MVP and PVCs - should I be concerned more than my doctor is?

[Koalatlady]

I have had PVCs on a couple of occassions over the last 10 years (since I was about 37).  They generally come on, I get one or two, they stop, then start again a few minutes later.  The entire episode lasts about 2-3 hours - then they're over.  I have been hospitalized about 4-5 times (about every two years) when they happen just because they want to observe my heart over night.  I'm always released the next day and it doesn't happen again for months and sometimes years.  About two years ago when it happened, they decided to do a MRI on my heart and found a MVP (mitral valve prolapse).  I was told it was no big deal - lots of people have it.  I was also told lots of people have PVCs and are asymptomatic.  Not with me.  Hook up a heart monitor to me and I can tell you exactly when and what you'll see on the screen.  My PVCs are very distinct, sometimes light, sometimes hard, and recently (today) they come back to back for 10-15 at a time (which was extremenly scary and sent me to the ER).  But they always have a beat in between (the doctor used the term bi-jimini or something that sounded like that).  And therefore, he came to the conclusion they are benign.

Strangely enough, I've had almost none of these for two years (guess I was due), then I had a physical at my doctor's office on Friday and he gave me a flu shot.  It may me kind of woozy and I started having some type of spasm in my chest (not my heart - it was more like a gastrointestinal thing - belching air).  The doctor kept me in his office a couple of hours until this bizarre episode passed.  But as soon as I got home, I got hit with a round of strong PVCs and my husband called 911 - nervous since he'd never seen all this stuff going on with his normally-healthy wife.

Long story short - they admitted me for observation - recorded a several sporadic PVCs over the next 24 hours.  Gave me Lopressor and Ativan and released me the next day (which was two days ago).  I had a couple of sporadic ones at home - but not big deal.... until Today.  Around 9am, I was working on my PC in my home office and got hit with PVCs - HARD.  Harder than I've ever felt them before.  And continuous.  They didn't stop for at least 10 minutes.  When I got the first break in them, I was exhausted, light-headed, ringing in my ears and was scared to death.  I told my husband to call the doctor's office.  In the interim, I took 50mg of Lopressor.  But within 5 minutes, I got another huge round of them.  Continuous and my chest was tightening.  Again, long story short, we drove to ER and because they were continuous, they were able to get a good EKG of them.  But in the end - the ER doctor said "I know they're irritating, but they're completely benign".  Stop drinking coffee, alcohol and don't eat chocolate.  He gave me a new prescription for Lopressor and Ativan.  He told me to see an electrophysiologist if the symptoms still bothered me.  I walked out of the hospital in a daze, light-headed and my chest pounding with PVCs.  I had already taken one Lopressor (which did no good), but the Ativan they gave me in ER knocked me out by the time I got home and I fell asleep.  Woke up with no PVCs (that was a couple of hours ago).  Have had a couple of stray ones since then, but no big deal.

Once again, I'm gonna do EXACTLY what the doctor told me.  I'm on a waiting list for the electrophysiologist.  I'm not drinking anything with caffeine or alcohol.  No chocolate.  I'm skeptical about his totally "benign" diagnosis after this last round, but I'm gonna follow the rules regardless.  It's increcibly hard to have a heart condition that feels like a freight train - only to hear it's benign.  I was so scared this morning.  I'm trying to stay optimistic, but I can't continue to live like this.  I'd lose my job and not be able to function in any job if I had to take all these drugs on a regular basis.  I'm just praying these last few days were a fluke, and I won't have another episode for months or years.  I just don't think I believe it.

Is there anything else I should be doing - or not doing?

Feeling desperate and sad,
Sheila

[coribell]

Hi, if you were doing ok for two years and then after the flue shot the pvcs started just a little while later it seems possible theres a connection there.You should check into that before you get another flue shot just to be on the side of caution.I also have mvp but iv never had a flue shot but im very sinsitive to many medications and have to be carefull because of that.

