lots of pvc's today

[iamfaithful]

I am experiencing what I consider a lot of pvc's.  I had a meltdown last night because of  my new bb's that I picked up from the drug store. (Thaks momto3 for helping me out).   I don't know if that's why I am having more of them or because of my hormone's.  They tend to act up before and after my cycle, but I haven't had them this badly in a while.  I mean, I have had I think 5 "roller coaster drop feelings" today, and that's a lot for me at this stage of the game.  

I have been under a tremendous amount of stress; but who hasn't.  I mean, life is stressful.  I just need to vent because I feel like I am starting all over again w/these horrible beast.  Everytime I think "ah, I am going to do away w/my meds" they come back full force.  

I tend to have health anxiety really bad, and need to have surgery but have been putting it off for the past year.  Those of you who have heard this-sorry.  Anyway, I swear, since I am anxious 20 hours out of a 24 hour day it really wreaks havoc on my body.  I hate to sound like a baby, as I know there are a  LOT of folk on this forum who experience PVC's much worse than this, but I really just need some encouragement today.  It feels like it will never end....never get better.

Thanks you all.

[Seasoul772]

Thank you, upbeat, for your response. Its amazing how much better you feel sharing with people who know what you're going through! I need to go get rechecked since I haven't been in awhile but I've developed a phobia when it comes to docs and anything heart related. I actually called 911 the other night because I was having them and they triggered a full blown panic attack. When the paramedics arrived I told them I thought I was just having a panic attack because I just couldn't face going in and dealing with all the ER mess. The one thing that reassures me about my attacks  is that I usually don't have other symptoms with them unless I'm having a panic attack which makes it hard to breathe. I'm just hoping they pass after menopause. Thanks again for responding to my post!

[upbeat633]

SeaSoul: So long as you've been checked by a doctor and told you have benign pvcs, I would say there is nothing to worry about. The rhythm you describe sounds like bigeminy or trigeminy--which is a pvc on every second or third "normal" beat. Again, just terms, its completely benign in a structurally normal heart, just a different (more frequent) pattern.

Arent' hormones fun! I was told at least that my pvcs should settle down after menopause, so there is something to look forward too. And my heart rate does go up with a hot flash.

Adviceseeker, my heart rate used to go up with panic attacks too. It was very uncomfortable, and it was so weird because I would be just sitting, relaxing, and wham. They called it "free floating" anxiety. Niiiiiice. I found an especially good book called Full Catastrophe Living (I don't know author), but it is exceptional and can really help if you follow some of the suggestions in it. There is breathing of course, but a whole lot more you can do to stop your racing mind and body.  I hope you can get a copy.

[Seasoul772]

I am a 45, almost 46, year-old female just going into menopause. I started having pvc's at the age of 35 and found myself in ERs and a cardiologist's office but they didn't seem concerned at the time. I have not been bothered much with them the last couple of years, until now. About 3 weeks ago I was alone in a hotel room and awakened in the middle of the night having what I guess was a hot flash and my heart going "beat, beat, pause, beat, beat, pause, beat, beat pause" and my heart rate was up. I freaked out and went and sat in the lobby. Is this kind of rhythm what they call a run of pvc's? I've had them frequently since that night. I think it probably is hormonal. I've read Christiane Northrup's book The Wisdom of Menopause and she says palpitations are commonly associated with hot flashes and that it is an imbalance between the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems. When I have them I feel short of breath which scares me. Does anyone else have the same kind of rhythm? Thank you.

[adviceseeker777]

HI there,
well funny enough I just heard from my cardiologist with the results from 24 hour monitor.  He tells me my heart is completely normal but 2x during the day my heart went up to 150bpm which sounds like a lot to me!!! I said how could that possibly be normal- it sounds scary--- he says no, it's not for him.  And he wanted me to know that this is not happening from my heart but from my anxiety.  He says I have to SVT or PVT (is that right term?) and insists I have normal function but I need to get anxiety under control (duh).  He spoke with my shrink who just phoned me and explained that I am experiencing sinus tachycardia and it's completely ok.  I don't feel like it's ok.  I'm still scared.  Do you understand what any of this means?  He is telling me I don't have an arrhythmia although my heart can go from 50bpm up to 150.  
Interestingly enough, Faithful, the cardiologist told me not to bother with the beta blockers because he said this has nothing to do with my heart! What????  (My shrink had me on inderal).  I dunno. I'm going to get another opinion about this.  (i'm also going to post this note in a separate message and see what others who have similar experiences think).  
Xanax will definitely work to kill the anxiety but make sure  you don't use it too often. It is addictive, but if you are really suffering and your doc says it's ok to use, by all means- don't suffer, just use it!  I am switching to Klonopin now because it stays in body for much longer time and I need to be on it every day.
Fun, fun, fun!  I guess I need to up those yoga classes :-)
Also, I posted this elsewhere, but just to inform you...I live in NYC and there is a famous doctor I had been hearing about who is at the forefront of research on alternative methods/medicines to deal with anxiety.  He is doing a study right now on breathing techniques and I'm going to attend a class he is teaching for therapists.  Maybe this will help keep us all a little calmer!!!  I will be sure to share whatever I learn!
best to you all!
kim

[upbeat633]

When I first started having pvcs, about 18yo, I was told it was anxiety, and since I was a young female, I was brushed off, I wasn't taken seriously, nothing was explained to me, the anxiety turned into panic attacks. I suffered miserably for 12 years.

