Tell Me About Your PVCs

I have some questions to see how others measure up.  Just thought it might be an interesting thread for people to understand each other a bit.

1. How long have you had PVCs?

2. On average, how many per day?

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

I'll answer below too.  I think it will be interesting to see how people respond.

[Sunshine47]

Well you have lots of questions but I can try to answer the best I can,
I have had PVC's and PVC's for 37 years minus 6 of those due to RFA. They now have returned but not the SVT's (Thank God)
2. After 6 years of being free of them I have about 10,000 a day. WOW!!!
3. Yes, I don't talk about it when I do because when I think they are gone I get a big case of them. Mind over matter.
4.Sugar, Caffeine, Large meals are my big ones.
5.Lying on my left side, sitting after eating, bending over too fast.
6.Very Bad, I can't tell if it does or not since I have them so often.
7.I was born with a heart defect. I had 2 A-nodes instead of one. I had 5 flaps of skin grown over my electrial path and I had it ablated and am looking at another ablation soon.
8. Not really. Pregnancy was not good on me, but when I was having my babies I did not have one PVC or PAC.
9.Actually exercise makes mine stop.. well I say stop it could be that I am not sitting waiting for the next one.
10.Many times. Everyday for the last 4 months especially.
11.NO
12.Yes. Atenelol and now Metropolol. I can't tell much diference. I also take Xanax with it. The Atenelol helped for years but stopped and it slowed my heart rate down very slow. The Metropolol is not working I don't think as good as the other.
13.NO
14.Ihave found nothing and if you haveany suggestions please HELP!! I have cut out things that I know that triggers it but nothing ever makes them stop.

I am so tired of these things that I would love to have a normal body. I hate them. They scare me after all these years and I am aware of everyone of my heratbeats. It stinks. I want to be free forever from them. I wish there was a cure I would do whatever it takes to stop them.
Hope I have answered some of yoru questions.
Karen

[tomah]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  about 15 years

2. On average, how many per day? at least 100's! I also have PACs and palpitations.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? I don't know if I don't have any at all, but there are times when I don't feel them.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? I haven't figured out a trigger yet.  I don't drink caffeine or eat chocolate and never drink alcohol.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? stress, lack of sleep - but I get them regardless of what I do, it seems.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Yes, I have GERD, but I don't think it aggravates my PVCs.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? I currently have a blocked coronary artery which has created collaterol vessels on it's own.  But, I've had PVC and PACs longer than I've had the blocked artery.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? Mine were always worse the week before my period, and got really bad when i was going throgh the beginning stages of menopause.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? They seem to get worse when I first start excersing, but if I keep on a routine, sometimes they get a little better.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes - and a recent event monitor showed a run of 8 that may have been atrial fibrillation.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?  I used to take atenolol and now am on 50mg of Toprol XL.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  Sometimes a xanax will help - I don't know if it lessens the number of PVCs, but it helps me worry about them less.

I'll answer below too.  I think it will be interesting to see how people respond.

[Momto3]

1. At least 30 years (wish I could say I'm only 31.....lol)

2. A handful post ablation, some isolated, bigeminy, nsvt, but with no frequency; pre ablation was having at least 20,000/day

3. Yes, I do now!

4. Caffeinated sodas were definite triggers for me.  No Pepsi, Coke or Dr. Pepper : (
    MSG and anytime I had a gastro flare up from spicy, oniony, oriental, greasy foods.

5. Sleep deprivation and anxiety were big triggers for PVC's.  Other times, nothing at all would precede major "storms" of PVC's.

6. No

7. I have valve disease (MR), but no know CAD

8. When I was having a lot of PVC's, hormonal fluctuations were catalysts.  I know they were active during pregnancies because my GYN is the one who kept insisting I see a cardio.

9. My PVC's used to improve with exercise, but as soon as I was back to a normal resting pulse, they were back..

10.  Lots of periods of chronic bigeminy, trigeminy.  Thousands of couplets; frequent bouts of NSVT.

11. No pacemaker or ICD?

12. I have taken Inderal, flecainide and rhythmol.  The Inderal worked for many years, and still does for flareups.  The SCB's helped a lot, but I didn't like the side effects.

13. Hormonal fluctuations used to aggravate the PVC's

14. What helped me most was FINALLY believing that they were benign.  This forum has been a HUGE help to me.  Just knowing that other people were dealing with the same issues was like "medicine."  I'm still careful what I eat (asian food is a gamble, but I love it; fast food only on occasion; better sleep habits).  Reading and relaxing had no effect on the PVC's when they were frequent.  I find great comfort in being able to use a BB as needed.  It is like insurance in my pocket, but not something I have to rely on daily.

Great idea anacyde!!

[dbranden]

1) I've had PVC's since my 2 ablations for IST in 2003--so for almost 5 years.
2) I only get 15-20 per day unless something triggers my bigeminy, then I get lots more.
3) No
4) Alcohol, too much sugar, coffee
5) Bending over, squatting, laughing hard, cold air, getting angry or overly upset will give me bigeminy for several minutes.
6) yes and yes.
7) No
8) Yes. I developed IST as a result of pregnancy
9) Worse with exercise until I get my HR high enough that it outpaces the PVC's.
10) Bigeminy, couplets
11) No
12) Toprol XL. I feel them less strongly.
13) GERD
14) A daily vitamin, Gatorade, lots of prayer!

[anacyde]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
I've had the atrial ectopy since I was a child, and the PVCs came on the scene around age 17.

2. On average, how many per day?
Anywhere from zero to 200.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
For years at a time they vanish, but when the come, wow, they are relentless.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Caffeine triggers both PAC/PVCs.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Sitting hunched forward, laying on my left side too quickly after getting in bed, rapid changes in position (also true for PACs).

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Yes, and yes.  When I have particularly severe GERD flare-ups, I notice far more ectopics.  I suspect the vagus nerve is a roleplayer here.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
I had an enlarged heart following (and due to) my second pregnancy, though amazingly I had no PVCs during that.  Had plenty of unrelated PACs though.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
Pregnancy caused my PACs and PVCs to flare up in the early weeks, around 12 weeks, again around 26-28 weeks and once more following delivery.  PVCs tend to occur with periods, PACs tend to occur mid-cycle.  There are no hard and fast rules on this, however.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
It depends on what kind of mood they're in lol

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
I have no proof as of yet, but I suspect ventricular couplets.  I know I have atrial couplets and supraventricular tachycardia.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
No.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
They keep testing my thyroid, but it keeps coming back totally normal, so no.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
I love my tibetan singing bowl, it's so awesome.  Regular exercise and just staying active as to be focused on other things.  Yoga is pretty awesome, though I wish I had more time for it.  And this forum!  

[Ihatepalps2]

Great idea!!!


1. How long have you had PVCs?  about 18 years

2. On average, how many per day? Some days I may just have a few. Other days--has to be hundreds.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Yes...but..Im fooled too, because I will think Im having a good day--and will ( out of habit--) take my pulse..and I will feel the skips and jumps--even when I cant feel them myself.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Well, I have cut out EVERY drop of caffeine- but once in a while, I will gamble and eat some chocolate..I love it sooo much...but very rarely have any..thats a big trigger for me. Anything spicy..with MSG as well.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? For me, a BIG trigger is just simply EATING! I can be having zero palps...and I will eat a regular meal, and within moments after eating...they are suddenly there...fast and furious. Its horrible. Also fear--and my ever present General Anxiety.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Ive never been formally diagnosed with GERD....but I do have heartburn on occasion...I think it does aggravate PVCS, but I do not know why.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? After much testing, absolutly no heart disease at this moment.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?   I can tell when Im PMS-my palps will increase. I did not have ANY palpitations during 3 pregnancys...but the first time i had them, was in the hospital after the birth of my last child, 18 years ago. I actually experienced my first panic attack that same night--I didnt know WHAT was going on with me that night, but it was the start of everything!

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? They do disappear--briefly. For example--I take the stairs DOWN, every night at work. Thats 72 steps. During the trip down, no palps. The walk to the car. No palps. I get in the car, heart pounding a bit, but regular rhythm....but as it slows....they come back stronger than ever...jumping all over.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? I do not know what some of those terms mean---but I know I have bigeminy and trigeminy...and probably couplets too....just not sure....


11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? Nope

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

Yes. Im on 100mg Atenolol, for years now. I still have tons of palps...but I just think of how many I would have if I WASNT on the Atenolol. I have major anxiety issues ...so I am on Xanax---like someone else here said, Xanax doesnt lessen the palps...but it lessens my terror when Im having them.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? Not sure....dont think so.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  Well, coming here makes me feel alot better...doesnt lessen the palps, but relaxs me a bit. This, and the Xanax. I pray nightly that my palpitations will go away. They do affect my quality of life....I get so Tired of worrying about them.

[SassyLassie]

1. How long have you had PVCs? They started when I was in my early 20's, not many then even though, just a few episodes, then, for about 20 or more years, I did not have any, then, after my mother was stricken with her heart attack and we were in and out of hospitals so much, they started up again in 2004. Since 2004, I have had them on occassion, sometimes have gone many months without any, my biggest flare up has been this year since April, I have noticed them a lot more.

2. On average, how many per day? zero to 3 a day

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Yes, many times, as I said, I can go weeks and months without any, then, bingo, here they are again.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Caffeine, chocolate, water if I drink a lot. Actually, anything if I over do it as it makes me full, and that will trigger the flops.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? STRESS, ANXIETY, WORRY, bending down, lying down on my left side, sometimes nothing, they just decide to show up.

6. Do you have GERDGastroesophageal reflux disease, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Yes, I have GERD, mainly felt only in my throat, and YES, I definately feel they aggravate these things. I think they may also be related to having a hiatal hernia, cause when that acts up, so can the flutters.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  Yes, the first two days of my period, I will definately notice more, especiallly when I lie down, I have never been pregnant, so, I do not know. I think hormones play a big part in having these, and also going through menopause or peri-menopause

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise, or are they about the same no matter what you are doing? Well, I really have not had many while exercising, mainly just a "dropping in my tummy" feeling when I exercise, if that even. They are never worse.


10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? I think I have had bigeminy and trigeminy, I am not sure about the couplets or triplets. I may have had NSVT only once when I was in my early twenties going through lots of stress, my heart beat super fast for a few seconds then calmed down, I have not experienced that since, praise God.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVC's? No

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVC's? No

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs? Prayers, reading about others on this forum knowing I am not alone, chiropractor treatments, acupuncture and cranial sacral, CoQ10, magnesium, Carnetine, iodine, and a good "B" vitamin. However, most of the time, nothing, they scare me so badly, that I absolutely go nuts even if I feel just one little "blurp" Also, depends on my mood, if I am in an upbeat mood, they do not bother me as much, if I am depressed or anxious however, watch out, I am really scared them.

[anacyde]

I find it interesting that a couple of people have mentioned eating as a trigger.  That's a big one for me too, and I'm curious as to why.

[sueinns]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  

Have had them infrequently for years but only became bothersome after a bout with the flu one year ago.  Also have SVT which is way worse.

2. On average, how many per day?  

I'm not really sure but I have them all day.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?  

Sometimes but this is getting to be less and less.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?  

Definitely alcohol or eating a big meal.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?  

Anxiety provoking situations like being late for an important meeting.  Post-exercise.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?  

No GERD.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?  

No.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  

No.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?  

Sometimes it's hard to exercise but definitely worse post-exercise 95% of the time.  When running, I need to stop quite a bit to catch my breath.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?  

Trigeminy and SVT.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?  

No.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?  

Metoprolol but could not tolerate this.  Then Cardizem which worked really well for about 4 months.  

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?  

No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  

Except for the dizziness, they don't bother me a whole lot even though I feel them most of the time.  When I'm having an episode of SVT, I take deep calming breaths and this seems to help.

