15 palps/ min!

[tperk]

Posted several days ago, but have had more palps than ever thse last few days! Last night I had a run of 15/min which is about every 4th beat! I didn't have any "symptoms" other than being a little anxious about having that many. Does any one else have them this frequent? Just wondering if that many is still alright? I am going to a new cardiologist next week and can't wait to make sure this is still just benign PVCs! Thanks!

[chattychicky]

I have to say I've taken tenormin for 18 years. Back then my diagnosis was tachycardia. Now I get frequent PAC's.  I've been having more break thru episodes of PAC's the past 6 months. These episodes last in duration of 5 minutes to 4 hours and when it happens I'm terrified. Went to the cardiologist last week. She wanted to switch me from the tenormin to toprol xl. I took it last Sunday and will NEVER EVER EVER take it again EVER. Goodness gracious I was a mess. I couldn't even stand up without having my heart freak out all over the place, the veins in my hands were bulging like they were going to burs, and I couldn't stay awake.  I ended up sleeping the entire afternoon. The next day I went back on my tenormin. So my new regimin is a raised dose of the tenormin, zoloft and xanax. I do have an under active thyroid and I'm getting my level checked this coming Saturday. Last fall I found out about the thyroid becuase of the heart freak out attacks. My heart was all over the place and wouldn't stop doing that so I went to the ER. They told me the beats were non life threatening but something was causing it. They did blood work and now i'm on levothyroxine for the rest of my life. I hope you feel better and remember you are not alone....

[oddesinot]

how are you feeling now! do you still get them. I get them 24/7
I started getting my 20 yrs ago, but they got them under control.  Now that I reached menopause..its the worst!!! day and nite...feeling of nervouness, shaky..jittery..and i had all the stress, holters, blood work...you can think of...but i still have them, and they tell me to ignor them...THATS NOT EASY!!
but I hope all works out for you.

[LadyNRA]

I understand what you are going through.  Prior to this I only would get a mild fluttering for about 15 seconds, 3 or 4 times a year, and since they were low in my chest, I thought it was stomach gurgles.  That's how long they lasted and how often.  Barely there.  Then suddenly I got them on 11/2.  Sat down after dinner to relax and they started.  They'd been there the day before, so I guess that was the true start, but only for about 15 min.  But the next day it was non-stop so I went to the ER.  They did all the standard heart attack tests and monitoring.  I think they did check my potassium, as well as cardiac enzymes and an Echocardiogram.  Everything was normal.  Since then it's been without let up with the possible except of sleeping since when I enter a totally relaxed state during sleep, I am not aware of them.  But if I get spooked by the alarm you can bet they return.  They are not exercise induced.  They may be there but not worse with the exercise.  I am 51 and heading into menopause and I don't know if that's a problem.  I have high blood pressure and they already had me on 200 mg of Toprol and that didn't make a difference.  They had me doubled up on lisinopril just prior to this problem but weaning me back to the standard amount didn't help with them.  They do get worse on a full stomach (probably because of the stomach pushing upward).  They are very erratic (no patterns I can make out).  They are less obvious when I am very preoccupied, particularly with something fun.  

As for the anxiety...it is always there but on a scale of 0 to 10, it's mostly about a 1 or 2 on a daily basis.  But like most folks with this, I need some reassurance and hopefully will get it tomorrow when I go to the clinic.  The cardiologist has been working on my BP so didn't talk to me much about the PVCs.  And sure, I do hit an occasional anxiety level of about 6 or 7 when they are really pounding but I try to calm down, distract myself, whatever.  I guess I manage to stay fairly calm because I know there are folks out there with so many more serious heart issues.  I think my greatest anxiety comes from wondering what would happen if these things got worse and I fell into the 'danger' category.  The what-ifs are probably my greatest enemy so I try not to think about them too much.

[massage therapy]

i'm a 31 year old female with avnrt-good shape not overweight
i've  been having those same symptoms lately. a run of skip after skip...seeming like it's almost a 50/50 between normal rhythm and palps! it's scary to no end. and it seems the more you're fixated on it (and how can you not be?) the worse it gets.
i too, have no other symptoms other than anxiety when this occurs, and i've been having this off and on for about 4 years. i'm still here, so hang in there!

[Carrie41]

Not to worry tperk.  I get that every couple of months of so.  It will skip about every fifth to tenth beat and it freaks me out to no end.  I remember  when I was pregnant and went to the hospital when it was happening all night long and they said "just PVC's - go home".  They finally stopped but scared the living daylights out of me.  I get get missed beats all day long (maybe around 10 or so) but the ones that come every couple of minutes I only get every couple of months.  Docs still say "no big deal" it is just really scarey #*&$(*# when it happens.  If you have had a normal cardiac workup then they will tell you the same.

[tperk]

My family Dr. did just check my thyroid and a chem panel - it was all totally normal. Currently tapering off Toprol XL b/c I could tell no difference and I don't want to take something if it isn't helping! Thanks anyway for the suggestion!

[LadyNRA]

I get em about 3-7 times a minute, and sometimes more than that, short chains of bigeminy.  It does worry me but I'm not hysterical about it even though it's been 2 straight months of this,

[Barbarella]

Next time you see your doctor ask him/her to have your potassium checked.  Low Postassium also can cause PVC's.  In my case its always nerves and fatigue.  I had them every other beat for weeks at the time, day and night.  I barely slept out of fear they'd kill me until a Cardiologist set me straight and told me the more I worry the longer they will stay and the more frequent they will get i.e. every other beat.

I know of the nightmare these PVC's can cause.  People with REAL heart disease don't understand.  A distant relative of mine got so disgusted with me and said "I take your stupid PVC's anytime and you can have my two heart attacks", he is only 42 yrs old.  It makes you feel terrible when you hear people with REAL heart disease/heartattacks tell you that because you know they are right but it still wont take the fear away about these PVC's.

In my case Xanax made them worst and Beta Blockers did not help at all.  My heart rate went down to 30bpm and I still had PVC's.  An Internist gave me the Beta Blockers, the Cardiologist took me off the Beta Blockers immediately and said "I do NOT like Beta Blockers they can cause more harm than good".

[tperk]

Mine has also been like this for 2 straight months! It can make you a little crazy when you don't get a break for even a day!   Mine were very random until this last round, so the everyday is what is wearing me down! Some days I am mentally worn out by the end of the day - trying not to think about them (yeah right :-)). Very puzzled at why they are suddenly daily?? Just curious if you had any insight with yours? I am questioning by birth control pills? (although anxiety from stopping those may not help either :-))
Thanks a-lot! It sure helps to know you aren't alone!

[anacyde]

I get it too.  I go half out of my mind when I do because I find it unnerving.  Mine are usually exercise-induced, and almost always atrial.  Sometimes I get enough that it triggers me into a short run of supraventricular tachycardia.  It's so nice when they stay away!

Hope you feel better soon.