PVC's and sleep positions

[debno]

I have had PVC's for about 6 months now.  Recently they have been worse especially when I try to sleep on my side, which is the only way I ever sleep.  They subside or stop when I rollover on my back but I have difficulty sleeping on my back.  Am I putting pressure on my heart and causing PVC's by sleeping on my side?  

[cardiophobiac]

i get pvcs if i lay on my left side, heart side.

[camp11]

this happens to me too when I lay on my right side and for me, I know it's acid reflux. It literally just happened when I was typing this on my right side.

[anacyde]

I get them more while on my left side, but no problems on my right side.  My cardiologist said I must just feel them more.  I said no...I HAVE them more.  Well, he saw for himself when he did an echo on me (you have to lay on your left side for this) and he was surprised!  He still told me not to worry.

Anyhow, there are a couple of things that can help.  One is not laying down in bed immediately.  Sit and read a little first or something like that.  Also, try starting out on your back or opposite side...whichever position doesn't trigger your PVCs, then switch after a few minutes to your preferred sleeping positon.  That has helped a few of us :)

[va_tony]

Sorry, the beginning of my message above was truncated making it hard to understand. Here's trhe first sentence again:

Many arrhythimias are triggered by postural changes (related to a slight dysautonomia).

[va_tony]

any arrhythimias are triggered by psotural changes (related to a slight dysautonomia). I find that lying on my right side will soemtimes trigger afib while lying on the left side will not. Others complain that reaching overhead with their arms of squatting to pick up something will trigger a tachycardia.  Thers is a test called the tilt table test to assess thes types of postuaral triggers and dysautonomias.

In the case of PVCs, there was a question and response from one of the Cleveland Clinic cardiologists.  Here it is:

"CCF-M.D.-bkj
5/26/2004
bhpbob bob,

thanks for the post.

As you're aware from the other post, in the setting of a structurally normal heart, the presence of PVCs carry no significant risk of adverse outcomes. However, they certainly are a major annoyance.

The etiology of changes in positioning is not clear. Changing positions can slighlty change the filling of the heart, as well as change the hearts orientation in the chest cavity slighlty. You could hypothesize that these small changes could lead to the extra beats.

hope this is a start.

good luck "