pvc help

[alistinker]

Are there any sure ways of actually helping yourself to eliminate pvc's?  Mine started after having my 3rd child 7 months ago and although my Dr says everything is fine I would still like to try and help myself. I don't get them everyday but around menstruation then tend to rear their ugly heads.  Will I always have them?  I take 25mg of Atenolol (split into half dose am and pm!)  I still feel them now and again.  Would an increase in the dose help?  Also would taking vitamins and extra magnesium or potassium help?

thanks

Sharon

[Barbarella]

Magnesium also helps with PVC's.  I get them when very stressed out, high anxiety about something or if I did not get enough sleep.  I HATE them, but they have not killed me yet.  I've been having them off and on for over 40 yrs.

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hello,

Are there any sure ways of actually helping yourself to eliminate pvc's?

it depends on if you notice an insighting stimulous.  some people notice more pvc's with stress, fatigue, coffee, tea, chocalate.  If you notice something like this, try to reduce your exposure to the stimulus to see if it works.  Beta blockers may help decrease the sensation of PVCs, but does little to suppress them.  Propafenone is sometimes used for pvc/pac suppression -- we prefer not to do this unless the really bother you and you are willing to accept potential side effects.

Will I always have them?

There is no way to know.

Would an increas in the dose help?

It wouldn't hurt to try, you can always back down if you have side effects.

Also would taking vitamins and extra magnesium or potassium help?

There is no medical data to suggest this helps.

Good luck.

[pvcdad2]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. It is well appreciated! It makes me sick to think that these things are controlling my life instead of the other way around. My son who just turned 10 has finally gotten used to roller coasters and I am afraid to ride with him. . . how sad. When my daughter was 9 we went for two days at Six Flags and her and I rode every roller coaster in the park! What a joy. Then, toward the end of our last day I rode Batman and when we went upside down I started to have these stupid PVC's and nearly blacked out. The PVC's continued on for the rest of our stay. I never said anything to my wife about it as while she is very supportive doesn't understand the fear. Now, with my son finally used to coasters (he used to be deathly afraid) it pains me to think I won't ride with him because of my Batman PVC experience. My wife accepts my lame excuses for not riding, but now I feel I am missing an important time with my son. Please all excuse me for rambling on, but I was never a drug user, was a competitive barefoot waterskier and motocrosser and played indoor soccer. I just don't understand why I get these! Good thing I have pictures of all the activities or the kids wouldn't believe. I still do snow ski & whitewater raft though. My rationale is the ski patrol and river guides have AED's on hand so if I do collapse at least i'm close to help. Does anybody else feel these fears. . . it stinks.

Marco  ***@****

[palp4life]

Like others in this thread I have had PVCs for longer than I can
remember. I have had all of the test (echo, doppler, stress, 64 slice...) all of which were normal. My PVCs come and go without reason. What has helped me is to take magnesium and potassium supplements. The fear of dying, at least for me, took about 2 years to overcome. I was lucky to have a cardiologist in the family and he assured me that nothing was going to happen outside of my freaking myself out. I now treat palps like hic-ups. They seem to come for no reason, but have to run there course. As annoying as they are, I simply roll with the rhythm or lack there of. I am quite active, run 20 miles per week, sports, kids (3). Fortunately for me, if I raise my heart rate, the palps go away. Hope this helps.


P.S. Booze and caffeine seems to be my triggers. Football season is a rough one (too many colds ones).

[pvcdad2]

I am a newbie to this forum and am so glad I found it. Local support groups did no good as I need to talk with people who experience exactly what I do. I am a 51 year old dad with two kids 14 & 10 who I want to see grow up. I suffer with MVP and within the last two years I have really become a "member" of the PVC club. By reading these posts I now see anybody who has PVC knows they can be debilitating at times. It is a major inconvenience. They come and go in episodes and last for days sometimes weeks. My cardiologist has to assure me at every 6 month checkup that I am "not going to die" as I have a young heart, vitals are all better than normal and am physically active. If only he could experience my 7 to 12 PVC's per minute! My question to you all. . . I am currently taking Atenolol, but wonder if it is actually helping or hurting. What is your experience? Is there another med I perhaps should try or just, as the doc says, "learn to deal with it"? these things keep me up at night and I am becoming more increasingly afraid to travel alone. Thanks to all for your posts, they helped to put me at ease, at least for today.

