pvc question.. can't sleep at night because they keep me up

[Haley__Fred]

I had pvc's last year for a period of a week or so and went to the ER and they did an ECG and heart x-ray and said everything was normal and that I'm probably having pvc's all throughout the day, but only feeling them when i'm relaxing at night. They seemed to have went away and now, a year later, they are back. Why do periods of PVC's come and go? Should I expect this "episode" to go away as well? Thank you   (I was going through a period of stress last year when it happened because my dad was getting a pace maker and now I'm going through another period of stress because I am moving, could this cause them?)

[MichelleP_3811]

From what I understand the underlying problem/sensitivity with the cells of the heart does not go away so you will likely have episodes of pvcs the rest of your life.  You may throw a few beats a day all the time and not really even know it.  But stress can definitely make them worse.  The adrenaline gets them going though I am not sure why.  So do what you can to manage your stress.  Take care and hang in there, I am sure they will go away again once your life has settled down a bit.

[Haley__Fred]

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I have an appointment with a cardiologist in a couple of weeks! I am trying to ease my mind and not go the ER again for this before my appointment. I am a nurse, but have never worked in cardiac so I am not familiar enough with these things to ease my own mind. Basically because they seemed to have went away last year, so I attributed it to stress, and now came back. I wonder if I had them all year and just started feeling them again? That wouldn't make much sense though, would it? Thank you again! Have a great day!! :)

[MichelleP_3811]

I had an svt avnrt that would cause my heart to go into a rapid beat from time to time.  I didn't really know I had the pvcs until after I had the avnrt ablated.  About 6 weeks after the ablation I had about a weeks worth of really really bad pvcs like you.  It is very difficult to function when they are that bad but now 3 months later they have subsided to a more manageable amount.  I do tend to feel them unless my heart rate is high like when I am exercising then I will feel some but not all.  The doctor told me that they should go back to a point where I don't feel them but I am not so sure of that as well.  I think they just slowed down a lot.  I would think if you have had them through the year you likely did not have them to the extent you have now.  They would have been more isolated a couple here and there through out the day rather than a bunch every minute.  Well good luck with the cardiologist.  They may even calm down by the time you get to seeing them but still follow up and get checked out.  It would probably be good to get an echo and stress test done just to rule out any structural problems with the heart.  If that is all fine then the pvcs should hold no potential threat over your health.  Talk to you later.