PVC PAC

[cyn123]

Hello and Thank you for answering my question.  First I'll give you my history.  I had SVT for 13 yrs and had an ablation done in 2000.  Approx one yr before my ablation  I started to feel flutting or skipped beats.  After my ablation i have not had one svt moment since but still feel skipped beats.  They seem to come on sometimes in my swimming pool, or when i take a deep breath.  Anyway i had an all day episodes of these and went to my Doctor  not my EP Doctor.  I wore a halter which showed  in an 18 hour period i had 15 pvc and 560  pac.   Although iam greatful  that they finally caught them on tape, i was wondering if i should be concerned about them.  They have really stole my life away from me.  They make me very scared  even though my doc says they are not harmful but annoying.  He talked about  Beta blockers  but i am very scared to go on any meds.  Is they amout of pvc  and pac  enough to go on meds ?  Are there any long term adverse side effects of beta blocker?  I seem like i cant just ignore them like i wish i could.  I guess i really dont believe that they are not harmful and need constant reasurance.  I stay away from caffene and alcohol.  Iam scared to exercise due to the fact that i hate when my heart gets elevated.  I dont know if   beta blockers is the answer to my fears or not.  What do you think?  Thank you so much for you time.  Have a nice day.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Cyn123,

Thanks for the post.

I have talked with enough patients who have similiar concerns and symptoms, that I can empathize with your problem.  One of our readers said it best when she stated that "slamming her finger in her card door each day wouldn't kill her either, but she sure wouldn't want to do it", obviously meaning that just because something doesn't kill us doesn't mean that it doesn't cause severe symptoms.

You have a decision to make.  It is your decision alone, and none of us can make it for you.  You need to decide if you are going to let these palpitations run (or ruin) your life.  Your doctors, the readers, and I can empathize with you, offer suggestions for palliative treatment, and listen to your concerns, but at the end of the day, you decide whether or not these symptoms dictate what you can or cannot do.

Beta-blockers are helpful for the majority, but they can lead to fatigue and sluggishness in some.  There are no long-term side-effects from the medicines.  Other potential therapies include "alternative medicine" such as yoga, bio-feedback, Tai Chi, and stress management.  Your doctor may or may not know about these forms of care.

Good luck.

[Dr. Erik]

Fear not! These premature beats will not harm you. Beta Blockers are a safe medication and has no long term side effects and will actually prolong your life as well as suppress a lot of these PVC's and PAC's. Good luck!

[cyn123]

Thnak you Eric   You made me smile.  I needed that!!!!!!!

[mightymuppet]

Actually cyn, your symptons are similar to mine...i was put on a beta blocker(low dose)and it has helped a lot...i still get them, but certainly not as much as i did before...the beta blocker is a good drug(very safe)and you'll be started on a low dose just to see how you take to it i guess....good luck, these pac's etc are annoying!

[hbp702]

Why will beta blockers prolong her life if the PACs or PVCs won't shorten it?

BTW, I've taken beta blockers for high BP. Had no energy or desire to do anything. I'd rather live a short life without beta blockers (and feeling well) rather than a long one with (and feeling poorly).

Quality of life is important, and beta blockers trade off quality of life for length of live.

Your body makes adrenaline for darn good reasons. Switching it off (even partially) may not be such a good idea.

[Dr. Erik]

Hello there:

According to my Cardiologist and numerous studies on the use of Beta Blockers, they prolong your life in many ways. First, they keep the heart rate slower which allows the heart to rest more and keep it strong and help maintain the ejection fraction. My doctor says that the higher your ejection fraction the longer you live. Second, they are proven to prevent both first and second heart attacks. Third, they keep blood pressure in check. Fourth, they have anti-arrythmia properties which suppress annoying PVC's and PAC's and can help ward off SVT's, A-Fib and VT.

[heartbeat]

I was put on a low dose of beta blockers (metoprolol 25mg) many years ago.  The first 6 months I felt miserable, always tired and no energy.  But then eventually I felt okay again.  I guess our body does adjust to the pill.  It's a good pill, keeps my heart rate down, helps when I get AFlutters and what I like most of them is they are cheap.

