Are PVC"s suppose to feel like this?

[amanda_21]

I was told by my doctor that I have PVC's as shown by a Holter. He wanted me to do an event monitor and a stress test to make sure nothing else was happening. I was supposed to see him tomorrow for a diagnoses, but he has gone on vacation and now I have to wait until July 10th before I know what is wrong with me. Of course I am freaking out and everytime I fell the spasms in the middle of my chest I want to go back to the hospital. The spasms feel like fluttering or fibrillation that last only a brief second at a time. I don't really feel the strong thump that most people with PVC's describe. I definately seem to get the palpitations when I'm really stressed out or anxious about something, but I can also have them when I am relaxing. Lately I've been having the spasms more than ever and I'm scared that I'm going to die. Both my cardiologist and elctrophysiologist told me that at 21 years old whatever is wrong with me is not going to be life threatening, but I feel like my condition is serious, and that maybe my doctor won't even be able to diagnose it correctly. I pray a lot, but sometimes I just want to cry because I'm so scared. I don't understand how all of a sudden something could be wrong with my heart. I'm only 21 and I've always been very healthy and athletic. Is there any one else that understands what I am describing and what it may be??? Any feedback or support would really help me.

[lanakaye]

I am wearing a monitor tonight for the same thing.  I am 59 and have had these things since my twenties.  I have a theory that we just have more sensitive hearts than most people. Incidentally people like us  are  just more sensitive and caring people in general.   So it makes sense and the world needs folks like us .  Distraction is good.   Reaching out to others is a wonderful way to do that.

Sometimes I can change positions and feel them, sometimes I can have a bad dream and wake up with a really rapid pulse rate.  I think that there is a caffiene connection, but sometimes it does not bother me at all.  

I learned several years ago from a medical article that eating salmon twice a week and apples often could make them virtually disappear.  For a long time this worked for me and I just began this routine again.  It really did work before.

You will be in my prayers .


lanakaye

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

i have had the stress test along with my husband and many more dont stress over it its fast and easy. the person who ended up in er must had someting elsa going on .anytime we think there is something wrong with our body we are going to worry belive me am still in that part of my stress but getting better, just dont let the stress take over or you will be in worse shape and there really wont be anything wrong with you but the stress. if your holtor said you have pvc than trust it ,  and try to move on not easy done, but when it happens remember they are harmless and your going to be ok. we are here when you need to talk this is a open forum and you can come on anytime and ask what you feel scared about . keep head up push foward and yess keep praying God is Godd. Barbara

[amanda_21]

I am sincerely touched by all your stories and support.  Your reassurances have been really supportive. I'ts good to know that I'm not the only one this is happening to, but at the same time I would never wish for anyone else to go through this.  It's almost surreal when I think that a few months ago before the palpitating started I was really stressed out and giving myself anxiety.  Now I feel like that was such a waste of time and I wish I would have just appreciated the fact that I was perfectly fine and healthy.  So if anything I have learned from this experience.  Praying definately helps more than anything.  The only thing bothering me now is that I'm afraid they won't make the right diagnoses.  This is partly because my palpitating has gotten worse since they took me off the event monitor.  I also live right beside the ER so believe me when i say it's hard not  to just walk over there when my heart starts spazzing out. Sadly I just can't afford the reassurance... Well I have a stress test in a few days and I am nervous because I read a post about someone taking a stress test and waking up in the hospital.  Still I know it's necessary and it should help make my diagnoses more accurate.  Thanks again for all the support.  All of you will be in my prayers.

[chattychicky]

