25 years old, CRAZY heart beats- PVCs??

[nj001]

Hello everyone.

Okay so here's my story, including all symptoms I think might be relevant (some might not be, but they seem like they could be related).

I'm currently 25. Three years ago, I started experiencing difficulty breathing at completely random times like while sitting on the couch watching television, or lying in bed trying to sleep.  I went to my primary care, who listened to my heart and heard a murmur. I had been told I had a murmur my whole life, but she sent me to a specialist to have it checked out.  I had an ultrasound done of my heart and was told that I did NOT have a murmur-- that I had a strong, healthy, normal heart that sometimes pushed the blood so hard it sounded like a murmur, but that there was no actual murmur. At this time, I had no PVC's.  I was given an emergency inhaler and some allergy medication for my breathing.

The medication did not help my breathing, so I returned to my primary care 6 months later. The trouble breathing was becoming ridiculous, and frequent.  She still believed it was allergies and gave me a steroid inhaler for my breathing. I was using the steroid inhaler as well as the emergency inhaler when I had bouts of trouble, though it did not seem to make any difference.

One night last year, after taking 6 pumps from my emergency inhaler I felt my heart jumping out of my chest. I rested my hand over my chest and could feel loads of skipped--or early (just obviously abnormal beats). I assumed this had to do with the emergency inhaler and stopped taking it.  The skipped beats continued (and have continued for the past year). I had a halter monitor done where they saw many skipped beats, so I was refereed to a cardiologist.  He told me he had a gut feeling they were benign, but said that they do happen a lot so he tested my thyroid and electrolytes, and did another ultrasound. When they called me with my results, the woman on the phone told me "you'll be happy to know there were no abnormalities!"

I was very happy to hear that, but asked, "okay, so what IS happening with my heart and my breathing??" She responded, "that's a good question..."

I since went back to my new primary care doctor. Without seeing ANY of the records from my cardiologist (paperwork mistake, the cardiologist's office didn't send them) he told me that it was PVC's AND that my breathing problem was psychological--

Excuse me?

I'd really like to believe that, but it's incredibly frustrating because my breathing issues feel very real to me!! I often find myself struggling to get what feels like a good breath.  Though, I do admit that I noticed my breathing problems much more when I'm not busy, so maybe there is a psycholgical component to it??

But why would these PVC's (if that's what they are) start out of nowhere at 24 years old, continue constantly (I just felt my heart for 15 seconds and felt one), and not go away??? The skipped beats are constant. My heart has not beat "normally" since I first noticed it a year ago.

Now, I realize my thyroid levels were normal BUT-- my grandmother had graves disease.  I have constantly clammy hands and (WARNING, THIS PART IS YUCKY) up to four or five bowel movements a day.

The trouble breathing comes in spurts. Sometimes I don't have difficulty breathing for a month at a time, and when it does happen I cant correlate it with anything environmental: not stress, not seasons, not during particular activities. As far as what makes it better...just time and waiting it out.  

I do trust my cardiologist, that there was nothing functionally wrong with my heart, but is having this MANY weird heartbeats risky?? It seems like it happens an awful lot...

And of course, is there anything I can do nutritionally to decrease their frequency??

Thanks so much!!!

[MG3kids]

Hello...I just read your post. I am a 24 yr old female and after having my son developed PVCs, PACs and SVT. I have only been dealing with this for 3 months...but it is hard. The SVT is the worst...4 trips to the ER...very scary. However, now I get PVCs for days at a time, so days I don't get one, others I get lots. I to have trouble with the breathing. It is not just anxiety. I notice when I have PVCs it is hard to get a good breath and sometimes they make me cough...weird. I had an echo and a stress test...all normal. I just finished my month monitor...we will see what the Dr says from the results. Do you notice any other symptoms with yours? Like head pressure, and jaw neck pressure or numbness?! I am having all kinds of symptoms from these things. I pray that you are doing well and I pray that you find some answers! God bless!

[yarrow]

"Though, I am skeptical because...shouldn't I feel anxious in some way? "

There is a stigma associated with emotional or mental problems, and it's so powerful that most people would do anything--anything--not to acknowledge such difficulties.  "Emotional problems?  Moi??"   We try to conceal it from ourselves, even when our own bodies are giving messages loud and clear.  I do it myself for a few weeks each time my panic attack/PVC episodes return, although this has been going on for years and I should know better than to waste precious time in my life.