[quint]

I have premature beats similar to yours and every doctor I have talked to about them has told me they wont hurt me. I am on Toprol 50mg a day (beta blocker low dose) and I havent noticed any negative side effects (tiredness or weakness). My hr has slowed by about 20-30 bpm on average - my resting heartrate is now in the 60s-70s rather than 90s-100s and doesnt get nearly as high when Im nervous or doing physical activity (it used to reach as high as 190). My bp has also seen an improvement, usually around 110/70 while not physically active or nervous. I really haven't had any problems with beta blockers and would certainly recommend them to anyone whos indications might suggest them.

[sheryl1945]

I'm almost 58 years old and have been on tenormin (beta blocker) for over ten years for rapid heartbeat.  I'm on a low dosage, and the medicine slows my heart rate down to a comfortable beat.  However, it hasn't done anything for my pvc's/pac's.  I've had all kinds of tests done and thankfully they come back normal.  When I worry about my heart, I get MORE pac's...you gotta get your mind on other things -- I speak from experience.  So far the pvc's/pac's haven't harmed me in any way, so I just listen to my doctor and ignore them.  Only time they trouble me is during panic attacks (I have panic disorder) and then I get positively obsessed about my heart.  Anyone here with similar circumstances?

[spachic1]

Hello all
I to have suffered with pvc always. I have had strange attacks of them in the past year. In August I had so many of them I could barely breath, which sent me to the er many many times. The dr put me on zanex for a short time and they subsided. I went for months with very few pvc which was a relief. I started to get them again about 3 weeks ago as death of family friends seem to have set them off. i to suffer from panic attacks since I have been 5 years old. Now my dr has me on Zoloft which has reduced my panic and pvc. Of course not all the way, I still have at least 20-50 per day. i hate them so much. I teach areobics at a gym 3 times per week and exercise 6 days per week with cardio and weights. I have started to take magnesium twice per day.  Ok here is the question..
It seems as if panic and anxiety go hand in hand. And seems like alot of us have these two haunting us. Is this a fact? Do most of you have panic? The nervous system is greatly involved and when Im calm there alot more calm as well. What do you think?
I am scared of them too. I fight daily with them and Im going to win!! I love my life and refuse to let this stop me. I still teach even with my heart skipping. The dr say there benign. I have had a pluthera of tests. I havent gotten results back yet, but its been two weeks. Ya think they would had called by now? I have kaiser....

[sheryl1945]

YES, anxiety has a lot to do with pac's/pvc's.  I've had panic disorder all my life...started getting a lot of pac's about 8 years ago.  Doctor and psychiatrist tell me to forget them (easier said than done).  I, too, take xanax which helps a lot.  I take my xanax at night, since one of the side effects is drowsiness, and seldom have to use it during the day, although if the panic gets really bad I take a half mg.  I think a lot of us here have a "heart neurosis".  I don't know how to get over the fear.  I'm almost 58 and I get scared.  But knowing that I'm not alone in this comforts me.  Honestly, the pac's will NOT hurt you and they don't harm your heart...your issue is probably more anxiety than anything else.  Hope this helps.  Good luck!

[RCC]

I too have had anxiety for many years, and recently (april 25th) had a stent  installed in my lca.

Of late I had had many more bouts with panic attacks and anxiety as many things have become uncertain in the job arena. The point and question is I have also felt more pinching pain in my chest of late and wondered if it is all connected.

