pvcs/pacs/runs and hormones

[keepticking23]

Many thanks for such a great site. it really helps to put my mind at rest!
Some background-23F, healthy, not overweight, smoke occasionally,don't drink huge amounts, no family history. A normal 20 year old I would say!All started some years back, would notice the odd heart flutter as a teenager and think nothing of it. As the years have gone on its started bothering me more and I went to the doctors and had all the tests-24 hr tape, echo, blood works, numerous ecgs etc. all came back normal with 25 ectopic beats(mainly pvc's) in 24 hours which nobody was alarmed at.Currently on Propranolol 40mg once a day (can take twice if really bothering me). I don't seem to get many of these during the day but as soon as I lie down or relax my heart starts jumping around. Sometimes I get a big flutter and then after the flutter my heart does three or four quick beats and then back normal. I'm not sure if this is just my heart reacting to the ectopic or if its v-tach or something? Obviously, i'm terrified of having v-tach. I don't feel dizzy or unwell during these episodes, just worried. Although sometimes my body feels 'buzzy' and that's when I know i'm going to get ectopics.
I really think that these may be hormone related. I was on the pill for 5 years& never had heart problems then.As a result, I've just today gone back on the pill to see if this regulates my hormones and stops the funny beats. Do you think this may help? What about the flutter and quick beats is this ne thing to worry about? Is propranolol okay with oral contraceptives?
Many thanks!

[bored]

Does sotalol help with pvc's ?

[fearfactor]

I'm a PAC, PVC and anxiety sufferer, too.  It is SO nice to know I am not alone.  This site keeps me sane sometimes!  About natural remedies, I take magnesium glycinate (which is more absorbable that other forms) and calcium which seems to help.  I also take L-carnitine, taurine and am going to start Co-Q-10 which are all advised for palpitations.  I'm young, exercise a lot, am of normal weight, healthy and seemingly have my whole life ahead of me. It is SO frustrating to have to live with these stupid palps that make you think you're going to keel over dead at any time!  I try anything that even MAY help them!  I tried birth control pills and they actually helped my palps a lot but I had to go off them because they made me nervous.  I'm going to try them again now that I hear other people have had good results with their palps while on them.

[chayes]

I am a 43 year old female who has had high blood pressure for over 10 years and have been taking lopressor for 4 years. Over the last few months I have developed these palpitations, I have had echo, ekg, 24 hour holter and echo stress test, all have come back normal. I am not sure if I have pacs or pvcs just that they are coming from the top of my heart? Last week I had palpitations so bad for 8 hours straight every third heartbeat, they almost drove me crazy. once again echo and ekg are normal, then my doc took a new test he has in his office called a CVprofiler (checks the elasticity of your arteries). My small artery fell into the abnormal level. Which is really making me nervous, even though the doc assures me that it is not too severe and can be reversed with exercize,diet and keeping the blood pressure down. Has anyone else ever had this test.

[tickertock]

While beta blockers are not for everyone , they are the only line of drugs that have proven to reduce the mortality rate in persons with heart disease or that have suffered a heart attack.

I take 100mg atenolol( in divided doses) not all at once, they work better that way, the cardiologist I seen a week ago agreed with the way I take it ,he says it not as long acting as once thought.

If I wasn't taking it I'd probably having a resting hearrate of about 85-95 most of the day (not at night) at night it would still be normal and it keeps a my PVCs from triggering a rapid heartrate, beta blockers are very safe drugs, though they have some unwanted side effects for some , I am lucky not to have any side effects from them at all.

I am not a doctor , but worked with pharmaceuticals for nearly 20 years and I am also a memeber of the PVCs sufferer/palpitation/fastheartrate/anxiety RETREAT.:-)

[megz21]

Hi all,

Has anyone got any advice about how to reduce the frequency of PACs and PVCs using natural medications? I've tried magnesium, but can anyone reccomend anything else?

I haven't been on any meds now for about 6 weeks after being on an incerdibly powerful drug called tambocor. It helped a lot with the palps, but induced shocking side efects. Also, does anyone know if beta-blockers are more helpful in reducing pvcs or pacs? Or do they just reduce your heart rate?


I reccommend you all spoil yourselves and go get a massage! It helps!

Thanks everyone.

[keepticking23]

Thanks for all your replies. It's good to read others comments about these damn palps!
I started my 'pill' this morning, so to all the women-i'll let you know if it makes any difference, though I guess it may take a month or two to start regulating my hormones (if that's the problem)
I've got another appointment to get my second 24 hr tape next week and I really don't know whether to go or not. I've waited three months for this after my gp referred me-i think he's sick of the sight of me to be honest-and i guess i should do it, but at the same time I just want to get on with my life and not worry about tests/test results etc which take weeks on the nhs...I guess even if when my heart speeds up after an ectopic they say it is non-sustained vtach, they won't do anything different anyway. So maybe I should just live with it. One thing I know for sure,is that knowledge isn't power. I wish to god I hadn't researched so much into the heart, and didn't know things such as vtach, long qt, svt etc etc. then I would live like I used to, carefree, and that I was going to live until I was 100....i'm on a rant now, aren't I?!
Anyway, all take care, keep me updated (not sure when this thread closes, but its so good to hear peoples stories and experiences)