Vasovagal Syncope and PVC's

[dolfnlvr]

I've read several posts over the last few days.  I've suffered from PVC's ever since I weaned my first of two children, and, like many of you, I have changed my diet, wracked my brain for triggers, taken beta blockers and generally learned to live with it.  Of course there are times when the PVC's get bad that I run through the whole cycle again, including going to the Cardiologist to ask if they're SURE everything is okay.  

My reason for posting today is that I've noticed many posts where vasovagal syncope is listed as a syndrome that ranks with IST etc.  It has made me think.  When I was 17, I was diagnosed with Vasovagal syndrome...I was one of the first tested on a tilt table, and when I passed out after only 11 minutes, my heart rate dropped to 11 beats per minute!!  The doc put me on Norpace for awhile, but I stopped after less than a year, because I read the side effects and figured passing out was mild compared to the possible harm done by the meds.  

The Vasovagal issues seem to have subsided with time, age and pregnancy, but the PVC's remain.  I wonder if the Vasovagal issues, caused by an upset in the autonomic nervous system, and the PVC's are connected.  Maybe my problem is my brain...not my heart!!  Hey...maybe it is all in my head!!!

Does anyone know if there's a connection?  Or does anyone have any interesting information or research they've heard of??  

It seems funny to me that so much research went in to testing people who faint (as I said I was part of the study) , but are otherwise normal and healthy, but so little is done regarding the PVC's and prevention or treatments that will improve long term quality of life.

[deedle1976]

Just wondering how many PVCs you get per day?

[dolfnlvr]

I was "clocked" at upwards of 1500 in a day at one time, though I have to say I didn't notice all of those.  There are times when I get them for hours at a time and just have to push through, and other times when I might go weeks without noticing anything.  Then for some reason they slam into me and I'll have several weeks when I'm not sure if I will ever be "normal" again.  I've had 4 episodes of SVT over the years, which scare me more than ANYTHING, because it feels like my heart simply isn't working and I'll just die right there.  I guess the biggest thing is how it makes you focus so much on your heart beat that you don't pay close attention to the things around you that matter (kids playing, husband talking, life in general).

Yesterday was a bad day.  After posting I went to pick up my Dad from day surgery and had a vasovagal response....passed out right there in recovery.  That's never fun, because I have to explain to the nurses that "really, I'm fine and YES I can drive him home, just give me 10 minutes to recover."  Then I had what I call rebound PVC's all afternoon.  

[deedle1976]

I had about that when I was pregnant. Clocked at 1786 on an average day. I feel them all so I am able to predict the holter results quite accurately before I get them. Mine are all good at the moment though in the low dozens rather than thousands. Never had SVT though. That sounds horrible. Well I do have a fast fluttery rhythm very occasionally  but I think it's short bursts of nsvt and it only lasts a few seconds. Hope you have some relief soon.

[PVC man]

So, the syncope was not PVC or SVT related?  How would you know?  Hope you feel better as that SVT sounds awful.

[dolfnlvr]

The syncope is a vasovagal response which I started to experience long before I had ever even heard of PVC's.  I've been on the tilt table, and had a "significant" (if you can call 3 doctors rushing to the table to "push the atripine" significant) reaction after 11 minutes.  I went through a whole battery of tests then...there was no sign of arhythmia then.  

I'm just curious if anyone has a link like that.  I have often wondered if the two issues are related, or if the vasovagal somehow triggered the PVC's.  I've also wondered if the meds they put me on (Norpace) may have caused the later appearance of PVC's.  Norpace has some nasty side effects, and if I had realized that at the time, I would not have taken it.  I've always wondered whether or not I brought this on myself just because I didn't want to faint once or twice a year....because otherwise I was completely healthy.