[Ianna]

Hi S,
-
Read about anxiety in the two books of Dr.Claire Weekes.
How to regognize it en how to treat it.
I suggest you go to the library or buy them at Amazon.com.
VERY HELPFUL these books. Not just me but more people here on the Forum read and talked about them.
Titles are: 'Self-help for your nerves' and 'Peace from nervous suffering'.
She's made some tapes for self-help too.
Good stuff.
-
Don't fight your anxiety and other symptoms.
Fighting creates more stress.
Just try to accept them for now, and tell yourself calmly that you regognize the symptoms and that they don't scare you anymore. Then turn your attention away from yourself. Go do something physical like gardening, walking or arobics(yeah!) etc.
Do not lay down in bed or sit down and watch TV.
Breath slowly and in the belly.
-
The way to do all that and more you can read in Dr. Weekes books.
-
Go for it!!  -  *Ianna*  -

[cyn123]

Thank you everyone for your post of very kind words.  Its almost like which one came first the chicken or the egg  well for us its  pvc  or anxiety.  Sometime i dont give a sh*t  just let them go away.  Well i hope all of you have a peaceful day today and everyday.  Thank you again for letting me know, im not alone.

[John Morales]

Hello, Well It looks like I found a place where maybe I can get some sympthy, advice, and help . I am a Veteran now of 6 EP ablation Studies in about 8 years including a tras-ceptal in february I think I spelled that right. My last ablation was about a two weeks ago and it appears that the ablations was a nightmare as he was close to the SN and the doctor fells that maybe some of the burns have caused some damage he said they did 60 burns all in the upper Q around the SN. As I now appear to have Sick Sinus Syndrome.

Here is a whats happened after the ablation my base HR was 108 this was on Tuesday morning it stayed that way until I was awoke on Thursday morning by the nurse becase my HR had suddenly dropped to 40 well I paniced (yes for me the world was comming to an end) my base rate stayed at 50 or so for another 5 days, After I went home I had 3 days of low HR in the 40 - 60 total. I got up on thursday and all of a sudded in was at 93 it has now been in the hi 80's to about 110 at rest,mostly sitting about 90  on top of that they had stopped my med which consisted of lopressor and flecinide, and Im getting alot of PAC skipps or pauses I should sayu that at the hospital the Dr. origonall wanted to put a pacemaker in I opted to wait as I was not happy with the outcome of the procedure.

So my Q is has anone had these types of probelms and how do you cope and what do you do, I wish I didnt feel every Beat and chaeck my rate every two seconds I dont sleep well as I fell all the pac and like many am afraid that my hear will just stop.

Well maybe Il like a few here frantic and lost.If anyone wiould like to contact me my email is ***@****

Thanks

John

[spachic1]

Hi everyone!!
I was on vacation at the hottest place on earth.. "THE RIVER"
126 degrees in the shade!! I thought for sure my panic would kick right in over this heat and that my pvc was for sure going to take my life.  Not!! I was feeling great out there. Im not sure if any of you have reserched taking a drug to help cope with pvc. I have been taking zoloft for three weeks now and it has really slowed my pvc and taken the edge off. It does not make me sleepy anymore, only for about a week. I take a low dose of only 25mg per day. This is a kids dose but for now does me well.
I also am 37 years old  and teach areobics 3 times per week and work out 6 times per week total.
I have to say to you all. I hate pvc! I am so so sad when i have the attacks. I feel for all of you that have this.
I have had many tests with no results yet. Today I went in to  have my thyroid scanned because my t-1 is slightly high. The doc's say this can cause many pvc's. We will see..
I will say this, I am so happy that you all are here and together were trying to figure this mess out. I am grateful..  :)
I to have heard that this pvc thing is harmless. Yea right! When your chest is doin a dance and you feel like you want to jump out of your skin. Sure tell me another. The zoloft helps and I urge all of you to not let life go on with this craziness. Find something that works for you. Life is to damn short. You all are great.. If you want to talk email me at ***@****
talk to you soon! :)

[cyn123]

Hi  You might be on to something with the zoloft thing because i was on it for only about 1 1/2 months and i also noticed a difference in my pvc and pac.  But went off of the med and now they are back.  thinking of going on beta blockers but trying to use a natural way first.  Good luck

[spachic1]

