Do PACs feel different than PVCs???/

I am NOT even sure this problem is a cardiac issue but I think it may be.  Here's the skinny.  I'm 39 and I've had PVCs for 20 years.  Been told benign.  I will have stretches where I never feel any.  I'm also one of those "cursed" persons who can feel every one.  As far as I know, I can't have a PVC without feeling it.  But what about PACs.  Can you "feel" these too?  I guess a better question would be, if a person can feel every one of his/her PVCs, could that person feel a PAC too and do they feel similar??

So here's why I ask.  For a few months now there's been a very strange sensation that occurs ONLY when I'm lying in bed.  I'll wake up in the middle of sleep, and sometimes the slightest movement (turning over, pulling the covers up, etc) causes this strange feeling that I can't really describe, but I think (???) it feels like some temporary disruption in my heart rhythm but it does NOT feel like a PVC.  I always check my pulse after and it appears normal..normal in bpm and normal space between beats.  The frequency of when this happens can be once per night but on avg is less.  Some weeks I won't experience it all.  Other weeks, virtually every night.  I also seem to be able to prevent it if I take a nice deep breath 1st and then do any movement slowly.  I just am at a loss for what this is though but it certainly doesn't feel right or normal and it's never happened in my life prior to a few months ago.

Any help would be much appreciate!

Thanks,
James

[DeltaDawn23]

In my experience, pac's are much less of an event -- they seem lighter and less worrisome.  I only know of one time FOR SURE I had pvc's and it was during a treadmill test and the doctor asked, "Is THAT what you've been experiencing?  That's when they sent me to the EP.  The pvc's seemed more pronounced, heavier if that makes any sense.  This is all subjective -- hope it is some help.  You might want to run it by your docto -- a monitor might pick it up.  Hang in there.

[Jerry_NJ]

I doubt that you, anyone, feels PAC unless it results in an extra ventricle beat.  I think you can't even hear the atrium contraction with a stethoscope.  I use a stethoscope to count my heart rate (ventricle rate).  The double sound one hears per beat are both from the ventricle.  

I have atrial fibrillation, that goes unnoticed except for the extra beats that make it through and result in extra/irregular ventricle heart beats.  These are not call PVC, but I fail to see the difference from how a person feels them.  I have to take a beta and calcium blocker to keep the extra beats from driving me into a tachycardia heart rate.

Sorry if I rambled, again I think you do not feel PACs, unless they pass a signal that causes a PVC.

[den2094]

i never get pac, i always get pvc. but i dont care. its disturbing

[is_something_wrong]

Your question is interesting. I'll try to answer.

In general (but there are exceptions to this rule), a PVC is experienced with a longer "pause" and a more pronounced next normal beat. This happens because the PVC doesn't reset the sinus node, so the time it will take until the next beat occur, is the amount of time the PVC occur before the normal beat + the normal time between your heart beats. For example, if your heart rate is 60, and a PVC hits 0,5 seconds before the next normal beat, your "pause" will be 1,5 seconds (though it will feel like two seconds because you don't feel the PVC itself).

A PAC on the other hand, (at least in my case) can often cause discomfort when the PAC itself happens.The PAC often "fires" when the previous beat isn't completed, making the upper chambers pump towards closed heart valves. So blood is directed backwards, which feels horrible. Also, when we pay attention to our heart rhythm, we are often aware when our next beat should occur, and when this rhythm is messed up, it's causing discomfort. A PAC can cause more irregular heart rhythm than a PVC, as the sinus node is reset. PVCs are producing a regular rhythm, where an occational beat is just skipped. PACs are causing an irregular rhythm.

[gothic_beauty]

I too experience both PACs and PVCs. Like is_something_wrong says, my PVCs feel like a single skipped beat, whereas my PACs cause a variety of sensations, from an extra-long pause between beats, to a few very rapid beats followed by a long pause, to a succession of flops and flutters in my chest. I actually find PACs a lot scarier because of their unpredictability. PVCs are much more regular in their irregularity, if you know what I mean! That being said, I recently had a really bad week in which I was feeling way more skipped beats than normal, and even though they were PVCs, their frequency was freaking me out. I have an appointment with my cardiologist to talk about them. I'm so sorry you continue to experience these problems as well, but don't worry. It will still be a happy new year!

[tvan477]

Have any of you with frequent PVCS tried going on gluten free diet?  I had frequent pvcs for about 30 years. They have almost totally resolved once I eliminated gluten from my diet.

[JamesAA]

Nice summary man!  Tyvm for that.  My Dr. told me that my PVCs are benign.  Are PACs benign too?

[is_something_wrong]

You're welcome :)

Yes, PACs are even more benign than PVCs. They can never be dangerous.