[topinka]

1.How long have you hed PVC? Since 1993 that I know of and went to the Dr. Was put on rhythmol because I was so worry about them. I guess it helps there is monthes and days I don't feel anything. But then there is days and week there all the time. The Dr. told me rhythmol will not stop them completely.
2.On a average they seem to be all the time in the thousands and every day. This time I have had them for 6 days off and on.
3. Yes I have episodes where I have none or at least I don't feel them. Its been 1 year and I had none now I'm back to every day all day and night. So I worry because I forget how they feel.
4.I don't know of food or beverage that triggers them maybe sweets or I'm going to cut that out.
5.none

[topinka]

Sorry about that I push enter.
6.No I do not have GERD
7. No structural or heart  problems heart disease that I know of from my ck up in may 2207 which was a echo and stree test.
8.Yes I think they increase with shifts in hormones. I started having them after my last pregnancy. I had trouble having my baby and they gave me something and what every it was I think started my PVC
9.My PVC disappear with exercise or when I'm moveing on a fast pace day.
10.No I never experienced bigemint. trigeminy,couplets, triplets NSVT, VT
11 No I do not have a pacemaker or ICD
12Yes I take Rhythmol I think it helps or I would hae a lot more
13.I have a non cardiac conditionthey thought thyroid but that was normal. DR. said 10% don't know why they have them. I think they run in family my dad has them his two sister and there daughters have them.
14.Going to the Dr. or calling him and telling me not to worry he's not worry one week I called him twice and he told me the same thing.He is not concern. I have high anxiety and stess. It seem when I'm high stress I don't have them but then when I'm not I have them.
I know I want them to go away there taking over my life.
At least I'm not alone and its interesting to read about other people having the same problems.

[dolfnlvr]

Nice thread.  Here goes...

1. I've had PVC's for 7 years...since the birth of my first child.

2. I have been clocked at 1500 per day, but that's during a bad run.  

3.  I don't know if I ever have "No PVC's at all"  but I have periods of time when I don't notice them at all.  I love those times :-)

4.  Caffeine triggers mine.  And the occasional red wine will as well.  But usually they just show up when they want to.

5.  If it is really hot outside or if I'm sick or have not gotten enough rest the PVC's are MUCH worse.

6.  I have a hiatal (sp?) hernia which is controlled 100% by Prilosec.  I got this after already having had PVC's for 4 years, so I wouldn't say it is a trigger.  

7.  I do not have a structural deficiency or heart defect of any kind.  Though, while going through all the tests required for this mess I was told I had an atrial wall aneurysm.  This means that the wall between my two atria moves slightly when my heart pumps.  I was told that 90% of the population has this, but it's never found because it is not abnormal :-)  (So why call it an aneurysm and scare me to death???)

8.  That time of month is most definitely a trigger for my PVC's.  So yes...hormones affect them. But, when I was pregnant I had NONE!!!  NONE!!!!!!!!  Then, when I weaned my babies they hit like a wall of bricks!!!

9.  More exercise increases my PVC's.  But I think it is a fatigue factor more than a heart issue.  When I do too much it makes me physically tired, and if I don't get enough rest it causes my PVC's to act up.

10.  I have had issues with bigeminy, but it's all mixed in with the rest of it.  I also have issues with short spurts of SVT--thank GOD they seem few and far between.  Finally...I suffer from vasovagal syndrome which causes my HR to drop to as low as 11 beats/min when I pass out.

11.  No pacemaker or ICD.

12. I take 12.5 mg of Metoprolol daily.  Seems to help.

13.  No other health triggers known.

14.  SLEEP helps and I take Magnesium and fish oil supplements (but I think they are purely placebo)



8.  

[poohbear2026]

1. How long have you had PVCs? I have had them on and off for about 15 years

2. On average, how many per day? Holter caught over 3000

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? At least I don't feel them some days

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? not sure

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?any kind of stress or worry

6. Do you have GERDGastroesophageal reflux disease, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? yes and yes I have an esophageal stricture that has been stretched twice

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heartCongenital heart disease? no


8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  yes

Pregnancy - health risks affect your PVCs? I had hardly no pvc while pregnant

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exerciseAerobic exercise? don't know I am too scared to try.
Aging and exercise


are they about the same no matter what you're doing? yes

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? I think so but only one or two couplets have been documented

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication
   to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? I have been on beta blocker, Ativan, Paxil and lexapro.  Some help but not completely.

[Uboat]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
6 years.

2. On average, how many per day?
On a really good day, couplets two or three times an hour that go away by noon, rest of the day palp free. On a bad day, episodes of Afib throughout the day lasting up to 2 hours with 2 to 3 hour intervals.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
See #2

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
A heavier than usual lunch can do it, also caffiene, of course. Drinking something ice cold sometimes will trigger a mini PVC episode lasting up to a minute.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Poor sleep and stress.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
No GERD. I've got a cast iron stomach.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Heart is structurally normal. Actually my last treadmill and ultrasound were better than three years ago.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
My hat's off to the ladies. I can imagine how bad and scary that could be.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
They go away with exercise. When I'm having a bad run of palps, I go for a brisk walk and they go away...for a while anyway. they always return  

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Mostly runs of couplets, but the afib episodes are the ones that really scare me.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No. My 83 y.o. mom has had one for 20 years. She still gets Afib occasionally.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
I'm on Toprol 100mgs, Digoxin 0.25mg. It doesn't do the job as much as I'd like. One day I skipped the meds and learned a lesson. I'd be miserable without them.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
I take Fish Oil, I think that helps. I've tried anti-anxiety meds but don't like the side effects. What helps keep me going is the assurance by my cardiologist that new ablation treatments are in the pipeline that will cure this, finally.

[warrain]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
25 years at least.

2. On average, how many per day?
Sometimes none noticed, some days every few beats day and night for several days.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
See #2

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Not sure. Can go for weeks having a coffee a day and a few teas without any noticeable PVC's.  Too much sugar may be a trigger.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Poor sleep and stress.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Yes I do, possible aggravates PVC's.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
No, have been checked by Cardiologist.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
N/A

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
Sometimes can get worse with exercise.  

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Not to my knowledge.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No and no family history of heart disease.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  No, only occasional Diazepam to help with anxiety.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  Stay off caffeine (although not sure if this is beneficial) and anything sugary.

[anxiousheart79]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
diagnosed with PACs for a year, felt them for about 5 yrs
2. On average, how many per day?
3000-4000
3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
yes, sometimes for months on end i could have none at all
4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
I honestly dont know
5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Dont know
6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Yes, I have GERD, Sometime i think it does affect my PACs
7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
none at all
8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
MALE
9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
I feel I have more when I exert myself
10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
not that i know of
11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
no
12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
I take metoprolol. Ive been on it for 2 months now and i feel no change
13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
Recently my Dr. found a cyst on my thyroid. Im still going for tests to see what it is
14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
I have not, to this day, found anything to help me. My anxiety gets worse with my PACs. The only thing i do is try to think of my cardiologist saying they arent serious which doent really help because I feel like they are serious and I some how always end up thinking the Dr.s are missing something.

[Barbarella]

1 - 45 yrs
2 - thousands
3 - Yes
4 - None
5 - emotional stress, lack of sleep
6 - Don't have GERD
7 - No heart disease
8 - never had an effect on me
9 - either way, sometimes during exercise, sometimes not
10- All of it except for NSVT+VT
11- No
12- For a short time (Xanax) it made them three times as bad, never again.
13- No
14- Losing the fear of it and TRUSTING what the Cardiologist told me that they wont kill me

[deedle1976]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
At least 13 years but only very few until pregnancy last year.

2. On average, how many per day?
During pregnancy- 2000ish
After pregnancy -500ish
On acebutolol- 20 to 30 or less.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Not sure. Perhaps the occasional day.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Caffeine

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? Nervousness/excitement. Viral infections.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? N/A

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? Started getting thousands per day in pregnancy last trimester) Only ever had a few PVCs per day before that and used to ignore them.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
The same with exercise but increase during sleep (probably due to slow heart rate). Holter showed 100 per hour during sleep reducing to 30 per hour after wakening.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Bigeminy, trigeminy, nsvt. Don't think I've had VT but I had a sustained arrhythmia last week that has yet to be identified.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? Acebutolol gave me an approximately 90% reduction in frequency.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Reading the statistics about PVCs helped relieve the anxiety, and this website.

[Barbmag]

I have some questions to see how others measure up.  Just thought it might be an interesting thread for people to understand each other a bit.

1. How long have you had PVCs? I am 62, with MVP and I have had these 'skips' for years and years, but they have gotten much more numerous recently.

2. On average, how many per day? 100's-1000's w'sustained ones too.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? There are hardly any days now where I do not have any at all..I can not rem any, actually!

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Can not pinpoint any, but I do not do caffeine, alcohol, cigs, and try to eat healthfully.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? Don't know.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Don't have it.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?No.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? I don't rem having any trouble w/pregnancy's but that was so long ago!

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? Stay the same..I never know from one min to the next.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? No

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. I wish  I had a whole list of things and I do take vitamins, extra magnesium, fish oil, drink lots of water, exercise....I have tried meditation but my mind will not stop long enough to do it.

Thanks for these great questions~~~

[iggleexx]

I am 38

1. How long have you had PVCs? about 4yrs

2. On average, how many per day? holter stated about 1500

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? not that i have noticed

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? chocolate if  I eat to much ...caffine

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? stress..anxiety..even if i'm relaxed  they come all the time

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? no gerd

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? yes....congential heart disease...I have had 4x bypass 09/2003, mycardio infractions

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? not that i have ever noticed

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? scared to exercise to find out had a 3 beat tac when I had my last stress test done in 4/07 did'nt feel it but showed up on ekg...nurse freaked ..scared the heck out of me..

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? holter said i had a few couplets ..not sure the difference my heart just always feels like it is fluttering all day..I do feel the premature beats they said i have from holter...

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? I was on toprol xl at 50mg aday before the pvc complaint and now they lowered it to 25mg aday as I have bracardia down to 33pulse at sleep...seems to help with the lower dose of toprol xl

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  xanax seems to help if i take it ..they want me to take it 3xaday I take it as needed...I also avoid drama...and try to stay to my self more...I also try to just be happy ...

I hate having these feelings all the time ...I just dont understand why i have them ..I think that after I had my bypasses that this is what has triggiered them...I have read that when they do bypass some of the muscles and fibers that they cut / fiddle with can cause pvc pac's after a procedure like this..they are calling it benign at this point ...EF is 55/65

[suesouth]

   I have some questions to see how others measure up.  Just thought it might be an interesting thread for people to understand each other a bit.

1. How long have you had PVCs? 20 years

2. On average, how many per day? over 8,000 PVC/PAC's

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? rarely

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Alcohol, caffeine, overeating

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? lack of sleep, stress

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? yes

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
yes, just had stent placement in LAD, still have blockage (80%) in D1
8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? Yes, worse since my cardiologist stopped my HRT treatment

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? about the same

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
all of the above (The VT may have been an artifact (they weren't sure)
11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? Yes, it helps (I take toprol xl 50mg in morning and 25 mg at night.  when I have a bad episode I taken 25 mg of metroprolol and a ativan 1 mg.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? not that I'm aware

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  I meditate, use vitamins supplement (fish oil, flax seed oil, multi, b complex, CoQ10), exercise 5 days a week  ...but still they persist!!!!

[iamfaithful]

1. Started in May of 07-May 11 to be exact
2. Not sure how many per day-maybe 1-5 on a bad day-but back when it first started I was getting lots of them.
3. Not sure If I'm not having PVC's or I'm just not FEELING them....but I will take what I can get :-)
4. I think salty foods, sugary drinks or food and caffeine, but I haven't had that since May...well, I have had some chocolate, but haven't really noticed anything after I indulged.
5. STRESS and ANXIETY are my main triggers.  I can be thinking of something that will stress me out and a few moments or even hours later I can feel the PVC's.  Hormonnes and lack of sleep contribute to them.
6. I have GERD, but am on medication for it which helps tremendously, but I have noticed that gas makes them worse.
7. No
8. OH MY WORD YES, YES AND YES!  My hormones make my PVC'S awful.  The beginning of my cycle, middle, end, a week after or before-you name it.  I thought I could pinpoint it, but they changed up on me.
9. I don't exercise as much because of the fear of my PVC's so I'm not sure.  I did walk yesterday and I was fine.
10. Can someone exlpain what these are exactly?  I don't know if I have had them or not.  I know sometimes I get the flutters and then other times I get the flip flops that FREAK me out....are those couplets?
11.NO
12. Yep.  I'm on 25 mg of metoprolol daily and Xanax as needed
13. No that I know of...been tested for Thyroid problems.
14. PRAYER and lots of it.  I read the bible, inspriational/success stories of people  who have overcome anxeity.  The message boards help a lot-the folk on it giving great advice.