Thanks for the comment. I was in hear about a year ago, when i was reading lots about zoloft and pvc and pac. They suddenly subsided which was weird, but I was taking zanex at night only and for a very short time. That episode last august cost me $300.00 in co payments at $50.00 a visit to the er in one week. Thats how many pvc you can imagine I was having at the time. I must tell you what happened. I work at a gym in calif. I had just taught a 5:00 am class of step areobics. I was in a hurry to get to my next job on time and was flying down the street in my car when i felt a flutter in  my chest. "this has happened before and all my life". But this time I lost my breath, I began to panic and they started firing one right after another. Scared the *%#@ out of me! I called my husband on the cell and really started to panic. I felt as if I was going to faint, they were coming so rapid. By the time i got home they had exausted me and i wanted to go to the er in which I did. They hooked me up and yes I was indeed having 6 to 9 pvc a minute. They gave me aspirin and valume which slowly stopped the pvc. At that time I was sent home and told they were benign. As soon as i got in the car they started to fire again and faster but I went home anyway. That night and the next day and so on I was in and out of that er like crazy. Scared to death I even went to the bank and signed everything over to my husband. It took three long weeks for that episode to subside, in which they did for 10 months with  out even a few pvc per day that i normally get. Till June they started to fire again crazily. Back to the er again and again and again. O god i thought i would give my left arm for this to stop! Now i take zoloft and im back to a few a day and I feel alot better. I take lots of good vitamins and hawthorne berry for my heart. I take magnesium and calcium to and really watch my diet well. NO SUGAR! I am an addict to sugar. I can eat it from start to finish. Well thats my story and im sticken to it..  :) Take the zoloft again.. Its a great drug.

Deb spachic1

[Trigger]

I just starting having PVCs about three weeks ago. I have Gerd pretty bad and an on Prevacid for it.  I noticed that I get PVCs during the time and after I workout with weights.  Can the gerd trigger the PVCs or is it because my heart rate gets increased. Does anyone get them after they exercise? I would appreciate any feedback.  Thanks Trig

[KM007]

I am a 31yr old male, fit, non smoker. Started suffering from skipped beats last Feb, lasted one day, came back three weeks later, lasted a few days, went away. They came back last friday and they are constant night & day. It is so uncomfortable. Due to see a cardiologist in 3 weeks. Am I dying? Is it serious? I've read comments on this forum about PAC's & PVC's. Should I stop exercising? I'm worried/nervous/scared! Is there reassurance out there? I'm a worrier by nature which probably doesn't help. I've noticed if i try to concentrate on something they go away....for a while and then bang their back. Is there a fix for this...medication, pacemaker...anything?

I'm distressed at this stage!

[cyn123]

Wow  that story sounded so scary. I have had a few days like that as well. When i have a quiet day i just sit and wait for the  bad days.  Im slowly learning that they wont hurt me and maybe i just have to live with them.  If they get to crazy i will go on meds.  Zoloft made me gain 10 lbs and i hated it. The funny thing is sometimes reading these post makes me feel better.  They remind me that they wont hurt me, and sometimes it freaks me out wheni read what people go through everyday. By the way i live in NY, and im 34.  Take care.

[karie]

I am 34 and have mvp,cardiogenic syncope, heart murmurs since birth. I suffer with Pvc's,Pac's and and increase this past year. Keeps me up at night. Option for Inderal or and injection of rhythmol.
Have to be careful due to side effects with other conditions. I walk daily , follow all heart healthy guidelines and offer a support as well for mvps.
I was told some patients have thousands of pvc's but don't feel them as we do. Yuk ! I already have low b/p and heart rate so this worries me too. I will have a few days with none and so appreciate the quality of those days. Heres to healthy steady hearts.........

