Run of irregular beats for 2 days now

HI everyone-

I ahve been coming to this site for years having what I thought was simple benign skipped heartbeats.  All the Docs assured me that PVC's and PAC's in a normal heart do not progress.  Well out of the blue I ended up in the ER with wtih 12 hrs of A Fib that was converted with medicine.  IT was horrifying to be honest.  My pulse dropped very low and I felt like I couldnt breathe. The nurse said it was panic from feeling faint but  Im not so sure about that.  My hear rate was way too slow to be panicing.  Anyway, that was about 1 year ago.  2 days ago I woke up in the morning in trigeminy and have had iot now for 2 days!  I wen tto my Dr and he said it wont harm me and eventually it will stop.  I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.  I am now home from work for the second day and am  super scared its going to bring on the A Fib.  Any advice to help break this cycle?  I have Metoprolol but that hasnt worked yet.  Does this sound risky to anyone? My heart Dr said dont worry and if you can put up with the odd beats go ahead and go to work.  Im jsut scared and feel helpless that its going to progress.  

Carey  

[IMFletcher]

Hi Carey - I feel your pain. I have been having some brutal episodes of PVCs recently, and trigeminy is very common for me...Like you, I also find it next to impossible to function normally when it happens. If you have seen your doctor, and he isn't concerned, then your best bet is to use this episode to identify ways to combat the problem. I find exercise will help to sometimes "break" the cycle...although exercise may be the furthest thing from your mind during an episode!! Also, staying hydrated and taking magnesium are daily "musts' for me. I have also been given Metroprolol to "take when required", and I find it does NOTHING for me. In fact, it slows the heart rate, which may well bring on more PVCs. My sense is that certain beta blockers like Metroprolol are better suited to treating individuals who suffer from episodes of elevated heart rates. I was with my cardiologist yesterday, and he again reassured my that there is absolutely nothing to worry about when an episode strikes. Perhaps going to work, and keeping busy would be the best thing for you. An idle mind will lead you to hyper focus, and likely intensify the problem. Stay positive, you know your heart is healthy - let us know how/when the episode ends. There is NO reason to assume your PVCs will lead to Afib. You are going to be ok. Stay strong.

[bbxx]

Hey, sorry to hear you are having a hard time. It stinks In know. I guess I dont have anything else to add to what  IIMFletcher said, but I can relate to a lot of pvcs. I get the bigeminy more times than I care to, and the episodes where it feels like your heart stops for a good 2-5 seconds. Very very scary, and the couplets,  but here I am. Hang in there!

[Carey01]

Thanks for the comments- Im STILL in this pattern. Im starting to get worried.  Its just not stopping.  My hands are started to feel like they have little needles in them.  is that my heart or do you think its the anxiety from having this so long?

[jkfrench]

Any chance your doctor could have you try another beta blocker?
Atenolol works well for me.  Tingling in the fingers is probably due to your worrying over this.
Are you able to check your BP at home?
If you can make yourself (as long as your doctor as said you will be fine) try to go for a brisk walk.  Sit ups actually got rid of mine once.  I'm so sorry you are dealing with this.  I know it is scary.
Hang in there.

[Carey01]

My doctor is sending me out xanax to help me relax.  I would relax if these things would go away!  I am so confused with how everyone says skipped heratbeats dont progress into anything but it seems like with most people it DOES progress.  

[espgb]

Hi Carey I know just how you feel. I was having Trigemini on and off for days mostly on
and it is so uncomfortable you cant seem to concentrate on anything else I am quite sure that panic makes you feel ill and makes everything so much worse ( I know from experience) If you can relax and do something you will feel better. Having said that when it eases I know you are always waiting for the next bad attack. My doctor has just prescribed a drug called Flecainide for me I have been taking it for about ten days, and things have settled down almost completely. I must say I have reservations about taking more drugs but beta blockers did nothing for the problem so I am giving it a go. It is all very well for doctors to tell you not to worry but it is your heart ,you are bound to worry.
I will just add that since taking the new drug I have been able to sleep, which was almost impossible before.Since joining the Forum I have realised that Hundreds of people seem to have this problem and we are all here to tell the tale.

[jkfrench]

Hi Carey - that is how my doctor likes me to treat mine too.  Let me know what strength you get.  He perscribed .025 mg and to break it in half due to the fact that I am so senstive to drugs.  I got the perscription back in January and still have half a bottle left.  It does help, but I really don't notice that much of a difference by just taking the 1/2.   I'll be curious to see how much he tells you to take.
Jodie

[IMFletcher]

Re : trigeminy - I have also been having frequent episodes. You are bang on - when you finally get through a long episode, you can't help but wait in fear for the next event...every subtle flutter or odd sensation you feel puts you on high alert!! I don't see the merit in beta blockers, as the primary result is a reduction in heart rate which can often trigger more PVCs...Despite the fact we all know our PVCs are benign, it is really difficult to condition yourself to ignore the sensations during an episode...it is very unnerving and distracting. I agree - keep busy if possible, as an idle mind is the worst PVC instigator...My focus now is primarily on identifying coping strategies for when the next episode strikes...I have no info on Flecainide, but sounds like it is working well for you...good luck.

