When is it too many PACs/PVCs?

[Roys]

Earlier this week I went through a period of 4 plus hours when I was having 15 to 18 PVCs/PACs per minute. I was relaxed, sitting and watching TV. I had no other symptoms and getting up and moving around did not affect them. This was still going on when I went to bed. Typically, I experience 4-6 PVCs/PACs per minute. With a resting pulse of 60-70, this was one every 4th beat, although they were not that regular.

When is it too many? Should I have gone to the ER? Could it have been something other than PVCs/PACs? The next morning, I was below 10 per minute. I made an appointment to see my cardiologist to discuss this but I am now anxious to understand if I should have done something.

Thank you very much for reviewing my question!

[mrharoldsir]

I am 49. Been having pvcs for13 years. I found it interesting the person from australia can trigger them on laying down on her right. Me too but also occasionally can get one on left side. They also go away when I sit up. I walk every day for an hour eat as healthy as possible get good sleep . I live and work at the beach so stress should not be a factor.I usually have 5 to 15 pvcs a day with an occasional flutter here and their. Today I got back to back flutters on the stationary bike which never happened before . It made me stop and got me alittle concerned. Usually i do not feel anything while exercising only an occasional pvc. Does anyone out there get anything like this. I love to exercise . I called my cardiolgist and said for me to try a event monitor

[Henri]

Hi Susan,

I have you beat by being 5 years older (actually I'm 3 weeks
shy of 46).  Things that make it worse for me are eating and
activity afterwards, stress (big one) and sometimes different
positions.  I don't know what that has to do with anything,
though.  If you want more info, my e-mail is ***@****
It's easier to write using e-mail then here.  Are you worse
during different seasons?  Or aren't you bothered by those in
Australia (ha ha).  New England has many changes in tempera-
ture - I seem to be worse in the fall Oct-Dec.  Maybe it's the
holidays, or school starting, or, ... I don't really know.
Summer seems best - maybe because I get more exercise and go
outside more.  Oh well, take care.  Henriette.  PS  I live in
New Hampshire.

[Susan @ Manderley]

Hi - which way do you have me beat - are you 5 years younger or older?  If it's younger then lucky you :) :)
It's been nice to read the further comments from the "pvc Old-timers".  It just goes to show it's not really viable to die from these silly things.
Do you have anything that makes yours worse or better?
Thanks, Susan
p.s. where are you from?

[mairey]

I am 55 have had PVC's etc since I was 22( 33 years) and am still exercising 4 to 5 times a week. I must admit though they have got worse, from occasional arrithmias at night to non stop 24/7. I also get migraines and think there is a connection. Anyway I am still around and have had and raised 3 children, emigrated from the UK to the USA, divorced, had several successful careers and am now working in IT analysing computer programs. Hope this is encouraging. Still get freaked out sometimes though. Do I win ther longevity prize?????

[Furnace fixer]

This is my first post. I am a 40 year old male and
have had bouts of PVCs for 15 years. Sometimes they would
go away for months, sometimes i would only have one or
two a day. But the last two months I have had several
episodes a day with pressure in my chest. Also in the
last two months I have had a Treadmill test with Thalium
pictures and just yesterday I had an arteriorgram that
all tests showing no abnormalities which relieves some
of my anxiety about them. Now im endevoring to loose
about 40 pounds and stop smoking. Im also easily stressed
out about work and other things. I will post again in
one week and we will see how diet and reduction leading to
quitting smoking will act upon my PVCs. Now if I can only
assure myself that PVCs alone will not kill me. I have
been told many times they wont but as all of you know,
they are very bothersome. We all like our heart to run
nice and smoothly and when it jumps around it's very hard
to ignore. Thank you and talk to you soon.

[Eebee]

I'm 57 and have had these extra beats, sometimes every second or third beat, sometimes a five - ten seconds arrythmia, for over 30 years now.

I have had most of the tests you can think of (except catheter) and the most recent (Oct 1999) was a myocardial perfusion scintigram - which is a rest/stress ecg with nuclear scan (that's my layperson's understanding) and the result said, "very high effort capacity achieved without symtpoms and mild upsloping ST segment depression"  .... "there is no scan evdience of significant reversible myocardial ischaemia" - all of which means, I'm told, that I have a healthy heart for one my age!

But that hasn't stopped the arrythmias! This last 3 weeks have not been good and my GP has given me a course of Tagamet as he thinks it might be related to a hiatus hernia! I certainly have a feeling in the lower gullet area that is a little uncomfortable (but no difficulty swallowing). I had an operation for a hiatus hernia in 1969 - they don't do them now - and this could be a few of those threads coming loose! The area of an h.h. is very close to the cardiac area and symptoms of an h.h. can replicate heart pain, I'm told.

Yesterday I did a very brisk walk for 40 minutes followed by 20 minutes of weights - my usual every second day exercises - and felt better for it! About once a week a swim for a kilometre.

And I'm still here and, by and  large, enjoying life.

Sure the arrythmias are annoying and occasionally depress me a bit - always have! But I've gradually learned to live with them. And if they're a portent of things to come, well, they've been a long time coming!

I should add that after all the tests I've ever had, the doctors have told me to get on with life and stop worrying about them. I try but it is easier said than done.

So this 'oldie' says take heart! At least you've still got one that's working even if it throws a wobbly now and again!

And happy Thanksgiving. America!

From Eebee in New Zealand