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Heart Arrhythmia ( PVCs ) please Help ! :(

Hello  I'm a 21 year old guy and I've been having heart palpitations ( PVCs more than 12 000 a day ) for the past four months . They have ruined everything in my life and I don't know what to do anymore !! doctors been telling how anxiety, stress  and caffeine and all the other stuff can cause them and it's okay to have them.  you just gotta have to ignore , that is soooo crazy !! because no matter how hard I try I can't ignore them :((  I feel everyone of these extra , skipped beats in my chest and they drive me crazy especially at night when I try to sleep .the head of my bed would start shaking from these extremely forceful beats and I get these fluttering feeling in my chest all the time . cant count the number of times I've been to the hospitals in the last four months !   but they usually send me back home saying it's probably the anxiety attack and my arrhythmia is benign , go home and rest don't think about it ! I mean Seriously  ??  i hate when they say that ! I feel so scared and I don't know where to go .
I didn't even know what the anxiety was ,   I was happy with my life , I used to go to the gym 4 - 5 times a day and I was in a great shape , not drinking or smoking never have , eating extremely healthy diet , why would I get these very frequent PVCs every day  ?  they are not able to tell me why ? there seems to be no reason  , all the tests came back normal , hormones and stuff . if it was from my anxiety can they last for this long  ?  4 months  ? will they ever go away  ? I wanna get my life back that happiness I had in me . please someone help , I don't wanna be scared like a baby but they freak me out . I know my heart isn't suppose to work like this . its not okay !!  how can they benign  ? I also take anti anxiety drugs Xanax 0.25mg at night but it's not helping me at all . please if there's someone out there help me to understand this .please :(
Best Answer
1464004 tn?1384135733
I'm going to tell you what I told myself to help me get past my fear of PVC. You had all the important cardiac tests. They were all fine. Numerous doctors have told you PVC are harmless in a healthy heart. You need to believe them. If you let yourself live in fear of any kind every single day you will miss the great times you should be having. Especially as such a young person. You can't let this take one more minute of your life that you can never get back. Like the old saying goes, you could walk into the street tomorrow, get hit by a bus and die. Anything can happen to us at any time. You have to enjoy every day as best you can and don't let these things ruin your life. Maybe you should talk to a doc about this heat anxiety. I did and it helped a lot.
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Avatar universal
I know it has been 3 years since your post, but are you still here? Can we have a chat, please? I have kind of the same problem. Thank you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
First, congratulations on meeting with a psychiatrist and accepting her plan for you!  Your life is going to get better now.

Second, yikes, please don't say that you think you have incomplete bundle branch block, too!!

Here is what it is:  There is a kind of two-branch wiring system that conducts the heartbeat from its source in the 'Pacemaker'  down to the ventricles.  Sometimes, there's a flaw in the wiring that slows or interrupts the current.  In people with diseased hearts, that can obviously be significant, because you want both ventricles to contract at the same time, with the same strength.

However, in a child or a young person like you, with a heart that has been SO very often tested and found to be healthy, incomplete bundle branch block is considered benign.

Do not worry about IBBB anymore.  Or anything heart-related.  You are OK in the chest.  It's the area between the ears that needs attention--and that is what your shrink is going to take care of.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi thanks for your comment , I've met the psychiatrist today and we'll meet this week again , she told me that I'm one of those people who worry about everything in life , she said she could help me but It'd take some time until I feel better. , so I'm gonna follow her plan. ,
The other thin i wanted to ask here , what's incomplete bundle branch block ? Is that normal ?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
"...my only question is if everything is perfectly fine with my heart why would I get this for so many years"

Lucas, there is no answer to the 'why.'  Everyone gets PVCs, and most people with them have perfectly healthy hearts.  A benign PVC is kind of a hiccup of the heart.  In your case, it means nothing--NOTHING--dangerous or bad.

You have to learn how to live with them, and that is what a psychiatrist is for, but for some reason, you seem to be avoiding that kind of help.