I finally found a good family GP, got the panic under control, saw a cardio for the first time (I was 30) I did my first holter it showed 10,000/day. He explained the pvcs thoroughly. I was satisfied I was ok, I had xanax in my pocket just in case, and I did my best to live with them.

Fast forward to 42, the pvcs doubled, and back came the panic and I found this site

For the last three years I've been going through all the tests I could think to ask for. But after all that, the information is still the same, they just recorded 24,000pvcs/day instead of 10,000.

( recently it's dropped back down to about 10,000 lucky me). I think the BB acebutolol  might have helped, or I've just recently ended a two year bout of anemia.

But I'm older with better knowledge and I feel stronger *most* days, other days I'm here! :-)

I owe a great deal to momto3 because she was so similar with high frequency pvcs, and she and others here gave me a lot of confidence that I wasn't alone, that I wasn't going to drop dead--something the doctors can't quite seem to accomplish and I think why we are so frustrated with them.

Everyone needs a little relief, and coming here to find out how others cope is a great thing to do.

[iamfaithful]

As you can tell I am right in front of the pc today :-)

Well, you totally understand where I am coming from.  You know what?  I used to wish I could have the rapid heart rate instead of the PVC's, however, they both suck-lol.

That's exactly what I need to do, is exercise more.  Do you do any aerobic exercise?  I used to run, spin...do all kinds of stuff, but I have robbed myself of doing that because of my issues.  I have a pilates and yoga tape at home.....I will follow your advice.

What kind of beta blocker are you on?  I do have Xanax in my purse, but haven't taken it in over a year.

[adviceseeker777]

We have a lot in common ;-)   I keep hearing I am completely healthy...but i feel as if I'm dying all the time!! The panic attacks and anxiety have become a constant thing with only a few hours here and there of relief.  I am always worrying about my heart although I have not been told I have PVC's.  Same thing for me...I go to ER thinking I'm having a heart attack...they do the tests and then offer me a valium!!!!  Huh?  But you are so right.  Our minds are so powerful it's pretty crazy.  I like you suffer from health anxiety. I'm a complete hypochondriac and sit at work taking my pulse...and if i'm home, constantly checking my blood pressure!!! We really are making ourselves crazy.  I realize there are people out there who have some serious issues and don't obsess the way we do over things that essentially are benign.  
I am on meds for this...have been for years and years, and had things under some control for awhile. But this year has been awful.  There is nothing I can think about other than my health and the possibility of having an attack and will that be the one that kills me? ;-)   They are obsessive, catastrophic thoughts.  
Can you imagine what we could accomplish if we could change our brain's thinking to more positive thoughts???  
I am comforted to know you have been through a bunch of tests and all is fine.  I'm sure you will live to a very ripe old age!  But I think we both need to work on our thinking and how to eliminate the FEAR.  That's what's really killing us.

My shrink just started me on klonopin daily along with a beta blocker and prozac (after having gone through every SSRI out there over the past 17 years I'm going back to the first one that ever helped: Prozac. Hoping it will work again).  Have you talked to doc about possibly putting you on something for the anxiety?  Are you in a city or place where you can take some kind of stress-reduction course?  Or do yoga?  

Thanks for all the info you gave me!  Keep me posted on your progress!!!  I hope you will feel better soon. STay strong. And (how cliche of me, but...) try not to worry!
best to you!
kim

[iamfaithful]

Sorry, your comment didn't appear until after I posted mine.

Ha, you will know a PVC when you feel one.  It can feel like a hard THUMP, or it can have that feeling like when you are on an elevator and it drops....or a roller coaster.  Believe me, it's no fun!  I have had the racing heart-when I had my first true panic attack, and I have been to numerous doctors and the ER more times then I care to remember.  I still go back for checkups to my cardiologist, but they  keep telling me there is nothing wrong w/me and that I have got to stop stressing so much.  I have had all of the test, some more then a few times.  I have worn event monitors, etc.  Right now I am on medication because of the anxiety that the PVC's cause me.  It helps lessen the intensity of them.  

They diagnosed me w/PVC's on my first ER visit-they could see it on the monitor.  They acted like it was no big deal at all. I mean, the ER physician acted like I had come in there w/a runny nose for goodness sake!  There are so many others on this site who can articulate much better than me when it comes to these things.

They keep saying PVC's in a structurally normal heart is benign, benign, BENIGN....but they don't feel like it :-)  

I have always been a very anxious person, always stressing and running around like a chicken w/it's head cut off, and one day BAM, it  just happened.  I was having signs of "panic" but I didn't know it at the time.  Your mind is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO powerful-whooo-whee.  It's pretty scary.  But I also have health anxiety-long story.