[nikl]

A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ON SOME POST.  TO THE ONE THAT QUESTIONED WHETHER GERD CAN CAUSE PALPS THERE IS AN EXCELLENT WEB SITE CALLED HEARTBURN-HELP.COM THAT HAS MANY POSTS ON GERD AND PALPS AND IT ALSO HAS A MAN WHO SWEARS BY THE FACT THAT HE CHANGED HIS DOSAGE OF MAGNESIUM AND CALCIUM AND HIS PALPS HAVE STOPPED.HIS NAME IS IAN ON THIS SITE ALSO.  AS FOR ZOLOFT AND PALPS, ZOLOFT ACTUALLY INCREASED MY PALPS AND MADE ME HAVE MORE ANXIETY AND FEEL DEPRESSED.  I STARTED Z BECAUSE OF ANXIETY NOT DEPRESSION AND IT MADE ME WORSE???

[spachic1]

Hello there to you and all..

I love my zoloft!! I am not anywhere nerar depressed at all. I never have been. I am a worry wart. I fear it all and always have. I think this comes from a long family history, the only thing with me is that I refuse to let my fear get in my way. I go and do and go and do more. I feel as if life is to short and I want to get it all in while I can. Zoloft works for me. It may not have worked for you because we are all so very differant. I just know one thing for sure. There is help for benign pvc and no one should have to live with this awful feeling of doom.
yes magnesium is awsome. I take it too. I plan to take the zoloft for some time because it really controls my ugly negative thoughts that cause me do lots of self negative talk. I feel calmer and can breathe a little easier. I also see a theripist that is great! We together are finding out lots of yukky stuff about me. But I have to bring it out to solve it. I will go to that web site you speak of right away, I would be excited to hear what ian has to say about mag. It's some great stuff!!  :)
take care!

[pebo]

Well Hello to all. I am a 55 yr old male in good health. I am an Airline Pilot and military pilot previously. I must complete two medicals yearly to maintain my professional license and continue with my flying career.
I first noticed heart anomolies 13 yrs ago with skipping heartbeats, naturally when I reported these I underwent extensive examinations to rule out heart disease, I also have abnormal T waves (inverted) on my yearly ECG. Because all this is documented and on file I pass my medicals without difficulty. I exercise routinely and take supplements regularly. I was on beta blockers for several yrs but opted out of their use as I dislike taking meds. I avoid alcohol and caffeine.
I do still have skipped beats but they are not routine, sometimes they are frequent and noticeable, other times I go for weeks with just a few. I think the body is complicated and, unlike a machine, is unpredictable. I too was told to relax, disregard these palpitations and live a normal life. I guess that message is clear to all except for those who are experiencing these events. I too get anxious and upset as this condition is beyond my control. I am used to controlling situations as I would do when flying jets in the airforce and now sophisticated new airliners. However I am now learning to accept my condition and settle into a life with skipping heartbeats. I am now more relaxed and I do gain solace from reading similar reports from others on this forum.
I read an interesting book written by an English Cardiologist who stated that treating heart arrythmyias similar to mine are analagous to a foot doctor treating hangnails on ones feet. In other words millions of folks are wondering the planet with funny heartbeats at times.
So for what it's worth----my heart goes out to people with his affliction---pardon the pun!--Hang in there all.

[Bandit216]

Pebo, thanks for your comments. You've got a couple extra years on me, but our backgrounds are similar as I recently retired as an AF pilot. I was concerned frequent, recurring PACs might be FAA disqualifying.  Like you, my assorted tests have all shown a normal heart.

My PACs suddenly appeared about 2 months ago and occur on about a three day cycle.  They start just after noon and usually end 8 or 10 hours later.  I suspect it is diet related, but that doesn't make it any less disturbing.

Comments from others, especially those with similar backgrounds, makes the internet and these forums a terrific source of reassurance.

[pebo]

Your welcome Bandit---I believe diet can play a roll with your heart. Certainly stimulants like caffeine, alcohol, do affect me, I think also MSG.

I agree the Net is a great tool and provides a lot of info.

It sounds like your episodes are quite new to you. I hope they don't cause you too much grief.

