Should you keep exercising through the PVC's???

[sinead]

hi guys,

so since these pvc's have started i have committed myself to taking better care of me... which is a good thing.  i am trying to eat healthier & do cardio 20 mins per day (among other things).

today during my workout on the eliptical i kept feeling that familiar unpleasant "skip" in my chest.  i stopped a few times to take my pulse & sure enough, i was getting some skipped beats....

my question is this: is it okay or a good idea to just ignore the pvc's & continue exercising?  should i be worried if they seem to happen more when i am active?

thanks so much everyone... the support & sharing on this forum is truly getting me through all this :)

[achillea]

As you probably know, if you have PVCs, anxiety and panic tend to increase their number.

Supplements like fish oil, flax oil, potassium, magnesium and so on are often touted as remedies for ectopic beats.  Except in the rare cases of true deficiency, none of these supplements has been found to control or eliminate PVCs.

As a person who has had them for years, I'd say the best bet is get treatment for the real problem, which is anxiety.  Your doctors can refer you to someone to help with that.  I've found that once my panic is under control, I am less aware of the funny beats, and in turn, they become less frequent.

[ceci0904]

Hello Everybody,

I'm a 28 years old female and I have been dealing with PVC's for 4 years already. I honestly don't know how I have been able to deal with this issue for the past 4 years, but the older I get the more aware I become of this problem. I have learned to exercise and don't pay attention to them when I feel them but sometimes I just can't deal with these stupids PVC's. I read that taking magnesium will help but my doctor will never authorize me or advise to do so. Doctors run all kind of test on my and there is nothing wrong but this problem is giving me a lot of anxiety and panic attacks. I thank you in advance if you can give me a good advice of how to control them and if you recommend I take Magnesium. I'm also worried about overdose with mag. cause I read it could be worse.

Thank you

Ceci

[jdaveca]

I too have bouts with PVC's. I've had every test done under the sun; holter monitor, event monitor, angiogram, EP study, stress test, echocardiogram, MRI, etc. Very long story short, my cardiologists (2) have both told me that I have nothing to worry about as I have a healthy heart. They have reassured me that everyone has PVC's, however some are just more sensitive and / or experience more than others do. Don't get me wrong, whenever I have PVC's, it causes me to tense up (causing my chest and back muscles to get sore as a direct result) and starts the "worry cycle", however I try very hard to keep in mind what my doctor's have told me and it does help. Good luck with your and hope this helps somewhat.

[syrgrl72]

What a scary thing ! I will be so relaxed and then BOOM! there they are  PVC so bad i think I'm going to die! Do people die from this? I had a halter done and was told this is what I have but... never tod anything else about it :( I want and need to exercise but feel like it may kill me ,I have a 16 yr old daughter and have no family that could take care of her If something would happen to me... I think of this all the time and just hate it!!!!! what is one to do? it runs my life :(

[kes171]

Hi,
Iam 32 year old like all above i have gerd, anxity coupled with left arm pain , parasteshiea, and pvcs ... first i found it when i was undergoing  TMT as i worried much abt my heart.. as above said i am suffering from gerd very bad reflux, daily, i want to  burp more than 50-60 times /day burping gives me little bit comfort from bloted stomach, these all things pushed me to  cardiologisti had TMT, for 2 times last one before 1 and half year recent eco and many ecgs every things come normal and my cardiologist told me its nothing related to heart, and iam fine but iam still have feelking that i have some cardiac issues. coz i get pvcs while resting / while exertion, for the first time i got whem i was on TMT,  but my cardiologist said everty thing is fine and he dint bothered about it,, i will feel very un conforfortable after food espesally when i skipped afternoon meals, and when i eat at late night bloting stomach, sob, burping gives little bit comfort to me, please help

[shawnie1920]

This forum has been so helpful.  I am so happy I found it :-).  I too suffer for PVC's.  It originally started when I was 25 (I was going through a stressful time).  Well, I had every test that you can think of down, and thank God they were all negative.  I still continued to get there but not often.  I mean it would be years before I had another one.  Well, recently while jogging, I noticed that I started getting them again.  Of course it scared the mess out of me because I was jogging and that is the last place I would want to feel a PVC.  The first thing I thought of was the worst (sudden cardiac death) and I freaked out.  So, of course the PVC go worst.  I think my anxiety took over, which made it worst.  Well, I got on the treadmill again and it happened again.  Well, I went to the doctor and was given a 24 hour holter.  I am waiting for my results.  My doctor told me I can continue to run.  I have continued to run, but when ever I think about having a PVC is when they occur.  So, I have been doing the eliptical, which is just as hard as running.  Although, I tend to not experience PVC's with the eliptical.  I will try to run again tomorrow, but this time I will have "happy thoughts" and no PVC thoughts.  If I do experience PVC, I will slow down but work through them.  

