Benign PVC sucking the life out of me.

[lavenderinscence]

HI,
I don't know how many of you can relate to me, but here I am, once again, unable to sleep and find myself looking here for support.

I am 24 years old, 8 months pregnant with my 3rd child. I have had terrible anxiety and mild depression for a few years (incidentally it started shortly after the birth of my first child). I have "benign PVCs",PACs, and random short episodes of NSVT.

I got "tired" of not receiving any quality help from any of my physicians for everything from the heart palps to the depression. The only thing that kind of helped me was a short prescription of Ativan that was given to me before I got pregnant with my second child, and when it ran out, they left me hanging in the dust with no other help, advice, and suffering from withdrawal.

I recently started experimenting with Kava Kava and valerian root (not at the same time). I read that they were supposed to calm heart palpitations and kava kava has been compared to benzos in it's efficiency. It has helped with the heart palps. I know that, but I can't accept it. it's so hard to explain. I have been experiencing many less heart "flutters" a day since taking the herbs, but I can't help but just wait until my heart beats wrong.

It's so bad when I try to lay down. I have PVC's like crazy when I lay down to rest. It's SO BAD when I lay on my left side, that I just end up with a near panic attack from trying to see how long I can stay on that side. I was able to lay on my back until recently, and now litterally I have to sleep sitting up or on my right side. It doesn't make for a comfortable night. It doesn't matter if I'm calm or not. They wake me up often. I can't sleep more than a couple of hours without being interrupted by these irregular beats, and when it happens, I can't go back to sleep. I KNOW they aren't going to kill me, and there are no other symptoms other than the physical sensation of my heart skipping. I can't shake the clenching feeling in my chest when it happens, I can't be calm, I can't convince myself that it won't happen again and I can rest now. I'm not irrational or unintelligent. I simply CAN'T force myself to grasp it and think that way. That's usually when I get up and take 3 or 4 Valerian root capsules and try to lay there and keep my eyes closed until the pills take effect.

I've tried everything to solve both the anxiety (which probably isn't the CAUSE of my heart issues but certainly has an effect on them) and the heart episodes. I take Magnesium, calcium, and zinc supplements, all my vitamin B's, Folic acid, plus the Kava Kava and Valerian which is supposed to quiet that stuff down. I am in counseling (which is pointless if you ask me) and I stay away from all the bad things - chocolate, caffiene, alcohol ...

I feel very secluded because everytime I reach out for help I get nothing. Can anyone understand what is happening to me? Can anyone empathize? This has turned into such a problem for me that I even get pain on the left side of my chest where I would imagine my heart would lie. I'm not imagining it. This isn't all in my head, or created by me, as quoted from most of the doctors who are supposed to be caring for me, including OBGYN. they couldn't even give me a straight answer as to why the heart things happen to me.

[tonyajacobs]

Hi, I have had the same thing sense I was 26. I am now 47. They were always worse and still are when laying on left side. I would avoid that if you can. that will help. Do not take any of those herbs until after you have the baby then talk to your dr about what you can take. I also have anxiety disorder, and sinus tack. but my heart is fine and is working well. It is just something I am learning to live with and finding things that help with the anxiety. best of luck and dont worry that when you go into labor it will get worse, it wont, I worried about the pvcs then. was afraid they would be worse, they were not. take care, tonya

[mertle224]

hi there
look up on the internet;
mitral valve prolapse and dysautonomia.
.
have you ever had a cardiologist do an ecocardiogram and look at you heart to see if you have a mitral valveprolapse
, its harmless but some of us who have it may also have dysautonomia which is an imbalance in the nervous system.
you dont have to have mitral valve you may just have the dysautonomia.
i hope this helps.

[lavenderinscence]

HI, yes, reading your post is soothing to me.

first of all, I know what you mean about being scared when you don't feel them. I started taking Valerian root for all of my terrible uncontrollable anxiety and the biggest thing i noticed was that my PVC's took a nosedive (which was surprising, scary, and relieving all at the same time). Valerian root is said to have arrythmic properties, but I also read that it can control heartbeart through the regulation of GABA, if that is your problem ... I guess I could call myself lucky? but anyway ... they are VERY bad at night and I try not to give them my focus, I try not to freak out, but it's just impossible!! they aren't like the ones i usually get during the day - easy to forget, easy to ignore- I CANNOT lie on my back AT ALL!! it's beyond frustrating! within 3 seconds of getting to my back it starts flopping around and does it every few heartbeats. I just can't rest when that's going on! it's not like i'm running around screaming or bawling, they just DEMAND attention. same thing when I lay on my left side. I sleep sitting up on the couch. which is pretty much the most uncomfortable night's sleep you could imagine. I used to use sleep as my escape from my anxiety, and it has been stolen from me. I can only sleep solidly for about the first hour of the night and then it's a lost cause. my doctors will not help me. I can't just find new ones ... I have state funded medical insurance and I'm 8 months pregnant.

before I got pregnant I saw a cardiologist who gave me Atenolol ...which is a beta blocker like you were on. I loved it. absolutely took them all away with maybe 2 or 3 a week left over. I asked about it again already and they told me no. even when i was unpregnant. they told me no.  

