Interesting points on PVCs

[PensiveP]

I am in no way suggesting the following will help everyone but it is nevertheless interesting.
PVCs can be most frightening but they are generally benign and harmless.

I am of the opinion that most benign PVCs are associated with stress and or anxiety. For this reason I tried something out when having a lot of PVCs. I basically had a few beers and I found this calmed me down which in turn got rid of the PVCs.
Goodness I'm not saying this is the answer for everyone but it certainly proved to me that there was nothing serious wrong with me.Remember I am a long term sufferer with PVCs that I know are benign.
One other thing I reccommend for people with PVCs is taking Magnesium Suplements.

[TatiSD]

Alcohol doesn't have the same effect on everyone.  Trying to enjoy half a glass of red wine with dinner only provoked irregularity for me.  Suggesting alcohol as anxiety treatment is a slippery slope.  Incidentally doc, pvc's and pac's are ectopic beats.

[is_something_wrong]

You have good taste in beer :-) That's an amazing beer.

Anyway, I would rather enjoy my beer with some good friends then to use it for curing PVCs!

[itdood]

Booze always made my PVCs worse when I was in the middle of an episode. Everyone is different.  But I still like my beer.  I love Belgium beer.  Those monks have it down to an art!  I especailly enjoy Leffe Blonde.  

SInce my PVCs have slowed down I'm back to enjoying it in modersation.  Doesn't have an affect one way or the other now.

[is_something_wrong]

Well, PVCs are ectopic beats and there are no difference. Ectopic beats = PACs and PVCs. PACs are generally more benign than PVCs.

Well, in some people, yes, alcohol can help, but I think there are healthier ways to treat anxiety. One glass of wine is healthy, of course, but I just dislike the thought of drinking to "treat" something. Drinking should be done only for positive reasons, if you understand (that's of course only my opinion but I bet several doctors would agree with me on this one).

[PensiveP]

Alcohol is not the worst cure; the fact you call it a cure proves it must have some benefit.

Alcohol can calm stress and anxiety which are both agrevated by and with PVCs.
So lower the stress and the anxiety and in turn negate the PVCs
Not rocket science is it?

But sure dont get drunk out of your head that is of course bad.
I am not advocating this for ectopic beats; I am suggesting it for benign PVCs; there is a difference.

[is_something_wrong]

Not intented to offend anyone, but alcohol is without doubt the worst "cure" for ectopic beats. It may help at the moment for some people (though it has the opposite effect for many), but there are far better ways to treat them. Reassurance is probably the best.

[PensiveP]

Appreciate your feedback.
Everyone to their own ideas I guess.
As for amount of Alcohol I am no way suggesting high quantities certainly not enough to effect you the next day.

On the magnesium front again I would use common sense with regard amounts.

Life sometimes is about trying and experimenting. What works for you may fail for me and vice-versa but my goodness in a worse case scenario I'd prefer a hangover to 4 hours of PVC Symptoms.

[is_something_wrong]

In my case, alcohol helps against PACs (I don't have PVCs) because heart rate is increased. But next day I feel twice as bad, so unless you're planning ending up like Charlie Sheen it's probably a bad idea.

If mine are bad, I get up and run a couple of miles. That helps, and anxiety is relieved. Gets some of the faith in the heart back.

Magnesium may help, but that's individual. Too much magnesium is also bad. I guess the best help is to see a cardiologist that have some knowledge in cognitive therapy. They exist, though most of them just kick you out, telling you your heart is fine.

[IMFletcher]

I suffer from episodic PVCs, where I can experience a high frequency (every 2nd or 3rd beat) for hours. I have also tried to teach myself to relax during these episodes, and having a glass of wine certainly helps (having said that some people claim that wine is a trigger for their PVCs). The problem is that the PVCs can hit me out of the blue, usually in the middle of the day or early evening, but also in the middle of the night. I agree, that anything you can do to stay calm, and take your mind off the sensations will help curtail the problem, and shorten the duration of the episode. I don't see myself reaching for an alcoholic beverage at 3am, but I am certainly not adverse to having a drink if my PVCs act up in the early evening. I also find getting my heart rate up through exercise to be quite helpful. I agree about Magnesium - I take a supplement daily. The reality is that almost all the individuals on this site likely suffer from some form of anxiety, so PVCs become something we tend to hyper focus on. For me, part of learning to cope with PVCs involves teaching myself to remain calm, and distract my mind from the problem at hand. I see nothing wrong with having a beer, or glass of wine, but excess consumption makes the next day a complete nightmare! Good luck.

[caregiver222]

Alcohol is a well known anti-anxiety drug. Nevertheless, because of the dependency issue and the side-effects, alcohol is not recommended for treatment of PVC's, or for anxiety. Under certain circumstances magnesium deficiency can result in ventricular irritability (as well as irritability of the sino-atrial mode). In such a case a physician may prescribe magnesium glycinate. It is not a good idea to take such supplements without consulting your cardiologist.