Regards-----Pebo

[Mozzer]

I am 48 yrs old, have just gone through divorce and moving house, to my 1 bed appartment. For the last few weeks I have noticed that my heart is skipping beats and generally fluttering all over the place. Are these PVC's or PAC's I have no idea. Sometimes its occuring 2 or 3 times a minute and is very scary. I have also recently started to take 20mg Prozac daily, is there any link here. I did experience something similar to this several years ago. I was fitted with a recorder, which picked up some irregular heart beats. I was also going through a stressful time then too. Is this all related to stress, or could there be some underlying cause which should be investigated. My doctor says its all stress related and his advice is just to cut down on the caffiene and try to control my stress levels. (Easy for him to say) I would appreciate any feedback Thankyou

[cyn123]

Hi  I do know stress brings on these skipped beats and it sounds like you are going through a lot.  GO see a  doctor to make sure and make yourself feel better.   Good luck and Dont forget    living in a one bedroom apartment --- happy   beats any big house  and  not happy.

[valger]

Hi everyone, I just wanted to thank you all for the comments, I don't know what I would do without this board!!  Tonight I'm again having a particularly bad night with the PVC's, and was even considering a trip to the ER, if nothing else, than just to catch them on tape and make sure what's going on.  But, then I come on here, and it kind of calms me down.  I'm definitely going to call the cardiologist on Monday, but you know how it is, the ER is such a pain, you can wait for hours.  I have PVC's so bad most of the time, that it takes alot for me to want to go in to the ER.  I usually have somewhere around 5 per minute, and then when I get nervous is when they seem to come around every 3 beats or so, and also seem to increase in the force of it, like the fluttering is really hard, and then the hard beat after is especially hard.  Anyway, I was wondering if anyone out there gets them as often as I do.  I was thinking maybe, if I have them that often, that I should be on medication or it's dangerous.  I was on medication a few years ago, but it ultimately made mine worse.  It helped for a while, and then they seemed aggravated by it, and we tried a couple different ones.  The thing is, if I know they are not dangerous, then I guess I can live with them without medication, but I am not convinced that they are not dangerous.  I have had holters done and all that, but when I had the holter, I wasn't having them as bad as I am now.  The doctor said that they are benign, and I was getting PVC's and PAC's, and he said my Q wave was fine and all that.  But, at the time, I think the doctor said I had something like 10 PVC's, and now I have more than that in a couple of minutes.  I started getting these when I started going through menopause, and am still having them.  I am 43 years old, which is a little young for that, maybe that's the problem!!  I also thought it might help to move from a high altitude area, which we just did, and it seemed to at first, but now it's kind of back to normal with the skipped beats all the time.  Well, thanks again for any advice!!  Val

[PAT65]

Hi Val! Your case seems so much like mine. I am 37 years old and thought maybe I was going through early menopause as well. So many women on this site seem to start their PVC/PAC problems somewhere around their late 30s to early 40s. My multiple PVCs(I had 8,000+ and 9,000+ on two separate holter readings)started suddenly about a year ago and I have been trying to find a solution ever since. My mother had PVCs and was on Quinidine for years. Since then she has went through menopause and just quit having PVCs except on rare occasions. I hope to go that route. She no longer has to take quinidine. Some days my PVCs control my life, other days I'm in control.I am considering taking some kind of anti-anxiey drug because these things are very hard to deal with on bad days. Right now I am very tired and am probably having a PVC every 3rd or 4th beat. Fatigue seems to be one trigger for my PVCs. I have read some people out there take Zoloft for anxiety others take Xanax. Which is the best for anxiety instead of depression? Any advice would be great.

[valger]