[iamfaithful]

1. Started in May of 07-May 11 to be exact
2. Not sure how many per day-maybe 1-5 on a bad day-but back when it first started I was getting lots of them.
3. Not sure If I'm not having PVC's or I'm just not FEELING them....but I will take what I can get :-)
4. I think salty foods, sugary drinks or food and caffeine, but I haven't had that since May...well, I have had some chocolate, but haven't really noticed anything after I indulged.
5. STRESS and ANXIETY are my main triggers.  I can be thinking of something that will stress me out and a few moments or even hours later I can feel the PVC's.  Hormonnes and lack of sleep contribute to them.
6. I have GERD, but am on medication for it which helps tremendously, but I have noticed that gas makes them worse.
7. No
8. OH MY WORD YES, YES AND YES!  My hormones make my PVC'S awful.  The beginning of my cycle, middle, end, a week after or before-you name it.  I thought I could pinpoint it, but they changed up on me.
9. I don't exercise as much because of the fear of my PVC's so I'm not sure.  I did walk yesterday and I was fine.
10. Can someone exlpain what these are exactly?  I don't know if I have had them or not.  I know sometimes I get the flutters and then other times I get the flip flops that FREAK me out....are those couplets?
11.NO
12. Yep.  I'm on 25 mg of metoprolol daily and Xanax as needed
13. No that I know of...been tested for Thyroid problems.
14. PRAYER and lots of it.  I read the bible, inspriational/success stories of people  who have overcome anxeity.  The message boards help a lot-the folk on it giving great advice.

[SassyLassie]

I am going to post to this article, hopefully, it will bump it up to the beginning, I had forgotten this post, it is good, and I feel great for all of us that have forgotten its contents or for those that have not seen it.

Thanks Momto3 for the link.

Susie

[Skippi]

oh, thank you for bumping this one up again! Hadn't seen it, always so re-assuring to read about others, and that we are not alone! Helps more than any medications!!!! here my answers (nothing new really :):

1. How long have you had PVCs? 13 years

2. On average, how many per day? varies, from 6 to lots and lots and lots

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? well, not really, but I consider having 2 - 3 "no PVC's"....

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Coffee, Alcohol, anything spicy, white bread with lots of chemicals in it, pizza with homemade dough (yeast!), vinegar based sauces

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? tiredness, stress, fear

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Apparently I have GERD (no symptoms, but a barium meal showed very free reflux). YES, it triggers PVC's galore, so I do watch very carefully what/how I eat, which helps. Slipping up at times of course :( I envy "normal" people who can drink coffee to stay awake, or have a glass of wine to relax....

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? YES, 1 week before my period, I have more and during too.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? not sure as I am too scared to really exercise....it freaks me out. I walk, but avoid running or am freaked out to have to go up hill in a hurry, etc....lots to do with anxiety of course.... I do yoga, which is great!

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? have couplets and triplets, don't know the others? one night I had continuous ectopics, when lying down, not when sitting up, what do you call those? CONTPVCS?

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? Sotocor Beta Blockers (low dose). they help with my anxiety during bad episodes, not necessarily with pvc's. sometimes pvc's go away with them too, so I love having them with me, wherever I go! My insurance too of not going insane!!

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? No, docs have checked my thyroid 1000times by now, nada! I'm skinny and they look at me and think, thyroid! well, it's NOT!

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. Magnesium/Vitamin B6/not to think about them all the time (yeah right!)/avoid stress/drama in your life (yeah right)/accept them, they are there to stay!/this forum, love it! pls find a miracle cure for these "bastards", I hate them. I'm not scared of dying anymore, I'm scared of living at times, like that! But mostly, I'm ok... so soldier on!

[coribell]

I cant believe so many people have this problem like i do they are new to me and im scared all the time but im thankful im not alone how do i get past the fear?anyone?

[Skippi]

well, I don't think you will ever go past the fear, sorry to say that. You can however learn to better cope and to accept. When I have them particularly bad, I get scared, I know it's not going to kill me (well, so far it hasn't:), but it makes me utterly miserable and depressed at times. You learn to appreciate the "good times", and to appreciate life as such really. The beta blockers help me immensely. Mind you, I don't take them a lot (up to 5 times a year!), but just knowing they are there helps. I admire people in this forum who have them all the times, how on earth do you guys cope!!!!

[jondsam]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
For 4 years
2. On average, how many per day?
I have about 5000 a day on a holter monitor for 24 hours
3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
No, never
4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
alcohol, coffee,coke-cola,sweet tea
5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
lack of sleep, anxiety, stress,
6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
NO
7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
NO
8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
Im a man
9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
Tend to subside with exercise but dont disappear.  Pvc can be dangerous with increase of heart rate.
10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
I have couplets many times and they scare the **** out of me
11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
NO
12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
NO
13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
NO
14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Omega 3, For some reason when I take Zocor it helps
I'll answer below too.  I think it will be interesting to see how people respond.

[RNRita]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  31 years

2. On average, how many per day?  Anywhere from 0 to THOUSANDS

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Yup

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?  Eating too much is definitely a trigger.  I don't think any food gives them to me.  When I have them, certain foods may SEEM like they are making them worse.  Oh, and alcohol gives them the next day, but I think that is the dehydration.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?  Stress, anxiety, antacids, proton-pump inhibitors

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Yes, and yes.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  Yes, and pregnancy made them much worse.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?  About the same, mostly.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? I take beta blockers to decrease my high resting heart rate.  They do NOT help PVCs.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? Probably.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  Not thinking about them.  Cutting back on my beta blockers.  Magnesium.  Not taking anything for my poor GERD.

[SassyLassie]

This thread is great, I wish there were some way we could keep it at the top, that way, newcomers could see it and post their experiences as well. Any ideas on how to "clip" it to the top?

I know it has sure helped me. We are not alone in this.

Hugs
Susie

[Momto3]

It's great to see this thread being active again.  I agree, it's really comforting to know we're not alone.  I'm so glad you guys kick-started this thread.  MH does not generally pin a general thread, but there is a way we can keep it going.  When it is inactive, go to the "post comment" box and type "bump."  That will keep it active.

[coribell]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone here your comments has helped me so much.My doc believes i have mvp and have taken a cardiogram and get the results the 13 this month.

[Me967]

1. How long have you had PVCs?   ~7 years.  

2. On average, how many per day?  Not sure.  I feel my own heartbeat all the times and get chest pains about every 10 minutes (some little some really big zaps).

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?  Not anymore

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?  carbonated drinks, alcohol and eating too much.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? sitting splotched over, worries, and pains/spasms.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?  No.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?  Not really.  I have an aneurismal atrial septum and my last echo this year showed a 50-55% EF.  The size of my heart is actually smaller this time. Go figure.  LOL  Was told my heart beats really hard.  Oxygen level is riding about 92 now.  Ya.  Was told it was alright.  

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  Monthly issues yes, they are stronger.   Pregnancy I wouldn't know.  Not in the picture for me.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?  This depends on the type of exercise.  Treadmill, they are ok during but then bad ~10 - 20 minutes later.  Cutting grass is very bad.  I have to take a lot of breaks.  The pains get very bad.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Not sure what these mean.  On EKG's (not that they count much) a lot of times I have a lot of  small P waves without the QRS.  They say that has to do with an incomplete block.???  Don't think there worried though.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?  No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?  I take Lopressor twice daily and diuretics.  I know if I miss them in the AM or at night because my heart feels like it's going to bounce out of my chest.  Though for the last year it seems my BP and HR are going threw spells where they are high one week and low the next.  

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? Yes.  I'm hypothyroid, low sugar, low iron, low calcium and high cholesterol.  

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  I take an low dose aspirin daily, vit. E drops.  The thing that really seems to help is reading on here that other's are going threw the same thing and that it's not going to kill me.  LOL  I try to ignore it as much as possible.  The embarrassing part is grabbing my chest in pain and having to explain to others in the world that it's nothing.  LOL

[julesluvsdrew]

I have had pvcs for about 10 years
On average I would say I have 100-1000's
I cant remember a day where I didnt have any
I honestly dont have food or drink "triggers" I have them when I drink caffeine or dont
Non edible triggers are,lack of sleep,eating too much,or when I get excited,AND STREss
I DONT have GERD
I dont have any structural heat problems and as far as I know no heart disease for now
Dont have any kids so cant answer that,and no hormonal problems yet,am not 30 yet
Exersise can cause me to have pvcs during AND after
Have experienced SVT,NSVT,couplets,bigemeny and VT but never passed out
No pacemaker or ICD
I take beta blockers for high blood pressure,they have no effect on my pvcs ect
Not sure if my high blood pressure effects my pvcs,I would say more then likely!
Cutting my beta blocker from 50 to 25 mill at night helped me not have the bigeminy

[SassyLassie]

Bump. Let's try to keep this near the top for all to see and for any newcomers.
Hugs
Susie

[may67]

1. How long have you had PVCs? 4 years

2. On average, how many per day? don't know, some days none, some days ALL day

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? yes

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? caffeine, alcohol, msg. BIG meals

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? stress, laughing hard, bending over, sitting to standing quickly, during and after exercise...particularly during recovery, constant bigeminy after walking far.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? No

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? Diagnosed during pregnancy. Much worse symptoms pre-menstrually and during period

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? worse during and just after exercise

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? bigeminy

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? no

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. magnesium supplement, omega 3 (only just started taking these) and have just started acupuncture

[may67]

Forgot to mention tiredness and gas as aggravators of my PVCs.

[SassyLassie]

Bumping again for new folks.
Susie

[SassyLassie]

I think I will bump this one more time in case anyone wants to read it or post in it.

[Larua]

Thanks for bumping this thread.  I just found you and it's just what I needed.  Family is tired of hearing about it, and I can't blame them.  So here are my answers..

1. How long have you had PVCs?
I was diagnosed in Feb 08, but I now know I was having them for years.  Feb 08 was the first time I had an EKG - I was in trigeminy.

2. On average, how many per day?
Varies from almost none to 1200 an hour all day.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Yes - Went for two weeks in September with none.  It was wonderful.  Then they slowly came back.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Haven't noticed any.  Tried going without all the usual - caffeine, etc.-made no difference.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Again, haven't noticed any.  They seem independent of what I am doing or feeling.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Nope, don't have it.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Not that I know of.  I do have a pectus chest deformity.

8.  Don't know about hormones. I've been on the pill for years.

9. Exercise seems to help.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?

Trigeminy often, including once when hooked up to a bedside monitor for 3 hours and I could watch my oxygen saturation go down every third late beat.  And in the beginning I had to wear an event monitor for a month (stressful device!) and I had a near fainting episode that was recorded as 7 missed beats.  Neither the doctors or the monitor company believed it.  They said my lead must have come off for 7 seconds (and then apparently spontaneously stuck itself back on!).  I know it didn't.  Luckily I have not had another episode like that since.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No.

12. Re: Drugs -Tried metropolol every day for awhile - and it worked for two weeks by making them less noticeable, and then they came back same as before. I guess as I got acclimated to the drug.  It gave me insomnia, so I stopped taking it.  Now I prefer wine.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Reading forums like this!  I really don't feel anxious.  On the contrary, they make me depressed.  I was suicidal the first month, after that near fainting episode that no one would believe.  I was alone when it happened.  Well maybe I was anxious - I was really afraid to be alone after that for awhile, figuring no one would find me until too late if I collapsed.  Anyway, I used to take pride in my health (never took sick day).  I still don't take sick days, but I don't feel healthy.  I feel old and broken (I'm 45). Thanks for letting me share.

[SassyLassie]

BUMP

[jondsam]

beat beat BUMP

[richvetter]

It's interesting that I have seen no acectotal evidence that anyone has ever gone into cardiac arrest due to PVC's.  These stories only confirm that.

They are extremely annoying, but not life threatening!

[SPetteway]

I'm a 62 yr. old woman who is experiencing skipped heartbeats.

1. How long have you had PVCs?
For two months.  Had "flutters" when I was in my 40's and have experienced "racing" in my late 50's.

