Searching for Answers

I am a 5' 11', 155 lb 39 yo male. I ran cross country 4 yrs in HS & had very good endurance. 10 yrs ago, I began running again, 10+ miles per week + doing boxing & martial arts training. I was working nights. I had a sleep problem, finding it difficult/impossible to sleep in the day & averaged 2-4 hrs of sleep a day for over a yr. I then began experiencing drastically reduced exercise tolerance, intense heart palps, & shortness of breath; also many other strange symptoms.

Saw a cardiologist, had Stress, EKG, Echo, blood tests, & Holter. Only findings were PACs. Cardio suspected myocarditis & prescribed Ibuprofen which helped, but after 1-2 weeks I could not continue due to side effects. Without NSAIDs my symptoms returned full force, leading me to believe myocarditis was correct. Dr. later on changed his mind, saying myocarditis wouldn't last so long.

Over time, symptoms grew less severe but were still bad. I quit all exercise & found a day job. I began using natural anti-inflammatories (cayenne & turmeric extract). These help my symptoms. 4 yrs ago I went to the ER during a bad spell. I told the Dr. my history and possible diagnosis. He did a test, I believe C-reactive protein, & told me I did not have myocarditis.

3 yrs ago, I restarted martial arts, which I feel has done me well. However, my exercise tolerance is still low & I am bothered by strong palps. 1 yr ago, while in the hospital for an unrelated matter, the Dr. did a Holter, Echo, & EKG, only found atrial bigeminy.

1) Was/is there any chance I have some form of myocarditis seeing that anti-inflammatories help me? What else could explain this?

2) Post-exercise I often get an intense, rapid-fire fluttering in my chest that lasts only 1-2 secs but is extremely frightening, esp during a high (exercise) heart rate. Is this likely just more PACs that feel different than usual, or could it be something more sinister? Should I be worried about dropping dead while exercising?

Thank You

[Cleveland Clinic]

Myocarditis usually causes a decreased ejection fraction which would would have been detected on the echocardiogram. it is usually treated with ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, and not anti-inflammatory drugs.  Its  presence usually prompts either a stress test or a heart catheterization to exclude obstructive coronary artery disease. it is possible that you had pericarditis, which is an inflammation in the lining of the heart and which is usually treated with anti-inflammatory drugs.  In the vast majority of patients this condition has no long-term sequelae.  In a small number of patients it can progress to constrictive pericarditis, which requires surgery for cure.  This diagnosis is very difficult to make outside of a referral facility.
Provided that your heart function is normal, both PACs and PVCs are benign, and do not confer you an increased risk of heart attack.  The only treatment for these is a medication called a beta-blocker or a calcium channel blocker, which will decrease the frequency and intensity of these beats.