Hi, and thanks for the reply!!  We do sound alike!  Mine started when I was about 31, and were sort of on-again, off-again type of things, and then I had one really bad summer, where it was like every few beats, and also one short episode of atrial fib caught on my holter.  It was then that I really related it to menopause because I went from that to having them few and far between, and that was also the time that I stopped having cycles.  So, I went about a year with them just once in a while, totally livable.  It's amazing how it changes your life when you're not having them, I was suddenly a totally different mom, doing all sorts of things with my kids, etc.  Then, suddenly, one day, I started getting a few back again, more than usual.  They gradually increased again, and here I am now, getting them all day long again, sometimes as many as every few beats again.  I know I have them in the thousands per day.  I guess I should have another holter because the one I had in Nevada only caught a few, it was at the time they weren't so bad yet.  I think I should probably go back in now that they've increased so much and see if anything else is up.  I did have the thallium stress test, and that came out ok.  I feel pretty good when I exercise, but they come on again right when I stop.  I don't know if they slow down when I exercise, or if I just don't feel them as much.  The thing is, I'm back in Texas now where it's very humid and hot, and that seems to really irritate them.  If I lay around, they calm down, but when I get up to do things, like even load the dishwasher, they sort of stir up again, do you ever have that?  I notice that stress definitely does make them worse.  We are in the middle of a very stressful move, and my Dad passed away last October, so these things have all contributed to this for me.  I don't know much about the anxiety drugs as I have never really taken anything.  I did try a couple different beta-blockers a few years ago when these things first started, but in the long run, it just made things worse.  So, if I know they are not life threatening, I would just rather live with them than take anything.  I sort of do get to the point where I get used to them, and try to ignore them, and it really does help.  I try different things for anxiety, like I drink that Sleepytime Tea, the one with the sleeping bear on it, and that helps.  It really, really helps to drink alot of water.  It seems like supplements like even the vitamin e I was taking, seem to aggravate it, so I don't take any vitamins.  I try to stay away from chocolate, as that seems to be an aggravator also.  I just checked the tea, and it's made by Celestial Seasonings.  It says caffeine free, which is of course really important, to have no caffeine, like in sodas and things.  I also read where it helps to eat that albacore tuna at least once a week, not that it helps the palpitations, but it helps lesson the dangerous type of palpitations, which I'm always nervous the ones I have can lead to.  You're so right about the PVC's and how they can control your day, and sometimes you feel more in control of them.  My husband is travelling back and forth now to his new job in Connecticut, and so I notice I get them more when I'm alone, and maybe more nervous about the kids.  And, fatigue does make them worse.  I'm on a terrible schedule, I stay up very late, and sleep in, so I don''t think that helps much.  Well, I'll let you know if I find anything out about the anxiety medication, I'll mention it to my doctor when I hopefully go this week, I'm going to call tomorrow.  Just for peace of mind before the move.  So, hopefully since I didn't get them for that year, maybe they are hormone related like your Mom had, and we have hope of someday being rid of these things without having to take medication!!  It makes sense, because I didn't have any periods during that time that I didn't have them, and then right after they came on again in Nevada, I sure enough had my first period in quite some time, and two weeks later, another one.  So, something is messed up there.  But, the thing is, they are still here each and every day, not just during that time.  They are still bad each day, I don't really have any good days.  Well, thanks again for the reply, and sorry I've gone on and on here, I'll let you know when I find out more!  Val

[Momto3]

Hi ladies!  Count me in on the hormone theory.  I've had pvc's for over 20 years, BUT in my late 30's, early 40's...SLAM!! I'm 46 now, and not menopausal, but I think the perimenopausal period can stir things up....They say that can last up to 10 years :(  I am scheduled for an ablation to try and get these things under control, and I'm pretty scared...I'm keep reminding myself that maybe I will be pvc-free after all these years.  Plus, I'm hoping to eliminate the medicine. Occasionally, I take a very low dose of Xanax and it does seem to help on those very difficult days (ovulation, PMS).  Hormones again : ) There are quite a few of us out here who seem to be on the same page....I think one member said it best "It may not be life threatening, but neither is slamming your finger in a car door 100x per day"  I thought that was terrific....Another friend said it is like having the hiccups a LOT!!!! Wouldn't that drive most people nuts?? lol....Good luck to everyone!

