Premature Arterial Contraction

[socalhunter]

PAC is or is not arrhythmia? I have been to the emergency twice in the last two weeks due to heart palpitations.I have been studied and told it's not life threatening.

[GrantN]

I'm with you, I know how you are felling, I've been having these PACS for over a couple weeks now.  It is a life changing experience.  I used to drink pop everyday....my diet was not that great, I am watching very closely what I eat now, I would drink some beers with friends on the weekends and I'm now afraid to even do that.  I have been to the ER, wore a holter monitor, had an echo done, and a treadmill test while hooked up to a monitor....oh, and bloodwork as well.  I was told everything checked out fine and to try not to worry.  Easier said than done!  I have a float trip that we go on a week from Saturday and I'm not even looking forward to it, my mind is consumed with these stupid PACS.  I was given some atenolol, 25mg to take once a day but have not started taking it yet.  My blood pressure has never been high so I'm leary of taking something that may lower that.  I have had to take Xanax to help me deal with this on the bad days and to help me sleep, I'm being very careful of how much of that I take though.....don't want to become addicted.

The good news is that you have been checked out and that lots of people of these PACS and lots of people have lived a long time with them.  There is even a facebook group that I joined yesterday, it's nice to talk to others who are experiencing what we are going through.  You can locate that group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=343485201086

rilesnic...wow, 16 years, have you ever taken any meds?  Have you had them constantly that whole time or do you ever get breaks from them?  Have you had days where you feel you are having 5 or 6 a minute?

Take care,

Grant

[rilesnic]

A PAC is a beat that fires before it should, in the atrial part of the heart.  Many PAC's and PVC's are considered benign, which means they are not considered life-threatening.  Sometimes they feel like extra beats or skipped beats, but a PAC does not effect the blood flow to the body.  The extra hard beat that people usually feel is the "real" heartbeat pushing the extra blood through the chambers of the heart following the light beat of the PAC.  PAC's and PVC's can be very scary and cause many symptoms in some people.  I have had PAC's for 16 years and sometimes they completely take my breath away.  Some make me feel terrible and drained for several hours afterwards.  I have even been told that if I pass out, I'll come to.  Luckily, I have not passed out.  Always make sure your doctor knows what is going on and if you have any changes in your heart.  I avoid caffeine, alcohol, msg, sweets, large meals, and I don't smoke.  Anxiety, stress, lack of sleep,dehydration, and general anesthesia (when I have had surgery) are  triggers for me as well. I do try to move around to keep my mind off of them when I start feeling them.  Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn't.  Many people have PAC's and PVC's and never feel them. Best to you!