[momto2]

Hey there, I sure can relate to the arrythmias as well. When I was pregnant they seemed to be much worse. I was told it was caused by the increased blood volume that occurs during prganancy. They did subside somewhat after the pregnancy. I also used to lay awake at night just "feeling" them and being very frightened. It took a few months but I eventually realized I wasn't going to die from them so it sort of became my "normal". In fact, I became almost alarmed if I did not feel them! crazy huh? Holter monitors showed I had around 10,000 per day give or take a few thousand. It has now been about 8 years and I  have to say I still notice them but they don't bother me any longer. On a side note, lack of sleep seems to be a huge trigger for me. I was perscribed toprol (metoprolol) to help with the symptoms. I took it for years but did not get much relief. Then last spring my pharmacist was not able to get any metroprolol (generic) in my dosage for a while so I told him I would just take the toprol( name brand) until metroprolol became available. Within a couple of days my PVCs were almost non-existant. weird huh? It has now been about 9 months and I feel like I have had fewer than 50 PVCs in the last several months. That is a huge change from thousands! I don't know if it was the med change or not but I will take it!

[BobRBob]

My heart goes out to you for the anxiety you are feeling. I can't add much to the previous posts except one minor point. I have a-fib and, when I was looking for relief from insomnia a couple of months ago, my doctor mentioned melatonin and valerian root as possible solutions but he ruled out the Valerian root as it has pro-arrhythmic properties. It can actually cause heart arrhythmias. I can't say if this is an issue for you but I thought I'd mention it because you said you were experimenting with it.

Best wishes.

[TatiSD]

Remember that this will pass, and it will. Nothing stays the same.  Your panicked feelings will subside too.   I would stop laying on the left side.  Being pregnant with everything shifted inside adds all this pressure causing you to palp. This happens to many of us without being pregnant, so why challenge it?  I would think it should be obvious to your OBGYN that all these extra cardiac events are caused by the extreme hormonal activity taking place in your body.  
Although extremely difficult, I think acceptance is key.  You do what you can to help your symptoms, but in the end accepting the arrhythmia will release all the anxiety/fear/panic.  Observe as they happen without reacting, watch it pass by and know it's gone.  When the next one comes, do it again.  I know, this is no easy task, it feels miserable because you just want to go to panic mode, but it's the way to practice acceptance.  I am saying these things to you as an option while at the same time, I am reminding myself.  
Although Kava Kava and Valerian root are natural, they should be used with caution now that you're pregnant for the effects it may have on your child.  I would definitely consult my OBGYN and call a pharmacist for his opinion.  
Hang in there, and wishing you an easy and happy birth.  It's very possible that this time around your body will be flooded with positive hormones, eradicating any depressive feeling you had before.  I hope this for you.  

[donna80]

Hey hunny,

I can sympathise with you dearly, i to get these, and am scared to death... BUT reading these boards have reasured me no end, there are so many people who get them, everyone gets palps, just more are aware of them than others.  And what you must remember is, the chemical that gets released during anxiety/panic attack is what would get released if you found yourself in danger, it gets your heart ready for the fight or fright response.. Hence more palps, so when you feel them, and i no doubt no that you feel them just like i do when your minding your own business, the anxiety can trigger alot more due to that chemical (sorry not sure of the name of it)..

You must remember though, your not going to die from these, yor heart is protected by all the 4 chambers, when one is having a funny 5 mins, the other one will take over and beat on behalf of that chamber (hence the pvc's/pac's) .  

Even after having an echo, many ekg's, 2x24 hr and 1 48 hr holtor monitor, and a complete blood work up etc i am still scared to death when i get the long term ones, the ones that come and go are gone quicker than they come and i can deal with them, but the ones that last for a few hours are the ones that scare me the most.. But they are not harmless, 2 cardio's have told me, they are benign and will not kill or harm me in any way!

Now i know for me what trigger's these off, (so far) and that's, to many fag's, to much salt, not enough water, caffiene, aspartame (found in diet drinks)  takeaway food, and stress ofcourse!

I remember once when i moved home, i didnt feel stressed at all, ok back in my mind obviousley i was, because i was getting these darn skipped beats, butterfys what ever every few beats, for a whole week! I remember my door going, and i got them every beat for a few mins, but i felt calm and tried breathing exercises etc, but nope.. Doc checked me over and said i am stressed i just moved home etc.. But ya know i never believed that, then when they went i started to believe what i was being told!

Have you has tests done in the past? Did they reasure you?

Just drink plenty of water, seriousley because you and the baby need it, cut the salt out of your diet, and any aspartame, and processed food.  I drink decaf coffee, and the taste is no different ~:-) And i drink diet orangeade there is no aspartame in that! And i eat my own food, i never buy processed food, or takeaways never again, i can't be doing with them!

Just remember these points when you are getting them.
I am not going to die from them.
They are benign.
The more worried i am going to get the more i will get due to the chemical being released.
My hormones are all over the place, adding to stress (at the back of my mind).
Need to stop obsessing over these and they will go into the distant.
Think of my big toe, start to think about it more, how it feels next to my other toes. (this is tried to show u how strong your mind is, when you concentrate on your heart you feel it more yeah? now concentrate on your big toe).
Be happy you don't have any underlying heart condition that many other people do.

And don't forget to drink plenty of water,
stay away from junk food,
eliminate caffiene/aspartame/msg/salt.

And just relax and don't worry..

I do hope i've helped, big hugs to you... x x