2. On average, how many per day?
Started out being all day, now down to occasionally.  I have some good days where I have very few.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Not since they started two months ago.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Caffene and chocolate.  I drink decaf, but still notice it brings them on.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Definately stress, overeating, indigestion.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
No, but do have heartburn occasionally.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Congenital MVP

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
Did not have them then and have been off HRT for years.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
Disappear when I walk, which I try to do at least 1 mile a day as fast as I can walk.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
I'm new to this, so I don't know what most of those are.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
No

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
Could have a thyroid problem as readings are up and down.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Reading about others experiences, deep breathing, walking.  I'm also taking Magniesium, CoQ10, Fish Oil and eating a banana a day, also drinking V8 midday.  These suppliments have helped decrease the episodes.

Right now I don't have insurance, so I am waiting until I do before I go to the doctor.  I've had the tests, Echo, ECG, Holter Monitor for the MVP and racing heartbeat and all were normal, the MVP was said to be mild.  The last Echo was probably 4 years ago.  If anyone has tried to get private insurance, you know what I mean.  I'm afraid of setting myself up for a "pre-existing" condition.  While I've been healthy, up to now, LOL, it's unbelieveable what insurance companies will deny you for.  I was denied because I had a partial knee replacement !!   This all started after our insurance ran out, plus a few other stressers.  I do believe it was brought on by stress, now I just have to figure out why I'm still having them.  If I'm not thinking about them, meaning, if I'm busy doing something, I don't have them.

This would be my question.  If stress is a factor, why don't they go away when the stressful situation is resolved?  

[Barbmag]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  
I am 62, and have had PVC's and PAC's fordecades. Use to have tachy but had an ablation in '93. The PVC's seemed worse after that.

2. On average, how many per day?
Too many to count with episodes of bigeminy, trygiminy, etc....these episodes can last anywhere from minutes to hours. V scary.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Well, yes like right now, I am not having any but they tend to be frequent during the day. Few days where I have none at all...in fact, I can'f rem when that would have been!!

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Can not seem to pinpoint any triggers at all.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Again, can't seem to find what triggers them. I wish that I could!!! I lead a healthy lifestyle and have tried to not do things that would trigger them.

6. Do you have GERDGastroesophageal reflux disease, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Don't have this.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heartCongenital heart disease
epression and heart disease?
I have been diag. with MVP...a long time ago.



8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones/
Back when I was hormonal, I don't rem the PVC's being more numerous.



9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise?
About the same.



10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Yes, many, many times. I can have these every day, some lasting hours.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
I have tried a couple of BB's and also Varapamil. I am currently on Toprol XL 50 mg. I can not see a decrease in the number of PVC's., really.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs?
No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  
I do take supplements, like fish oil, drink lots of water but no  matter what I do, they seem to be a constant in my life.

This is a great forum, super people here and what a great set of questions!! Thanks much!!!

[Skippi]

bumpedibump

[matt_s]

i am new here, thanks in advance for help.

1. How long have you had PVCs?
I am 47 and had them since teenage years

2. On average, how many per day?
typically 5-10, however a couple months ago I had an episode of 1000's a day for 3 days.  I went to the emergency room twice, had multiple tests, diagnosed with benign PAC's.  Over the past couple days I had another episode, not as severe perhaps 50 an hour.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
yes

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
I suspect GERD, although latest episode seems not related.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
stress, anxiety, and the self fullfilling circle, stress-> anxiety -> PAC's -> more anxiety -> more PAC's

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
yes, perhaps

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
no

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
???

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
Xanex which helps

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

No, I am looking for help.  During the attacks I am not able to function, I am worried about work and just being able to function.  Anymore attacks and I will go nuts, I know the PAC's are harmless, but they throw me into a depression.......

[cathyw911]

This is a great idea!
1. I am 51 and was diagnosed with PVC's at about 19, but I'm pretty sure I had them before that.
2.  Sometimes I don't feel any; other times, like this past week - constantly all day.  I would guess about 15 per minute at my worst times.
3. Yes - love that!
4.  Alcohol, Asian food, caffeine.
5.  Laying on my left side, sometimes laying on my back (most nights I lay on my right side).
6. No.
7. Not until this past February when I was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse
8. Yes!  Birth control pills seem to really help.
9. My PVC's disappear with aerobic exercise.  At times like now when they are bad, they will come back about an hour or so after exercising.
10. Not that I know of.
11. No.
12. No.
13. I'm guessing hormonal imbalance since birth controls help.
14. exercise, laying on my right side.

[Zachs]

Greets! Maybe some of my senarios & situations could put some of you at ease with this life quality robbing condition that seems to strike without rational cause or warning. I know from experience that PACs PVCs have put my life on hold for months at a time, and being constantly aware of my bodily functions ever so exaserbates this condition!  In my opinion, these sensations I feel throughout the day, even more so in the evening/night has caused a circumference of fear!!  It takes many months to finally convince myself that there's nothing wrong, and I have to move on, or else-- ****-it!  I wish I could someday find the "lightswitch" that destroys my courage, confidence, and trust of my own body which entraps me in a never ending loop of fear-- fear of dying that is.
I'm a 32 year old intellectual male, married, 2 kids, living with my parents on a family investment property we had all bought together back in 2003 to flip/remodel, but all of us have been very stressed because of market conditions which are postponing our financial goals.
I'm going to fill out this questionaire in detail which has enspired me greatly. I appreciate those that have participated in this as it's helped me find a sense of normality within myself living with this.
1. How long have you had PACs and/or PVCs? -- off and on for 15 years. "WHO'S FLIPPING THAT SWITCH?!?!"  :)  even though in my early years being aware of skipping heart beats, and looking back on what I've experienced, is that when I first expereienced them while trying to rest, especially during a nap mid-day because of fatique/stress/physical exhaustion-- all job related I'm presuming.  I would feel them in 2 beat successions, one soft beat, then one hard beat continuously for minutes at a time, and then subside. It would do this on/off for 30 minutes or so until I finally reached sleep. That was the flopping/fluttering/vibrating sensations in my early statges. Now since I'm older they have changed intensity somewhat.  I don't have the sensations as much trying to sleep at night or taking a nap, which is good for my sleeping, but now I experience lurching and thumps without warning, which has scared the dog poop out of me here latley.  I'm know the physiological properties of a PVC, and the scariest part is the 'pausing' or 'resetting', then WHAM!  I've had these for the past 8 years so so now.

2. On average, how many per day? -- It really depends on the situation. They're uncontrallable you know? Some days PVCs every hour or 2 all day, more so at night after dinner while trying to relax and watch the news/tv, etc..  They will come without warning, and if I'm obsessing on how I feel, it sends me into a full panic resulting in spells tachycardia (120-150 BPM) and high blood pressure (160+/100+)-- anxiety realated I'm presuming.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? -- Yes! I wish they were more often latley to give my mind and heart a rest!!!

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? MSG, Aspartame, Caffine, Fast Food, and I'm assuming anything that makes me feel guilty! :)  Extreme hang-over will send me into tachycardia & PVCs

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? Nicotine from smoking cigarettes sometimes, and then again depending on the situation. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning I can't feel my heart beating because I'm so relaxed and that even scares me. I'm used to feeling my heart beat all day, and I wonder why I'm not feeling it anymore, and then anxiety kicks in. Before I know it I'm having a panic attack in the shower. I rarely experience PVCs during tachycardia from panic, but sometimes in real crisis, I do have a few jolts during tachycardia.  Sometimes streching my legs and arms causes increased heart rate, and of course a racing mind triggers just about every imaginable arrythmia you could experience.  I've noticed as well during non-exerted sexual activity 'foreplay' where I get a overwhelming sense of passionate/intimate feelings, I expereince abnormal rhythm's, and sometimes PVCs.  Weird...  They've happened right before orgasm as well..  Reading up on the hearts functions or reading materials realated to my condition "factual", scares the heck out of me.  I do have non-anxiety symptoms as well.  Sometimes anxiety/tachycardia triggers the PVCs, and sometimes PVCs/tachycardia trigger the anxiety.

6. Do you have GERD , and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? -- Yes. When I've eaten a larger meal than normal, or if I have indigestion, acid reflux, or pressure it seems I can feel the PVC's more, and also creates anxiety which leads to more PVCs, tachycardia, paranoia.  The loop of fear. ANNOYING!!..

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? -- Not that I know of.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? -- I'm an active person, but I do not do cardiovascular exercise as I should. Sometimes I fear of over exterting myself in that I'll have a bad episode of PVCs and die instantly. Then again anxiety kicking in!  I have not noticed any significant difference in PVCs resulting from excercise or exertion or occur because lack of, or too much of, or being active or not active.

10. Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? -- Yes, NSVTs probably, where I've had 5-6 PVCs in a row which is very scary and annoying. I'd say I've only had about a dozen episodes where this has happened.

11. Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? -- No

12. Do you (or have you ever) taken  medication to help control your PVCs? If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? -- No.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems?) - Not that I know of.  I have had my blood checked for possible abnormalities of potasium, calcium, & magnesium. They were normal, EKG/ECG were normal.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)? This can be meditation, vitiman supplemets anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  -- I"m still on the path of finding the ultimate heart skipping stopper, or should I say I'd rather have the skipping beats if I stay alive?  They are extremely annoying, and scare me half to death most of the time.  I have been taking it easy here lately. I've cut all all nasty foods, fast food, sodas with caffine or stimulants.  No foods containing MSGs or Nitrates (lunch meat/bacon etc), I still smoke though, but I'm only alowed 10 cigarettes a day.. That has helped too.  I drink about 4-6 16oz bottled waters a day, take nutrilite daily multi-vitamin, twice a day. (morning/night).  I take a daily regimine of Asprin just in case, usually take the Asprin at night before bed because it does help with blood pressure, almost a 10 mm/g drop before rest.  I've also cut way back on drinking alcohol, as I was drinking almost every day.  I didn't drink everyday and get drunk, but I was getting more drunk than I wanted to sometimes.. Lets say my lifestyle hasn't been the best one... But I can think of other lifestyles that would for sure have killed me already.
A big learning expereince for me.  In my opinion, PACs, PVCs are merely symptoms of stress & anxiety.  The constant bombardment of adrenaline & cortisol to the heart and body does some weird things.  Though I don't think it's immediatly life-threatening, but I would have to presume that if some intervention is not exercised that it could lead to less length and quality of life, which *****!   Hope this helps!  Zach

[SassyLassie]

I have been reading this since I bumped it to this page. It is so interesting to see how many of us experience almost the same symptoms and triggers. I guess that goes to show us that they ARE indeed benign and nothing to worry about. However, if you are all like me, you WILL definitely worry, it is normal as any strange feeling in your heart will cause fear.

[SPetteway]

I noticed that a poster mentioned Asian food as one of her triggers.  I don't eat Asian food, mostly because it's too salty, but was talking to my oldest son and he said he has to be careful where he eats it because some contains a lot of MSG and that messes with his digestive track.  I remember seeing possible triggers listed,  and MSG was one of them, which could be why Asian food is causing problems for some people.

[kane3]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
I have had PVC's around for 35 days or so.....

2. On average, how many per day?
It has ranged from 1 or 2 noticable PVC's to hundreds even thousands of noticable PVC's

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
I have had 2 or so noticable PVC's in the last week.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
I believe when I drink sports drinks like gatorade, chinese food, and spicy food as well, caffeine and alcohol.


5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Stress, depression, anxiety, and so far i believe sports related (high intensity)activity.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Not that I'm aware of, but will be soon. It's a possibility

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Not that I'm aware of, waiting for a whack of results to be finished...

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
Not a lady, but my fiance had noticed some "flutters" while pregnant.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
As of right now..I believe worse with exercise. They seem to appear at a high heart rate and somewhat knock the wind out of me and force me to quit what I'm doing at that time. Its a touchy subject for me, since iv'e just put some of the peices of the PVC's ive been experiencing, happens with the exercise. I love physical activity.


10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Ive experienced couplets and triplets, but rare. Seem to ignite with a high HR when exercising

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
NO

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
I haven't. But if they continue to get worse..the topic is up in the air for me. Side affects from what Ive heard can be nasty. But i'm always down for trying. Ive already felt the lowest point in which i feel, so really how bad could it be..

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
No that i'm aware of...but i will know more as time goes on

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Light exercising, walking, medications such as xanax or ativan, (sometimes they seem to contribute with the pvc's, but relax my nerves), SLEEP IF POSSIBLE helps, company, and talking to great people on here!!

