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Avatar universal

I just need some support for these PACS

I just can't stand it anymore...it really depresses me. Some days like yesterday, I won't have any of these premature beats, and then other days like today they come so often and in rows and it truly is a downer. I'm only 23 and they started about the end of the year in 2009 when I was 22. I smoke, but only about half a pack and do not drink alcohol or caffeine anymore since these stupid things started. I have had the blood tests, an echo, ekgs gallore, a 24 hr monitor and an event monitor which finally caught the PACS. Doctor said my heart is normal, but I can't help but think how something that feels this terrible could be normal...I always get caught up thinking maybe I should have had a stress test, or this test, or that test because something must be wrong...I'm in nursing school, and I am just so contantly anxious and depressed over these things...sometimes I find it hard to function or get out of bed..it's nice to see people who are older who lived with these for years...I just can't imagine 30+ years of living with these things. Today is just a bad day for me, and I kinda wanted to vent. Ive been to the er 6 times over less than 6 months over these annoying "flip flops" in my chest and I can't take it anymore. I am so jealous of the people who don't feel these god aweful things...Cardio put me on magnesium oxide, but said no meds other than that...apparently risks outweigh the benefits in my case...does someone out there understand me? Days like today make me so sad especially when they come every other beat for several minutes...does anyone else get this along with a full feeling in the chest? Hope everyone is having a better day than i am...=[
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Avatar universal
I just wanted to thank you guys for responding...it really has been hard on me the past couple months, mainly because they went from being singles to what I like to call "runs"...the single ones I stopped noticing but when I get these "runs" I get svt along with it and so its like my heart is doing the jitterbug lol days like yesterday I find it hard to sleep and I think its because my anxiety is so high that I get the shortness of breath and chest fullness simply because I'm so stressed over them...its so nice when I hear other people's stories because no one knows how I feel and what these monsters feel like. Especially when I get these everyday. I hope I too can find some relief from these. They are like rollercoasters, one day ill get none and they get worse and worse until they hit the worst ever and then lessen and its a cycle...I just hope I can eventually feel better and not so depressed...:(
Helpful - 0
1124887 tn?1313754891
Hi,

Cool name, maybe one day someone bothered by this comes up with the name Pacman?

I understand your concerns completely. I'm suffering from PACs too, and I know how they feel. I guess I'm one of the "lucky ones" noticing them too.

I'm not going to repeat the boring facts that PACs are not dangerous (though they are not, in fact no more dangerous than an ordinary heartbeat).

What matters is that you are worried and they ruin your life.

I would say your worries about PACs is the "fuel" to keep PACs and noticing them, going. The question is why you worry. You're writing it, "this can't be normal". What does it take to accept that they are normal, just a little bit more frequent in you, since you worry?

I know some doctors inject adrenaline in their patients, just to provoke PACs. It's not nice, but it will get some people to accept the reason for PACs, and learn what the real problem is, instead of believing this is cardiac related and a harbinger of death. It's just other spots in your heart that want to "help" increasing your heart rate when you are stressed and your body believes your heart rate should be higher. And they origin in your atrias, there are barriers between your atrias and lower chambers, preventing dangerous arrhythmias from getting there. Even atrial fibrillation (that is, pr definition, 400-600 PACs pr minute) is relatively benign if you medications preventing blood clots. 10% of all humans at age >70 are living with atrial fibrillation, having about 750.000 PACs every day. That's something to think about:) Most of them live a happy life.

I guess my point is, that your "cure" for the PACs is just to accept them. After some time, you will stop noticing them. People with Afib say that the first year is the worst, afterwards you stop noticing it, more or less. That is, when you accept it's not very dangerous and you can live a normal life with it.

Everytime you get a PAC, you should NOT reflect on it, thinking "what was that?" "do I get more of them?" "not again??" etc. If you pay less attention, you will release less adrenaline and you will get less PACs.

It's nice, by the way, that you accept you are having PACs and that you don't believe every flip in your chest is a PVC. They rarely are, actually, even if they can appear that way on Holter or event monitors.

