Re: PVC'S WHY?

Posted By KAL on January 11, 1999 at 14:48:57:

In Reply to: PVC'S WHY? posted by kj on January 10, 1999 at 22:33:46:






: I am a 32 year old female who has been suffering with PVC's and PAC's for five years now.  I have no medical history other than being very healthy.  I started noticing them after running, at rest and after running up stairs. It took four years for me to finally "catch" them on an event monitor and my cardiologist was unimpressed.  I started having severe anxiety related to the pvc's and my doctor told me I have to learn to live with them.  I experience them about 10-20 times a week, and they actually improved following the birth of my son seven months ago.  Two weeks ago I had two episodes of pvc's which lasted several hours happening 2-3 times a minute and panicked.  My cardiologist suggested I start atenolol 25mg. a day - so far I can't see that it has made a difference.  My cardiologist is not that supportive and probably cringes when she sees me walk into her office.  I want to know if there is anyone out there who specializes in the research of pvc's in otherwise healthy people, causes and treatments.  This has completely turned my life upside down, I no longer exercise and am afraid to be alone - I'm in desperate need of someone who may be able to ease my mind regarding these pvc's and help me to believe they are not dangerous.  Thank you, I'd really appreciate and information you could give me.
Gee you all sound like me. I am 35 years old and have had PVC since 21. I can as many have 30 a minute to a few a day. They have cause me severe anxiety over the years. This Heart Forum has offered me than anything or anybody. I still can't believe that these annoying things could be so harmless. I hate when I am sitting there and boom my heart will flip. Sends me into a panic attack immediately. I do take Paxil 10mg every other day which helps tremendously. I went off the Paxil once to find myself having too many PVC's for my head to handle. I am having surgery on Thursday and my Cardiologist recommended a Beta Blocker which I started a week ago. I've only had maybe 20 PVC's a day. I'm used to getting a few hundred too. They freak me out. I hope that you find comfort in this fforum the way that I have. If you ever to need to talk just e-mail at ***@**** and I love talking to fellow PVCers (my therapy)...
Take care..
Roxanne
I have had PVCs since I was a teenager. I just turned 40 last month. I have had four separate batteries of cardiac tests, primarilly because of various doctors who have urged me to get other opinions because my PVCs are so pronounced. When I think of all these tests and the worry that doctors and nurses have put me through, it makes me angry. On the last and, hopefully final, battery of tests I took when I was 31, I was lucky to have a cardiologist tell me to forget about the PVCs because worrying about them was the worst part of having them. Structurally, there is nothing the matter with the heart and that it is caused by a stress hormone imbalance. My PVCs are so severe that when my heart beats normally, it's a memorable experience! I have always been very active and athletic. The PVCs are worse after physical activity, after I drink coffee, or sometimes when I'm just sitting there doing nothing. I've learned to live with them. I know they can be terrifying, but the medical literature has shown that people with benign PVCs have a normal lifespan. I still enjoy running, playing basketball and a hard afternoon game of tennis with my nephew, swimming, and walking in the park with my dog. Yet, after all these years, I'm still here, healthy as ever. Take care, and don't let fear of something that can't hurt you limit your activity. Good luck!
Hi - I just want to say thanks to all of you for responding to my question, though I think it is going to take me awhile to really accept these without anxiety, this is the first time I have some relief in knowing that there are other people in this world like me.  Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to learn to live happily with PVC's?  I have everything to be happy about, a new beautiful baby boy, a great marriage and family but my constant fear of not having these things because my heart is going to go haywire someday and stop is ruining my happiness.  I have taken Paxil in the past and have recently started again, it's been three weeks though and I still wake up every day with the dreaded anxiety of being alone all day.  Thanks for your help and encouragemnet, I'm so glad I found this forum too!