Arrhythmia//PVC's

[twhgait]

I am a 39 y.o. female with no big PMH.  I am a nurse and on occasion check my radial pulse.  While doing this for the past couple months, I have noticed frequent "skipped beats" in my pulse (just a pause in a chain of beats).  I do have the occasional palpitations that I can feel in my chest also. I cannot consciously feel these radial pulse "skipped beats" in my chest and wouldn't have even noticed them if I had not been checking.  They seem to disappear when my heartrate increases and are most noticeable at rest (at least every 40 beats or so).  I went to my FP doctor and my EKG was normal. I pick up my holter monitor on Monday (48hr) and will also have some fasting labs drawn at that time. He also ordered an echo which I have not scheduled yet.  My thyroid size appears normal although there were some cysts on it.  My doc feels these are probably benign PVC's as I have normal cardio results so far.  I've read thru these forums extensively and most pt's describe the "fluttering, flipping over" sensations.  Can PVC's like mine (not noticiable unless I am checking my pulse) still be benign?  Or, is this another possible arrhythmia that I may be dealing with?  How reliable is the ECG stating "normal sinus rhythm"  considering other possible arrhythmias?  Of course, my heart behaved in the doctors office (I was very nervous and my pulse shot up to 96 bpm).  I am worrying myself into a panic over this

[hankstar]

On another note how long does it take to accept them as "benign", to give an honest opinion for most never, it just like knowing something will not harm you but because of the distressing nature of the symptoms, it is really hard for most to really accept them as "benign" even though it is obvious that persons have them nearly all life and nothing bad happens to them, you just can't convince that it will be the same for you.

Try coping skills, i found that to be most effective. Good Luck. Just an honest opinion.

[toulouse]

Thanks for the excellent suggestions.  i would ask if you have had any experience with other betablockers and or combinations of med that have worked in addition to what you are using now.  how about any supplements e.g. magnesium?  what bugs me is hearing them continually in my ear and being unable to sleep on one side or the other rather than my back when i am having an attack.  i have just started trying lorazpam with some limited success.  how long in general does it take to "accept them" as being basically benign?  thanks in advance.

[hankstar]

Hi,

   My only other experience with another beta blocker was Inderal(propranolol) 20mg 3 times from 1983 to 1998, I stopped for a few years from 1987 to 1991 after a visit with a EP doc associated with the Cleveland clinic in Florida suggested I did not need it after a stress test and holter monitor. I saw that seem Ep in 1993 again and told everything with my heart was completely normal and that living or coping with the symptoms was the only issue, he suggested atenolol as his drug of choice.

  Inderal is a safe and good beta blocker, might actually work better for some persons, I find it has a more overall relaxing effect on your body as whole, atenolol mainly affects the heart making it a more cardioselective beta blocker.

  I tried magnesium oxide 500mg daily, but has stopped for months now because I suspected it might be causing more frequent PVCs, once stopping they went away, who knows, could be purely coincidental, it sall trial and error with medications, they stopped for from time to time for a period or needs switching, we are all different and respond differently.

  I take valium 5mg(diazepam) twice daily also , not for anxiety, but for ankylosing spondylitis as it has muscle relaxing benefits along with 325mg of aspirin daily. It might also play a role in the reduction of palpitations who knows?

  The best reassurance is to converse with persons that experience similiar symptoms as you get comfort that you are not alone because persons with this condition tends to feel all alone in the world, but never take the advice or comments posted here on the forum no maatter how reassuring they might sound without a true diagnosis and treatment from your trusted doctor or physician as only they know your history and significance of your condition.

Take care, keep us posted and try to ignore them, they feed off attention and anxiety.

Kindest regards.

[hankstar]

I am constantly aware of my heartbeat whether fast , slow regular or irregular, PVCs or no PVCs. I have learned to live with it . I'll be 40 on Nov 3 and have had this all my life, apparently some are just more in tone with whats happening in their bodies. I take atenolol 100mg in divided doses 25mg 4 times daily, a beta blocker, and a ARB (cozaar) losartan 50mg. is the generic name. I have a high tolerance of beta blocker , no side effects but night mares.

In general beta blocker are safe medications, be assured that they are many out there like yourself, just keep an eye on your aortic valve, I think you said you had moderate stenosis, some persons with aortic stenosis tend to have or complain of more frequent palpitations,  only your cardiologist can reassure or confirm to you if your palpitations are of any significance with this problem, some are given the green light with no restrictions depending on symptoms and after several echos within a 8-10 year period with no change.

Defining abnormal and normal can be quite a task, kinda like a thin line between love and hate!! Consider yourself normal, remember no one is without some kind of blemish.

Hang tight and you'll be alright.

Regards.

[toulouse]

I am 67 and have lots of pvc's and pac's.  i have discovered this last year that i have moderate aortic stenosis.  i do 4 miles a day speed walking and have quit drinking anything and do not smoke.  my cardiologist and internist tell me after ekg's and a stable echo that i can do everything with limited or no restrictions.  my problem is that i "feel" or hear each and every beat normal as well as abnormal in my right ear.  it is like tinnitus but is only the heart heat. I try to ingore them  and especially at night when they occurr.  i have not tried a beta blocker and am on a mild ARB but have good conttol of my pressure and use the DASH diet.  i have lost 25 lbs.  my problem is that when these beats occurr i get very concerned and even get to anxiety but not true panic yet.  i have tried ativan with little success and am afraid of betablockers from what a lot of people say on the forum.  has anyone had the problem of mentation or tentation of the beats in the ear? also is there a "support group" for these things.  thank you all for your comments it makes me feel like i am not "abnormal" and just need some where to vent and not do something drastic.  thank you in advance

[owens]

I am a 77 year-old male and had triple by-pass surgery 16 years ago. Since 1947 I have had PVC's and I can feel virtually every one of them. I have had several cariologists and internists, FP's, etc. indicate to me that they were benign and not life-threatening. Sometimes I can go a month or two at a time and not have any heart skips. Sometimes, I will have a period of skips 4 or 5 times a minute and sometimes, although rarely, I will have a period of skipping 12 to 14 times a minute (this situation usually lasts up to two hours). Many times I will have an episode of PVC's after I eat a full meal, especially foods like pasta/pizza. Afetr the meal is digested, the PVC's go away. On occasion, at night, if I lie on my left side, I will have PVC's -if I turn on my right side - they stop.

When I tell these things to my cardiologist, she will ease my mind by telling me not to worry. However, I wonder why they come after eating cretain foods or lying on my left side at night?