Run of PVC's

[car]

I suffer from runs of PVC's.  I have been to an EP doctor and they had told me that it is not a big deal what I have.

These runs of these things still really scare me though.  I find it hard to believe these things are not dangerous.

Could you please answer a few things for me to put my mind at ease.

1.  I apparently get "salvos", what are these and are they dangerous?

2.  A couple of times per week I get what feels like a run of hard beats or sometimes fluttery beats and get lightheaded for a split second, but I take a deep breath and it seems to correct itself.

3.  My doctor has also caught a short run of SVT on one of my rhythm strips but says no big deal.

4.  When these PVC's hit they feel "super strong".  Is that normal?

5. I can sometimes go a few days without feeling anything and they all of sudden for no reason at all it goes irregular.  Does that sound dangerous?

6.  Does this sound like the beginning of heart disease?  I have had and EP study and they could not get my heart to do anything so I have been given a clean bill of health.  The doctor told me my reaction is these beats would be causing me my problem than anything else...........I find that hard to believe as well.

I really thing these doctors are missing something but they say what I have is very common.  How common would this sound?  Everyone I talk to says they feel nothing like this going on in their heart.  Would a good percentage of the population have this same sort ofthing.  I was also told that a lot of people suffer from non-sustained v-tach and it does not affect them in any way (true?).

I am taking 20mg Celexa everyday becuase of my anxiety level about these things but they still happen.  Drives me crazy!

I am a 40 year old female in excellent health other than weird heart things going on.

Thank you for your answers.  I really value your comments.

Regards,

[mikeymike]

Hi all,
I'm over in the UK and was just reading the comments of others with PVCs and runs of non-sustained VT. As a sufferer also, it gave me comfort to read that many others amongst us also have the same hassle with these things! Main thing is, there are a lot of us out there, and the way I interpret all the info/doc opinions is that if your heart's in good order in all other respects, then these annoying heart skips and flutters are nothing much to worry about. As regards myself (age 40, 6'4" and 210 Ibs and generally fit and healthy), about 15 years ago I had 3 days of almost constant fluttering and skipping - very lightweight and only just noticable to me then (I hadn't at that point had chance to become neurotic and tuned-in to it!!). Over the last 15 years, I've had many PVCs and quite a few runs of NSVT - a few of the latter of which have lasted for several seconds and made me light-headed - I try to let them wash over and past me but occasionally I panic and take a deep breath and jump out of my seat!! Apparently, most adults get at least one or two PVCs a day and/or a run of NSVT occasionally, but they neither notice it or become anxious and 'tuned-in' to it. I do see a distinct connection with anxiety here - anxiety can cause/exacerbate these things = more anxiety = more PVCs = etc. I also think there could be a connection with gastric reflux as an aggravant, but this could also just be anther symptom of being in an anxious state. Over the last few years I have been diagnosed with OCD/anxiety/depression, and have had counselling in connection with a domestically disharmonious and violent upbringing. I'm still on 20mg cipramil a day (often every other day cos I don't like medication and wonder if I really need them). The docs here in the UK do not seem to favour ablatory techniques - the heart guy I saw said my case was far too insignificant to warrant such an invasive procedure. So my message to all you reading this, is, I'm sure you see a lot of similarities between me and yourselves, none of us are alone in this, it's good to talk about it, and most importantly, there does not seem to be too much to worry about providing your heart is in otherwise good health.
Best wishes,
Mikeymike.

[kmk]

My six year old daughter has PVC's.  She has about 20 extra beats per minute(sometimes more).  When I took her to a cardialogist they had her jog in place for a little while listened for a few seconds and said it was normal for kids to have PVC's and sent us he home.  Should the cardialogist have done more?  Should I get a second opinion?  Can you tell me more about children with PVC's and what it can lead to. And should I worry?  

Thanks,
KMK

[urrl77]

I have a history of skips and recently was admitted into the hospital for my heart skipping every other beat and racing
for about 10 beats every 30 seconds. I was put on an anti arrythmic. I changed my diet to mostly KASHI cereal, which has
no salt, sugar, additives or preservatives, eating the cereal right out of the box, about 2 boxes a day, along with fruits,
fresh vegetables and occasional fish I would bake myself, but
seasoned very lightly. My skips have diminished to perhaps
1 in 100 and all racing is gone, and I have only been on the diet
a couple of weeks. I do not advise you to do this, but I was on
3 200 mg tablets of med a day. Then my doc said it's ok for 2 a day. I have dropped on my own to 1 a day and have gone 2 days without medication with no ill effects. AGAIN I do not advise any
one to do this, your condition may be way different than mine, but so far this has worked for me. I will keep you posted.