Helpful - 0
1464004 tn?1384135733
One again I have to agree with previous posters. You may need to up your Xanex dose. Treat the anxiety and the palps will lessen our at least not bother you as much. You've had them since 17 and they haven't killed you! Lol. They haven't killed any of us no matter how long we've had them. Keeping a healthy heart lifestyle is key, something I've been neglecting and have to get on the stick about.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
.25 of xanax is nothing. Up the dosage or take klonopin 1 mg.  benzos are addictive and their addictive qualities should not be underestimated. However, if you have palps and a healthy heart, it's almost certainly anxiety and stress that are causing the palps. An ample dose of a benzo can give a palp suffer some much needed relief. .25 of xanax is a joke of a dose and would likely help if your doc would increase it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi everyone ,  I'm still in Georgia , had met another doc this week , and we just found out that  I have had this when I was 17  , i called the hospital in USA and they sent me the copy of my Holter four years ago , I knew that had met the cardiologist back then but I didn't remember why now i know , this has changed everything , my PVCs have started when I was a teen , and now they came back fours years later or maybe I have had them but I didn't know , 6 cardiologists have told me I'd be fine but I still can't get this out of my head especially now after what I just found out .
my only question is if everything is perfectly fine with my heart why would I get this for so many years , maybe I was born with PVCs  ? I don't what to think .....................
Helpful - 0
1464004 tn?1384135733
I second Achillea. Five cardiologists in one week!!! Stick with your shrink. I was extremely panicked too when all this first started. Doctor after doctor have said you're ok. It's time to start really treating the panic. That's what I had to do. Aside from the drugs, I found that talk therapy helped me a lot too. Hang in there!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Lucas, you have had repeated (!!) testing that shows your heart is young and healthy.  Yes, you have lots of PVCs, but not enough to be considered serious (20,000 per day is the point at which doctors start to pay attention), and the other small bursts of strange beats are isolated and of no medical significance.

You have been trying some anti arrhythmic drugs, which in your case are unnecessary, since your PVCs are all benign.  In addition there is the fact--which you can google--that anti-arrhythmics can cause more harm than good when used on healthy hearts.

I think the doc who gave you Cipralex (Lexapro) and Klonazepam is on the right track, because your biggest problem is anxiety about your heart.  And of course, anxiety increases the amount of adrenalin in your system, which further irritates your heart.  Your near-fainting episode of Feb 9 was almost certainly a 'vaso-vagal faint' (google it), the result of fear.  Vagal stimulation causes the heart to beat slowly for a while, but it is self-correcting, as you saw.

So, what to do?  As I told you in an earlier post, it is important to see the right doctor for the symptoms.  You are tormented by anxiety and panic, and the correct doctor for these problems is a psychiatrist.  BTW, I personally found Lexapro to be not very calming.  Zoloft was better for me, and you might want to ask the shrink you will be seeing soon (am I right?) about that.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey how are you guys ? Sorry that  I have not been posting for a long time I'm not in the state , I'm  in the country  Georgia , my dad is from there and I have traveled that far for my PVCs .  I've met 5 cardiologists in one week and they all say different thing , no heart diseases , structurally healthy heart but no one can say if my PVCs ever go away or why do I get them everyday , Holter showed 13 556 more than I had three months ago , Xanax and Nebilet ( beta blocker )  did nothing  . Now one doc told me to take Amoidarone which has many side effects and I have already take 8 tablets 200 mg . I stopped today cuz I got a call from another cardiologist say I have idiopathic PVCs and we do not need to bomb my heart with strongest antiarrytthmetic drugs , he told me to take Isoptin  Verapamil 240 mg once a day for one months and he said we would have to have holter again to see if this drug is working . Neurologist put me on psychotropic anti depression drugs Cipralex and Clonazepam , i am just confused and don't know what to do , another cardiologist told me to leave this alone and he said if you were my son I wouldn't let you take these drugs at this age , he also said something about sex hormones how can they cause this and I don't know if I should get that test done . Guys I want to know what you think ? I can't make this decision I have stopped taking Amiodarone .
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey how are you guys ? Sorry that  I have not been posting for a long time I'm not in the state , I'm  in the country  Georgia , my dad is from there and I have traveled that far for my PVCs .  I've met 5 cardiologists in one week and they all say different thing , no heart diseases , structurally healthy heart but no one can say if my PVCs ever go away or why do I get them everyday , Holter showed 13 556 more than I had three months ago , Xanax and Nebilet ( beta blocker )  did nothing  . Now one doc told me to take Amoidarone which has many side effects and I have already take 8 tablets 200 mg . I stopped today cuz I got a call from another cardiologist say I have idiopathic PVCs and we do not need to bomb my heart with strongest antiarrytthmetic drugs , he told me to take Isoptin  Verapamil 240 mg once a day for one months and he said we would have to have holter again to see if this drug is working . Neurologist put me on psychotropic anti depression drugs Cipralex and Clonazepam , i am just confused and don't know what to do , another cardiologist told me to leave this alone and he said if you were my son I wouldn't let you take these drugs at this age , he also said something about sex hormones how can they cause this and I don't know if I should get that test done . Guys I want to know what you think ? I can't make this decision I have stopped taking Amiodarone .
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey how are you guys ? Sorry that  I have not been posting for a long time I'm not in the state , I'm  in the country  Georgia , my dad is from there and I have traveled that far for my PVCs .  I've met 5 cardiologists in one week and they all say different thing , no heart diseases , structurally healthy heart but no one can say if my PVCs ever go away or why do I get them everyday , Holter showed 13 556 more than I had three months ago , Xanax and Nebilet ( beta blocker )  did nothing  . Now one doc told me to take Amoidarone which has many side effects and I have already take 8 tablets 200 mg . I stopped today cuz I got a call from another cardiologist say I have idiopathic PVCs and we do not need to bomb my heart with strongest antiarrytthmetic drugs , he told me to take Isoptin  Verapamil 240 mg once a day for one months and he said we would have to have holter again to see if this drug is working . Neurologist put me on psychotropic anti depression drugs Cipralex and Clonazepam , i am just confused and don't know what to do , another cardiologist told me to leave this alone and he said if you were my son I wouldn't let you take these drugs at this age , he also said something about sex hormones how can they cause this and I don't know if I should get that test done . Guys I want to know what you think ? I can't make this decision I have stopped taking Amiodarone .
Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
Wow your in my state, what city you in and what dr did you s

