PVC's...Betablockers

I was recently prescribed Sectral for my PVC's, a cardio-selective beta that has actually been approved for management of "etopic beats". I've been hesitant in starting it.

Out of curiosity, how many of you have found that beta-blockers
actually work in reducing the amount of PVC's? I know they are also supposed to help reduce the sensations, but, do they actually reduce the PVC's themselves?

What about side-effects? Are the side-effects worse then the PVC's?

Concerning Sectral, anyone else try/use it with success in actually reducing their PVC's?

[PghPanther]

everyone is different..........but my experience with beta blockers (torprol XL) was it brought on more frequent and worse PVCs to the point that I started getting afib attacks from using it......

It also gave me a host of other problems from dizziness to where I could hardly drive to work........flu like feelings.......a weird hollow feeling in my chest.....awful dreams and rapid heart rate attacks in the middle of the night.......depression big time................it was a nightmare for me.

However, I have lone atrial fib of a mixed variety meaning and my vagal or rest form of it is often worsen from beta blockers that were used for my adregnic or exercise form of afib........

I'm much better managing with lifestyle changes than drugs.........now some people find beta blockers effective for certain heart issues...............but it gave me the worse two months of my life I ever had when I was on them.

My suggestion is talk to your doctor about starting with a minimum dosage to test the side effects of it first......it may not help your condition but check for side effects that could be worse than the condition you are being treated for to begin with. Then if you tolerate the medication at lower dosages you can cycle up on it to you reach the dosage the doctor would like you at........okay ask the doc about this and see what he says.........

Hope it helps

[Celeste07]

Thanks for answering. Sorry to hear about the host of side effects for you.

I've heard that beta's can make things worse, I guess that's why I'm so hesitant to take it. My Cardio doesn't really worry about side-effects per say, he just tells me to try it for a few weeks and see how I feel. Easy for him to say! PVC's are bad enough!

Anyhow, I hope your feeling better!

[lmthames]

Hi.  I have been on a beta blocker (tenormin) for several years now for my PVC's and honestly can't get through the day without it.  When I first started taking it I became very tired so they cut the dose to 25mg.  I normally take it around 1:30 or 2 in the afternoon because that is when my pvc's seem worse.  I can take more if I need to (up to 4 a day) but have never had to do that (knock on wood).  For me, the benefit of the beta blocker is far greater than the side effect.  Honestly, I don't leave home without it.  I tried getting off of it about a year ago and after about four days I was beating all over the place and got right back on it.  

[Fran71]

Beta blockers have saved my quality of life. I take Inderal as needed, on bad periods I take it daily (20 mg, sometimes 40 mg). It works wonders 90% of the time, both against sinus tachycardia and PVCs. It usually eliminates my PVCs altogether for many hours. Only on a few occasions it let me down. PVCs have different causes and we're all different but I would certainly try the BB! I never had any side effects from Inderal.

Good luck

Fran

[Celeste07]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! The doctors all agree with what you stated, anxiety/panic might have very well been the culprit and giving the beta another chance is needed. Not so sure I could do it just yet...lol...but, it's definetly something I'm considering.
Last night was wonderful! I took half the xanax when they started up fiercely, and within an half hour, they died down to very minimal. I actually only felt maybe 30 in 8 hours. It was bliss compared to the night before!
This morning their back with a vengence, but I'm enduring them.
I'll take the xanax shortly and hopefully they calm down like last night.
I'm thinking about taking another beta while at the Cardio's on Tues. after the echo and just sitting there to see how I do this time, I can't think of a safer place in the world  to be when it comes to PVC's!  I'll let you know how it goes.

Here's wishing you an arryhthmia free year!
Lots of love,
Celeste

[Fran71]

I'm so sorry that happened...Could the beta blocker really be causing all this? If you were so scared to try the med and if you suffer from panic attacks, maybe it wasn't the BB after all? Don't be discouraged. Check with your cardio. There are many different BBs to try even if this one doesn't work for you.

Please keep us posted!

Love

Fran

[Celeste07]

Thank you for responding!!

I tried the Sectral last night, just half of it, and landed up in the ER very early this morning.
The PVC's were just horrible. I had multiple salvos, couplets back to back, bigeminy, etc. for over 9 hours starting about an hour and a half after taking it! I'm sooooooooo disappointed!
I cried for hours today. Seriously, I just can't take these much longer and I am so upset that I'll never know for sure whether it was the actual beta or my panic that caused the reaction unless I muster up the courage to take the Sectral one more time. My cardio comes back intown on Tues. and would like me to come in immediately upon his arrival. Although the ekg and rhythm strip looked great besides the PVC's, I'll be getting an early annual stress/echo.
That only scared me more....
For the time being, I'm back on Xanax to "keep me stable" until then.
I can't tell you all how hard it is for me to take medications in the first place and to have to take xanax (I had seizures and had to go thru 5 weeks of detox from them in the hospital) is devastating to say the least.
I'm just so thankful for everyone here! Your all sincerly my life-line right now!

Lots of love and many thanks to all of you!!
Celeste

[Fran71]

Great you had a good night! I think your idea of taking the BB while at the cardio's is great. How do you feel now? Did you give the BB a second chance? You know, I'm a big fan of beta blockers! LOL!

Keep us posted

Love

Fran

[elliott28]

I HAVE SUFFERED ECTOPIC BEATS FOT THREE YEARS AND HAVE HAD EVERY TEST POSSIBLE CAME BACK NORMAL SHOWED ECTOPIC BEATS BUT THEY ATR ARTRICAL AND NOT VENTRICAL WHICH IS FAR WORSE. AT THE MOMENT IM GETTING UP TO FIVE ECTOPIC BEATS IN A MINS PULSE BUT I JUST DEAL WITH THEM AND MY CHEST REALLY SHAKES WHEN YOU GET THEM.I HAVE FOUR BOYS AND I BELIEVE THAT STRESS CAN ADD TO THEM AS I DONT DRINK TEA OR FIZZY DRINKS SO CANT BLAME THAT FOR THEM JUST HOPE ONE DAY THEY JUST MIGHT FANISH WHO KOWS ...... SAMMY