PVC's after eating...

[pebo27]

I've noticed over the past 5-6 months that I tend to throw multiple (roughly 4-12 per minute) PVC's after eating and they last for about an hour.  I haven't been able to narrow it down to a particular food and it doesn't always happen, probably 3-4 times a week, but when it does it is obviously very uncomfortable.  I don't have a significant family history except HTN.  Any idea why this might be occurring?

RB

[Scooter B]

Since March 2006 I have stumped my Doc's with similar PVC's and arrythiams. After many tests( EKG,Holter,Stress), anxiety deemed to be the cause. However, for me , there is no doubt that eating causes the arrythmias and I have learned to control them with smaller portions, less acidic food ( like you described ) and lowering alchohol and caffeine consumption. Still, the attacks that come on are frightening ranging from irregular heart beat to a racing heart at about 150 BPM. When this occurs I immediately have a glass of water and force burping . Althoug unorthadox, this has worked to bring the heart beats quickly back to normal. Docs are still skeptical but I tell them, if it was not eating that causes them, how can I exercise at a strong pace for up to 2-3 hours on a relatively empty stomach and yet if I try to even walk after supper, I may end up with a "attack" ? Your thoughts welcome.

Scooter

[bunny1959]

A related discussion, pvc was started.

[microbus]

RB, I am a 41 year old male with PVC's.  I have high blood pressure which is controlled by tenormin.  I have 4 to 5 PVC's per minute most of the time.  Sometimes I go weeks without any.  When I am predisposed to PVC's (stressed at work, not sleeping enough, etc.)  I will also get a higher frequency and intensity when I eat.  I have tried cutting carbs and that seems to help some.  I also cut down on portion size during high stress times.  I have also observed that the longer I wait to eat, the more likely I will have PVC's when I do eat.  Caffeine is a major source of PVC's for me along with sugar.

[jirija]

I'm a doctor, work a lot,so used to drink a lot of black coffee.I had to go to cardiac emergency twice for avnrt in a span of three months and the month following I had an electrophysiological ablation done and since then (it's more than a year)I'm fine though I do get neck pressure now and then which provokes burping.For me I'm sure (I gereraly) I should avoid chocolate,coffee,spicy food(I'm of Indian origin) and alcohol. I'm often overwhelmed by work and family matters & that plays a big part too.But ablation has helped me to be less anxious about neck pressure.

[Awake and Unafraid]

I think it is related to the vagus nerve...google it.  That is the nerve responsible fpr slowing our heart rate, for our bodies to digest food right after we eat.  Some foods tend to aggravate it.  I, for one cannot eat any kind of acidy foods like spaghetti, lasagna, pizza, chinese food, etc., or I will have trouble.  Everything we put in our bodies affect it one way or another.  My dad ate something and was throwing PVC's every fifteen seconds.  I told him to take 2 Tums because they seem to settle your stomach, even if your only symptom is PVC's and the calcium seems to settle the PVC's.  Within 20 min the PVC's were gone. Try it and see if it works for you.  The next time you eat something that sets them off, take a couple of Tums and see if it works and try really hard to narrow down the foods that seem to bring them on.  If the Tums works, you could just start taking a calcium supplement on a regular basis.  It wouldn't hurt to take magnesium too, as it has many great benefits. (google it)  One being that it helps to regulate your heart.

Doctors seem to have conflicting oppions on PVC's being affected by the vagus nerve or brought on by eating.  Some agree and some don't.  Many people, however have the same compaint that you do.  You just have to listen to what your body is telling you and respond to it.  If eating brings them on sometimes, you certainly can't go without eating so just try to avoid foods that seem to trigger them and when some unexpected food triggers them try and treat it as I suggested above.

Most importantly, listen to your body and treat it accordingly.  Get yourself on a good vitamin supplement, drink plenty of water and excersise, even if you just walk up and down your driveway for 20 minutes a day.  A lot of the foods we eat have chemicals in them that one can react to as well.  Eat smart.  If it's in a can, box, or bag, proceed with caution.

Just like our cars need gas and maintenance to run like the well oiled machine that it is, so do our bodies.
  
Just because a doctor or another person doesn't agree that you get PVC's and eating aren't interconnected in some way, doesn't mean that they aren't...FOR YOU.  We're all different and unique.  What one person suffers, another may not.  Hope this helps.

Penny    



Hope this helps    

[Manhattan]

yes, i have a good idea of why it is occuring... i noticed that at certain times when i am prone to pvcs anyway (sometimes i go months free of them and can eat anything i want) if i have a meal that contains carbs it brings them on. most people have some carbs at every meal which is probably why you can't narrow it down to anything. try cutting out ALL carbs - rice, bread, pasta, soft drinks... any sugar and see if it makes a difference. keep in mind that potatoes, beets, corn and carrots are also high in carbs. of course, this is not a diet you want to be on for a long period of time, but maybe until your pvcs settle down this will help. you know... like the atkins diet. salad and steak with veggies etc... good luck!

[Evie1963]

I've found after a particularly heavy meal where I feel very full I can have a couple of PVC's. I assume it's from the stomach filling up and taking more space in the chest near the heart, and/or the blood racing to the stomach to aid digestion. I'm not a doctor, so it's just my perception. Try having smaller portions and see if it makes  difference, it did to me.