[ikm]

I also have problems with skipped beats.  When they first began a few years ago, I would just get one every once in a while but never alot at one time.  Now, I get them in bursts, or salvos, where I skip every other beat for a minute or two before going back to normal rhythm.  I have been following this pattern for the last six weeks which means I am having thousands of skipped beats a day.  My cardiologist says not to worry as long as I'm not having them in a row, meaning a normal beat occurs between the skipped beats.  Sometimes my heart rhythm feels so haywire, it's hard to tell if I'm having any normal beats. I also feel kind of lightheaded or spacy when I have several together.   I think the cardiologist should have sent me home with an event monitor (which I've had before, but that was when I only got the isolated PVC's) but he seemed to just want to get rid of me.  Maybe it's time for another opinion.  Haven't seen an EP doctor yet, I wonder it that's the next step.  It sounds kind of scary to have an EP study done so I'm a little nervous about it.  I also am a comletely healthy 38 year old woman other than these skipped beats.  Have thought that maybe hormones are to blame and considered starting birth control pills.  I certainly can sympathize with all the many others out there with this problem.  It's hard to just ignore and live with it!

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear car,

1. I apparently get "salvos", what are these and are they dangerous?
A: I expect what your doctor is talking about is a short run of PVCs which is also called nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT).  In normal hearts NSVT is not associated with increased mortality.

     2. A couple of times per week I get what feels like a run of hard beats or sometimes fluttery beats and get
     lightheaded for a split second, but I take a deep breath and it seems to correct itself.
A: It's hard to say what is going on without a Holter monitor to correlate with the symptoms.  Many people with PVCs and PACs report similar sensations.

     3. My doctor has also caught a short run of SVT on one of my rhythm strips but says no big deal.
A: It depends on what type of SVT.  In general SVTs are benign.

     4. When these PVC's hit they feel "super strong". Is that normal?
A: The sensation is actually following the PVC and is due to increased blood filling of the heart during the pause after the PVC.  This is typical following a PVC.

     5. I can sometimes go a few days without feeling anything and they all of sudden for no reason at all it goes
     irregular. Does that sound dangerous?
A: Again, these are similar findings compared to others with complaints of frequent PVCs.

     6. Does this sound like the beginning of heart disease? I have had and EP study and they could not get my heart to
     do anything so I have been given a clean bill of health. The doctor told me my reaction is these beats would be
     causing me my problem than anything else...........I find that hard to believe as well.
A: In general PVCs in a normal heart are not a predictor of future heart disease.  The treatment of normal heart PVCs is often beta-blockers and occasionaly a type of procedure called an ablation.  If you would like a second opinion at the Cleveland Clinic concerning your PVCs I would recommend Dr. Schweikert.  You can make an appointment with him by calling the number below.  Best wishes.

[jan]

Just because you go to see an EP doesn't mean you will get an EP Study. I think you should go and he will prob. either give you a holter or event monitor. I have seen 2 and haven't had a study, yet, but with all my others dr.'s asking me now if I've had one and being sent to one at the univ. hospital, I may be in for one. I hope it won't be necessary. If I were you I would go, peace of mind is worth it.

[jan]

Hi Car,
Ep's , I dunno... I have mild mvp, mild mr and tr. I am taking beta blocker for inappropriate sinus tachycardia which my 1st EP said needed to be treated. (I had trigeminy caught on event monitor).  Recently, I was in the hospital being monitored because of syncope and there were frequent episodes of sinus tachycardia and one night I was in afib and my new EP(who I won't let near me again) said everything was normal and stop the beta blocker. Can you imagine? He sees and notes the tachy. while being treated and...  But my neuro and primary still want me to take it and everybody else seems to disagree with this EP. I am going for a 3rd opinion at a university hospital for syncope and am a little nervous after this last EP. Anyway, the things we feel and are concerned about, they don't seem to be concerned about (at least some and to some extent). It is frustrating to say the least. Fortunately, I don't feel my irregularities that much, I know of it because of a holter, event monitor and being monitored in hospital.

[Richard W.]

I'm a male, 57, who has had diagnosed afib since 1994 (controlled with Betapace) but otherwise healthy. My cardiologist said I had an "electrical problem." I have had these salvos many times and other than being temporarily annoyed have learned to ignore these episodes.

[Barbara]

I also am bothered with heart skips. I am 63 years old and have had them at least 25 years I know of.  The last few months they have been so bad.  Mine go in a series of skips.  One hard one to start with and then skipping anywhere from 5 seconds to 15 minutes at a time.  When I get the first one I want to run.  Where I don't know, just jump up and run away.  That's how I feel.  Is that how you feel?  I have had a thalium stress test done and also wore a holter monitor.  They picked up 295 skips that day which was one of my good days.  Normally it would be 2,095.  Both tests have come back normal.  I also went to the emergency room one day because they were so bad, and guess what,  they had me speak to a psychologist because they thought it was all nerves.  Everything came out normal.  I lost 15 pounds because I'm afraid to eat.  I blame gastro-reflux for causing these to happen, but of course most doctors don't agree.  I went for counseling.  I even went to Canada this past week to visit the shrine of St. Joseph and St. Ann hoping they could help me.  Since I got back, I have had the best days ever since January.  Maybe someone up there heard my prayers.  This coming Thursday I am having an echocardiogram.  If this shows nothing, I don't know what else to do except live with it.  Hopefully you don't get as bad as this.  Take care.  Barbara  my e-mail is ***@****