can this?

[curious36]

I am A 36 year old female.  2 years ago I was diagnosed with pvc's.  Had a echo and holter monitor( which showed pvc's with one run of pac's)had stress test and cardolite test.  Was told everything was normal.  I have a family history of heart disease(father died at 34).  I sometimes get these head rushes, where I feel very hot and tingling and lightheaded( kind of like a could pass out, but I don't). These feeling last max of 30sec.  Then just feel shaky afterwards.  I don't always feel any palps at this time, although once I noticed a few flutters before this happened.  Can these symptoms be caused by my PVC's or is this something else?  Any suggestions for when I see my doctor?

[obiwan001]

Ditto what you said.  I too suffer, and it seems die a million deaths with pvcs.  I have the painful ones;feeling every flip-flop.  They got worse over the past 18 months--brought on by stress, perhaps.  I don't get the runs--just individual ones, which frighten me.  I too, have consulted MD, Cardios, and now see psych.  I have had episodes of tach--caught on holter as sinus tach, but I have suspected vtach, just never confirmed on tape.  It is a comfort to have so many brothers and sisters, however, distressing that we suffer greatly, with only limited periods of relief, if any.  My prayers are with us all.  If this is a test of perseverence, it is a doozy! Obi.

[sara25]

my father had a heart attack.  They went to disney and adventure island.  His doctor told him to ride everything and enjoy hisself and not worry about it.  He did and he is still here.
A lot of those rides say if you have had a heart condition, high blood pressure or heart attack don't ride, even on the kiddie rides. But how many of those epople ride every day.  I have high blood pressure and pvcs and I rode the rollercoasters at six flags. Maybe it is because you get so excited. Most of the rides at disney arent that bad, they all are mostly kiddie rides.  I dont understand why your doctor would tell you to go on with your life and then tell you, you cant ride the rides.

[wmac]

I agree, I cant figure it out either, do you also have vtach?
I hear so much conflicting info. that it gets pretty upsetting.
I just want my normal life back. Do you get alot of pvc's in day and how often? Thanks for your input.

[wmac]

I just wanted to ask you guys what you thought of this. First off you all know I have pvc's pac's and vt from my postings. My family and I are planning a trip to Disneyland and get this my cardiologist says that I can not ride the rides unless they are the little kiddy rides!!!Why? They tell me to ignore my symptoms and to not worry and go about life, and now she tells me this!
Any one have any thoughts on this? Please let me know

Thanks

[wmac]

I totally understand your frustration. I too have pvc's and pac's and vt. Luckily I do not have many pvc's but the ones I do have scare me every single time. I feel a jiggly like feeling or serge and a pause then thump, and I think the pause is worse than anything. Does anyone else feel the pause? They all say that they are benign, I dont think that they are benign because look at what they are doing to all of us. Our mental state is not good. We all worry about this day in and day out 24-7. Im so tired of this. Its just amazing to me that we can be fine one day and the next we have these things called pvc's and our lives are never the same. I agree they are still working on acne and other things that just dont matter whole lot. Pvc's are a very terrible thing to deal with. Im afraid of being left alone at times or to even go any where to far from my comfort zone. Has any one here ever had kidney stones? Well its the most painfull thing youll ever expirence in your life and let me tell you what I would do that all over again istead of pvc's!!! Anyday!!
hang in there!

[Dee54021]

As a person who has had PVC's for over 20 years I can tell you I know exactly how you are feeling.  I also recently was diagnoised with Atrial Fibrillation (fast, fluttering of the heart that leave a person short of breath and extreemly tired.  MY first bit of advise is to see a Electrophysiologist ( a Cardiologist who specializes in the heart's electrical or wiring if you will).  I saw a doctor at Abbott Hospital in Minneapolis a few months ago.  He did all the usual tests and recommended a Cardio conversion (electrical shock).  My heart is now back in rythum and even the PVC's have become less frequent.

I have to tell you that I worried my self sick over the PVC's for the first few years that I had them.  Finally, after being told by several Doctors that they were benign, I just quit worrying about them and went on with my life.

I hope you can get the anwsers that can let you get on with your life too.