I would not worry about the triples, it's ok as long as dr saw it and says your ok

I to have them like that and they tell me go home your fine,

Try calm down, and know if they though anything was bad they would of told you, your ok
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi everyone I'm in Georgia now , had all the test again , they were normal . but what worries me so much is that holter monitor showed , VTachycardia  2 , couplet 35 , Triplet  3 , PVC 13 556  . Echo was fine ,  Guys please help me , I'm just scared to death , I have never had Vtachycardia , please :((((
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi everyone I'm in Georgia now , had all the test again , they were normal . but what worries me so much is that holter monitor showed , VTachycardia  2 , couplet 35 , Triplet  3 , PVC 13 556  . Echo was fine ,  Guys please help me , I'm just scared to death , I have never had Vtachycardia , please :((((
Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
Wow sorry that your going threw all of this

I to think it could be anxiety, I say that because I have anxiety, now when I feel a little flutter I can feel my body starting with anxiety.

I get it back under control before I end up like you in hospital,p

You really need to talk to someone and get on a good anxiety med,

Stress can cause you lots problems so you need try and pull it together, your mom is going have heart problems stressing over you.

Try and think when it starts that your fine and it always ends up like tonight where your fine

Once you see the cardio dr your going to see you need to believe him, so that you can get on with your life your so young and have a lot of living to do
Helpful - 0
1464004 tn?1384135733
Echoes are good for much longer. I don't think you can develop cardiomyopathy in that short of a time unless you were sick at some point. You also had a stress test which was good. Your Echo and ekgs have all been fine. You are young you haven't had any serious virus or anything why do you think you have a heart condition now?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes I had that done but that was three months ago ? ;/
Helpful - 0
1464004 tn?1384135733
Didn't you say in a previous post that you had an echocardiogram done? If you did it would have shown something like a cardiomyopathy. I'm thinking your anxiety is getting the best of you...you had all the heart tests done right?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi guys ambulance just left my house ;(( I was watching tv with my mom and all of a sudden I felt extremely dizzy and I knew something was wrong with me , my mom checked my pulse and it was 47 a minute , i tried walking out in my yard getting fresh air but that didn't help than my whole my started shaking ' my jaw legs and hands couldn't stop them from shaking , I got pale and I nearly passed out , my mom started crying and called the ambulance ,when they got here my heart rate was 80 probably because of my anxiety , 1o minutes later it was 120 / 61 . Had another ECG looked okay . They asked me if I wanted to spend the night in hospital and I decided to home :/ of course they didn't know what. Caused my weak pulse that made my dizzy and I don't think they believed I had 47 either , pulse changed before they got here .. I don't know what to think ;( can this be the sign of cardiomyopathy ?
Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
wish I knew my triggers , cant pin point them and I to am 54 and had since I was 20.

nothing seems to be the same when they come,
I ve not had one flutter since feb 1st bu I feel like I can lol

but when they come they are hours and hours straight and every other beat

don't like that lol .
Helpful - 0
1464004 tn?1384135733
Hi Lucas! Yes I sometimes hear mine in my ears too. Just another thing that makes you more aware of them. I've been getting a lot this week too mostly because I've been behaving badly again. Eating too much at one sitting, not sleeping enough and I had a big chocolate latte! All no nos. Lol so I have to learn to control myself!! Staying away from your personal triggers helps a lot. Let us know what your new docs say too.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I take magnesium citrate 400 mg . Pvcs came back this morning on every other beat and I can hear them  in my ears , how's it for you  ? Can you hear your irregular heartbeat in your ears ?
I'm not sure why my doc said that about magnesium but I'll ask him , I have an appointment with  neurologist  on13 th  february and Psychologist on 14 th , I'll Also meet a new cardiologist in a week .
Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
good that they are slowing down maybe they are going to poof and be gone thats how mine do

why did dr say just take it 10 days?  what kind are you taking

I know lots that take it everyday.

not sure about the Calcium is that suppose to stop them to?

yes your Blood pressure is good no worries on that. mine hangs around thoses numbers to and when I have anxiety its much higher, heart beat around 54-70

hope you have a calm quite day with them. mine have been gone now for a week but I feel like they will be back soon lol. waiting

talk soon
Helpful - 0
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