[808Aaron]

Greetings and Happy Holidays!

Yes, this forum is great for you newbees!

I've spent days in the past reading/responding to threads on this site. It helped calm my nerves from time to time. I thought I was alone with these problems.  Now I'm back again to share my experiences with PVCs, PACs, Skipped beats, and all.

I'm 43 and dealt with these annoying irregular beats since my late 20's.  In the beginning, I always thought that I had constant "butterflies" in my stomach; when stressed or nervous. Found out later that I was feeling the skips/pauses of irregular heartbeats.  Never took it serious until I experienced my first atrial fib in 1994. It scared the heck out of me! Well, I've had these irritating skips since then; sometimes bad and sometimes manageable.  Must've gone to the ER at least 2-4 times a year. Probably wasted their time because my heart rhythm goes back to normal when I get there and they tell me that it's normal to get these skipped beats!...I know many of you experienced this.

Well I can usually predict irregular beats to come by how my stomach feels. If I'm having a bad day with indigestion, I can expect to get some skipped beats.

I've seen a shrink in the past for my anxiety attacks and he concluded that my stress affected my digestive system, which affected my heart rhythm.  He prescribed me 10mg of Doxipin to ease my digestive system, which minimized my irregular beats.  When I'm feeling pretty good for long periods, I slowly get off of the Doxipin. When I'm feeling stressed again with irregular beats, I get back on the Dox.  I would encourage those that experience indigestion with irregular beats to try Doxipin; it works for me.

By the way, Mary from Canada...sorry for not corresponding with you for a long time. I hope your heart is doing fine!

Aaron

[Shanny38]

hi pvcdad,

Like I said Im new also and it sounds like you and I are battling the same fears. My PVC's are mild compared to others but no less frightening. I ride 4-wheelers, go camping etc. The last couple months since this started I have been afraid to go anywhere that is not in cell phone range and want to be close to a hospital all the time. My attitude has already changed just since Saturday. I just need to "believe" that this is not going to kill me. Im going to get there. I have four kids, 18, 13, 11, 10 and I have to be here for them. Im only 38 years old for gods sake.

I do know a couple people who are taking Atenolol and it seems to work fine for them. I take a beta-blocker Propanolol and heck I dont know if it works or not. I know that when I get super anxious and scared the Alprazolam works wonders. I certainly dont want to have to take them everyday but definitely will if I need to. Work and kids keep me very busy and I wont let this stupid stuff stop me from being me

Keep positive thoughts....Shanny

[Shanny38]

hi pvcdad,

Like I said Im new also and it sounds like you and I are battling the same fears. My PVC's are mild compared to others but no less frightening. I ride 4-wheelers, go camping etc. The last couple months since this started I have been afraid to go anywhere that is not in cell phone range and want to be close to a hospital all the time. My attitude has already changed just since Saturday. I just need to "believe" that this is not going to kill me. Im going to get there. I have four kids, 18, 13, 11, 10 and I have to be here for them. Im only 38 years old for gods sake.

