Ventricular Bigeminy

[CareBear59]

Hi!
I have been reading through your forum and archives looking for a direct answer on this one.  I realize now that in general PVC's and PAC's are benign and you have said that ANY AMOUNT is normal unless you have a history of heart failure or an old heart attack.  I have had neither.  I have had numberous resting EKG's, a Holter Monitor in January of this year, and an echo in April of this year.  The doctor just listened to my heart last week and said it sounded fine.  So, my questions is this:  Sometimes when I get frequent PVC's I will get them as close as every other beat (bigeminy) for about five or six beats and then it will beat normal for a few minutes and then the whole process starts over again.  Is this frequent PVC's dangerous given my history. They always says my tests are normal.  All they can find is premature beats. I am a thin 40 year old female and have never had a stress test though.  When I get them this close together it is very frightening and I think I'm going to die.  Thanks for your help and you have a wonderful forum!  I really trust your answers.  Does anyone else out there get them this frequent sometimes.  Please comment!!

[bernibee]

A related discussion, Ventricular Bigeminy was started.

[skua]

A related discussion, treatment for pvcs? was started.

[Lauren Allbritten]

After another echo this morning, that was normal, I am no closer to finding an answer for my PVC's.  I too suffer from runs of bigeminy very frequently that is followed by fatigue and fear.  I have tried two or three different beta-blockers which do not seem to help much at all.  I am a 37-year old female who began having my PVC's approximately four years ago.  I have no cardiac history with the exception of Mitral Valve Prolapse (without regurgitation).  If anyone has any information about medications that have been successful in alleviating PVC's I would appreciate receiving it. My cardiologist just keeps reassuring me that they are benign however it is an every day, hour to hour event.  I am desperately seeking any help as these PVC's are ruining my life.
Thank you in advance. . .  

Lauren (***@****)

[Carrie]

Much thanks to both of you (Christine and Sher) for writing back.  I suffer so much anxiety with this.  Sher, I know what
you mean by irregular beats.  I also suffer from Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia that I've had for years.  My heart will just shoot up to approx. 230 b.p.m. without warning.  I hate it.  I just wish I could have a normal heart without all these weird stuff going on.  Do either of you take medication for your PVC's?  Thanks again for your input!!

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Afib can occur in short spurts. It is irregular when it does occur, but it is a distinct rhythm abnormality that is different form PACs or PVCs. This differentiation could be made on Holter.

[Christine]

Carrie,

Please feel free to e-mail me if you'd like: morpheus_6***@****

I take 20mg of Inderal daily, just started 1 week ago after Holter moniter results.  It helps a little. My Doctor started me on the med because my TSH (thyroid) levels were elevated, and she thinks this may be the cause of the PVCs.  She sending me to a cardiologist and endocronologist (spelling?) to get expert opinions on how to help me, because I am very uncomfortable.

Peace,
Christine

[SHER]

Hi, I have a couple of comments about multiple PVCs..
1st, i think there is some old info out there both on the web and in medical books that has scared some of us . That is, I have read that you should call your doctor if you have more than 5 PVCs an hour, of if they occur every day.
And, obviously, that is not accurate .
2nd. I have all SORTS of weirdly beating episodes and I've been to the doctor , including 2 very well known cardiologists, for years and  had a bunch of ekgs, holters and, 3 years or so ago, a month long monitor. FINALLY, on the month long one, the doctor caught 2 episodes of 3 pvcs straight. Well, i was terrified. The nurse i called the info sounded worried. But the doctor, chief of cardiology at a great med center, wasn't. He said I'm fine. I DID and do feel a horrible weakness when i have this run of pvcs but it is only  momentary. almost like i just need to take a deep breath or something. While it is momentary it scares the stuff out of me.
3. This is a comment and a question. I have had episodes, like today in fact, where i have "runs" of irregular beats.. maybe i feel my heart beat really fast for a few seconds.. then i sit down and it skips so i take my pulse at my neck and it's normal and then, whammo, every few beats are irregular. Can you have a-fib that is just in very short spurts? Is an hour of many pvcs and pacs an bursts of tachycardia which produces an irregular pulse the same as or equal to a-fib? no one has ever caught any sort of a-fib but honestly, i don't see what the difference would be .. my pulse can be so irregular. But I would have to wear a monitor every day for MONTHS to catch all the weird things my heart does and no doctor, to say nothing of insurance company, will go for that.

so all i can do is hope and pray that because i have no sign of heart disease ( and good blood lipid profile, low blood pressure, good weight, no smoking, etc.) and my echo was fine that I'm truly not in danger.

sorry to ramble. thanks for this forum!

S

[Christine]

Hi there!

I just wanted to let you know there are others out there like you.  When I wore my holter they caught 5000+ PVCs, also many instances of bigeminy & trigeminy (and that was a good day, usually I have so many more).  The Doctors say I'm fine and in no danger, but the frequent PVCs really bother me.

You're not alone!

Peace,
Christine

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

There are other people in your situation. Even with the bigeminy, your PVCs are most likely benign. If they really bother you, medications are an option.