Aa
Are PVC's
I'm a 46 yr old fem. fit & in good health, B/P 110/70. In June '02, I got sick with an illness which had the major symptom of orthostatic hypotension & other organ symptoms. After 1 wk I could only crawl on my hands/knees due to fainting/weakness.I was sent to Stanford Med Ctr for 10 days.Had an echocardiogram, blood tests, tilt table testing, etc.I was on IV only for 10 days.Their diag: Orthostatic hypotension & gave proamitine. Proamitine made me sick & altered.They sent me home 2 days later & my GP took me off Proamitine as he thought I had a bad virus.After 9 wks I started to get better,no more cardiac symptoms,just getting my strength & life back.Then in March 03, I had tightness in my chest, squeezing in left arm.I went to the ER. B/P was 160/100 and pulse was 180.EKG showed no abnormalities.I was given an Ativan and refered to a cardiologist.I did a Holter monitor and a stress echo.Holter showed several instances of 148 BPM while showering, or just sitting and several PAC/PVC's some coming every other beat.Stress echo showed several PAC's & PVC's that lessened with exercise. After reviewing the Stress Echo/Holter,was told I have benign PVC's & PAC's and just deal with them or take beta blockers.I asked why all of a sudden I started having PAC's PVC's they said they didn't know.I asked if they would go away-they said no.Can someone tell me why these all of a sudden cropped up, and what can be done for them? I have multiple per minute and am uncomfortable. Are these as benign as they say? Organs just don't start acting up for no reason do they? What can I do? Thanks!
Hi Deb!!
Sure you can join our friendly group. Welcome aboard : )
Sure you can join our friendly group. Welcome aboard : )
Hi I just have a comment for you. I think when I was here last august you were here to with the same thing. Is this you??
I am almost certain it was you..
Listen, when I drive I get pvc too.. I get more panic and anxiety when I drive then I ever have. I hate being alone, and especially at night. I have good days and bad with panic and anxiety. All I know is this.. I love my life and I could'nt imagine wasting any more time then what is already wasted just having the normal stress's of daily life. I know that some people try beta blockers and other drugs to try to control the pvc, but if you suffer from panic and anxiety nothing but those types of drugs can save you. I always thought o' no not me I can lick this on my own.. Im stronger then that. But all the time I spent trying to take on a task that I had no control of cost me precious time away from what matters most. I decided that I needed to take care of me and now. I tryed zanex, which i couldnt believe that i was taking. I dont even drink at all. That worked the first time. This lead me to believe that this may be anxiety induced. I went 10 months with small amounts of pvc which i could handle. Then BOOM!!! about 3 weeks ago it came on with a vengence. I was having runs and more runs. I decided to go in and see the dr again. Of course he told me its stress and anxiety. Ok i said then fix me.. he did he gave me zoloft which took two weeks to kick in and now I have the normal 5 or 6 per day and that I can handle and enjoy life. The low dose of zoloft has helped so so much, I hope you check into it. It really takes the edge off that ugly anxiety. Hope this helps.
take care.
***@**** deb
I am almost certain it was you..
Listen, when I drive I get pvc too.. I get more panic and anxiety when I drive then I ever have. I hate being alone, and especially at night. I have good days and bad with panic and anxiety. All I know is this.. I love my life and I could'nt imagine wasting any more time then what is already wasted just having the normal stress's of daily life. I know that some people try beta blockers and other drugs to try to control the pvc, but if you suffer from panic and anxiety nothing but those types of drugs can save you. I always thought o' no not me I can lick this on my own.. Im stronger then that. But all the time I spent trying to take on a task that I had no control of cost me precious time away from what matters most. I decided that I needed to take care of me and now. I tryed zanex, which i couldnt believe that i was taking. I dont even drink at all. That worked the first time. This lead me to believe that this may be anxiety induced. I went 10 months with small amounts of pvc which i could handle. Then BOOM!!! about 3 weeks ago it came on with a vengence. I was having runs and more runs. I decided to go in and see the dr again. Of course he told me its stress and anxiety. Ok i said then fix me.. he did he gave me zoloft which took two weeks to kick in and now I have the normal 5 or 6 per day and that I can handle and enjoy life. The low dose of zoloft has helped so so much, I hope you check into it. It really takes the edge off that ugly anxiety. Hope this helps.
take care.
***@**** deb
Today I went to the gym again and I have been so frustrated.