It sounds like you have anxiety, because of the racing heart.  Are you on any type of meds?  I hope I have been of some help.

[iamfaithful]

I appreciate you all so much!  This forum is such a Godsend to me.  I had been doing pretty well, so I wasn't on the forum as much.  I would read and perhaps comment from time to time, but boy...when the PVC's come back.....I run back here like nobody's business :-)  I had some more during lunch and then after while I was in my boss's office.

You know all I could think of was that the medicine did indeed make them worse.  However, I took the medicine last night, and all was quiet, so that makes no sense right?  I am one of those folk always trying to find that one culprit and I KNOW that there isn't just one.

I don't know how in the WORLD some folk have thousands of them and keep pushing forward.  
Upbeat: how in the world do you cope?  Do you get hard thumps or do you get the "dropped" feeling, where it feels like you have a surge of electicity go thru your body or do you get both?  The thumps are bad enough, but there is no way I could go thru thousands of the "dropped" ones....I don't even see how that is possible!

lasvegasgirl: yes, they are always so much worse around that time of the month.  I mean you already hate to see that coming, but then when you get increased pvc's it makes it THAT much worse!  I would consider this day a bad day-lol.  But I keep trying my best to ignore them and keep going.  

I have come such a long way since they started, last summer, and I just don't want to get back to feeling like that again.  My poor family  was having such a hard time just watching me go thru it, and I don't want to scare them again.

I do need to take a nice bubble bath and get some sleep!  Maybe since we are on the brink of a long weekend I can take advantage of that.  And guess what dolfnlvr, I have a gift certificate for a massage-lol.  I just pray it's not expired!!

[adviceseeker777]

HI,
Iamfaithful, I'm so sorry to hear the distress you are experiencing.  I know what it's like to live with intense anxiety and stress and it's not fun! But you are not alone and we are all getting through!  There will be better times ahead!  Just hang in there!

I'm sorry to ask what is probably a stupid question...but what are PVC's and how are they diagnosed?  I'm curious because I've posted on this board regarding my bouts of racing heart/shortness of breath/feeling like i'm crawling out of my skin or about to die...
As I had said in earlier posts, I had been diagnosed years ago with panic disorder but this year my heart was really scaring me.   I had gone to cardiologist and had EKG, sonogram, stress test and have had about 3 other EKGs in the ER during these attacks since beginning of year...but no one ever mentioned PVC or SVT to me. I just keep hearing I'm ok and it's panic.  I just had a heart monitor put on for 24 hours because of another incident.  I'm so scared for the results.
But what is a PVC and is it different from a panic attack?  Are you having panic?  Or is this really something connected to your heart itself?
I am wishing you all the best!  good luck!  We are all in this together...in some way, shape, or form ;-)
k

[lasvegasgirl6]

I find that 2 weeks before my cycle I feel them coming on alittle more each day until Finally I get my period . Then I have a pretty good to weeks and they slowly start in . I am convinced that for me they are hormone related . You are not alone I see people checking there pulse and chuckle to myself because know exactly what there doing ! We always get so worked up and bring on more and You would think it would get better over the years but they always scared me and I have had them 21 years !!!!!   I have gotten better But I do DISPISE THEM! Acting as if you can't feel them and everything is normal is a academy award winning process ! good news you will live!!!!!!!!  your friend in pvc world Lori

[upbeat633]

I agree with dolfnlvr, pvcs are always worse with stress, anxiety, anger, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, etc. And all of those things, can lower our resistance, our will power to continue the battle against the nasty buggers. It's like a vicious circle. Dolfnlvr gave some pretty good suggestions to break that circle, I hope they help.

Life is not perfect, don't give up. You will have good days and some bad days.

I have been going through a relatively quiet time with my pvcs, I'm maybe getting half of what I used to (20,000+ to maybe 10 or 12,000/day). That's good for me. But the other day I watched a pretty suspenseful movie and my pvcs went balistic. THUMP THUMP THUMP, I could hardly finish the movie. And the next morning I had a bout of wicked nsvt, my whole body felt electrified by adrenaline. And I hadn't had any multiples in so long, I felt extremely discouraged. Well, that was a bad day. The next day was better.

I hope you can find the strength to make it through a bad day and know that there is potential for very good days ahead.

[dolfnlvr]

You don't have to apologize for needing some supportive words to get through the day!!  I have a feeling that your meltdown has a lot to do with your problems today.  Sounds like you were a bit worked up last night...the rebound from that is often a trigger for our PVC's.  Emotional upheavel, stress, tiredness, anger...it all sends out a bunch of adrenaline that gets your heart pumping.  Then, when it's time for the body to calm down, your overactive cells just keep right on firing at the wrong times and you get that big ol' drop feeling or skips or whatever.  

If you can take a nap, a long relaxing bath, read a book, or generally relax (a massage would probably CURE you at this stage) I think you might find that you put these things back in their place :-).

This is me pouring an ounce of encouragement your way!!!  I hope it helps a little :-)