Pvcs and Pacs just a thought?

I am 31 years old and have just recently started having pvcs and pacs this all started seven years ago with my first panic attack. Of course at the time I didn't know what a panic attack was so I thought I was dying. I had every test known to man run and all came back normal until they told me I had MVP. But it wasn't so bad that I had to be premedicated my 3 day holter monitor at the time was normal showing 3 pacs and that's about it. Then on my 30 b-day I woke up with a funny feeling in my throat, like butterflies, being a nursing student at the time I grabbed my stethy and took a listen ...sounded really messed up bump bump thump bump thump thump thump....just all over the place. I went to the ER and I was in Afib, I felt fine maybe a little panic set in (that didn't help the rate any) I stayed there for 12 hours and converted. My panic was back with vengenace now,,, I became obsessed with my heart, every pain, every beat...and now I've got pvcs everyday, some days 9 or less some days every other minute. The question is did I always have them and now I'm more aware of it? If I listen to the panic message in my brain it's a heart problem getting worse starting with the afib and progressing to death....I don't believe this. I've had a new holter run and an echo. and now they say I don't have mvp and that everything is fine. I compared my two holter monitors results seven year closer to eight years apart. Then no meds now I take beta blocker,,,and other than the pvcs and a rate increase of 7 at the low and high end, probably from the BB, nothings changed. Like all the pvc suffers out there, I was told to just not worry about it. If I had a pt with this rythm I would tell them the same thing. There's nothing they can do about it anyway. But it scares the crap out you anyway. I work with open hearts, I've seen 90 yearolds run a mile and 17 year olds drop dead. It just seems to me, that worrying isn't the answer, and yet I keep doing it. If I think about a pvc or I have one. so completely obessed I'll have a two fingered bruise under my chin from checking all day. I put myself on teley at work and watch my heart all day long, beat beat beat , "I just had one", pvc there it is on the monitor, other than the thump pause rush, nothing changes, I've never passed out, I only feel weak when I panic from it. So what really changes just my perception I guess....sorry this is so long I just needed to talk.....thanks  

[rmontgom21740]

I am so sorry you are going through this.  I know how you feel.  I've been having PAC's/PVC's for at least 20 years.  Over that time, it has come and gone.  Sometimes not being there for 6 to 8 months. Other times its 4 to 8 thousand a day which drives a person crazy.  I can relate to taking your heart rate all the time.  I have been to the point where I will lay on the couch or in bed and be to worried to move.  Don't even want to get up to go to the bathroom for fear that it will start skipping again.   I've had many Dr's tell me it will not hurt me and to learn to live with it.  We know that its very hard to do that.  I can be having a great day... having fun and not thinking about my heart and then out of the blue I will have several and then I run and hide.  The worry will cause more... yet its hard to break it.  So far the answer for me is to drink lots of water and no sugar or junk food.  Low does of beta blocker and low does of Lexapro to help with the worry.  I still get a flutter from time to time but I don't seem to be reacting to them as bad.  We all hate being on the meds due to the side effects but its better then staying in bed all the time.  The other thing that helps me is to try to keep my mind on something else.  I painted my entire house this past winter and it help a lot.  To escape from my own mind really is the best thing for me.  Hope you feel better soon

Rich

[GrantN]

I'm also sorry you are going through this and can also relate!  Before June 26th of this year I had no idea this could even happen.  I have no idea what caused it, but I've had consistant PACS every since that day.  Some mornings it may only be one every few minutes....then other times I'll have several a minute for a few hours.  I absolutely hate it.  I'm trying to get a hold of my anxiety, I have been a worrier my whole life and trying to get a hold of it while dealing with this is a very difficult challenge.  I have not tried the beta blockers yet....but I am a week into zoloft (low dose of 50mg daily) and taking xanax as needed.  I haven't noticed a whole lot from the zoloft yet, but have only been taking it a week and it is a low dose.  I've been reassured by two local cardiologists and my family doctor that these are PACS, they are not dangerous....two cardiologists looked at the results of my echo, holter monitor, and treadmill test and said everything looked good.  So, I'm hoping I can try to live in the now....not the past, not the future, but enjoy what is going on right now instead of worrying about what the future may bring...especially since I've had professionals tell me that I'm not in any danger.  

But hearing all that is tough....I will keep battling it though!

Rich, what type of beta blocker are you taking again?  Have you noticed it helping?  Are you able to exercise ok on them?   How long have you been taking them?

Thanks,

Grant

[GrantN]

Also....I forgot to add.  Mine seem to get really bad about 30 minutes to an hour after eating....especially if I eat a lot.  Does anyone else have issues with this?  At times I feel like my stomach is burning a little bit as well after eating.  Not sure if that is related to the heart palpitations or not, but thought I'd share it.  

[rmontgom21740]

Hi Grant,

I am taking Metoprolol Succinate Tablet which Dr Niraj Varma from the Cleveland Clinic recommended.  The lowest dose available is 25mg which they tell me is a very small dose and I only take 1/2 of that per day (12.5).  It has not stopped them but has made a very BIG difference.  It feels something like taking Xanax but it also slows your heart rate a little bit.  The first time I took it was when I drove 6 hours to Cleveland.  I was having about 5 to 6 PACs/PVCs per minute.  I took the med for the trip home and within 1 hour I wasn't having any.  It felt so good to be able to relax after having that many.  I can still exercise but I have to push myself a little more because I feel a bit more lazy much like after taking Xanax.  They tell me that because the dose is so small that at some point I should be able to take it only as needed when I'm having a bad attack.  But for right now... I take it daily.  Hope you feel better.

Rich

[GrantN]

Wow, that sounds very interesting!  I may look into that!  Did you have high blood pressure or a high resting heart rate at all?  That is my only concern, I don't want to lower my blood pressure or resting heart rate if they are normal.  I may mention that to my doctor or cardiologist and see what they say if this keeps up.  I need to start exercising though....not sure if its because I'm lazy or afraid or a little bit of both....lol.

Grant

[chrsaaron]

Thanks all for the feed back...it's great to know I'm not alone in this....thanks so much...
and I noticed a couple of you, said it gets worse with food...Yes I have had this exp. as well, not all the time but with heavy meals usually sometimes if I go too long from eating as well. There seems to be so many triggers, it's hard to tell anymore...LOL..chicken or the egg syndrome...u know.

[viperron]

I suffered from both panic attacks and skips for 45 years and never got any help from a doctor. I found that coffee and chocolate caused my panic attacks, this is a fact..............my skips were do to low magnesium. I stopped drinking coffee about 20 years ago and not one panic attack since,  I started taking a product called natural calm about 6 weeks ago and I am at least 95% better on the skips. I wish that I would have found this out years ago, or that just one of my Doctors would have mentioned anything related to the above. Look up magnesium. You will be amazed and then ask your doctor about it.

[london72]

I feel the same way you do! I am always checking my pulse,this has changed my life completely. hang in there:)