[chrissy_bc]

It is sure nice to i am not alone,, i am a 33 yr old female and have had pvc's on and off most of of life,, like one or two here and there,, now the beginning of summer i had them for 7-8 days straight,, and now right now this time,, going on 3 weeks,, i have had tests done and am waiting to see a cardiologist,, they say it looks good right now,,but its just such a awful helpless feeling,, i usually workout 2 hrs a day everyday except sundays,, but have now stopped till i see the specialist,, now even when i clean up they start, i continue to do my clean up,, but it is very bothersome,, so i hope they go away,, andi sure hope i dont have to live with them, the one dr told me they will go away,,oh, and yeah,, with the gas a acid reflux,.. they tell me it has noting to do with pvc's... but it seems when i do,, or feel gas,, is when i get them,,,,Was it a DR who told u that was what it is caused from freeman???

[freemanredneck]

I work out every day and I discovered something that may help.  I caught myself tensing my stomach while working out and my pvc's started up.  So I tried just letting my stomach relax and extending and guess what my pvcs stopped.  I guess I was tensing the stomach muscles causing the gas in my stomach to rise hitting the vagus nerve which caused the pvc.  Women especially who have had children should be check for a hiatus hernia which is what I have as well as acid reflux disease.  I work out daily both treadmill and bowflex and I have not dropped dead yet.  The ticket to success is to not panic over the pvc which is hard to do I know it took me years.  Change in diet which I went vegetarian.

[Barbarella]

Your mind also can play tricks on you.  If I think at the start of my exercise "I hope I wont get any PVC's" sure enough I will get them, but if I am pre-occupied with something else, especially if something/somebody ticked me off I wont feel one PVC.

I got a severe attack of PVC's (felt like every beat) at a certain spot where I was walking.  I caughed and they stopped their severity.  Every time when I walked again and came by the exact spot where I had this attack I got the same severe PVC's attack again.  I finally changed my route, and never had that problem again.

[Ally29]

HI,

I have had ectopic heartbeats for one year. I don't understand the difference between PVC's and PAC's. Can anyone explain???

Thanks Alison xx

[sinead]

I cannot say how much you all help me... thanks for all your kindness & supportive replies.  we really are a support group out here, making this thing bearable for each other.  I am so grateful I found this forum :)

[Yager]

I have had PVC's for almost 2 years now.  In the last couple months I have really gotten back to working out and getting back in shape.  It can be scary when they happen when you are working out, but I keep going like my Doc said too.

But what's strange for me is an hour or hour and half after I am done working out I start getting more PVC's than before. It makes me not want to workout, but I will be damn if I am going to let these things rule my life.  I won't do it any more.

[anacyde]

A PAC originates in the upper chambers of the heart, while a PVC originates in the lower chambers.  Otherwise, they're pretty similar, just extra beats.

Now about the original question, I keep going, though I have PACs.  The exception is when I get the "aura" feeling, as I know this means I'm about to trip myself into SVT if I don't slow down my pace.  Otherwise, I just keep going.

[Manhattan]

My cardiologist said it was a good idea to get a cardiovascular work out every day and not to let the PVCs get in my way. If I am getting tons of them though, I just like to rest and take it easy. Whatever makes you comfortable. Good for you exercising daily! Make sure to get enough potassium in your diet as well. My cardiologist said a banana a day was fine. I also take a magnesium supplement.

[momto3girls]

Hi there,

Like the name...is it pronounced "shin-ade"?  Irish, right?  Anyhow, I too get pvc's when I'm exercising.  I always find it's when I'm at my max heart rate (150's) and then I'll get a couple.  I just take a deep breath and continue.  I was even wearing a holter monitor once while at the gym and they were caught!  My cardiologist read the report and said no worries.  

Geez, there is no rhyme or reason to these things is there.  I'll get some while exercising hard and then I'll get some when my heart is nice and slow and relaxed while trying to sleep.  Go figure.  Well, you're in good company here!  They should just start a specific forum for pac's and pvc's since 90% of the questions asked regard them.  Take care and best wishes (:

momto3girls

[CollegeGirl143]

Always check with your own doctor, but in the abscense of any other cardiac issues, it should be fine..

[river1961]

I also feel them when I am briskly walking and they freak me out.

[starling97]

Hi Sinead, I workout daily on my eliptical. There is many times when I have felt those horrible pvcs while working out. I asked my doctor what I should do when they happen and he told me to continue to workout, but just slow down a little till they pass. If I am having a lot while I'm working out usually I will just stop, as I get scared. I will then try working out later that day. Ask your doctor, He will probably say the same thing mine told me. Have a nice day :)

[kitcurious]

I keep working out, yes. Certain changes in body position can prompt them. If you have a healthy heart it's fine.