What are your trigeres and coping strategies for PSVT, PAC or PVC

Hi all,

I have a form of PSVT where a heart beat is sometimes triggered from somewhere in my atrium instead of the AV node.  Usually anywhere from 3-b beats (rarely longer).  My Cardiologist calls is Paroximal Etopic Tachycardia... it is also know by other names.  Anyway, like many others who have PSVT, PAC, or PVC conditions, I have been told it is benign.  I have been coping well until recently... been under a lot of stress at work and the episodes are more fequent.  Anyway, I was wondering if you all could share what some of your tirggers are (if you have any) and what you do to cope.  I have put my info below... let me know also if you have any of the same triggers.  Thanks in advance.

Triggers:
- Indigestion, high fat/salt meals or large meals
- Alcohol
- Stress
- Caffine (only sometimes though for some reason)

Coping:
- I try to tell myself everyday that these things won't hurt me... that seems to help.
- If I am anxious and having trouble sleeping, I turn on the TV... seems to take my mind off of it.
- Have a great wife who tries to help (tough for her, but I really appreciate it).
- And of course, this site.  Reading all the stories (especially from those who have been dealing with these for 30-40 years) really helps keep me positive.

I look forward to earing from you all.

[aylish28]

triggers--stress,anxiety,upset,poor sleep,cafeine,sodium,eating,acid reflux.illness,fever,not eating right

copeing--1/2 an ativan when really bad,to stop the pvc fear pvc cycle,1000-2000 fish oil day,chamomile teas,naps,fresh air,walks.
learned all i can-- self knowledge is power,,
self talk--i am fine ,it wont hurt me etc

[chuparosa]

I really wish I knew what triggers svt for me. My attacks seem totally random and mostly come when I am relaxing or doing nothing. Mostly I ignore my heart flip flops and just carry on with life but it has taken a long time to become that comfortable with extra beats. However, when it comes to making decisions like taking a vacation, I do worry that I will have an attack and it does weigh heavily on my decisions to do things outside of the normal day. When I do get an attack I feel really depressed and it takes me a few days to stop being neurotic about my heart beats. What has really helped me is having a lot of support from my husband. But even then this is the kind of condition in which you really need to pull from your inner strength. It is hard for most people to understand because we look perfectly healthy and most people's hearts just beat...they can't relate.

[CrohnieToo]

Like Chuparosa, my "events" most always occur when I am just sitting around relaxed, at the 'puter, reading a book, etc. I'm new to all this. I only had 5 events that I was aware of between March 2010 and August 2010. I was put on coumadin and after declining Rhythmol, I started Diltiazem 24 hour instead. The "events" have become more frequent and more uncomfortable.

[jolleyhearted]

Does no one else want to add to this?  I am really interested in hearing how everyone copes.

[ireneo]

I'll add but my experience isn't too helpful. I've had arrhythmias for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory being at 7 years old. I'm almost 58 now. For me the kerthumps and racing heart was normal. I've never had to adjust to this. I have had 3 ablations to fix it but it's still there, just greatly improved. My tachy doesn't happen every day and when it does go off, it typically lasts less than a minute, rarely up to 15 minutes. That's easy enough to ignore.

My triggers: fatigue, stress, chocolate, salt, alcohol, moving too fast or carrying something for any distance (I'm talking about anything over 3 lbs). I've never been able to run. There is a difference between the pitty pat of tachy and plain old increased heart rate from exertion. That feels like a solid pounding. The tachy is lighter, quicker and I can feel woozy. And sometimes it just takes off for no reason. I can be walking through the store, sitting at home on the computer, whatever and off to the races it goes. But. . . .  I'm used to it.

[xizzor]

Below some triggers and solutions for PVC's i've read by other people.
So they are not applied to myself.

Triggers:
- Olive oil
- Fish oil
- So called "healthy vegetable oils" high in polyunsaturated fats and transfats
- Too much fat
- Sleeping on the belly/chest, causing chronic oversensitive/irritated chest.

Coping:
- Fish oil (yes I know)
- Adding more (saturated) fat to the diet.

[Elli126]

HI Jolly! I am a 53 yo woman who has been living with the crazy rythyms for 20 years or more...started with PVCs PACs etc now has become several bouts of PSVT needing er visits and Adenosine ( which I hate! ). In the past when I got arrythmia attacks, would trigger panic attacks which in turn would increase the arrythmia...talk about a vicious circle! At any rate I find the things that help the most is talking to myself during an attack and reminding myself that this will NOT kill me, and doing all the preventitive stuff, no caffine, trying to remain stress free ( fat chance ) and all that other good stuff. I'm considering the abalation but the jury is still out on that...BTW now on Inderal but spent 12 years on Rythmol which seemed to really help but my Card took me off it for fear of the many side effects.

[MollieRose]

I didn't know what my triggers were, it seemed to me my SVT would just show up for no reason. The SVT did show up a couple times when I would bend over, but I don't know if it was coincidence? As to how I dealt with it, I had to just lie down and be still and quiet. I would tell myself that things were fine and I would be okay, though it didn't always seem to have any effect. I had to lie down because my SVT would cause syncope. I had my ablation in August of this year, and it's still sort of unknown how successful it was (I'm still having episodes of it but they're lasting much shorter and not such a high heart rate). My cardiologist is keeping my loop recorder in for now (it'll record any episodes of SVT that go over 176bpm). I will say though, since my ablation, I've had more PVCs than ever before- and I rarely got them before it. Strange, huh?

[aylish28]

heat--- heat is a big trigger-- even the E R  nurse i saw recently said ectopics dont like the heat --weather or fever!!!

[Goldy011983]

hi all     for me all that irregular/fast heart rates are things of past now      follow following procedure to get rid of that unbearable thing     take a stopwatch    go  to a place  where u are alone   laugh out loudly for no reason   laugh for 5 minute  u can dance and laugh  u can sing and laugh u can do exercise and laugh  only aim should be to laugh for 5 full minute       do this exercise 4  to 5 times a day (5 min each)          within a month or so  ur heart will catch its natural rytheme   pls give it a try within 3 months my hr has come down to 6o to 65 from earlier 110