I do know a couple people who are taking Atenolol and it seems to work fine for them. I take a beta-blocker Propanolol and heck I dont know if it works or not. I know that when I get super anxious and scared the Alprazolam works wonders. I certainly dont want to have to take them everyday but definitely will if I need to. Work and kids keep me very busy and I wont let this stupid stuff stop me from being me

Keep positive thoughts....Shanny

[Shanny38]

Im a new member of the PAC/PVC club and not so happy about it. I am SOOO relieved to hear from people the same exact things that I have been going through. As I said Im new, just started this stupid stuff a couple months ago. I also have a bit of high blood pressure and so I am taking propanolol. What I really hate about this whole thing is the anxiety that comes along with it. I think about it all the time as if Im waiting to have a heart attack and boom panic sets in. I wish the doc would have told me that the physical effects ie: tingly, sweaty etc was adrenaline related, because I couldnt figure out why when i would have the PAC's it wouldnt bother me psychologically and then all the sudden a "whoosh" would go through my body. I assumed I was having a panic attack, but I wasnt anxious. Thank goodness for Xanax, what a vicious cycle. I was hoping to never need to take such meds but boy they help.
God my ramblings dont even make sense to me but Im sure you all get me.

This forum which I just discovered today is going to help me tons since I really havent gotten clear info. and havent accepted that these beats are benign. My husband and kids look at me like Im crazy because they dont understand how it feels. Its not their fault. I hate than anyone has to go through this and it looks like my problems are minimal compared to some of yours, but boy I needed this today. Thank you all so much I dont feel so crazy and alone anymore. At least today.

Take Care.........Shannon

[SickofPacs]

I have been suffering from PVC's off and on for 13 years.  My doctor advised me years ago that the only medication (beta blockers) for these usually make them worse.  After a real bad spell of these last week, I read selfmade's comment about the Toprol and decided to give it a try.  I got the medication last night from my doctor and WOW, what a difference it has made.  I have more energy, the "dooms day" feeling is gone, I woke up feeling energized and when I got out of bed there were no PVC's.  They pretty much disappeared about 2 hours after I took the first 25mg pill and have not been back.  It's been almost 24 hours now.  I hope and pray this medication keeps working for me.  Selfmade, are they still working for you?  Have you had any side effects?  So far I feel great - no side effects.  It almost seems too good to be true.

[upbeat63]

I've had PVCs for 22 years and just this year they increased to 24,000/day. But all tests show "normal" heart function except minimal aortic regurg. High freguency PVCs "might" affect heart function and if they have in your case I would follow the recommendations of your doctors. I was reluctant to try a beta-blocker also but 12.5mg of toperol stopped an almost constant bigeminy that I went into, so I had to try something. I estimate my PVCs have dropped to 20,000/day, but the beta-blocker made me feel like I was walking through quick sand so I take it as needed for the really bad days.

Beta-blockers are intended to decrease your heart's work load and therefore potentially increase your ejection fraction. And because there are so many different ones out there, you might have to try a few to find which works best for you. Hope this helps.

[Caxy]

Hi,

   I read your board before while searching the web for information about PVCs.  I went to my medical provider for a routine yearly check-up, mammogram and pap smear and they said my heart beat was irregular.  First I went to a cardiologist who placed me on a monitor for 24 hours, said my PVCs were >20,000. My echo detected decreased heart function in my left ventricle, everything else ok.  Next stop electrophysiologist who wants to do an experiment on me.  Either my PVCs created the decreased heart function (they told me its pumping at 35%) or my heart caused the PVCs.  They want me to go on beta blockers to see if the pvcs stop.  I have no chest pain, they don't bother me, don't get out of breath, pass out or anything. I'm very physically active. No alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine.  Are there any other ways to control them? I've read about bad expereinces some had with beta blockers. Any advice is appreciated.

[omega67]

hello everyone I have had PVCs for about 5 years.  I take toporol xl for them 50to200 mg The docotr says I can take up to 200mg for them if I need to But it does nothing for them.  I just recently lost my Job because of them the only way that i can get them to go away or really slow down is to lay down and no employer will allow that.  I do not know what to do about this I feel as If I cant even take care of my family now because of them it is bad.  Maybe I should go on Disability for them I dont know but something has to change.  some days I wont have any and some days they dont stop, I have had all the tests the doc says they are normal dont worry about them.  Easy for him to say he has a JOB!!!!!  may I should change meds for it I dont really no I no it cant go on like this tho I have to work and take care of my family.  Any comments on this would be awesome thank you for your time and god bless all of you.

