PVC after exercise/while resting. Diagnosed leaky heart valve

[jengoertz]

Hello. I am a 27 year old female, generally very very healthy. I suffer from extreme anxiety. The past 8 months I have had PVC's. Probably no more than 15 in a day. This scares the **** out of me. About 2 years ago I saw a cardioligist (also suffer from hypochondriasis) and he told me I had a leaky heart valve and that it would never impact my life. Ok, fine I said. Well, these short of breath/heart thump/palpatations/wave of anxiety feeling I've been getting, hapopen in different situations but more so during exercise. Today for instance, just scared me and i thought I was dying. I went to lunch and ate so much carbs. breads and pasta and after I left the place and walked to my car I got a PVC. I went home and changed and went to the gym. Getting out of the car I got another PVC. I was getting freaked out but went to the gym anyways. Did the 60 mins of cardios and as Im leaving the gym I had probably about 15 triggers within 5 mins and I didn't know what to do but it obviously cause me to freak out. Once I got in my car and sat there, they stopped. I've gotten them befoere during hard core cardio (heartrate 160ish) and I thought it was just a sign for me to slow down. Today really scared me. I keep a log of when I get them. Haven't had 1 in 2 weeks and now I've had a bunch this week :( Not only do I get them during exercise, I get them while just laying around watching tv or laying in bed. I also suffer from acid reflux so I'm not sure if thats making this worse but I am freaked out and need advice. Obviously, I\m going to see a cardioligist again but wanted to get some advice. :( Scared

[den2094]

i wonder why anxiety and heart problems are almost always connected..

dont be afraid. i also get these skipped beats after exercise and sometimes during exercise. i know how scary these skipped beats can be. sometimes you wish you never had them.

[dmacd74]

Reassurance goes a long way.  Once you see a cardiologist and get confirmation that your heart is healthy, you will feel better.  Dolphin is right.  The only curse is that we FEEL them, the fact that they are there is usually not important because in most cases they are benign.  I also (until my ablation last week), had pvcs upon exertion and exercise.  My doctor once told me that he had a male patient who was in bigeminy and didn't even know it.  He had no enlargement or problems with his heart, so the doctor didn't even treat them.  Debbie

[dolphin8808]

Awe I am so sorry! I have been in your shoes and now how scary just a handful can be. To be honest, this is the nature of these things. They come and go as they please, sometimes with tno triggers at all. So frustrating though! I started out much like you. A day with some then they would go away. For the longest time I would only have 1-10 per day. Over time they have become more frequent but that doesn't mean they are anymore dangerous because they are NOT. They put you at NO higher risk for any major cardiac event then the general population.

Our curse isn't that we have PVCs, its that we FEEL them. Many people have them and do not even know (I am not sure how people have these an not feel them, my father didn't feel his either).

Go see your cardio, get the reassurance you need (I too suffer from Health Anxiety) and just know that your heart is fine.  My EP told me that its a rare day when he gets a holter back without any PVCs or PACs on it.

[Jerry_NJ]

A "leaky valve" is rather vague.. we have four valves (best I can recall) and many of us (maybe most of us) have some degree of leakage in one or more... maybe all.  I say not to confuse the subject, vague as it is, but to support what your doctor has said about getting on with your life as "normal".  That said, I think you found some things you should avoid, especially the getting "freaked" out. This may be difficult, so start with the easier ones, add a healthy (for you) diet to match a healthy physical fitness practice.  

You said you keep a written record, add to that information such as any connections you may see to food, sleep, stomach, other issues and the onset of PVCs.

As you know, PVC is a common problem and while uncomfortable usually benign.

Good luck on your visit with your cardiologist.