[josemanuelcruz]

I found a medical text in the Web about PVC that might be interesting to read -> http://heartdisease.about.com/library/weekly/aa011501a.htm
Best regards to all

[Gnatty]

Hi gpw006 -
I can understand your frustration. At 49, I too reckon that I've got a few good years ahead of me yet. I posted a comment in another section of this forum a few days ago and I said that this site had saved my sanity. I was feeling really depressed that I had been told I had a great healthy heart, that my physical fitness was excellent, that I passed my stress-test with flying colours - but I still had these wretched poundings, flutterings, and occasional gripey aches in the left side of my chest. Sometimes I get a deep ache just above my left collar bone and rather short of breath. In spite of all the assurances, you still think about all the articles you read about "how to detect a heart attack" and start to think "Is this it?" I guess I reached a point where my Christian faith was put to the test and I had to think, "If I go this way, so what? At least I know where I'm going!" So having accepted my mortality, I think I reached a point of just being frustrated and irritated that no-one seemed to know the answer. And, as you say, they didn't seem to think it was a really big deal.

The funny thing is, since I have found this site and read all these comments from brothers and sisters around the world who know EXACTLY what it feels like, my attacks seem to be less. I can go whole minutes without being aware of the pounding or skipped beats. I also started to take some over-the-counter Anti-Stress Vitamin B tablets about a week ago, so maybe they have kicked in too? I don't know. It's just another question no-one can answer. But be encouraged that WE all know what you're feeling.

[Mel22]

Hi Kelly,

Has your cardiologist done a stress-test on you yet?

Mel22

[KellyTS]

Hello fellow PVC victims.  I too suffer.  I was diagnosed 14 years ago.  I am 34.  It gets so frustrating sometimes.  No Caffeine, NO alcohol.  Can't take alot of medications.  And when it starts, I have to stop whatever I"m doing and wait on it to fisnish.  Sometimes I have several skips in a row, which really scares me.  and exercising has always been challenging, because once your heart stars that skipping, I have to stop exercising, because as soon as I resume my exercise, the skippin starts again.  And lately, something has changed.  I've had to stop my workout due to tachycardia.  That is really scary.  I feel like I'm going to pass out.  My heart is racing and pounding and I can't get a deep breath.  Anyone else had tachycardia triggered by exercise?

[PAT65]

I have been reading this forum and commenting for about a month now and it is wonderful! Just knowing there are other people who experience hundreds and thousands of PVCs every day is so comforting to me to know i'm not alone. The curious thing is, it seems many of you are like me, in their 30's, what is it with that age?  I have many PVCs but sometimes when i'm having them every other beat or so I get short of breath and have a tightness feeling in my chest. Is that caused by the frequency of the PVCs? Any other time the PVCs don't cause too much trouble only when it's frequent. Anybody else experience this? By the way, I too have had all the ritual testing and have been found to be normal. Bless you all!

[arm21]

Very Well Said

I too suffer from the burden of pvc's.  I was told that they will not harm and i should tolerate them.  But i dont really think that i should have to constantly 'tolerate' this condition 24/7.  I want to really be able to enjoy eating, drinking, excersing etc without this big dark cloud over me.  I used to be an avid bike rider but now i gave up because it was just not fun anymore.

I was offered drugs but didnt take them as i dont like to be reliant on them.  I was told that the drugs would probably have some side effects - whats the point of taking them then, i would just be swapping one problem for another.

I have at least a thousand pvc's a day and they just get worse as time goes on.  And it just so happens that i have a very strong heartbeat so i feel every single one.  I think the experts might change their tune if they had to put up with this.

Well thats my bit said, good luck everybody!

[808]

I know exactly how you feel.  I've been having PACs and occasional A-fibs for the past 10 years; I'm 40 now.  I get it unexpectedly from time to time: after a meal, while on the toilet,  when I'm stressed, climbing stairs, while thinking about it, while checking my pulse, when I'm asleep, etc.  I'm constantly thinking when it's going to happen again.  I've been checked by a Cardiologist who said it's common and I shouldn't worry about it and I've been to a shrink to help me with the anxiety.  I try to relax and shake it off when it comes, but there's still some days when it over takes me with the rapid heart beat, thinking that this time my heart will stop.  I guess with the holiday season and some family stress (my Dad has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer), my PACs are very active. I'm currently on Zantac to minimize the stomach acid because I do believe it starts there: nervous stomach, quezzy, nausea, upset after a meal, etc.  I can feel it coming on after feeling the total discomfort in my stomach; the feeling is so overwhelming.  This forum has helped me a bit to think that I'm not alone. It's not something that I discuss with others on a regular basis because they don't know how it feels to have this.  They just may think we're over-reacting.  Like you, I'm looking for that day when we can just down a pill that would eliminate it completely....imagine, the discoverer of this pill would be a billionaire!  Aloha, 808