[Mrs_Spock]

1. How long have you had PVCs?    Many years but more consistantly in past 8 weeks

2. On average, how many per day?  approx 2000-3000

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?  yes, occasionally

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?   not sure because even when  I stay away from typical triggers, I still get them.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?   same as #4

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?  no

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? only mitral valve prolapse shown by echo with a little aortic regurg

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones? NO How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? never had them then

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?  I think when I consistantly workout, it was fewer...not sure

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes, many times

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? I've been taking Lopressor 100mg bid and Avalide  for blood pressure for years but doctor just changed to Cardizem 180 mg 1 qd but I don't think I will stay on it because I think it was a little better with Lopressor

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
I take Synthryoid but I don't think that it's a factor
14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.   No sure what really helps.  Thanks for the participating in this forum.  It has been a tremendous help to me to read about everyone else.  I know that I am not in this alone.
Merry CHristmas to everyone,
Jeri

[SassyLassie]

"Bumping" for those who have not seen this. It is a great thread.

[Johnbo34]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  Just had them spotted a little more than a month ago.

2. On average, how many per day? Not quite sure yet. The 48 hours picked up 6 or 7 PAC and PVC's

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? I would bet so.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Not sure yet

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? Not Sure Yet

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Havent been Diagnosed, but suffered from Acid Reflux for years...I bet I do have GERD.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  N/A

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? I would say they do not exist with exercise. I had a Nuke Stress and there where 0 PAC and PVC's

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? No

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? No

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? I Might..still under testing.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. Try  not to think about them right now. Although I think Anxity gets the best of me soetimes :P

[Wisconsin2007]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  Back in '99

2. On average, how many per day? Depends.  Most days it's less than 10.  Once in awhile it's closer to 10,000.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Yup.  Quite a few.  Probably months at a time.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? While I have food/beverage triggers, I think they are all secondary to stress for me.  They can make my PVC's worse, but if I haven't had any PVC's in awhile, I can consume large quantities of all my triggers without a problem.  Anyway - chocolate, alcohol, caffeine.  The usual suspects.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? Stress is my biggest.  Kinda wish it WAS edible.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? I do not have GERD.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  N/A

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? I'll sometimes have some "transitional" PVC's as I ramp up to a full effort, but once I'm humming I usually don't have any.  I also don't usually have them afterward.  Beyond the scope of a single exercise session, in general they decrease the more exercise I get.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes to bigeminy, trigeminy.  Not sure about couplets, triplets and VT.  Might have had short runs of NSVT.  But then again, it may have been SVT or PSVT.  That's what's being tested right now.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? No meds so far.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? No.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  All of the things doctors recommend have worked for me at one time or another.  Long-term exercise (exercising once may make it worse, exercising for a week usually makes it better), any kind of meditation.  Haven't taken any anxiety meds, but might consider it.  Haven't really tried any vitamin supplements.  Of particular importance to me are two things:

Lemon Balm Tea - Could be placebo effect, but that works for me about 96% of the time.

Minimal mental engagements - because ongoing stress is such a big trigger for me, one thing that works well for me are simple mental engagement outside of the activities that cause me stress.  Playing with my kids in a setting where I can't just zone out and worry works great for me.  Something that just engages my brain enough that it can't focus on the other stuff.  A day of that and I'm usually right as rain.  

[SassyLassie]

I just read some posts from some folks here regarding PVC's what causes them and what helps. I am bumping this post to the front as I think reading this will be of some help.  Too bad we cannot paste it here permanently.

[judymarie47]

1.24 years
2.depends on the day i'm having
3.yes
4.caffeine, chocolate, pop, too much sugar
5.STRESS AND ANXIETy
6.Yes i have GERD and yes i think it makes my pvc's worse
7.no
8.yes i think menopause is a biggie and so is right before period time
9.about the same
10.couplets holter monitor caught two of em
11.no
12.yes and i think it helped some
13.no
14.xanax, inderal and verapamil and prilosec if it's brought on by eating wrong and this site decaf tea and going for a ride in my car

[NIKOLE_RENE31]

1. How long have you had PVCs? SINCE I WAS A CHILD (31Y0 NOW)

2. On average, how many per day? MORE FREQUENT IN PAST 4 MONTHS (NEVER COUNTED BUT GUESSING 20-100 A DAY)

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? NOT SURE I ONLT CAN COUNT FOR THE ONES I FEEL

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? CANT SAY I SEE A PATTERN BUT WHEN I EAT LARGE MEALS IT IS MORE FREQUENT
CHOCOLATE A TRIGGER TOO

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? STRESS!!!!!!!!!! TIREDNESS

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
YES AND YES!!!
7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? NONE NOTED

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? I GET THEM MORE FREQUENT WHEN CLOSER/DURING  MY PERIOD

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? ABOUT THE SAME.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? NOT SURE NONE NOTED BUT I DO GET THEM 1-3 TIMES IN A ROW BY FEELING THEM

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? NO

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
NOT YET
13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? NONE NOTED

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. RELAXATION, DISTRACTION, WHEN I AM OCCUPIED OR AM NOT SO STRESSED I NOTICE THEM VERY LITTLE SO I DONT KNOW IF I HAVE THEM AND DONT NOTICE THEM OR IF I REALLY DONT HAVE ANY
HOPE THIS HELPS YOU OUT!!!
I'll answer below too.  I think it will be interesting to see how people respond.

[kazak]

1. How long have you had PVCs? 3 months

2. On average, how many per day? about 30

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? since it started only two or three days

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? none

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? lack of sleep, 12 hour work shifts

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? no

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?  no

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? yes they disappear, maybe one or two max but normally go away for rest of day after exercise

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? no

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? atenolol no change

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

[greatfoxmusic]

Hi there, 35 yo male here..

1. How long have you had PVCs?
Since I was maybe 20-21, on and off.  The thing is, out of nowhere last year I had a butt-load of SVTs all night and then through half the next day.  Since then, they have been consistently coming back.  Before this episode last year, I was able to drink cokes, tea, all that, with no palps..  for years!!  Then all of a sudden, they're back worse than ever.  You got me on that one, cardiologist says that happens.

2. On average, how many per day?
A couple PVC's (I assume they are, those extra beats and then the big BEAT).  Lately some small SVTs, maybe 1-2 a day of those on average..  They freak me out bad.  :(

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Yes, I have runs of normality but then they all come back.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
I think caffeine, sugary drinks, alcohol.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
STRESS.  My stress level has been directly proportional to my palpitations.  It's a total bummer, wish I could quit my job!

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
Nope

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Not according to the tests last year.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
I'm not sure yet.  I feel better with exercise but definitely they make the palps worse sometimes..
What will set them off more times is a bunch of getting up and sitting down.  After enough of that, my heart will skip.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Not sure.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
Yes, my doc put me on beta blockers.  Atenolol definitely helps when I get SVTs and stuff all in a row.  I take one and it works in an hour or so.  I only take the BB when a bunch of skips happen and I get really crazy.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
Not that I know of..

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

I wish there was something....
I really do.

Doc tells me there is nothing to be done about my PVCs and SVTs.. he says ablation won't work because there is not a single point they can ablate.  It's like a whole portion of the heart making these.  I'm not sure what to think of that.

But anyway I'm getting palps worse again these past 2 weeks again, so I guess I will try some other remedies like vitamins and such.  Maybe something will help.

Until then I try not to freak out, but sometimes I do anyway.  I hate this.

[SassyLassie]

I am glad this was brought to the top again, it is great for those that are new. :>)

[FightThePower]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
Maybe 2 years

2. On average, how many per day?
Many, hundreds

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Yeah, morning and day are usually much better than night.  When I go to sleep, it's a nightmare.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Not sure.  I still drink caffiene.  During caffiene intake i'm ok, at night I guess when the caffiene is wearing off is when they start.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Don't know.  Lot's of stress in my life.  I try to exercise a lot.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
I have GERD, don't know how it effects though.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Not that I know of.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
Ima dude.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
They disappear with exercise.  Exercise is a great way to reduce them too.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
I don't know what that stuff is :)

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
I take beta blockers, toprol, I think it helps a little.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
None that I know.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Exercise helps.  Magnesium and fishoils help.  Walking around helps, or getting a little active.  Not thinking about them helps.  Being completely satisfied with death helps.

[tntspecialties]

I'm 37 years old. I'll make this short as I can. I think I have PVC's. For several years (8) I have had these heart flutters. They feel almost like a quiver. But over two years ago, after my second daughter was born, I listened to my heart with the stethoscope that was sent home with our baby and was able to hear what was going on. My heart will be beating and then pause, then pick back up with a harder beat. And what is odd to me is that when I'm having an episode, I can cause it to do it by taking a deep breath. Don't know why. Sometimes I will have them for several minutes. They usually happen when I exert myself but not always.  Fish oil seems to help if I take it regularly and lay off the regular coffee. I believe PVC stands for Pre Ventricle Contraction.  I wonder though if maybe it’s a leaky heart valve or something. Thanks for any information.  

[Amethyst1974]

I am 35 years old, female, 202 pounds, white.

1. How long have you had PVCs?
Since I was in my twenties I use to feel one once a year. In 2007 I became aware of them. This year (2009) they are more frequent.

2. On average, how many per day?
Last month (may 2009) I did a 24 hour Holter. I got 187 PVCs, 22 bigeminy, 31 PACs a day. I was only aware of one. The others I wasn’t aware of.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Yes (or maybe I get them but I am not aware of them)

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Since I became aware of my PVCs I cut coffee and tea from my diet. Also junk, salty and spicy foods.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Anxiety, STRESS.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
No

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
I was diagnosed in may 2009 with mild Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild regurgatation.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
My PVc’s are more frequent from ovulation till the day my period ends. I have no children.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
I do not exercise (I am afraid)

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Bigeminy and VT (*****)

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
Since a week ago I am taking Bystolic (nebivolol). It helped me with the tachycardia and the high BP. But I still get the PVCs and I am now more aware of them.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
In 2005 my husband and I underwent hormone treatment to become pregnant. It failed and I got an hormonal imbalance. I gained 77 pounds. Between october 2005 and october 2007 I dropped 55 pounds. I still get 2 or 3 hormones that are not in balance.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Meditation, reasurance, this forum (you guys) and a lot of prayers

[Me967]

Cool.  I haven't seen this post in a while.  I answered this last year.  Since then:  I now have diabetes but was wondering...... "on question #8 For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? "

My answer was:  Monthly issues yes, they are stronger.   Pregnancy I wouldn't know.  Not in the picture for me.

I wanted to update to say I also noticed now it seems to be worse ~ 9-12 days after the last day of my monthly.  I havent seen anyone else yet mention this though until today.  hmmm

Catch ya all later.

[RNRita]

1. How long have you had PVCs? 33 years

2. On average, how many per day? From 0 to thousands

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Yes.  I even count days where there may be one or two because most people have them anyway.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Alcohol....the NEXT day.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? stress, position, and sometimes nothing at all.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Absolutely.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?  no

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  They increased during my second pregnancy.  I hadn't had them yet during my first.  

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? It depends...on what? I don't know.  Sometimes they get worse during, sometimes in the recovery stage and sometimes don't happen at all.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yup

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? Atenolol.....It makes my heart beat a little slower which feels better for the tach, but no change in PVCs.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?  IBS, GERD

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  Xanax helps my anxiety, but I am absolutely positive that magnesium helps my PVCs.  Unfortunately, it also gives me diarrhea....( I found that Prilosec, Aciphex, others helps my IBS, but give me PVCs...I'm a wreck!  lol)

[Amethyst1974]

Bumping

Amethyst

[Barbmag]

I noticed that you said the magnesium gives you diarrhea....have you tried using Mag. Oil?? It's has never given me the dreaded diarrhea and I use it twice a day at least for the PVC's...google it.
HTH!!!

[Jackie1980]

I am a 28 y/o female

1. How long have you had PVCs? about 3 months

2. On average, how many per day?  I have no idea actually..It varies day to day

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? No, some days are better than others but I get them everyday and have for 3 months straight now.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?  I don't know actually..I get them all of the time. I don't think that food has anything to do with it, but I could be wrong.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? Bending over, anxiety, panic attacks, taking deep breaths, yawning, laughing, laying down at night.. the list goes on.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? No, I don't think that I do.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? yes, I have mild regurgitation of all of my heart valves..I just found this out.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? It has started with pregnancy actually..I have never gotten them before. I found out that I was pregnant and then 1 week later they started and they haven't stopped since.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? To be honest I have avoided exercise since they started so I really don't know!

