PVCs during pregnancy and the postpartum period

Hello. I'm a 37 year old female in relatively good shape. I just had my second child in December 2009. During this pregnancy I started to experience skipped heartbeats. When they did not subside after the first trimester, my OB referred me to a cardiologist to ensure everything was okay. He did a Holter monitor, echo, and stress test and the results were benign PVCs and my echo was completely normal. The general consensus was that they were most likely brought on by the pregnancy (increased blood flow and hormone changes) and that they would subside after I gave birth. Well, I am now 7 weeks postpartum and I'm still experiencing them. They seemed to be subsiding a little, but then I went for my first run since being pregnant. Now they seem to have increased. Before the run I probably noticed them once or twice a day, but now I notice them throughout the day.

Should I be concerned that they increase with exercise? Will I have this problem for the rest of my life? Could the hormones still be an issue because I am breastfeeding?

I am sort of depressed about all of this. I thought it would all go away after giving birth and that I'd be able to get back to my normal activities. I'm a triathlete and exercise is such a huge part of my life...I can't imagine not being able to do all of that.

[amiey2217]

so u didnt have any problems like this in your first pregnancy??
your hormones are still crazy at this point (7 wks postpartum) and hormones can still very easily be the culprit for your palpitations. what are the reasons that the palpitations are preventing you from what you want? Do you get light headed or just really not like the feeling? My palpitations were bad during my second trimester and then got better for the third and then got bad again after delivery. I ended up having an ablation for my palps, but I have had issues with them for a while leading up to my pregnancy. Have you had problems like this at all before?

[JandJsmommy]

Thanks for responding, amiey2217.

No, I didn't have them during my first pregnancy. They started with the second pregnancy and I had periods when they were bad and periods when they were almost nonexistent. They had subsided almost completely at the end of  the pregnancy, but then got bad again right after delivery and for my first few weeks postpartum. Then they were a lot better until I went for a run. After my run they were bad again for a few days and now they are better again (although not completely gone).

Not sure what to make of all of this. I've read that exercise induced PVCs can be cause for concern.

No, I do not get lightheaded or have any kind of chest pain when exercising. I guess it just makes me worry quite a lot to have my heart doing flip flops. It's just hard to accept that it's okay for my heart to be doing this when it didn't do it before. I may be jumping the gun if this is just hormone related, but I'm having a hard time accepting that this may be something that I'll have to deal with for years to come.

[Sise]

Hi JandJsmommy

I'm 27 and the same happened to me. With my first I had no problems and with my second I was having really bad palpitations for no reason. My cardiologist said it may go away when I give birth. But 9 months later its still here. They diagnosed me with atrial fib. I find it quite interesting when I hear of other woman like myself.

Were you taking dramamine, airborne, or any type of herbal medicine while you were pregnant? Or did you prenatal contain herbal supplements?

[JandJsmommy]

Hi, Sise.

It's great to know I'm not alone. I'm sorry to hear that they are still a problem nine months postpartum. Are you still nursing? I'm wondering if hormones are still a little out of whack while breastfeeding. I'm looking for any explanation for why this is happening!

Nope, no herbal supplements. What role to they play in palpitations? Are yours skipped beats or racing heart rate?

[Sise]

Thanks for replying JandJsmommy,

Mines are both skipped beats (irregular) and heart racing (atrial fib.) unfortunately. But I am very curious to find out from others who suffer from this the exact source of this. I'm just trying to think of anything and everything.

I've read from several sources that herbal products, dramamine, may cause this. I don't know if I'm being paranoid but I think this could be a reason for the increased heart rate.

And I'm very concerned as to what caused such a thing. I'm don't smoke, drink, or have any of the risk factors for the disease. It's just very disheartening to just know that I have this condition.