[Carey01]

The Dr presbribed .025 for me too.  My worry is Im already taking a bb and my heart rate is low from it -- low 60's.  Will Xanax make it even lower?  Oh and by the way, DAY 6 of no relief.  I can help but worry it wont relinquish!  Ive never ever had it go this long.  i have to keep telling myself God has a plan and I need to learn something from this. UGH!    

[DeltaDawn23]

I take Xanax .25, 1/2 as needed and I have not found that it makes my heart rate lower, except it lowers the adrenaline and the panic.  I have persistent Afib with a rapid ventricular rate, so my problem is different.  I think the Xanax will just relax you.  I'd try it.  It doesn't stay in your body long in my experience.

At what point would your doctors try something different?  You want to make sure they understand how uncomfortable you are.  Life threatening or not, you need some relief.  My doctor told me once, "if something doesn't work, you need to tell me.  If I don't hear from you, I will assume all is well."

Good luck.  

[dogtag]

I think I posted this on another thread but I've been living with this curse since 1965.
There are "triggers" that set mine off.  The problem is that the skips don't always follow the "trigger" until hours and sometimes days after I eat them.
This makes it really hard to correlate the cause and effect.  It's taken me this long.
Sometimes I think the changing of the tide sets them off....LOL.  Anyway,
For what it's worth.  A very full stomach.  Ice Cream, Red wine, onions and anything else I seem to like.
I also had a blood panel done for my yearly work up and found my Potassium on the low side.
I have supplements I'm suppose to take because I'm on a diuretic but sometimes I forget.
One teaspoon of potassium chloride mixed with some Gator Aid and the skips disappear in a couple of hours.
Having said that,  don't do this unless you consult your Doc and have a blood panel done.
If your Potassium is below 3.5, then this might be an option and might help.
If not,  or if you have high Potassium to begin with,  this might not help and might be bad for you.

Anyway,  my take.

Oh,  did I say check with your Doc first??    Yes,  by all means.

Cheers and good luck.

[dogtag]

As a follow up.....I might mention that I get into trouble because I'm always on a diet and forget to eat foods rich in potassium.  That's why it's easy for me to get into trouble.
Low potassium can and does cause arrhythmias but so does too much.  
Very important to know.  People with kidney disease or on potassium sparing meds can suffer damage from ingesting more.
In my case it's a good fix because sometimes I'm prone to be stupid and not take my supplement.  When you feel good you kinda consider yourself "cured" and you forget.

Potassium chloride is what they sell in supermarkets as salt substitute.
I think Morten salt sells it.
When you get older is sure is important to keep an eye on your electrolytes.

And...........Check with your Doc first.

[jkfrench]

I do not notice the xanax lowering my pulse.  It just seems to relax me.  I do notice I'm able to take deep breaths a few minutes after taking it.  Kind of like it forces me to take deep breaths.  It is actually nice.  I'm already on a BB too (atenolol) and I have to be careful because if my heart beats under 70, my skips show up so I try to keep it over 70.  The xanax does not slow it down.  I just think I might need to take the entire tablet instead of breaking it in half.  Have you tried it yet?

[dmacd74]

My combination for relief is the metro bb, 1/2 half a klonopin (similar to xanax) and rest.  A couple of days of this really helps.  I also try to get back in my life and not focus on the skips (easier said than done).  If I can do it, I can reduce them.  But, not a day has gone by in the last 2 years where I have not had skipping.  They happen when I exercise, if I can say "oh well, there they are again" and not focus on them I can keep myself out of trigeminy.  You are not alone.....keep us posted.  I feel your frustration in your words, hang in.

Debbie

[Carey01]

Ok, so day 9 -- but whose counting!  I havent tried the Xanax yet but It hink I will.  Do you guys think this is ever going to stop beating like this and go back to normal?  I have never, ever had to run this long.  Can a person live like this?  The good think is Im out of the trigeminy.  Now it happening randomly but consistently,  1 in 5 beats .. then 1 in 8.. then 1 in 4 ... still horrible.  

[jkfrench]

Carey01 - mine stayed in that exact random rhythm from October 10 to the end of February 11.  5 months.  It finally kicked back to the normal random (just a handful a day of skips and some quick runs of pat)  in the middle of February.  I had never gone that long before either with continuous pvcs and pacs.
I hated it, but my doctor said I was fine.  Try the Xanax.
It will let up, but you have to stop focusing on it.  Your fear of it bringing on afib is fueling the skips.  I know how hard it is to not worry.  The xanax could help.
Do you still get some type of exercise while this is going on?  I continued to run and that was my only relief.  I didn't feel any while I ran and then afterward they seemed to settle down the for evening.  It was really hard stepping out that door with my heart skipping to go for a 3 mile run, but they almost would stop instantly and I NEVER felt one during my work out.  Maybe they were there, but I didn't feel them.
The one other thing my doctor wanted me to do was to take an additional 1/2 of the atenolol in the morning.  That however, caused them to be worse because my heart would slow down even more.  I cut that 1/2 dosage out and just took the 1/2 in the evening and my heart seemed to settle down shortly after that.   My heart likes to beat over 75bpm.  If it is under that, the skips show up.
This is tough I know.  I was at my wits end with them.  Maybe they are already trying to settle down if they went fom every 3rd beat consistently to these radom beats.  I imagine you feel every one and that is why you know they are coming so often.  I feel every one too.  Some are so hard they just feel like my heart wants to leap out of my chest.
Hang in there -