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? I have supraventricular tachycardia.. I have no idea what else is going on in there. Sometime I get a bunch of PVC's in a row.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? No, since I am pregnant I haven't taken anything.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? Not that I know of

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. Taking in  extra potassium and magnesium, praying, paying attention to other stuff and keeping my mind off them..(Which is hard, but works sometimes.)

[coffeesbreak]

I am a 39 year old female

I am glad I found this website. I have been really scared about PVC's since I started having them. Although the doctor says they are begnin, I have an appointment for a second opinion. Internet can be scary when looking things up. I also have chest pain and shortness of breath sometimes. Anyone else have that?


1. How long have you had PVCs?
I started having them in Feburary of 2009.

2. On average, how many per day?  
I would guess hundrends

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? No, somedays I may have a few and other days it may be 100's

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?  
I can drink caffiene some days and other I don't but I am not sure it makes a difference. I am still trying to find out what triggers it.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
I am assuming stress is one, although I do not think I have stress all the time.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
No, I do not have GERD

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
No, I have not been diagnosed with anything.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
I have 2 children before PVC's came on. I do notice they seem more frequent right before period, but then again, they seem to be ongoing now more than ever.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
To be honest, I am scared to exercise, afraid my heart can't take it.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
I am sure I have, but have not kept track of them. Doctor is sending my transmissions from wearing event monitor and I can see then.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
The doctor precribed Metaprolol and at first it was a low dose. Now I take 50mg twice a day, but that does not seem to help.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
No

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
I have found nothing helps. If I am busy,  I do not notice tham as much, but nothing I have found makes them go away completely.

[Amethyst1974]

bumping

[Bonneaus2000]

I have some questions to see how others measure up.  Just thought it might be an interesting thread for people to understand each other a bit.

Newly diagnosed :
I am a 35 year old female,
1. How long have you had PVCs?  since April 2009
Prior to dx I would feel an occasional flushing in my chest, then one day I had many. I work in a hospital and went to the ER.  Everyone since thinks it is nothing.  It has changed my life and made me think I am falling apart.  Someone above said it well... "old and broken"

2. On average, how many per day? Holter showed thousands per da

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Not that I notice without meds..  The beta- blockers take them mostly away.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?   Not sure?  I am and haven't been a drinker or heavy cafeine drinker.  1 cup coffee a day and occasional wine. (both in studies are triggers?)

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Stress and anxiety?  I am an OR nurse type A/B personalilty.  We built a house last year, I work 4 days a week with two kids and a busy schedule...  I believe all the stress lead me here.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? Very interesting because prior to my PVC's I was getting heart burn... a lot!  Never had these gerd symptoms prior other than pregnancy and it went away.  I feel this is a link..

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Had an echo and I show a perfect structure.  I have a stress test next month to show my activity during excercise to ease my anxiety.
8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  I felt very intense stress prior to my cycles over the last couple months, almost severe.  I was on a birth control pill that I had been on for years and felt it wasn't working right anymore.  I have stopped it.  But I do believe hormones also have a link.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? Haven't really excercised but I think they in the beggining started after excercise.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?  All three showed on my holter.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? Started on Metoprolol worked then stopped.  Now Atenolol and it is working but has been a couple weeks.  I am feeling a few throughout the day despite the med, but they are livable.  I was really not able to have them every couple beats all day.  I had the neck pulsing and the heart flipping.  I was really sensitive and crazy!!!!

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? No, I have mild asthma and the betablockers have been a bit noticable, but not unbearable.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  The betablocker and more than that this bolg is wonderful!!  Thankyou!

I'll answer below too.  I think it will be interesting to see how people respond.

[Karenowen]

1. How long have you had PVCs? 3 years started after having postnatal depression

2. On average, how many per day? not sure per day, but 3-10 per minute

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? no

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? after eating is worse

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? anxiety

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? no

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? after preg. started with postnatal depression, worse during ovulation, period

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? not sure

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? bigeminy, trigeminy

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? no

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

[Mom2four85]

I found this thread and thought it was great and wanted to bump it for all of us "newbies".  by anacyde, Dec 29, 2007 02:17PM

I have some questions to see how others measure up.  Just thought it might be an interesting thread for people to understand each other a bit.

1. How long have you had PVCs?

For as long as I can remember; just didn't know what they were until recently. I've had 3 doctors tell me nothing was wrong with me; their EKG's showed different.

2. On average, how many per day?

24/hr Holter - 54,181 very frequent complex ventricular ectopys with bigeminy & trigeminy.   2 runs of NSVT, 2 couplets, 3 triplets, 2 atrial contractions.  Rare atrial ectopy

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?

I used to have breaks, but the past few months to a year no breaks; past few months it's been 24/7

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?

I haven't found any

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?

Anger - causes my blood pressure to fall and my HR to raise drastically

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?

no

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?

The doctors say I have a "normally structural" heart - Echo says this:
Mild Tricuspid insufficency
Trace Mitral valve in sufficency
Mild Concentric left ventricular hypertropy
EF rate of 55%
Dilated left atrium with normal left atrial pressures

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

No

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

They worsen with any type of physical activity - I get more of a squeezing/crushing type chest pain

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?

My 24holter said: 2 runs of NSVT, 2 couplets, 3 triplets, 2 atrial contractions
My stress test: Frequent pvc's - 2 PVC couplets and 1 PVC triplet [4:55]
QRS segment of PVC's narrowed substantially with exercise, widening again in recovery (180 ms to 80 ms)


11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?

No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

I took 1 dose 25 mg Toprol, which dropped my BP and HR and ended up in the ER
bp stayed 70/40 HR 41 - will not take any more

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

No

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

Nothing

[jean-francois]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
5 Years

2. On average, how many per day?
From 1 to 1000's

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Yes, its episodic, random.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
One day I can drink 3 coffee and be fine, the next half a cup and sever PVC's

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Hot Shower, Bending, severe stress (anxiety), emotional shock

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?  
YES YES YES YES !!!

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
I'm a man :P

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
Worst AFTER exercise.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Scary huh ? !!! Oh yea

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
Beta-Blockers (Monocor) keeps my HR down after PVC's

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
Mitral Prolapse

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

They come and go no matter what I do, but recently I've read alot about the link between GERD and PVC's im goign to try this approach.

[itdood]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
About 35 years (I'm now 41).  I noticed my first one when I was very young, perhaps 6 or 7 years old.  Back then it was very very rare.  I knew I felt something rather odd.  As the years went by I got them more and more.  They were first caught when I was 35 during a stress test (during recovery).  That's when I tied it all together.

During my 30s I would get 2 or 3 episodes/year of about 200 per day that would last 2 weeks or so. I went 4 years in my late 30s with none.  Then in January 2009 I got my worst ever, pretty much constant in the 1000s for about 9 months so far and mostly at night when I laid down.  That kicked off all my recent testing and med trials.

My father had an acute MI when he was 42, transplanted in 1988.  He's still doing well.  Ever since then, I've been hyperaware of my heart and I will be 42 in November.

Recently I stopped getting recovery PVCs, right around when I started taking a statin (zochor 10mg).  There was a recent study that suggested this relationship.  Before starting zochor I was at 240 for cholesterol.  At only 10mg zochor once per day I'm down to 165!

2. On average, how many per day?
From 0 to 1000's

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
I used to, they seem to be a part of everyday life now.  In the past 6 weeks or so much improvement and right around the time I got off all BP meds and started taking a quality mag supplement.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Chocolate and red wine  :`(

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Lying down

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?  
Yes.  I went as far as to get a colonoscopy and endoscopy.  Everything was normal except for a Hiatal Hernia.  Not even any erosions or barrets from the gerd.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
No.  Confirmed on EKGs, 2 stress Echos, 2 nuke stress tests, and most recently on a cardiac MRI workup.  I had the tests from when I was 35 (very little PVCs) to now (very many) to compare, and myself nor my doctors can see any structural or electrical changes in my heart.  The cardiac MRI was ordered to rule out ARVD due to family history of CAD and I'm Italian.  No ARVD detected.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
I'm a dude... :)

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

They disappear with exercise.  Confirmed during a stress test.  In my mid 30s I used to get recovery PVCs but no longer the case since I started a statin (zochor 10mg) in March.   Recovery PVCs are more worrisome according to more recent studies (funny, just a few years ago it was the opposite).


10.  Have you ever experienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
yes, couplets scare me the most.  Have not had any nsvt ot vt...yet  

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

Inderal beta blocer - worse
Verapamil calcium channel blocker - much worse, also made GERD worse which is a known side effect



13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
None

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

Xanax helps me to sleep when they are bad at night, at my worst I was taking 1mg before bed.  Now that they are better at night I'm finding it difficult to taper off the Xanax.  I made it down to .5mg OK.  Last two nights tried none and couldn't fall asleep (rebound anxiety).

Since starting a good magnesium supplement, much improvement.  not sure if related or typical waxing and waning.  using Mag Glyscinate and Mag Turate in combonation

Strangely enough, when they wake me up at night, Maalox will make them go away in 20 minutes.  Standing up also made them go away but trying to sleep like that wasn't much of an option :-)

[SassyLassie]

I am "Bumping" this to the top, there are alot of folks that will be helped by reading this post.

[Heroine26]

1. How long have you had PVCs? I am 36 now and I've been having them at least since I was 18 or 19.

2. On average, how many per day? I'd say one, since some days I have none and some days I have up to 3.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? The longest I went without any was 3 weeks that I was aware of, that was only after I started to become more conscious of them.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? I am not sure if anything I eat triggers them, they seem to come anytime, regardless of if I've just eaten or not.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? I usually get them a few minutes after laying down in bed at night. Most of the time I get them when I'm not even doing anything, when I'm just sitting calm and relaxed.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? No

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
Not that I know of.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? Yes, I noticed I get them worse right before my period, and hardly at all for a week after it starts.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? I have never had one while exercising, 90% of them happen when I'm at rest, the other 10% happen when i'm just going about my day like normal.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
Most of the time it's just one skipped beat, sometimes it's two and a few times it's been 3 but thank God those don't happen very often!

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? No, I told my doctor about it once and she said it's normal and didn't even want to do any testing or anything.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? Not that I know of.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. Distracting myself (usually by flipping through the tv or going on the computer or going for a walk down to my mailbox), deep breathing seems to help although anything that brings more attention to my body still makes me nervous so I'll usually breathe while I'm distracting myself!

[TatiSD]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
16 years

2. On average, how many per day?
10-50 (bad days to 100)

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Use to, now it's daily.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Caffeine, MSG, Sugar, Chocolate but I won't stop that, pasta, white rice.  Who the heck knows, sometimes it seems anything and everything starts them.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
Menses, anger, sudden excitement, sudden activity, cold weather, very hot weather, lying on left side, bending, sitting down, or for no reason at all.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
NO.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
NO.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
YES, hormones affect them greatly, but I did not have any arrhythmia with my pregnancies.  It all started 2 years after my last pregnancy.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
Depends, I can exercise and have nothing, other times, I'll have PVC's which makes me stop exercising  immediately.  Rarely, I get a couple after I finish the workout.  If I do sporadic types of workout, with short bursts of intensity, it will set them off.  I do not get them if I do consistent, even effort type of exercising, like elliptical or treadmill, maintaining the HR the same, without significant ups and downs.
During certain times, all I have to do is go upstairs and I'll get PVC's, meaning a quick change of heart rate has taken place resulting in pvc's.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
couplets, triplets occasionally.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
NO.

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
Have taken Toprol 25 mg. for years and stopped it 2 months ago since I am palpitating the same when I'm on the drug as opposed to being off.  WHat's the point of being on it?
Shortly took Verapamil which caused me to go into tachycardia.  Sucked and stopped it immediately.
I take Ativan as needed when the arrhythmia is throwing me for a loop.
Fish oil is supposed to curb arrhythmia, I have the feeling that I get more when I'm on it.
Not noticing any difference when taking mag. or vitamin D.  B-complex aggravates them.