[moparmikefloyd]

Hey everyone, i am new here, i'm 34 and started having pvc about 10 years ago, went through the panic thing, $$$$doctors$$, and learn to live with it, i seem to have discomfort tight muscles in chest and back with mine, i go great lengths of time without them  2-3 months, then i started haveing them a couple days ago, i only average 1 a minute in the evening, i can really feel it so it gets my attention every time, especially when i am trying to sleep, no sharp pains, my blood pressure dropped down yesterday, i felt weak and disoreinted. anyway mine seem to go away if i drink lots of coffee, and pain pills help them go away, thanks for the other drug information guys and gals, i will check into them, stimulants seem to make them go away for me, i did use drugs till i was in my early 20's but just marj. i never really did stimulant drugs regularly. yea the doctors say oh a pvc. everyone has those.lol. my heart rate stays around 60 beats a minute, remember everyone, the key to learning to live with it is to stay calm, the anxiety thing compounds your symtoms and makes things alot worse, if you cant find something that works for you stay calm, rest, and caffeine helps me alot, i know its not the perfect answer, but i learn to go on with what i have available to me, my email is ***@**** if anyone has any questions. thanks mike

[jmjh]

ok reading all about everyone with pvc's what if i dont want to take any medication? i was told i have pvc but also avc's or act's? it been about 6 weeks since i was tested and i forget what he called them. and i really dont understand, but i told him i didnt want to take meds so could i see if they would go away on their own. he said i give you 2 weeks. but its been 6.  dr said it could  cause damage if i don't take the toprol???  anyone know about this? im 44 and thinking back i remember my heart "racing" when i had a fever i think since childhood.  about 8 weeks i had severe food poisoning and ever since then my heart has pounded in my chest on and off. both suggest dehydration?? fever and food poisoning??

[selfmade64856]

RELIEF!!!!!! After 8 month of 15,000 17,000 pvc's a day, I can finally sleep without flying out of bed thinking that my heart stopped. No more pulse checking, dizzy spells, panic attacks, sleepless nights, sleepless days. I have finally truly found relief. 2 nights ago my heart started doing something other then skipping, it started to fribulate non-stop, it wasn't even a heart beat, just a chaotic dance that scared the &%$% out of me. I almost went to the emergency room several times with my mother, but i didn't want her to have to get dressed at 4am just to find out it was nothing. The next day she called a doctor and what she said I have no idea. She came by the house with a prescription for me for 30 Toprol XL 50MG Tablets. My heart was out of control before I took it, between 15 - 30 pvc's a minute. Within an hour and a halfs time, they had almost completely gone away. Going from literally, no exageration, 17,000 per day to maybe ten or less a day is soooooo such a fantastic feeling. These crappy things have controlled my life for quite a while. But now....I have gained the control back. I normally try to take all natural products, but I'll tell you what, the freedom to relax is definitely well worth it.

[upbeat63]

Hang in there Mike and everyone else with PVCs or PACs, or nsvt. I've had PVCs since age 18 and now I'm 42. I had my first holter at age 30 and it showed 450/hour. Every hour of the day.

I got a brief--almost 5 year break from them, probably still had them, just didn't notice them. A couple of months ago I felt that old familiar flip-flop, but really big ones. A 48 hr holter showed 1220 per hour--every hour. Since then I've gone into regular bigeminy and some runs of nsvt. I swore I wouldn't try beta-blockers because my one and only cardiologist at age 30 said they probably wouldn't help with the frequency and might make it worse. Yikes.