[valger]

Hi, and thanks for the reply!!  It really helps to talk to all of you about this!!  The thing is, I guess that is the question, are they dangerous??  I can't believe sometimes, the way I feel, that these things are benign.  My Father died of sudden death, and I worry that these PVC's can lead to that.  He had something very rare, but still, aren't PVC's somewhat of a risk factor for that?  My brother gets them alot also, but not like I do.  Do you guys ever notice that they get worse after eating?  I really notice that connection.  But, then the hormone thing wouldn't make sense cause what would that have to do with hormones?  I just had them so bad an hour or so ago, and so I laid on my left side for a while to calm them down.  Taking a little nap helps me sometimes with mine, do you ever notice that?  I get up and feel a little better, but then they gradually come on again.  I resort to a nap when they are just so hard and frequent.  I have them all the time, but it seems like sometimes they are just harder, and more demanding.  I can feel small ones right now, but when I laid down, they were like, so hard.  It's like they are screaming at me,  do you know what I mean?  Well, anyway, I want you guys to know how much I appreciate your replies and help!  Thanks, Val

[PAT65]

Hi Val! I know what you mean by the PVCs. Sometimes I feel like they are going to bounce out of my chest, other times they feel like "baby" PVCs. Its hard to believe they could all be coming from the same area of my heart.  I never get complete rest from these things as I have them every minute of my life. I seem to feel them most when I am very tired or like you said, right after eating. I am taking cardizem right now but it doesn't seem to help very much. In fact by the evening, I am exhausted. The drug seems to cause me a lot of side efeects but the Dr. thinks its the best drug with the least side effects for me. That may be true for the general population but if he could take a minute and realize it doesn't work for me then maybe I could move on to something else or do without all together. If the PVCs are so benign why does he say I should stay on a drug that doesn't help anyway? Can you tell I'm frustrated? Sometimes I think about ablation just because I am so tired of these things. Sorry for rambling on. Maybe someday they will find a cure.

[swimkrista]

Hello everybody. I am a 20 year old competitive runner. In the past year I have been fainting after practice and experiencing flutters, chest pain and dizziness so I was sent to a cardiologist. I've never been diagnosed with any heart conditions. only a heart murmur that I've always had but has gotten softer but is still there and my bp is fine. My doctor tells me that I have pfo, pvc/pac, and that I am something that begins with a "t"? I dont know what any of these terms mean but i am assuming they're nothing to worry about because I wasn't given any medications, but i was offered beta-blockers but I was told that they are'nt recommended for me. (why?) Last year I was restricted from exercise because of the fainting but the doctors couldn't find out the reason i was fainting and couldn't find a reason for me not to exercise so I was allowed to again after a couple months. I've had many many tests. tilt table, countless ekgs, echo, mri, stress test, holter monitor. as far as i know they came back relatively normal. The only thing i heard was that on my EKG's one of the lines go very low? (what does that mean).and that I have an extra beat that is healthy. I was told to drink more fluids and to stay away from caffine. I am confused, can someone help me understand this better? - krista

[Veepster]

Hi, Krista:

I can relate to your concerns.  I was born with a mid-systolic murmur (very common, by the way) and had other symptoms like extra beats, sensitivity to caffeine, etc. and thought I had MVP, but an echo said no.  A year ago, I was on a retreat and they gave everybody EKG's --I've had many over the years -- and the resident doc took me aside and said that while most of my tracings were normal, the leads V1 thru V3 showed an abornmal pattern (the tracing was flatish and didn't bounce back the way it is supposed too and he thought I might have damage to the right side of my heart, possibly even have had a mild heart attack that had gone unnoticed).  Scared the hell out of me.  I got back home and went for a brief physical with my high-powered cardio who noticed on a new EKG what the other guy pointed out --he requested old EKG's from the early 80's which showed exactly the same pattern -- and he said not to worry, I was within normal bounds.  I feel fine and exercise as much as I want -- take a mild blood pressure medication (my cardio was more concerned with contolling that because of potential enlargement of the left ventricle).

So, I wouldn't lose sleep over this.  I can recommend a very good book entitled "Phsical Examination of the Heart and Circulation" by Dr. Joseph K. Perloff published by W. B. Saunders Company that covers all sorts of heart-related issues.

Bill R. (***@****)