HI Amanda!
I'm new to this forum and you sure are at the right place for great advise. I was diagnosed with tachycardia at the age of 26. Now it has evolved into PAC's. I had my cardio appt. yesterday. I am always scared like you too and I cry when it happens. I've taken the runs to the ER for this a few times and am always told everything is normal and am given a xanax and sent home. Like you I never believe it and always think they are missing something. Going to the cardiologist is a smart move. I even cried in her office yesterday! I told her I'm so tired of this and I'm scared all the time, afraid to go places, etc. She assured me it's nothing to worry about and that I have to stop being scared. She said I have a senstivie heart to any kind of stimulus. It's asier said than done to stay calm when it happens. She changed my beta blocker and put me on zoloft and xanax daily. I took zoloft a few years ago for 3 years and for me it really was a wonder drug in dealing with the anxiety. I never should have stopped taking it. Now I'M scared! I've taken the same beta blocker (tenormin) for 18 years and am switching to Toprol.  I'm always really scared taking a new med for the first time. I guess I just have to do it.....tomorrow :) What I've started doing latley is if I get a   "heart episode" I take long slow breaths and tell myself over and over that the doc says this is ok, this is ok, this is ok. The other thing that helps me is I call a friend and tell them I'm having an episode and ask them to stay on the phone with me and just talk. The distraction seems to help too.

[oatbucket]

Hi honey.  I know how scared you are, I really do.  My 12 year old daughter was recently diagnosed with something called AVNRT.  She also gets the skipped beats and she often says that her heart feels "like a butterfly".  All of this is so very scary for her even though her doctor told her it was not life threatening.  We know it's not, because he told us that, but it doesn't make it any less scary, so I know exactly how you feel.  Just because I'm a mom and it doesn't happen to me (as often, I do get the palpitations) I am just as afraid FOR my daughter as she is for herself.  When these things happen (and because this is so new to you and to us) we don't care what the doctor's say, we just want the feelings to go away.  As you do, we pray every single day and we have been blessed that her episodes (where her heart will race over 200 bpm) will only last for under 5 minutes.  (I've heard of people who have this and it can go on for hours).  My daughter did have an event monitor and that's the only thing that caught her rapid beats.  She kept being told that she was just an anxious kid.  I HATE that.  Yes, she is filled with anxiety because she has a heart conditon and she's only 12 years old.  Who wouldn't be anxious about that?  So, her anxiety, which is caused by her heart condition, brings on the symptoms that scare her in the first place.  So of course, yesterday we go to the doctor (for something else) and the first thing out of their mouth is basically "oh you're anxious so go see a counselor".  Where is the compassion?  Anyway, as someone already mentioned, if you read the boards you will probably feel a lil bit better.  Just knowing that you're not the only one who suffers these things will help you and I know for myself that when I read someone using the exact same words that my daughter has, I know it makes me feel better.  Just to ease your anxiety, if I were you, I would demand an appointment (nicely or they won't do it for you) with another cardiologist.  I know they deserve to go on vacation, but they aren't the only ones around.  Make a phone call and get in to one sooner or you will be beside yourself with fear and that's not good for anything.  Keep praying though because truly, what else can we do?  Let us know how it goes and how you are feeling k?

[slyder13]

I know how you feel my PVCs came out of no where back in Feb.  It's been a tricky battle for me as well.  I would feel the skipped beat in my chest or flutter and think wow something is really wrong.  When I first started seeing the cardiologist he ran all the tests, Echo, Stress, Holter, EKG, you name it and said nothing was wrong.  To me that was disturbing since like you...I  knew something was amiss in my system.  I've since realized that the Drs aren't going to let something slip by and at our age 21 and 30 there is little chance of anything serious wrong.  I just try to ignore them and carry on.  I found as time goes by that I'm used to them and it's sort of like having hiccups.

Look on the bright side for alot of people they are some how stress, diet, or lifestyle related and may go away on there own.  My brother had them for 2 years and they just went away after he changed his job and living situation.  That was 10 years ago.

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

hi amanda,
   i know how you feel i started hetting my pvc/pac at age 21, oh yes it was so scarey and yes mine were like yours, sometimes a flutter sometimes a missed beat /hard thump.  it can scare you to death,but try and not let it ,if you will read the forums on here you can see most have them and  feel the same as you . did your dr do the holtor or your waiting on it to be done?


try and relax ,with a lot of folks on here the stress brings them on and makes them worse, mine are not like that they come and go when they want to for no reason. i just went through 9 weeks of them non-stop i was having them every min 6-7 a min. am now 47 and they have not killed me yet, so i know they are harmless.

if you cant wait on the dr go see another one just for your peace of mind, keep your head up and am sure everything will be ok, plus now that you have felt them ,you will focous on them and every little one you will feel now ,i know i did that to. try not to worry easy said right . take care Barbara