About 15 minutes into my workout I just felt drained of energy
and like I wasn't getting enough oxygen. I had to stop and
despite my efforts to calm down by walking, I had to go home because I just couldn't keep going. I am scared. I did not feel any PVCs this time but definitely knew something is not right. It is very agravating when I can't do something as simple as exercise especially when I enjoy it so much. I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks and I hope I can get to the bottom of this. Reading this forum sure makes me feel better knowing I am not the only scared one out there. thanks
About 15 minutes into my workout I just felt drained of energy
and like I wasn't getting enough oxygen. I had to stop and
despite my efforts to calm down by walking, I had to go home because I just couldn't keep going. I am scared. I did not feel any PVCs this time but definitely knew something is not right. It is very agravating when I can't do something as simple as exercise especially when I enjoy it so much. I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of weeks and I hope I can get to the bottom of this. Reading this forum sure makes me feel better knowing I am not the only scared one out there. thanks
Thanks guys sooo much for all the valuable advice!!! I can't tell you how much this board helps me!! I really don't know what I would do, I guess I would be in the emergency room each night! Anyway, I know they can be related to anxiety, but I definitely have them all day long regardless. I was coming down a hill the other day from Lake Tahoe in my car, and I was having anxiety about my car a little bit, and I was getting PVC's like crazy, I just couldn't wait till I got to the bottom! Anyway, I still had them on the rest of the drive home, but it was weird, they were getting better and better the closer I got to home. So, I can see how anxiety brings them on, but then sometimes I get them for no apparant reason at all. The other night in bed, I kept getting this thing where right when I would drift off to sleep, I would kind of jump up and wake up with a bad palpitation, and some weird shortness of breath. I tried to sleep, but I couldn't, so I got up and watched some tv and drank water, but I kept having PVC's about every 5 or 10 beats, and short of breath. It really made me nervous, I almost thought of going to the hospital, and then my anxiety got the best of me. I have a lot of anxiety in my life right now, and I worry about the things coming up in my life, and how I'm going to deal with them. We are moving across the country, and I have to travel with my kids alone to get there, and this weekend for the fourth of July, I'm driving down to San Francisco to see some relatives, but I'm nervous about the drive. My husband is already starting his job on the East Coast, so I'm doing these things alone for the time being (just with the kids). Anyway, the point is that I wish I didn't have to worry about doing these things on my own, I wish I was just comfortable like everyone else doing them. I am getting used to my PVC's just being a part of my life each day, it's just that sometimes they get so hard and really noticable. Thanks again so much for the great advice, I really will try to do some relaxation things. You guys are the best, thanks, Val
Hi Val!!
Oh you are in good company with this group! We can definitely relate to the anxiety associated with your pvc's. I don't have any medical proof, but I do believe that hormone fluctuations play a role in the level of pvc's experienced at a given time. I have had pvc's for about 25 years, and for the most part I am OK with them. Even though I have thousands/day, I don't feel most of them.....But, the ones I do feel....YUK!! I defintely agree with Beth about trying to find ways to decrease your anxiety, but I also know that sometimes those buggers come on out of nowwhere and it seems as though they just have to run their course. I have had them for so long that I am pretty much used to them. After many years of taking a beta blocker, it seemed as though it pretty much stopped working. In fact, I do think they were getting worse. About 5 years ago, I went off the RX (Dr. was OK with that) and did great for about 2+ years. Even though my numbers were high, the doctor wasn't too concerned until my EF dropped. So, now I'm taking Rythmol to keep the "beats" in check. So far I seem to be improving and I do not have nearly as many extra beats...Or if I do, I sure don't feel as many.....Take Care....We are a group who beat to a differt drummer : )
Oh you are in good company with this group! We can definitely relate to the anxiety associated with your pvc's. I don't have any medical proof, but I do believe that hormone fluctuations play a role in the level of pvc's experienced at a given time. I have had pvc's for about 25 years, and for the most part I am OK with them. Even though I have thousands/day, I don't feel most of them.....But, the ones I do feel....YUK!! I defintely agree with Beth about trying to find ways to decrease your anxiety, but I also know that sometimes those buggers come on out of nowwhere and it seems as though they just have to run their course. I have had them for so long that I am pretty much used to them. After many years of taking a beta blocker, it seemed as though it pretty much stopped working. In fact, I do think they were getting worse. About 5 years ago, I went off the RX (Dr. was OK with that) and did great for about 2+ years. Even though my numbers were high, the doctor wasn't too concerned until my EF dropped. So, now I'm taking Rythmol to keep the "beats" in check. So far I seem to be improving and I do not have nearly as many extra beats...Or if I do, I sure don't feel as many.....Take Care....We are a group who beat to a differt drummer : )
Hi Val -
I just saw your post and I want to share with you this thought: I have read (and we both have responded to) prior posts of yours. Yes, you have an irregular heart beat (like me and others) but I think the major culprit of your symptoms is anxiety. I literally can "feel" your anxiety as you write. I've been there too. I believe once you calm down enough for your body to become comfortable feeling peaceful, your PVCs will diminish. Not saying they will completely go away, but I think they will definitely subside quite a bit.
Have you tried any of the calming techniques? Like yoga, relaxation tapes, herbal or homeopathic tinctures (or even medicinal like Xanax, if necessary)? Walking helps too. So does calming self-talk ("I'm okay, it's just PVCs....). There are plenty of anxiety work books out that are helpful. Does your insurance cover psychological counseling? I found great relief many years ago talking one on one with a therapist about my heart situation and other issues in my life. Perhaps that will help you.
One day at a time -- one beat at a time!
Beth
I just saw your post and I want to share with you this thought: I have read (and we both have responded to) prior posts of yours. Yes, you have an irregular heart beat (like me and others) but I think the major culprit of your symptoms is anxiety. I literally can "feel" your anxiety as you write. I've been there too. I believe once you calm down enough for your body to become comfortable feeling peaceful, your PVCs will diminish. Not saying they will completely go away, but I think they will definitely subside quite a bit.
Have you tried any of the calming techniques? Like yoga, relaxation tapes, herbal or homeopathic tinctures (or even medicinal like Xanax, if necessary)? Walking helps too. So does calming self-talk ("I'm okay, it's just PVCs....). There are plenty of anxiety work books out that are helpful. Does your insurance cover psychological counseling? I found great relief many years ago talking one on one with a therapist about my heart situation and other issues in my life. Perhaps that will help you.
One day at a time -- one beat at a time!
Beth
You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Forum
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.
