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fish oil supplement and PVCs

Has anyone else experienced a dramatic increase in the number of PVCs associated with taking a fish oil supplement?  I started taking a cod liver oil supplemnt about 6 weeks ago and have noticed a huge increase in my PVCs.  Over the past few years I have hardly noticed my PVCs - having maybe only a couple skipped beats per hour. But since i started the fish oil supplement, my PVCs have increased to the point where last week I was having 4-5 PVCs every minute, that is, every few beats.  I hadn't made the connection until I forgot the fish oil one day last week and my PVCs were much fewer that day. Took the fish oil the next day and the PVCs were worse than ever. Well, I've been off the fish oil for a week and back to almost no PVCs.  Ironic, because I started the fish oil to improve heart health- I'm 44, female, excellent health - but I thought the fish oil couldnt hurt - now I'm not so sure. Even though my PVCs are benign, I surely dont want to have several every minute!  No more fish oil for me until I have more info.  
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Avatar universal
Hello Rita:
I have dealt with PVcs and PAcs for years. Just took a Cardiolite Stress test,, Troponin, Echo and to mention just a few of the tests done in my complete work-up. My PVcs Are Benign.

I have deminished them greatly by adhering to this diet.
http://www.drfuhrman.com/
There are many things that actually effect the heart in supplements, oils and processed foods for people like us that are bodies are sensitive to PVC , PAC or such things like PSVT. Try the diet and you will come out well from it.   Kind Regards Jeff
Helpful - 0
212161 tn?1599427282
i also take mega red fish oil and have never had a problem with them, i have pac/ more than pvc
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
As most of you have probably read, the NY Times just reported the results of a large (20, 485 patients) meta-analysis of the benefits of fish oil to--it must be mentioned--those who ALREADY had heart disease.  There seemed to be none.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/weighing-the-evidence-on-fish-oils-for-heart-health/?ref=health

However, the study did not address fish oil for those who did not yet have heart disease.

The jury is still out, it seems, but I seem to be unable to get anything but side effects from fish oil.
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Avatar universal
I have had the same experience.  I was taking fish oil supplements and observed an increase in my PVCs to the point, where I was having severe decrease in my BP.  I stopped the Omega-3 supplement and the PVCs went away.

Interestingly, I have started eating eggs that are high in Omega-3 and have started observing an increase in my PVCs again.  I will now stop eating those and which to cereal and see what happens.  I am 99% confident that the Omega-3 is the source of my PVCs
Helpful - 0
1655526 tn?1330655629
Fish for sure  causes irregular heart beats for me. Kill pile is the worst. I think there needs to be more research on the affect it has on people with arrythmias.
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Avatar universal
Glad I found this thread! I just spent all morning at the cardiologist who concluded that I needed to spend more time praying or meditating to reduce my stress!  I went in because I've had increasing PVCs over the past two weeks and last night and this morning they were so constant I was getting dizzy.  My heart rate was 60, oxygen saturation 99%, nothing to indicate stress.  But he kept insisting that's what it was and wrote a prescription for Flecainide to help with the arrythmias (which I didn't fill).

I kept trying to figure out what might have set this off...usually the only time I get a lot of PVCs is if I drink something with caffeine, if I'm fighting a viral infection, or if I have really severe hayfever.  None of those apply.  But I did remember that I started taking a fish oil supplement for Omega 3s and it did correlate exactly with the increase in PVCs.  Yesterday I took a new brand that must have been more potent.

I did ask my doctor to run a metabolic profile to see if any electrolytes were off and he added magnesium so we'll see how that looks.  I have seen another article that mentions potential side effects from Omega 3s like fish oil if you have certain heart conditions.  If you Google "The Dark Side of Good Fats" you'll find a PDF of a Newsweek article by Dr. Dean Ornish.  My heart is okay right now, but I guess because I've had congestive heart failure in the past I'm still susceptible.

Jan
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221122 tn?1323011265
Well, can that one.  Day 2 without fish oil and my heart was HORRID at work.  Back to the old drawing board.....
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Avatar universal
I haven't taken any fish oil since my last post and still only having a few pvcs per hour - compared to several pvcs every minute when I was taking the fish oil.  
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221122 tn?1323011265
Day one with no fish oil:  about 1/2 of the PVC and palp problems I've been having.  Still checking it out.
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612551 tn?1450022175
COMMUNITY LEADER
I've been on and off of fish oil supplements over the years.  I do not suffer from PVC (Other than the irregular pulse due to AFib) but can say I think fish oil lowered my HR a small bit, not enough to be sure.  I want to lower my HR as the AFib pushes it up.  I take both a BB and a CCB.  

