Exercised induced PVC's since 1980

[Wayne Monaghan]

Hi there
I'm a 42 yr. old white male. 6'3 260. PVC's brought on by excercise. When I walk approx. 5 mins into my walk I begin to have PVC's. Sometimes one every 5 mins and somedays every third or fourth heartbeat. And some strong enough to hurt.I've been to numerous cardiologist and have been told a million times they are harmless. I take 50mg of Tenormin twice a day and 150mg of Rythmol twice a day. I also take a multi-vitamin and Magnesium,Calcium,Zinc,Vitamin E. Also a baby asprin everyday. Have had every test known to mankind it seems. Dye test 4yrs ago showed nothing.And my docs and I have even tried different meds. to help with no relief. Also after my walk which last about 30 mins my heart rate will remian near 100 b.p.m.(with PVC's) for hours even while rested. They are so depressing. I have changed my weekend plans depending on how I feel when I wake. Am I going to have a good "heart day" or a bad one? It controls what I do and has changed those plans numerous times. I also have PAC's and what I call runs of PAC's. I have these episodes about 3 times a week lasting no more than 5-6 seconds. Not that this matters to anyone but even during sex the PVC's will set in. And I have stopped. I'm a grown man and these things can make you cry. I also live in fear that someday these PVC's will stop my heart. My BP stays in the 120's/70's.....my last overall cholesterol was 153. HDL was low though at 30. Am I a candidate for ablation? Will ablation rid me of my PVC's? Will it slow my heart rate back down where it belongs sooner after work and excercise? Please help. Thankyou.

[tymatt]

hello,  I am 37 year old female and have been having pvc's for over 10 years.  I have never experienced anything so scarey in my life.  They are getting so bad and feeling very different.  I get the at least every 3 beats and then they will stop and then start back again.  They leave me out of breath and yes i get nervous.  I know they (the doctors) say that they are nothing to worry about but it's hard to believe that when they are so bothersome.I never used to get them when I exercised.  I only used to get them at rest.  Now it doesn't matter what I am doing. I get them whenever.  Can anyone help me in anyway.  Maybe just piece of mind.  I am taking toporol and it doesn't work. thanks for reading

[jemm]

I am also a pvc/pac/pat sufferer, so I understand and sympathise with all of you! What really bothered me was WHY do I have these scary rythm problems? I have not yet been 'officially' diagnosed with, but have learned of a condition called MVPS (Mitral valve prolapse syndrome). I am pretty certain I may well have this syndrome, but getting a diagnosis is another story!!

You can learn a lot about this at www.mitralvalveprolapse.com It appears that few doctors recognise or acknowledge, let alone treat this syndrome (not the 'physical' prolapse itself - but the 'syndrome' that MAY acompany it)! I hope this may help someone out there, or be of use to the doctors that frequent these pages!

Please feel free to email me to discuss further at ***@****

Regards, and good luck to all of you!
Jem.

[Nick89]

Thank you very much for the reply.

[Nick89]

What exaclty does PVC feel like?

[luckylou]

Im not sure what pvcs are, but i may be experiencing them just the same.  I walk on the boardwalk 5 miles every day, sometimes i run the distance.  for the past fewe months, ai feel a sort of "speed bump" in my chest, likr someone's got me by the throat for a split secpnd. there is no pain or discomfort involve, more like a cardiac "hiccup".  This doesn not occur on every workout, but ehrn it does,it does worry me, eventhough there are no lasting pains or discomforts.  i continue my walk without incident.  any one relate to this?  should i  take a simple stress test at this point?

Thanks in advance for all advice
Lou

[CLM]

Hi there, count me in as a pvc/pac sufferer who has also been driven to tears by these things... they are very tough to live with.  I too have tried many things with little success.  But the one thing I have found somewhat useful has been "attitude."  Hard to put into words, but I am trying to shift my attitude towards these things into a kind of radical acceptance of them:  that this is who I am and how I am wired and that I WILL live my life.  For a decade now, I have tried the path of research and experimentation in a desparate attempt to rid myself of them.  But -- they remain no matter what I do.  It is as if I have been "fighting" them rather than accepting them.  But, fighting them is simply not effective, indeed, it can make them worse (as if that were possible!).  So, for the past month I have "given up" the fight and have decided to try my hand at truly accepting them and feeling what it is like to live with them as opposed to fearing and opposing them every time.  In my case, I am having fewer -- for the time being.
  I have an EP willing to do an ablation for mine if I choose, so I will be interested to hear what the Dr.'s reply on that might be.  But think about this:  even with my thousands of pvcs, occasional bigeminy and nonsustained vtach -- I am STILL told they are non-life-threatening and the ablation is optional!!!  I hope that is comforting in some strange way, and if I may be of further support/info. you may contact me at ***@****.  

For the record, I am on 25mg tenormin (fairly worthless, but a great block of excess adrenaline for me), four slo-mag tabs of magnesium a day (possibly helping, was cardiologist prescribed).  MVP, psvt, pvcs, pacs and the fun idiopathic nonsustained vtach.  

Don't let them get you down:  invite them to be a part of your life -- JUST a part.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

bobobobo,

Sorry to read of your ordeal.  It sounds like your PVCs are troubling you enough that an ablation procedure could be considered.  Your candidacy for the procedure should be deternmined by a thorough history and physical, not over the internet.  I can't tell you if the procedure will rid you of the PVCs, but consultation with an electrophysiologist at a major medical center makes sense.  I suspect that your heart rate increase is being driven by the presence of the PVCs, and certainly this might be corrected by ablation of the PVCs.

As PVCs do not carry a substantial increase in mortality risk, and given that ablation procedures (as with any procedures) do carry some risk, you might consider alternative therapies.  Some people have found success with bio-feedback.  Also, consultation with a trained psycho-therapist with emphasis on coping skills (such a therapist might normally work with OCD) might be considered.

Hope that helps.