13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
Tests indicate NO.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Being more still without sudden spurts of excitement or activity.  Eating less of the things that start me up.  I meditate daily, yet palpitate daily.  Ativan really helps tone down the anxiety which in turn turns down the palps.  This site.

[maestromom]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
- 18 years. Although I had an ablation 6 weeks ago and so far am feeling great with hardly any pvcs. I highly recommend it if your cardiologist suggests it could be beneficial to you.

2. On average, how many per day?
- Before my recent ablation, I was having 31,000 pvcs a day
A recent holter monitor (post ablation) showed only 41 pvcs in one day

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
- No

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
- Caffeine aggravates it - some times more than others

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
- Stress, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, not eating well and any medication with epinephrine or other stimulants - such as decongestants

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?
- Had a bout with GERD a few years ago - did not notice any more or less pvcs

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?
- No

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?
- My pvcs were actually discovered while I was recovering in the hospital after delivering my first child. I was not aware of them before that time. I do notice more pvcs, anxiety, etc. during my pre-mentral cycle.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
- When I am consistently exercising, they seem to lessen; however, I do notice pvcs during my post-workout recovery time more than when actually working out.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?
- Yes, bigeminy and couplets on a daily basis.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?
- No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
- I took a beta blocker for about 5 years from 1998 - 2003, then the doctor took me off. I was put on bystolic for about one month in the fall of 2009. yes, they were affective for controling pvcs, but I was lethargic and it caused my bp to stay too low.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
- Yes, I have low thyroid (thyroid tumor removed a year ago) and low adrenals. I take natural thyroid and adrenal support supplements and have noticed a big difference. As a side note, after switching to natural thyroid, my overall cholesterol level, LDL and triglycerides each dropped more than 50 points in only 8 weeks.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
- Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, journaling, prayer, exercise - mostly brisk walking and a new program of vitamins have helped tremendously. Vitamins include calcium, magnesium, B stress complex and a good multi. Supplements include fish oil, vitamin D, adrenal support and DHEA. I have also struggled with anxiety, panic attacks and some depression over these years, which I feel was largely due to the fear of the pvcs and lack of information I would get from my doctors. There were times I took xanax for the panic attacks and and celexa and lexapro for the general anxiety and depression. All were very successful in treating the anxiety/depression and even helped me to worry less about the pvcs. I just really wanted to be able to live without being on those meds. I finally decided to see a naturapathic doctor to address some of these issues and feel like she has made many connections in my overall health that my "regular" doctors were not.  Talking with others who have similar conditions -such as through this website - is a tremendous blessing.

I'll answer below too.  I think it will be interesting to see how people respond.

[pvcguy]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  all my life - 55 years

2. On average, how many per day? several - some more than others - gone now.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? yes

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? no triggers but caffeine, high calorie food&drinks raise blood pressure and amplify the PVC's.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? see 4.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? -no

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? -no

8. For womenWomen's way, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? -na

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? -same

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?  -don't know what they are.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? -no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help controlControl
Control rx your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?  beta blockers - nearly made me pass out...screw them!

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?   -no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

I found a "CURE" that works for me. I found eating shrimp would vastly reduce my pvc's. Tried lots of omega-3...didn't help. I told a doctor and he said maybe it's the iodine in the shrimp. Tried kelp tablets and they helped some. But it wasn't until I tried Omega-Red Krill Oil that I noticed a big difference! I also take a  daily calcium suppliment. Between all 3 of these suppliments, I never notice my pvc's anymore and believe me, what a relief!!! I drink coffee again and eat fearlessly without the anxiety of pvc uproars. I've contacted pharma about my discovery but of course, they are not interested in cures, only sustainable treatments which fill their pockets with profits...-john-

[hboi]

1. How long have you had PVCs?  28 years

2. On average, how many per day? depends, between 50-1000+ depending on the activity.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? no

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? not sure, my PVC's .trigger even when I'm not doing anything.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? see 4.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? -no

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? yes

8. For womenWomen's way, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? -na

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? -same

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes, based on holter monitoring.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? -no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?  Yes, a lot of them. It helps somtimes, and other times it doesn't

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?   -no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
SLEEP

[donna80]

This is very interesting, God i hate them so much, would love to hear other peoples experience..

1. How long have you had PVCs? -- 10 years that i have noticed!

2. On average, how many per day? --- averagly i can feel 100 a day, but i do get alot more sometimes..

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? --- no

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? --Take aways, salt, msg, alcohol, not enough water, caffiene

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? --Exercise, stress

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? ---I am not sure BUT when i eat a heavy meal i notice my heart thumps more

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? --NO

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? -- After i had my last baby 3 yrs ago, they have gotton worse.. I also get alot more around my period..

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? --- Depends what exercise, i still get them no matter what.. BUT the faster my heart is the more i get..

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? --Yes couplets and begeminy on my 48hr holtor monitor

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? --no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? --Inderal, kept heart rate average, did nothing for skipped beats

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? --not as far as i know.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. --- Nothing so far, i given up smoking, cut junk out my diet, but i still get them every day... :-(

[rilesnic]

1. How long have you had PVCs? -- I've had PAC's for 16 years.

2. On average, how many per day? --- don't know for sure...I'd say aprrox. 20-30

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? --- no

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? --sugar, msg, alcohol, not enough water, caffeine, fried foods

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? --Exercise, stress, anxiety, positional (sitting or laying)

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? -YES, and it absolutely aggrivates them.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? --NO

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? -- Happened after the birth of my 2nd child...I always get them before and during my period.

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? --- Depends what exercise, i still get them no matter what.. BUT the faster my heart is the more i get..Heavy lifting really increases them.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? - don't know, didn't ask, don't really want to know

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? --no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change? --atenolol 12.5mg...doesn't really help PAC's or tachy...get tachy with eating and sometimes PAC's with greasy foods.  Also xanax if needed.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? --ASTHMA, anxiety

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal. --- NOTHING helps...I always get them, I always feel them, and I HATE them!!

[no_fate]

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
- Magnesium supplements didn't help.
- Fish oil might have worsened them in me personally, i'm not sure.
- Making sure the stomach doesnt get irritated helps a lot.
- Keeping sugar levels decently sure helps. (not eating too much refined sugar but not too much carbs either!)


since Recently, i have less PVC's than i used to have.
I think the underlying changes MIGHT have something to do with it.

since Recently,
every day i'm taking 3teaspoons of organic blackstrap molasses (it's full of essential minerals: iron, potassium, magnesium, etc)
I take 4 tablespoons of highgrade olive oil and 1 tablespoon of linseed oil.
I also started sleeping on my back instead of on the side or belly.

[Ihatepalps2]

Wow!! Glad to see this bumped up again..and whats funny..is that Im on here...I took this little poll in 2007!!!! Its something to see my answers then...( Im way at the top..one of the first to answer in 2007...and see my answers NOW. Some things have changed ( I have Coronary Artery Disease now--Mild) and some things still stay the same...heres my UPdated version:


1. How long have you had PVCs?  about 20 years

2. On average, how many per day? Some days I may just have a few. Some none.  Other days--has to be hundreds and hundreds.

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all? Yes...but..Im fooled too, because I will think Im having a good day--and will ( out of habit--) take my pulse..and I will feel the skips and jumps--even when I cant feel them myself. I do also have DAYS...and even maybe a WEEK or two where I dont have any.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers? Well, I have cut out EVERY drop of caffeine- all chocolate... Anything spicy..with MSG as well.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers? For me, the # 1 trigger is STRESS. And...its almost always 24 hrs AFTER a stressful event. At the time..i get thru the event fine. its the next day, (and the next..and the next) that the palpitations are nearly unbearable. Also PMS. The week before my period...always always have more.


6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? I do have Gerd..as well as Irritable Bowel Syndrome..and I am 100 % positive that both contribute. Im on prescription for the Gerd. But if I have alot of stomach upset..ie: gas, etc....watch out...my palpitations will be terrible.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?  Yes. A Nuclear stress test showed "areas of narrowing"..and "many areas of plaque"...and one area of "concern". My cardiologist felt that cardiac catheterization at this time,was not necessary...going to work on risk factors. Since March 2010, when this was discovered, I have joined a cardiac rehab exercise place, and now I workout 4-5 days a week...with 50 minutes of cardio, 20 min of weight training each day. I can only hope its helping.  

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?   I can tell when Im PMS-my palps will increase. I did not have ANY palpitations during 3 pregnancys...but the first time i had them, was in the hospital after the birth of my last child, 18 years ago. I actually experienced my first panic attack that same night--I didnt know WHAT was going on with me that night, but it was the start of everything!

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing? It doesnt really matter. Some days, I will go into the fitness center "bubbling" with palpitations. After a chat with my cardiologist, who told me to just go ahead and exercise....I find that SOMETIMES, when im really working out hard, they are terrible. Other times, by the time ive sweat and made my way thru my cardio workout...I walk OUT the door, and the palpitations are GONE. Other times, they dont start till the middle of the workout ( it ruins it for me then, all I think about are the palps)....and last quite a while after. So..no certain pattern..

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? I do not know what some of those terms mean---but I know I have bigeminy and trigeminy...and probably couplets too....definatly have times where very few beats are the same, in a row.


11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? Nope

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

Yes. I WAS on 100mg Atenolol, for 18 years. Just 2 months ago, during a terrible non-stop run of a week of palpitations, i saw my cardio. He said maybe Ive built a resistance to Atenolol, and switched me to 50 mg of Metoprolol 2 timesa  day. I dont like it as well as the Aten...it doesnt keep my heartrate as low as the Aten did...but its fairly effective at controlling the palps...Just a month ago, he tested my POTASSIUM level. It was in the normal range, but barely. VERY much on the low end...so he said that MIGHT be helping create some palps....so ive been on a prescription of Potassium, 2x a day, hat has helped...( NOT STOPPED) but helped alot. I have anxiety issues ...so I am on Xanax---like someone else here said, Xanax doesnt lessen the palps...but it lessens my terror when Im having them.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)? Not sure....dont think so.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.  Well, coming here makes me feel alot better...doesnt lessen the palps, but relaxs me a bit. This, and the Xanax. The potassium helps. I pray nightly that my palpitations will go away. They do affect my quality of life....I get so Tired of worrying about them. Some days, I give in...let them win, and just break down and cry...they make me so miserable. But ...all that does is make me upset and INcrease them...so i try not to let that happen!

[marcjoan]

1. How long have you had PVCs? On and off since I was 16 am now 49 but since 2006 a lot more frequent

2. On average, how many per day? lately from hundreds to thousands per day

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?

Rarely or at least I do not feel them if I have them

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?

Not positve but caffeine and alchol seem to do it, sometimes just eating, specially after lunch

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?

stress, lack of sleep, laying down for a while and gettin up, sometimes going up stairs but not always, when I need to urinate badly and even after I do. Hot weather also exacerbates them

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?

no

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?

Tested thouroughly several times and no

8. For womenWomen's way, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

I am male

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

usually they do subside but I have had them while exercising also, more at rest though

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?

Yes

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?

no

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help controlControl
Control rx your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

I am taking 25 mgs of metropolol twice per day morning and night helps a little, more in the winter it  seems,in summer pvcs are worse

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

no

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

not much, I thought I had magnesium deficency I took it it seemed to have helped then they came back with a vengeance, it seems like everytime I seem to  have them beat they come back stronger then ever. It is very frustrating and sometimes they do can scare you. I pray, I am a believer and I do believe that God helps me cope. But they are certainly annoying they do make you feel lesser than healthy or normal.