Good luck :)

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi. I wanted to respond last night but had something come up... I SOO feel your frustration...anxiety...depression. Im older than you are...49...female...have had these damn things for 20 years.
Just last Friday..a week ago today in fact...I had the day off. Had a great day planned...just doing...nothing....errands..etc. I woke up..and right away...had a couple... and then oh my gosh. My heart started skipping, jumping..it was absolutly horrible. And I too, have had every test there is for the heart. My only difference is that, for reasons my cardiologist cannot figure out, after I had the H1N1 flu in November...I was having chest burning...and after nuclear scans, etc, I was found to have early stages of Cornary Artery Disease. Caught early...and not bad enough for cardiac cath, but im working on risk factors..weight, exercise, cholesterol..but that is separate from the palpitations. So..last Friday...i went about my day...but my heart jumping all over..it was worse than its been in years. I wracked my brain trying to come up with a cause...stress is huge for me...mustve been that...cause I dont have any caffeine...alcohol...etc....dont smoke..I avoid anything possible that might start them up. Someone said in an earlier post that they would rather have a broken arm or leg..I agree. Most definatly.
SO....anyways..I went thru half my day off. It was totally ruined. I tried to ignore them..but its impossible when its every 3rd and 4th beat!!!
I finally gave in..called my Cardiologist. They said come on in for an EKG..but right before I called them..I had eaten a banana. A banana for goodness sakes!!! And...when I got off the phone with that nurse...and was getting ready to go to the Dr...they stopped. I am NOT kidding you. They stopped. As if someone turned off a light switch. I went to the Dr..had the EKG..and never had ONE palpitation. I told them..I was embarassed to be there!! they were really nice...and said it may have been the banana! That my potassium...tested just last month...was in the normal range...but barely. Was right near the low end. My cardio said that may have contributed, along with stress...so he wrote me a prescription for potassium. And...Ive had a few minor flare ups...but nothing major.
So..Im just saying...its like a sick...game, ya know? We suffer so...then find a "cure" for THIS time..and it works...and then they getcha by coming back..and the "cure" for THIS time doesnt work... its so frustrating. On that day, Last Friday, I was actually crying. THATS how bad they were. Crying..did nothing to help and probably increased them..but that is just how frustrated and wretched I felt with them.
I just take it day by day...and good days I celebrate!!!!
You WILL get thru these....truly. We are all here for you on a bad day.
Helpful - 0
1182699 tn?1297574784
I'm so sorry you are having to deal with these too.  They started for me when I was 22 and I just turned 38 this week.  I am also a nurse and I do believe my little bit of medical knowledge may have made things worse for me, so be careful to not get caught in that trap.  Trust in your doctors and know that if they say your heart is fine, then your heart is fine.  I too always think I need someone to see if I'm in an abnormal rythym, especially if they come in rows and I feel sooo funky afterwards.  The terrible feelings last for hours and sometimes even days.  I have had a terrible day today with mine as well.  I just got back from a confirmation and the church was so hot, I thought I was going to pass out...Of course my panic kicked in and that made the PAC's even worse.  It really is a vicious cycle.  You hang in there and you did the right thing by posting on a day you weren't feeling so good.  This is an excellent support forum and so many people on here have a lot of personal experiences.  Best to you and know that you are going to have many wonderful years ahead...you will learn to deal with the PAC's...Best of luck on your nursing studies!
Helpful - 0
520292 tn?1232035850
Hello , i love the name by the way.  I am almost 30 now and have had PAC's/PVC's for about 10 years now.  The are truly a big old bummer, trust me I know.  We must find a way to carry on without thinking and stressing about them everyday.  I know this is easier said than done, because I cant get over them either.  It really is troublesome when something goes astray with our hearts.  Give me a broken arm, or broken leg, but please nothing go bad with the heart.  I think these things all the time and want to comfort you by saying that I have had thousands of these beats everyday for 10 years and im still going strong!  Be strong everything will be ok!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your comforting post. Its reassuring to hear from people who suffer from this as well. The bad days just upset me so much...I'm happy I found this forum so I can finally find some support out there with people who know how I feel...
Helpful - 0
1147530 tn?1314821596
I feel for you as I'm sure the majority of the participants here do as well.  When you have bad days it feels as if it will always be like this, BUT they do calm down and suddenly you're normal-ish again.  Be patient and try to relax as you wait for them to diminish.  I know, easier said than done, but maybe you can gain comfort and reassurance from all the posters that are able to deal with these manifestations.  Hang in there, breathe, drink some relaxing tea and get comfort from the fact that your heart is strong and healthy (as your tests indicated) and can do its job.
Helpful - 0
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