[Dizzle45]

I was just recently diagnosed with PVC's. I am 18 years old, very healthy, currently in college. Though I was just officially diagnosed, I have been experiencing these since I was at least 13. I have always been very active, playing sports year round, sometimes several at the same time. I would still experience them, even though exercise is suppose to help. Sometimes they are very minor and I notice them when I am walking too fast. Other times I will experience very severe PVC's. I have had these simply cheering on my favorite sports teams, not even playing. It happened at the last super bowl twice! I have the funny flip-flopping sensation, though I have always explained them more as "static", immediately followed by a lurching feeling in my chest and a skipped beat or two. I am very dizzy, though I have never passed out. After the "episode" passes, I feel extremely exhausted, to the point of not even being able to hold my head up sometimes.

It is very frustrating to feel these symptoms and have people think you are crazy. I've had testing done twice now, and I always get the same answer. It isn't life threatening, no, but it sure makes life inconvenient. Exercise is said to help, but if running is a sure fire way to kick start an episode, then why would I want to put myself through that? And as a college student, how am I suppose to kick caffeine? I don't drink more than a cup or two of coffee a day. There is no way that a college student can get through finals without staying up late. I consider this diagnosis not as an answer, but as a starting point. I want to know the cause, and I am not stopping until I get there, even though my own mother considers me a crazy person.

[bonlou]

People with MVPS do have too much adrenaline, that's whay beta blockers are used, they block the adrenaline.  Of course caffeine makes it worse.  Most people with mvps have low blood pressure and low blood volume, so your need to fluid load.  Drink at least 64 ounces of fluid everyday.  Water is the best, Gatorade contains electrolytes, which is also good. Increasing your blood volume will lessen the irregular heart beats.
Society for MVPS
www.mitralvalveprolapse.com

[bonlou]

The Society for MVP Syndrome is a nonprofit, charitable organization.  They will help you feel better.  Your doctor and the ER are correct.  MVPS is a benign condition that does NOT tend to degenerate over time.  What they odn't understand is that the syndrome part of mvp can drive a person a lttle crazy.  My 3 children and I all have this.
www.mitralvalveprolapse.com  You will receive free info

[Koalatlady]

I just wanted to say THANK YOU so much!!  All of you have done what the doctors couldn't - give me some good advice and peace of mind that I can embrace.  It's one thing to hear it from a doctor who acts disgusted that you're bothering him with such trivial non-life-threatening issues in the emergency room.... it's another thing to hear from those that live it.

I'm taking your advice and I already feel 99% more in control of my life and my health.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!!!  I may have to live with these PVCs, but I won't let them control me (or petrify me) any longer.

Thanks,
Sheila

[Barbarella]

The worst thing you can do is fall into the "fear adrenaline fear circle".  The more you are afraid of them the stronger and longer they will stay.  I used to go through these exercises from hell, worrying I'd drop dead from these PVC's.  Until a Cardiologist told me that they will not kill me, and I believed him, and trusted that he knew what he is talking about.  When the Cardiologists say you have a normal and healthy heart you have got to believe them or you will drive yourself crazy with worry, and the PVC's will stay longer and stronger.  I used to have bigenemy and trigenemy for weeks to no end.  Lots of it is psychosimatic.  When I used to get the first PVC I started worrying "what if", and here they came in full force, and stayed for a very long time until they all of a sudden stopped.  I guess they got tired of it :)  but never stopped permanently, they always come back again.

I've been suffering from these PVC's for the last 40 yrs, but wont let them run my life anymore, and I believe the Cardiologist.

In my case stress, little sleep brings them on.  Coffee, chocolate and stuff like that never bothered me.  When I do have these PVC's I also get them real bad after a meal, no matter how small the meal.  When I'm PVC free I can eat large meals and never get one PVC.

