Re: Very bad PVC episode with racing heart

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - DLB on November 14, 1998 at 21:13:49:

In Reply to: Very bad PVC episode with racing heart posted by MJ on November 14, 1998 at 00:47:30:






I'm puttin my P.S. here at the top of this note. I'm sorry this post is so long, but I feel I wanted to give as much info as possible to get the best answer.  Read on.....
I'm a 34 year old female who has a 6 year history of PVC's.  I have exhausted myself to the point of tears when the doctors tell me that I have a benign condition and there is nothing I can do but "live with it". I wore a Holter monitor and was able to tell them in advance that nothing happened while I wore it. I can feel every skipped beat and every pounding beat that follows when I have episodes. I felt grateful though that when I had my echocardiogram I was actually having an episode. I knew my husband finally had some real understanding of what I was going through when we were watching the screen and could actually see my heart stop beating for a few moments, just lie there, and then practically bounce up and kick-start again. The look on his face was pure fear and disbelief as we watched that moniter. Even the technician commented on how bad it was. I was able to verbally predict each one and she was amazed.  At least the results showed no damage to the heart at that time. To actually view that on screen and then have somebody tell you that the condition is benign is not only almost disappointing (that there is nothing that can be cured), but frustrating and infuriating.  I want to be able to take a pill and make it go away.
Part of me is almost convinced that I am feeling something completely different than the doctors think I am feeling. I have episodes that leave me fearful that I will not wake up the next morning. Since my husband leaves for work several hours before my daughter and I wake up, I am paranoid that my 3 year old will someday not be able to wake me up and be alone in the house.
My problem started with what felt to me like an irregular heartbeat. Later the episodes expanded to include what I guess were anxiety attacks caused by my fear during the episodes.  Then the episodes grew to include chest aches and tension. Strangely enough, at one point, I found that there was one spot at the edge of my left breast, where I could press and it would seem to relieve the pvc's some.  That doesn't work anymore.
I quit (chain) smoking and quit drinking caffeine in 1993.I was afraid to plan a pregnancy but our daughter was a pleasant surprise for us. Unfortunately, I was on Inderal when I found out I was expecting in August of 1994. They weined me off the Inderal, (which never seemed to change anything I was feeling anyway).  I was relieved that during my pregnancy, I had very few uncomfortable episodes.  In fact, since then I've had very very few anxiety attacks during the episodes.
My reason for writing now is because of an episode I had last Saturday.  I have had random episodes of a racing heartbeat over the years but last saturday was different. My heart suddenly started to race faster and harder than ever before and I felt weak and faint. I was with friends and was able to lie down. It continued for about 10 or 15 minutes. I of course at the same time had an anxiety attack because I thought for sure I was starting to have a heart attack. I suddenly felt very fatigued and even after the episode, felt very drained.  I felt the racing at my pulse and in the pulse in my neck. I have a spot at the base of my throat near the little indentation in the middle where I often (during episodes of very bad pvc's) have what feels like a totally separate pulse that goes at a different tempo. (or maybe something totally separate spasming in my neck)  Another minor episode occurred again about 30 minutes later, but not quite as bad and I didn't have to lie down. It took me until Monday night to feel almost back to normal. I felt like I was totally detached from my body.
Now this week I've had regular pvc's again when they have not been bad for a long time. They are sometimes random and don't occur for several weeks, and then sometimes all grouped together for several days or even just one  random bad day.  Since the episode last Saturday, I've had a new problem with my left arm/hand and left leg feeling like it's starting to fall asleep. It never gets as far as tingling feeling. It also feels like they get cold too.  I thought the feeling like they were starting to get numb only when I was sitting at my computer, but yesterday it occurred after I had been standing at a counter in a store for about 15 minutes.
The compounded problem is that my pvc's increase or start instantly with physical activity. While I was very active as a teenager, I am very inactive now. My weight has skyrocketed from about 160 up to almost 300 in the past 6 years.  (I'm almost 5'8") I actually maintained my weight at about 220 pounds during my entire pregnancy. In fact, I weighed 8 pounds less on the day before giving birth, than I did the day I got pregnant.  I know that this is another whole problem, but it is definitely connected. I don't even play golf anymore because if I have to hike up hills, the pvc's start to scare me. Now my stamina and strength for anything is very poor. Other items in my health have started to bother me too. I feel like I'm falling apart.
I guess I should add that my allergies have been horrible recently, to the point that I have so much fluid built up in my ears that my doctor recently prescribed Claritin D and Astelin nasal spray, both with twice a day doses. I quit the Astelin immediately thinking that's what caused Saturday's horrible episode even though I had been on the spray for several days before that happened. I still have the problem now with my earaches, pressure, pain and bottom line, I can't hear well. My ear problem has been going on for 22 days now.

Somebody help me please.
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Dear MJ
As you can see if you check our archives, there are many people out there just like you - quite bothered by their PVCs. However, the prolonged episode that you recently had associated with the dizziness is concerning. You should get re-evaluated by your cardiologist. While PVCs are almost always benign, sometimes people with PVCs have more serious arrhythmias that develop. Also, the Claritin D could be causing a problem with your heart beat. Therefore, I think you should see your cardiologist soon.
I hope this has been useful. Feel free to write back with further questions. Good luck.
Information provided here is of a general nature.  Specific diagnoses and treatments can only be made by your doctor.  If you would like to be seen at the Cleveland Clinic, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE for an appointment with a cardiologist at Desk F15.