[ks1982]

1. How long have you had PVC's?   Since I was 12 or so, so about 16years.
2. On average how many per day?  Before cutting caffeine I would get 20 or 30 a day, for 3 or 4 days out of the month.  Now I get about 10 a week.
3.  Do you have episodes where you have no PVC's at all?  Yes.
4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?  Caffeine, anything with caffiene will cause them for me.
5. What is your list of nonedible triggers?  Bending forward at the waste, especially while lifting or putting something down can cause them for me.
6. Do you have GERD and if so do you think it aggravates your PVCs?  I don't know about the GERD.  
7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart disease?  I've had a full course of testing and come out fine.  I can confidently say I do not have any structural heart disease.
8. For women, do your PVC's increase with shifts in hormones how did pregnancy effect your PVCs?  Yes I do get an increase with shifts in hormones.  Pregnancy increased my PAC's and PVC's twice and once it didn't seem to have a noticable effect.
9. Do your PVC's disappear with exercise?  Usually I won't get them during exercise or they will go away with exercise, occasionally though I will get one or two during exercise.
10. Have you ever experienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?  I think I've experienced bigeminy and couplets or triplets (not sure if they were PVC's or PAC's though) but never had that positively recorded.  Don't think I"ve ever has NSVT or VT.  
11. Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?  Nope.
12. Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  I've taken a beta blocker (toprol 25mg) for unrelated high heart rate but the side effects were terrible for me and it actually increased my PVC's and PAC's instead of decreasing them.   I was recently on cardizem for the same tachycardia and weaned off because it lowered my blood pressure too much and increased my PVC's and PAC's and caused rounds of PSVT.   Looks like me and these meds don't mix well.
13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?  Thyroid problems no.  Hormone changes will effect my PVCs and PACs though.
14. What have you found that helps your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety) this can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise anything that helps you deal?  Sleep, making sure I get enough sleep for my body to feel rested is a big one.  Avoiding caffeine definately helps.  Prayer helps me, gives me hope and helps me cope.  

[richard_med]

PART I - ANSWERS to QUESTIONS 1 - 13

1. How long have you had PVCs?  

Started approximately 3 years ago.  (although 12 years ago, remember taking my pulse after big leg presses in the gym and feeling a skip every 4th beat, just never presented at that time beyond leg day in the gym)  When the PVC's started up regularly, after about 4 months they went away, but have returned since March 2010 off and on, and now getting increasingly more pronounced.  Today while preparing this comment I had to lay on the floor twice to let my body recover from bigeminy runs.

2. On average, how many per day?

100's in the day, have no idea in the night.  Coming in clusters with runs of bigeminy that bring me down pretty good.  

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?  

Yes.  They come and go, with some times throughout the day none, and others where they are prevalent. Did some landscaping last Sunday for 4 hours (no PVC's), went inside to have lunch and take a break, PVC's started up and continued all day and into the evening.  Sometimes worst than others.  Sometimes bigeminy, sometimes random, sometimes trigeminy.  Next day, bad morning but randomly through the day in clusters.  At least not steady, but night times are becoming a problem, with runs of bigeminy (my suspicion based on Polar Heart Monitor observations upon waking)  that pull me awake and in an "episode" with numbness/coldness (can't identify what it is) in hands and forearms, with elevated blood pressure and palpations going wild in chest.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?

Haven't identified this list yet.  Noticed eating at this time does trigger them.  Nothing specific determined yet.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?

Excitement, hyperactivity, (animated conversation, etc), stress, lack of adequate rest, strenuous work, from last Sunday I suspect elevated HR keeps them at bay until I slow down and then they appear.  

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?

No, not diagnosed as such.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?

1 1/2 years ago heart sonogram, treadmill stress test, cardiologist said heart is sound with no defects.  Within last month complete workup of blood tests, everything within normal ranges.  24hour Urine, analysis for Na, K, Cl, HCO3, Creatinine, Uric and RLk (sp) Phos.  AM & PM Cortisol, and VMA for Metadrenaline and nor Metadrenaline.  (having bloodpressure spikes which I now realize follows long runs of bigeminy PVC), so they were testing for adrenal gland tumor.  Stamp that file, healthy healthy healthy in all other regards.  No Thyroid indicators, no Cushing disease, etc etc, potassium levels great, etc. Stamp that file:  mysterious comings and goings in the heart circuitry.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?  

Not Applicable

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

Haven't put this to the test yet.  Need to try a light exercise program and see where it goes.  But from observations made and recorded in my journal I suspect that higher heart rate with a "work load" keeps them at bay, while lower heart rate allows them to appear

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?

3 years ago I was having Quadrageminal rhythm (every fourth beat was PVC).  I've noted Bigeminy frequently this time round, with runs.  Often Random, and have seen trigeminy.  They main problem this time is the runs of bigeminy that rob the body of the pulse (blood), resulting in a systolic blood pressure spike.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?

No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

No.  I will resist this unless they become totally unmanageable on my own (mentally or physically).  It will enter a new variable into the equation and I would prefer not to do that.  Most medications have side effects, and I would prefer to leave those out of the equation for now.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

No

[richard_med]

PART II - ANSWER to QUESTION #14

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

In the short term, lay down and rest immediately to help body adjust to change in pulse (as I was typing this just had a run of bigeminy that dropped my pulse from 78 to 44.. laid on the floor and within 5 seconds it returned to 96 then dropping back to mid 70's.  Talk about out of the blue!  

The most powerful tool I have to help me deal with these miscreant heart beats is a work out pulse monitor for keeping your heart in a target pulse range,  that I bought for working out 12 years ago.  

I went to the Hospital ER June 13th feeling seriously compromised, high systolic pressure, normal diastolic, palpations, and the doctor there ordered a Holter Monitor test.  Earliest they could book me for one according to the hospital in our community was September (crazy I know, my cardiologist has now got me lined up to have one July 13th in a community 1 hour south of us).  I went home and thought .. okay what can I do to gather evidence if that's the wait I have ahead of me.  Remembered the work out Heart monitor I bought for working out down in my weight room.  Put it on and wear it 24/7.  

Peace of mind.  Data that could be recorded.  My log book and the data I've recorded helped me to show my GP what is happening (at least the snap shot of data I could gather through pulse... skipped beats (PVC's).  The monitor is two parts.  part that wraps around my chest and a watch that displays the pulse with updates every few seconds and your heart beat with a small heart graphic that flashes every beat.  This is how I was able to find that I am having bigeminy.  (since confirmed in the ER last Wednesday night).  The power of this simple device is it allows me to record immediately what is happening with beats and pulse, and then record also the physiological systems/experiences. (did I get pale, roughly how long did that run of bigeminy last.. that I observed).  

When I feel PVC's,  I can examine.. how much .. how often.. and the best part.. I can see the good beats.. okay.. that was Beat PVC Beat PVC Beat PVC Beat Beat Beat Beat PVC.. hey 4 good ones.. not too bad.  Instead of damn.. what's happening .. I feel all weird. like I'm crashing/wilting, is this bad, how bad is it, should I go to the ER, is it escalating to a heart attack.  Because I can see information I don't stress or raise my anxiety level scrambling to take my pulse  

A simple pulse meter has allowed me to catch that my sleeping pulse is as low as 40 bpm at times (has an alarm I set for low levels), that woke me and discover that.  Might explain the crazy times I wake up and find myself so compromised with systolic blood pressure spike and poundings in the chest, with forearms all numb/cold/tingly (still can't determine what the sensation is.. but its very very noticable..and doesn't feel good).  I suspect now runs of bigeminy in my sleep with a very low pulse rate makes a bad combination and I awake to the after affects.  Now I just lay still, breath deeply and slowly and remain calm as possible, watching what is happening on the pulse meter, rather than fixating on what is happening in my body.  It's become my little friend in a way to tell me .. hey.. this isn't too bad.. look.. there are some good beats.. and some more good ones.. and yep that was a run of bad ones but look.. now you've got a run of good ones.  I'm a math/physics instructor, and seeing what is going on has been the best anxiety management for me, instead of feeling what is going on.  I still feel them especially if the systolic pressure spike occurs.. (boy do you ever feel them then), but my attention is on observation and data collection  rather than inward looking at the physiological body experience I'm undergoing.  

I record everything in a log book.  Each new experience with these naughty heart beats I learn from, and how to manage them better.  I don't think they are going away.  I don't believe there are any silver bullets from all I've read.  But I've also come to the conclusion, with no underlying heart problems, this electrical misfiring in my ventrical is life changing not life threatening.  Although in the words of my cardiologist.. "can't guarrantee anything".  She's passing me on to an electrophysiologist (I think that's what it's called)  a cardiologist that specializes in electric circuits in the heart.   Looking forward to what can be accomplished.  

In the mean time, I can't thank everyone here and on other forums at this site for all their sharing.  You all have helped me to learn to live with and manage these episodes.    

I have gathered a lot of information and websites in trying to understand PVC's and my situation better.  I keep all my website bookmarks at delicious.com    To view my PVC resource pages and websites go to http://www.delicious.com/rgiroday  use the tag PVC to start.  Today found a great animation of PVC's http://www.medmovie.com/mmdatabase/MediaPlayer.aspx?ClientID=65&TopicID=776

The more information we know regarding these, and the more people share with us, the more prepared we are to live through the episodes that come with them.  Feel like it's a journey.  Thank you to every for the helping hands up along the path.  Much appreciated.  It is the unknown which is terrifying, and you have all helped me to know my body and in particular my heart arrhythmia better.  

[is_something_wrong]

1. How long have you had PVCs?

I have mostly PACs, but I started noticing them a couple of years ago.

2. On average, how many per day?

0-100

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?

Yes, they tend to disappear if my heart rate for some reason is a bit higher, and return some days later. Stressful times can both increase and decrease them.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?

Sugar, caffeine.

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?

Cardiac neurosis.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs?

No.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease?

No.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs?

N/A

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?

My PACs can increase with the setting "anxiety when exercising". They can be a bit violent.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT?

No bigeminy. Short events of trigeminy. Not sure about pairs, I rarely get PVCs so VT is not an issue. Short runs of SVT (atrial ectopic tachycardia) is noted.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?

No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?

A small dosage of beta blockers erase PACs with exercise. They increase PACs/PVCs at rest, though, because my HR is lower.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?

Not as far as I know

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.

Focus away from them. A multivitamin and some fish oil. Cutting down on caffeine and sugar. Vacation. Exercise without stress, and long warm-ups

[SassyLassie]

Bumping for new members. This really does help.

[Mom2four85]

thanks for bumping this thread - I did mine before surgery so I need to update

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD?  Yes, Pacemaker/ICD implanted August 28, 2009 due to malignant heart arrhythmia's (Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia) and Bradycardia.

[hulahoney]

1. How long have you had PVCs?
For about 7 months now

2. On average, how many per day?
Some days none, some daysup to 10,000

3. Do you have episodes where you have absolutely no PVCs at all?
Yes. Sometimes it seems to go into remission and I will have none for an extended period. Sometimes it really takes off for days and days and days.

4. What is your list of food/beverage triggers?
Spirits/Wine. I also cut chocolate and caffiene

5. What is your list of non-edible triggers?
When I am having bouts of PVC's eating and then sitting, sitting, laying down.

6. Do you have GERD, and if so, do you think it aggravates your PVCs? No GERD but I do have IBS.

7. Do you have or have you ever had any structural heart problems or heart disease? No. Cariologist says my heart is beautiful.

8. For women, do your PVCs increase with shifts in hormones?  How did pregnancy affect your PVCs? This is the first month since diagnosis when they increased with my period. Not liking it ;o)

9. Do your PVCs disappear with exercise, become worse with exercise or are they about the same no matter what you're doing?
Sometimes they disappear and sometimes not. It never makes them worse though.

10.  Have you ever exeprienced bigeminy, trigeminy, couplets, triplets, NSVT or VT? Yes to bigeminy, trigminy, and couplets. Not sure on the rest.

11.  Do you have a pacemaker or ICD? No

12.  Do you (or have you ever) taken medication to help control your PVCs?  If so, did it help, make them worse or cause no change?
No. Don't want to take meds if I don't absolutely have to.

13. Do you have a non-cardiac condition that causes or irritates your PVCs (thyroid, hormone problems)?
Not that I know of. Thyroid and Potassium are good. Wish I could find something minor that is the cause though, so I could end all of this.

14. What have you found that HELPS your PVCs (symptoms/anxiety)?  This can be meditation, vitamin supplements, anxiety medication, exercise - anything that helps you deal.
Magnesium was REALLY helping me, but since this last bout nothing seems to help. I am just picking up excercise though so hopefully that will help.

I do want to say that I am 36, have anxiety disorder, panic disorder, health anxiety and IBS. After some research, I find that these issues all have something to do with PVC's. Yay!

[rebjim001]

Thanks to all who have posted. I recently have had an increase in pvc's sometimes every 3 beats. Just moved and I am guessing stress caused them to come back, have not had them for awhile.
Definitly makes me feel better to read that so many others suffer from this. Maybe I can rest a little better tonight.