Unexplained Palpitations

[LukeL]

In March I had a series of endless palpitations that started with a buzzing feeling in my chest that lasted for about 3-4 seconds. This went away and I felt fine, but I looked up causes of palpitations and within an hour got a fluttering feeling in my chest that lasted for a couple of seconds and came in a couple of runs for about 1-2 hours.

I went to the ER and they found nothing wrong with me and my EKG only showed an IRBBB and Sinus Tach.

I went to the ER two days later still afraid and they still only found IRBBB and sinus tach.

I asked to be refered to a cardiologist and had an echo done which showed no abnormalites and a perfectly normal heart.

I also had a EKG later on and it again only showed an IRBBB.

Since then I have not had the fluttering feeling but have goten very troubling symptoms. Twice I have had blury vision for a couple of seconds and have recently felt a quick lump or pulse in my neck and chest which last less then a second and comes and goes for a couple of hours.

Also during the day my chest often feels hollow or like I am getting an adreline rush that goes up into my neck.

My questions are:

1. With 3 normal EKGs and an ECHO do you think my symptoms are indicating a serious condtion (especially the fluttering)?

2. I am particualry concerned about EP condtions like Brugada and LQTS should this concern me with normal EKGs and no history of heart disease in my family? (no realitve has died from heart disease in my family)

3. I am currently on Toprol XL and Valium could this explain my periodic blured vision?

Thanks.

[tickertock]

I have exercised induced PVCs also, but I can have them at rest also. I had them before , during and after an exercise stress test (Bruce) during my worse attack ever. After that I was more reassured that I would not drop dead from exercising with them, it is very hard to do , but the best thing is to just keep on going and try and ignore them, I know that is difficult when it feels like your heart is out of control and is basically going to stop.
  
I take atenolol and I find that it helps to suppress them most of the time. I think in last 15-20 years alot has been learned about PVCs regarding their impact on one's overall prognosis regarding longevity, with a normal cardiac evaluation it is no different from the population that has very few or completely asymptomatic with them. I turned 41 just today and have had them since I was teenager, to be honest when I first experienced them so severe and frequent I thought that was it for me and that's been 20+ years ago and Im still going strong.

If you have no other serious health problems and only just PVCs to worry about (no to say that they are not alarming), hang on tight you're in for along ride, nothing bad will happen to you. Take care and good luck.

[joe1974]

I am so glad to have found this site today!  I'm 31 y/o man who was told 3 wks ago that i have pvc and pac (after 2 er visits and 1 stress test}.  I seem to get these skipped heart beats accompanied by "heart hiccups" whenever i start moderate physical activity (i.e. jogging, tennis, or just playing with my daughter at the park) and also out of the blue some evenings esp. after a beer or a large meal.  I never felt these things b4 a month ago, and the first two times I became short of breath with chest tightness and a feeling of impending doom!  I was convinced that i was going to die and became afraid to do any physical activity because I know that "they" will come.  I've become very depressed, have gained 7lbs, and feel as if my doctor
is treating me like a psych patient.  He says that i should ignore the PVC's and resume all physical activity without restrictions.  He gave me a prescr. for valium 2mg as needed, and that was the end of my last appt.  I feel like there should be more tests done but i also feel like a hypochondriac!  Does anyone else get pvc's (somtimes up to every 5 to 10 beats) durring light or moderate exersize?  My mother said that her doctor said that hers (PVC'S) were harmless because they did not get worse with physical activity. Is that true? I seem to get them almost exclusivly durring exersise.  I feel better already just reading all these comments from others with similer symptoms>  thank you so much,
    maybe I'm not dying, lol
             Joe

[tickertock]

If your Ectopics beats PACs/PVCs have been captured either on ECG or treadmil test and you know for certain its PVCs, then a holter monitor is probably not necessary, at least when my cardio documented mine on ECG and then on the Bruce exercise stress test, he told me quite frankly that to do a holter would only add extra expense for nothing, unless I was experiencing different beats or symptoms, I call that being very honest and with the patient best interest at heart.

The only other test I could think of would be a echocardiogram to make sure your heart is structurally normal, it can give a fairly accurate view of your heart valves, wall dimensions and thickness,overall heart size and a good estimate of your ejection fraction, its like the icing on the cake.

I've bee told by my cardio that a stress test,ecg, holter( if your arrhythmia has not been caught on ecg or stress test)and echocardiogram is the basic tests needed to evaluate frequent and bothersome pvcs, if everything checks out normal with these test , then its probably a less than 1% chance that the arrhythmia is occuring because of any serious heart problem or disease. Good luck.

[454]

Wow, sounds like my story.  I to am 31y/o.  My PVC's came out of the blue almost a year ago now.  Happened over the Christmas holiday.  I got myself so worked up that I had an anxiety attack and wound up in the ER.  Cardiac workup normal. Had to wear a cardionet home heart monitor for three weeks.  Exercised while wearing it vigorously and was given the all clear after 3 weeks of home monitoring.  I was fine for a couple of months and the PVC's returned.  Back to my doctor.  By this point I'm scared to death.  He sends me for an echo and luckily while having the echo I had a run of PVC's. Was told begign PVC's was switched from Atenolol(on for mild HBP)to Toprol XL and things have been going pretty well.  I think I still have the PVCs but I don't feel them as much or if I check my pulse.  I walk/run almost everyday and I have found this to do wonders.  I also just started paxil.  Everyday is a struggle, but from what everyone says, they won't kill you.  Just have to have faith.

[tickertock]

Thanks. To be honest besides the occasional thump now and then, its been 4 years since my last bad attack that lasted for months in the 1000s daily, hope it keeps like this for a long long time and ill be just fine as far as PVCs goes. Take care.

[upbeat63]

Sorry to take up a post, but I had to wish you a Happy Birthday. On my birthday this year, I had one of those days where I wondered where the PVCs went, they almost stopped. It was glorious. Didn't last, but it was such a nice present. Hope the same for you.