I was off of fish oil for some months when watching the Fox News Doctor who is on each Sunday (forget his name, he looks to be retired age, but seems to still be a practicing cardiologist), he strongly recommended fish oil supplements.  I decided to ride the fence, and I started taking one (not the recommended three) 600 mg capsule each morning.  I can't say it has any noticeable affect on my heart rhythms condition.

If I could associate any "optional" supplement with a problem I'd stop the supplement.
Helpful - 0
221122 tn?1323011265
I am thinking you may have a good point.  I started fish oil supplements and I have been noticing a LOT more PVCs.  Sometimes I forget, sometimes I don't have that many.  Now I will definitely check to see if there is a correlation, but you may be right.  I took NO fish oil during the time I wasn't have any, but of course, I wasn't bungee jumping during that time either......lol.....I'm gonna check.  You may be on to something.
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Avatar universal
I had a couple different doctors tell me to drink gatorade and when I did, the pvcs started right away. It freaked me out the way it definately seemed to coincide with the gatorade (I tried it three times). Needless to say I only drink water now myself.
Helpful - 0
1569985 tn?1328247482
I've been taking 1,000 mg. of fish oil but have to stop sometimes because I'm also on Coumadin and the fish oil thins my blood and causes bleeding problems.  I was told several years ago at a preventive cardiology clinic that fish oil has a preventive effect on irregular heart beats.  The thinking may have changed since then.  I did find out that if you have stomach trouble or burping you can freeze the fish oil capsules and they will thaw after they have passed the stomach and no burping.  I may try going off the fish oil to see if there's a difference in my irregular beats.  I take it because it also helps lower my cholesterol and I can't take the statins.  
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Avatar universal
Hi,

I've eaten a banana and taken supplements for years, and it doesn't affect my PVCs at all.  One thing though.  My cardiologist told me that I  might try taking a calcium/ magnesium/ vitamin D or D3  supplement instead of just magnesium. He also said our bodies need about twice as much calcium as magnesium. I've been able to reduce my PVCs some by doing this.

  A problem with taking calcium or calcium and magnesium tablets is that some  are very large and hard to swallow.  I've found a easier-to-swallow one, a softgel ... calcium/magnesium/Vit. D3. It's put out by Schiff. Two caplets a day contain 600 mg calcium, 300 mg magnesium, and 400 iu of Vit. D3.  These are easy to swallow.
There's anote on the back of the bottle that says these are called Schiff Sure Dissolve softgels, and they dissolve within one hour. Some of the rock-hard other types must take a lot longer than that to dissolve. Thought I'd pass this on.

As for fish oil, it bothers my reflux, so I haven't taken it. I just ordered some Mega Red krill oil(burpless omega threes)  to see if that affects reflux or the PVCs.  If I don't like it, I'll just be sure to eat cod or other oilier fish at least twice a week.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I read the article and I laughed when it came to the part...consult your doctor for more dietary information....my doctor has a complete list of all my supplements and hasn't mentioned a thing about this.   In my amateur attempt to determine the cause of my PVC's I stopped taking some of my vitamin supplements about 2 weeks ago including fish oil - PVC's seem to be diminishing.  However at the same time I started taking a magnesium supplement and eating a banana a day.  So who knows what is happening.  However, diminishing PVC's rule and now I doubt I will take fish oil again. I'll just eat more fish as I should.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am one of those for whom fish oil increases both anxiety and PVCs.  There are a few studies indicating a possible connection in some individuals.  Here's a link to several of them:

http://www.examiner.com/nutrition-in-sacramento/university-of-san-francisco-studies-how-fish-oil-worsens-certain-heart-conditions

There is no one-size-fits-all, unfortunately.
Helpful - 0
1137980 tn?1281285446
Wow that was quite a story....fish oils in the diet w. rhythm issues is super controversial...if you google out fish oil and heart rhythm you will see what i just saw so its kind of crazy.  I really don't know much about it because i have never taken the supplement altho i do eat alot of sushi which has a pretty high concentration of fish oil in some of the fish i think this goes back to not taking any supplemental vitamins or meds w/out clearing it with your heart doc.  I see on one hand some people post that its a wonder supplement and then i see postings like yours that tell a different story.  Kind of scary....personally i think you are a very intelligent person by backing out quickly w. this....we all want to be healthier heart wise and again i don't put a single thing in my body until after i leave a message for my heart doc or his nurse via his okay to tell me to go ahead....i called his office once about drinking gatorade during my workouts and he surprised me and said it was a big no no because the electrolytes in them set off rhythm issues because of imbalancing....water water water is all he said...i guess i'm not surprised by your post....
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