But now my family physician advised me to try them. What else did I have? I resisted until the bigeminy and nsvt started. BUT GUESS WHAT? After 3 days the beta-blockers did stop the bigeminy and nsvt. What a relief. I still have 6 to 25 PVCs/minute (yes I still check occassionally) but I'm so much happier to know that I can take toperol (12.5mg as needed, my method not dr.s--she wants me to take 50mg every day). I have never gone to the hospital or ER because I'm more afraid of that more than the PVCs, I'd have such a bad panic attack just thinking about it. But I hear everyone of you loud and clear. They suck. I'm tired of being told they are benign, but nothing I've researched indicates otherwise. So it must be true. I don't know how you get on with your life, but my suggestion is to try and focus on the time you don't notice them and it seems to get longer and longer and more enjoyable. But do keep searching for answers and posting because what works for you might work for someone else too. Good luck.

[Mike051573]

  Another great "thread post" online here.And I dont think that there (as I said before) anyone who is just more obsessed then I am about PVCs.Having a history of anxiety/hypchondriac,etc,etc..I used to be able to "forecast" when I would get these (PVC's) now I can't.I just had a few awhile ago and am averaging about now 15-20 a day (which for everyone that happens - like ive said on my other posts - I always keep thinking I could either drop over dead or have to run to the ER room immediately,etc..)
  All I know is that (and I am not even sure anyone would see this post im throwing on here today as its so low in the forum thread line) that in a good "positive sense" of the word.For over 6 and a half years I have been having this,and for over 6 and a half years have I been ruled by this,terrified about this to the point that I have pictures of what I used to be (professional drummer,motocrosser,etc..) that.....I have and am coming to the final point where I honestly cannot take living like this any longer and am going to begin trying some medications,(such as I said before "atenolol 25mg as I was prescribed yet hadnt taken yet because I am paranoid of medications).Its forced me now to "face" this and make a stand and to stop running,as I realize this nightmare has to end one way or another (for better or worse final diagnosis is what I mean).
  Its even worse because I am deathly afriad of hospitals,doctors,etc ..(you name it) let alone having to be hooked up to a monitor of any sort,not knowing whats happening (or worse) would could happen if they see any PVCs ,etcc....
  All I can keep thinking about (even regardless if Ive already had a number of tests done - such as EKGs,Blood work,Stress,Holter) is: the possibility of dropping over,having to have a pacemaker,open heart surgery,the possibility that they may have missed something serious,or never being able to be full active like I once was (physically - as in drumming and motocross).
  I realize that I am rambling on like this,yet its great to be at a place where theres others who experience some of the same things you do and most importantly - youre not alone.
   I hear alot about how "pvcs" most of the time are benign,yet of course I try to keep thinking about that when I am having these at 3 a.m. and only can imagine what could/maybe happen next.
  I have alot that I have to get "caught up" on in my life besides being so distracted like this over the years.And I will say though that reading some of the forums online here have helped.
Im only hoping to finally find some point where I can function almost "normally" (whatever that could be defined as) somewhat again in my life..
  Thanks again for hearing me ramble on like this and as always my email address is: ***@****,im always interested in hearing what others have to say out there,take care.......

- Mike
***@****

[Cashiers]

PVC have been all day long everyday for over 2yrs, with little relief.  The PSVT they fixed, 1st ablation.  After a few months other symtoms started, any movement would start me tacking,then when I wasn't it was pac & pvcs, along with inaprop tac with little effort, taking a shower would get things cranked up, then bounce low.  I was all over the place rate and rythem.  Had awful exp at Duke, after several months went to another doc, he suggested ablation again, meds, or nothing. I Left said nothing, I would learn to deal with it.  Well a few months later I called and said I would try whatever they said, and I did, with alot of relief.  I just hope it keeps working.  I am driving again and out and about, with very few bad days.  