[fionasam]

Hi

My daughter (17 years) had her first syncope experience a year or so ago - after going to the doctor thet recommended we go straight to the hospital if there was another event so it could be monitored. We did this and she had her first ECG where they found she had / was experiencing very frequent PVC's. At this time she was feeling fine as the syncope symptoms are shortlived but though this we found she had PVC's all the time. She has had many tests which have all come back fine excpet she too had a reaction on the tilt test after 14 minutes. We have seen a cardiologist as well as a cardio electro physician and the end diagnosis was benign PVC's (though alot of them) and Vasovagal syncope. She has not been on any drugs to supress the PVC's as the cardiologist was reluctant to try these as the side affects can be unpleasant and as she does not feel the PVC's most of the time. The whole ordeal has been alarming for us as she is a healthy teenager with no previous problems with her health and the pre syncope and syncope has been reallly frightening for her as you do worry about the two things being related and it is something that we have little control over.....

We were really interested to hear about you and the related syptoms and conditions.          

[dolfnlvr]

Hi there "neighbor."  Interesting that the situation seems so mirrored to mine isn't it?  I will say that the good news for your daughter is that, once you know what it is, at least the syncope is "dealable."  It's when you don't know if you're having a stroke, or an epileptic seizure that things are really scary.  Once I was "diagnosed" correctly, the main course of action was to keep my blood pressure up.  So, unlike 90% of Americans today, I was put on a HIGH salt diet :-).  When I'm 60 I'll be sorry for that I'm sure.  

As for the PVC's, they scared the stuffin' out of me when they showed up.  I had no idea what those palpitations were, and I was certain that my heart would just hiccup a few too many times and kill me right off.  But, after much testing, I was again diagnosed with a "benign" condition.  So, over time, I've learned to live with both.  

I will say that pregnancy was wonderful for me.  I did not suffer from syncope OR PVC's during pregnancy and all was right with the world.  And the doctors were not concerned one bit about my ability to carry a child.  So, I did it twice.  And I have two beautiful babies (now 6 and 3) in my life that were worth every minute :-).


I still faint every once in awhile. And, apparently it is still just as scary for those around me as it was the very first time.  But I've learned to avoid ambulances when it happens...sometimes to the chagrin of those around me.  And the PVC's, unlike your daughter's unfelt ones, plague me at times.  But again, I've learned to live with them most of the time.

There are times when it is all a bit overwhelming.  In the summer, when others are goofing around with their family, my blood pressure drops (due to enlarged vessels for heat reduction) and my PVC's go nuts and I feel really awful.  That's a bummer.  But all in all, I know I'm mostly "normal" and I can live a long and healthy life with my beautiful babies and husband.  So...the prognosis is GOOD for your little girl.

Feel free to click on my link (blue dolfnlvr) and send a message if you are interested in more information.

Take care.

[Rightfulrogue]

...and others here as well. Finding this discussion has provided some comfort to me. I started feeling PVC's a few months ago and more recently started having episodes of I guess what's called pre syncope as I do not pass out...at least not yet. I am a 47 yr old male in decent shape. I was told 10 years ago that I get these PVC's but never felt them until recently. I have to say that I have been getting a bit frightened by these recent episodes as they seem to be getting more and more frequent. The doctors keep talking about anxiety and panic attacks but I am having a hard time accepting that. I swear when it happens I feel like I am coming dangerously close to being 'unplugged'. I have been wearing an event monitor the last few days and after I had a few bad episodes of PVC's accompanied by pre syncope I called my cardiologist and asked him (insisted) that he get his hands on the read out and call me back. He did and he said he saw PVC's but nothing that alarmed him. he didn't know why I was getting 'light headed' when this would happen. I guess i feel better since he didn't instruct me to get to the emergency room or anything like that. I am sure the fact that a very good friend recently died a sudden death from a heart arythmia he didn't even know he had has been causing me more anxiety than I might have otherwise. Anyone feel that I should be pushing the doctors harder or maybe getting a second opinion?

Thanks in advance.

[dolfnlvr]

The pre-syncope would concern me as well.  Let me tell you, I may seem a bit more cavalier then the average PVC/Syncope sufferer, but it has not always been so. There are so many things that can be associated with these symptoms. That you went from benign, unnoticed PVC's to palpitations that cause weakness and dizziness is a concern.  I would support a second opinion.  While you may (and hopefully will) find the results to be the same...it never hurts to double check.

Good luck to you.

[molly0]

I have POTS and PVCs, I guess this is common.  I fainted 45 minutes into my test, but was considered positive at 10 minutes because of radical heart rate/blood