[tickertock]

I experienced the same thing about over 5 years ago without consequence, it seems to be the natural course with some pvcs sufferers, they same to come without rhyme or reason, luckily i've not experienced a significant episode in over 5 years. I've been diagnosed with mild LVH, one time the docs said I has mild MVP which no longers meets the criteria, I also have my personal doubts about the mild LVH diagnosis, the good news is whether you have MVP or not it is rarely any significance regarding the pvcs,though I admit when you have strong pvcs such as i've had it sure to takes alot of reassurrance that you're going being fine regardless of the horrible feeling.My best advice is to try and accept it til the storm passes, I withstood it for over 6 months in the 1000s daily and i'm still here. hang tight, chances are you'll be alright.

[Momto3]

Ditto to what Artaud said : )

I have MVP and MR and have a long history of pvcs.  I've had two pvc ablations fb/c they actually stirred up some trouble.  This year when I was in my EP's office, I told her I could feel the pvcs (like you, I can tell exactly when they occur), and we both chuckled (I'm very used to them and they do not scare me anymore).  Anyway, her comment was "it's on bigeminy."  Like Artaud said, with a good cardiac workup, it becomes more a matter of learning to live with the pvcs.  Sometimes trying a different medication is helpful.  Some people prefer to just deal with them, we're all different.

Hope you're feeling better.  We're here if you need to "talk," ask questions, vent, etc.  This is a great place to come for information and support.  When is your appt?

I agree, NO ablation unless it becomes medically necessary.  I'm betting your cardio will give you a clean bill of health.  Learning to live with pvcs can be done, just take baby steps.  We'll help

connie

[Artaud]

Hi,

You need to be careful to distinguish runs of PVCs or couplets, triplets, or short runs of V-Tach from Bigeminy, Trigeminy, and Quadrigeminy. Apparently in otherwise healthy hearts, especially in people prone to PVCs, the development of the Bi, Tri, or Quadrigeminy patterns is not uncommon.

My wife brought an EKG Interpretation book home from work to show me a paragraph describing that once the heart falls into the rhythm, (they specifically mentioned Bigeminy), it is a natural rhythm (meaning that it falls into it and readily accepts it). The book, my Cardiologist, and my Family Doctor saw no reason for concern for my Trigeminy. Two normal beats and a PVC, and this repeats on and on without break (some days). These type of rhythms, if you have received a good cardiological work-up, do not indicate that you have anything wrong with your heart.

I am sure that others in this forum can explain their experiences with these types of rhythms.

A movie that I am fond of is Dune. At some point the main character mentions that "Fear is the mind killer". This is so true. Once you start to react to your arrhythmia in a way disproportionate to the symptoms, you are beginning a cycle virtually guaranteed to make your PVCs worse. The autonomic nervous system is comprised of sympathetic and parasympathetic components. When you are fearful, the sympathetic nervous system becomes very active, and the adrenaline flows. This in turn causes your heart rate to increase and leads to a variety of other physical and psychological symptoms. Adrenaline is a very common cause of PVCs, (or at least a common inducer of them), and more adrenaline almost always means more PVCs. More PVCs, with you and often myself, means more fear, which means more adrenaline, which leads to more PVCs, etc.

I have spent hours in Trigeminy, imagine, a PVC EVERY THIRD BEAT. But no one was concerned. Since my wife works for the Cardiologist that I see, he had told her that it would be OK to open the office and to connect me to the EKG machine whenever I felt that anything unusual was happening. This offer was only extended after I had already had a series of Holters and an Event Monitor, the Doctor felt that I was absolutely OK, he just agreed to the EKGs to settle my fears. Anyway, one day I was frightened by a long series of this odd rhythm I was having. She took me to the office after hours and did the EKG. The next day the Doctor looked at it and said "Oh, he has some Trigeminy here", put the sheet down and went on with his business. He had absolutely no concern about the Trigeminy, none.

Be careful not to subject yourself to an ablation procedure if you don't need one. Hopefully most EPs won't ablate these common nuisance arrhythmias unless they present a serious threat.

Best regards.