though.  

The best support I got was from my partner who told me, "Just let me know and I'll be with you to go through it. If it worsens significantly, I'll take you to ER and if you have a cardiac arrest, I'll do CPR. I will do anything to make you live."

-jeff