Take a look at this site and see if anything rings a bell:

http://www.livingwithanxiety.com/anxiety-physical-symptoms.htm

[r9c]

Hi,as for anxiety.i also refused to take the SSRI prescribe by the psych,cause he claimed that my symptoms of palpitations and lightheaded are from depression where i dont think i felt depressed so i rejected the meds.Difficulty in breathing can be from anxiety i experienced that a lot after my 1st panic attack which landed me at the ER and no docs told me about that,they just run all test and sent me home saying u had a panic or anxiety.Breathing problems can be from anxiety and if its from heart or lungs problem i am sure you will know it urself..and i don think thats the case for you as u had full cardio workup from echocardiography and ecgs which all came back negative.

[nj001]

Thanks you guys!

In terms of diet, I'm healthier than most but certainly no angel. I just quit caffeinated coffee (again) and am cutting back on the red wine, which I have 2 glasses most nights. I've cut back to 1-2 glasses, 1-2 nights a week. I also...eek..VERY occasionally smoke. Not tobacco.

Why can't I do any fun stuff anymore???? :(

Though I tried this for several months in the past and it really didn't seem to make any difference.

@ Yarrow:
As far as hearing that my breathing and heartbeat might be linked to anxiety that is actually EXACTLY what I want to hear. That's a lot better than HF. :)

Though, I am skeptical because...shouldn't I feel anxious in some way? I actually DID think of this before visiting the Dr. Once in my life, I had a panic attack, so I think it is plausible that I've got some kind of anxiety issues, but my dr. told me that I WOULD feel anxiety if I were anxious. So, while I'd be willing to talk to a psych about this, I would not be willing to start taking anti-anxiety medication when I don't feel any kind of anxiety.

Also, the breathing problems definitely started at least a year before the PVCs.

I guess you guys told me all the same things my cardiologist did and I know I should just listen to him, but I couldn't help but feel like I want answers, especially about the breathing problem. Hrmph.

[xizzor]

all it takes to make the breathing or heartrhythm to go fast and irregular,
is to become aware of it by a simple thought like "Here it goes again".

A thought like "here it goes again" is not always just a mere observation,
in many cases it's a memory that you recreate by affirming "here it goes again".

i wouldn't call what you're having a panic attack because you don't make it sound like you were lost in panic.
i would rather just call it anxiety: the mind thinks something is wrong wih the body, this creates a bit of fear, the breathing goes faster, this creates (or strenghtens already present) symptoms, which in turn creates more fear, etc.

At the moment i am starting to do all the things again that I haven't done in many months, because I had bad experiences while doing these things: fast heartrate, fast breathing and/or a lot of pvc's like trigeminy.
Even though I like to consider myself anxiety free, I have recently realized that although I have managed to succeed at no longer panicking... subconsciously my mind still sets itself up to create symptoms like fast breathing and more pvc's,

by thinking subtle thoughts like "i might get it again" heightens the possibility that you do.
because when you visualize a possible danger ahead, the mind automatically creates fear in order to make itself more alert and ready to react accordingly in a dangerous situation.
and fear = fast HR, pvc's, fast breathing

sometimes mild stress alone is enough to create fast breathing.
i often have had this when I am eating, i got greedy and i wanted to eat fast,
my mind got hyperactive - body tenses - breathing speeds up,
etc.

[yarrow]

People always ask why pvcs and other arrythmias appear out of the blue and what can be done to make them go away, but the simple fact is that everyone--everyone--has ectopic beats, but the thing is that (among those with healthy hearts, which yours has been found to be) not everyone feels them or is aware of them.

You are among the unfortunate sensitive people who do feel them.

What you are probably experiencing in response to this, and I know you don't want to hear it, is essentially a panic attack.  In rational reflection, I'm sure you are aware that in general you can do everything you want to do in your normal life, which is a sign that your heart is in good shape.  The difficulty with your breathing, in the absence of evidence of heart disease, is a dead-cert indicator of anxiety.  Lest you think I am being dismissive, I have had some of the same symptoms for over twenty years now, so I have been there (and I'm still here!).

Here's a description of what you are dealing with:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1277260/

If you were to talk with your cardiologist or a good psychiatrist, you would find that there are both cognitive therapies and medications which will help you with this problem.

[Jerry_NJ]

For starters I am an old guy, so we don't have much in common at the start.  Still, I can say that I have noticed throughout my life if I think about breathing I soon find my self forcing each breath, like they are no longer automatic.  I don't usually associate this with any shortness of breath, but I have to think "breath" for each breath until I somehow slip back into automatic mode. My experience says breathing problems can be psychological - or at least affected by the mind, in my case conscious mind.

Think about your diet, and stop all intake of caffeine (regular coffee, cola, tea and chocolate to name the main sources).  Try to get plenty of rest and to exercise and eat "right"... and see what happens.  If you are already have 100% healthy habits, I can't offer any help.