[Mel22]

Hi There--

I just wanted to make one point: PVCs and PACs are *very* common. Just because people can't feel PVCs and PACs does not mean they do not have them.

I hope you find peace soon.

Mel

[Linda123]

To GPW006
Well said - on your post - I couldn't say it better myself.
Regards, Linda

[Algon]

Yes, very well said!

The worst thing for me is when they jar me out of a sound sleep. The one thing I have found that really truly helps me is the tranquilizer Lorezapam (Ativan). I use it very sparingly, only at bedtime, when my PVC's are bad and keeping me from sleeping. I am afraid of building up a resistence and becoming addicted to them.

I too have been through the emergency room and cardiologist route. The last thing that I was told at the cardiologist's office was that my heart was "textbook perfect", now scram! (though not in those words!)

I'm a very athletic feller, otherwise in excellent health, but, yeah, these things can mess up yer life.

I'm not sure if these PVC's  are primarily caused by my heart malfunctioning, or my digestive system, or my nerves, or a combination of these factors.

[gpw006]

This question is directed to everyone who has suffered PVC's or other ectopic beats. I have suffered a few health setbacks in my life but managed to conquer most and accept others. I am having a hell of a time with PVC's. This is the most common topic in this forum and I would guess there are millions of people who suffer from this in the world. The cardiologists don't seem to have a clue as to how it feels. I suggest they strap on a 24 volt electrical system to their chest and have it set to shock them randomly throughout the day and night, skip some days and them shock them with a vengeance the next. This is what having PVC's is like. Would they still call this condition benign? . I am 36 years old and potentially have a lot of living to do. I dread the thought of having to deal with this another 40-50 years. I know it is not going to kill me, and It doesn't make me feel any better that a lot of people suffer from it, it makes me feel sad for those people as well. It will however kill my quality of life and possibly my relationships. My question is if someone knows if there is research on better techniques of ablation so it will be made an option for people with so called "benign arrhythmia's", or if we are being ignored because it won't kill us ? This explanation does not jive because if it were true why is acne being researched ? One of the most depressing days of my life was coming home from the cardiologist with a feeling of learned helplessness. Another thing that annoys me is when we are told there is nothing wrong with our hearts. If your ventricle or atria regularly fires before it should, there is a problem, they just haven't found it yet. We all know people who drink coffee and alcohol like fishes and smoke who haven't felt an ectopic beat in their lives. I welcome all your comments and will pray for you.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Curious36,

I realize how distressing these types of symptoms can be, however, it would be irresponsible and premature of me to either provide reassurance or a diagnosis.  The list I provided of things to record is a minimum of the things that I would inquire of you in my clinic.  The description you provided is a good starting point, but it is simply much too lacking in detail to be used as a basis for diagnosis.  Further, even if you were able to provide all the descriptions needed, a physical exam would need to be performed to look for other conditions not easily diagnosed from history alone! If you are very worried about these symptoms, start a journal and see your doctor soon.

Good luck.

[curious36]

Just to clarify.  These feelings a maybe once a day or maybe once every few days.  They a very worrisome to me.  Any reassurance or direction would be very helpful.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Curious36,

Thanks for your question.

PVCs can cause all sorts of abnormal sensations; I have not heard patients describe this exact sensation with PVCs, however.  What will really help your doctor to diagnose the cause of these episodes is to keep an accurate journal about these episodes.  Things that you might want to record are:
1) Date and time of episode
2) association with meals
3) during menses or not
4) any medications taken around the same time
5) what you were doing before/during the episode
6) witnesses description of how you appeared during the episode
7) pulse rate during episode
8) other symptoms around the same time as the episode: diarrhea, nausea, headache, etc.

If you feel that these episodes are associated with palpitations, then an event recorder might make sense.

Good luck.