The one thing we have on our side is time, and surely tecnology or someone is trying to get a handle on these wacky impulses that are making our lifes hell.  good luck to all

[selfmade64856]

I've read over everyones questions and I'd hate to say it, but I'm glad I'm not the only one that suffers from PVC's. About 6 years ago I was doing cocaine and a swore I felt my heart do something different. It scared the hell out of me but of course like a dummy my recreational usage never stopped. A year or 2 later I felt it again, this time while being interviewed for a job, no drugs this time. Through the next 2 years I felt it once every 6 months or so, and then all of the sudden one day I started having them frequently. All day long. This went on for about a week. When it got to the point that I was feeling them every 8th heartbeat I went to the hospital. They put me on one of those holter monitors, the kind you wear around for 24 hours. When I went back to the doctor they said my heart had palpitated about 17,000 in the 24 hours I wore the monitor. They said that they were benign. It went on for about 5 months and then one day I noticed that they were gone. A year later they started up again. It was like it was trying to restart itself.....first onve every hour, then a couple times an hour, until finally it was non stop, even when I sleep it happens. It happens at least 10 times in a minute, that's about 14,000 palpitations a day, for the last 8 months. That's almost 3.5 million palpitations! It's 4:17 am, I can't sleep, when I try an sleep I suddenly jump out of bed, literally, I come flying out of MY bed checking to see if I still have a pulse. There were a few times I thought I didn't have a pulse and everything started to go black, I thought "This is it". I'm a 30 year old guy, and sometimes I just cry because it is sooooooooo damn annoyed. Sometimes I just lay there and think "Just take me already, I'm tired of this." I keep reading how all the doctors keep saying that they are harmless if they're benign. IT SURE AS HECK ISN'T NORMAL AND CAN'T BE HEALTHY! I once heard that God gives us all a certain amount of hearbeats. Well if mine is beating double then I'm screwed. I've tried everything and nothing works. I take the herbs, I take the medicines, nothing helps. I just want them to go away. I feel for everybody out there that has these stupid crappy contractions. It really sucks.

[mrbh]

I hear you, loud and clear. These things really grind you down.

Like you, I have trouble believing they are benign, especially when I get bunches of 3 or 4 in the span of a few seconds...like just happened twice in the past fifteen minutes!

You have all the customary indicators for these things...can't lay in bed, trouble sleeping, obsessive pulse counting, and, worst of all, the ancient history of recreational drug abuse.

Science can put people in space, clone sheep and do lots of other reasonably neat stuff, but they can't do a thing for PVC's/palps. Sometimes I question (right or wrong) whether they even try.

Hang in there. This can be one miserable ride.

[Cashiers]

Well I finally gave in, trying meds after 2 ablations, Flecanide/toprol.  It does seem to give me back my life, the side effect really sucks, main one kills libido, but I can go about my day again and work.  I quite checking my pulse that seemed with the little meter.  This is first time I have posted in a really long time.  Trying hard to not keep up with this site for one and other things that kept my mind on it.  The meds are working for now.

[selfmade64856]

mrbh: Hey thanks for your response. It helps to know that we're going through the same thing and we're still alive! I agree with you about putting astronaughts on the moon but can't even fix an electrical malfunction in the heart. What I would like to know are the actual statistics of people who were told their PVC's were benign but then ended up dying of them......no, maybe I don't want to know that. I'd never get to sleep again. Throughout the day I have them every minute, but I notice that when I'm really tired they start to happen way way way more frequently, sometimes 20 times a minute but no less then 10. Does this happen to you or anyone else? There has got to be a way to fix these damn things. Again thanks for your post.

cashiers: I was just wondering how long you've had PVC's and how frequent were they before you started using the Flecanide/toprol. I have them over 10,000 times a day. I'm afraid to even excercise, it's a good thing I have a pretty high metabolism or I'd be a blimp. Thanks for your imput.

[gregd1964]

Yes.. I agree please have the courtesy  
to allow some of us to post as well since there is only a 2 post max daily. Sounds like you have an anxiety issue which can cause PVC's. Just read all your posts like there not yours and you'll see what I mean.