PVCs= Electrolytes or Adrenaline?

[mzak69]

I am posting this question to get some feedback on what many of you think are causing PVCs.

Right now I am attempting to reduce my PVCs by adding electrolyte supplements. I am taking 500 mg magnesium, potassium, sea salt, etc.

They seem to be less, but I am still having episodes. These episodes tend to occur after excitement or strenous activity. They last for several minutes to an hour and then subside.

Does that sound like electrolytes or adrenaline? I'm not sure what else I can take at this point to balance the electrolytes. What can be done if it's adrenaline related? I stopped the metoprolol, so I'm not on any BB.

Thanks for your insight.  

[Mom2four85]

the only thing I've found to work is Inderal; which after 2 years started having major breakthroughs so my dr switched me to Inderal LA to see if it would help even out things a bit plus it's the only thing I've tried that doesn't have the major side effects the others I've tried has...if the LA doesn't work then it's on to [cringe] anti-arrhythmic's which I refuse to take.

[curmudgen]

Toprol XL is metoprolol succinate the time release form of metoprolol succinate...Could try only 25mg a day of succinate?  There are other BB that might work...BB don't really help with PVC's and in some cases increase them due to the lower heart rate.  I am with you with the pills...once on them it is hard to get off.  Considering the alternatives I can live with PVC's...they won't kill us even though at times it feels like it.  

[mzak69]

I was on Toprol XL 25mg and then Metaprolol tartrate 25 mg twice a day. I felt tired, sluggish, and also it made it harder to perform (if you know what I mean). I said, enough of this, I can't live like this anymore. I'm 41 and felt like 81. My BB experiment is over unless there is a BB out there that takes away PVCs without thos side effects.

It's a quality of life issue for me: live with the BB side effects or try to deal with the PVCs without the BB. BTW, I still felt the PVCs with the BB, only they were more subtle. Plus, I didn't want to fall into the trap of taking another pill the rest of my life.      

[curmudgen]

post script to above post - being off BB then you would be more sensitive to the effects of adrenalin....why not try 50 mg of metoprolol/day and see if that might help reduce the onset of PVC's...   I used to get bi- and trigeminy that drove me nuts and discovered that they disappeared when I lowered my dosage of metoprolol from 150/day to 100.  Now I get single PVC's for short periods and not every day...I am presently experimenting with Slow-Mg and using morton's lite salt - mixture of sodium and potassium...seems to work.  I am a chemistry experiment in progress....good luck.

[curmudgen]

It seems logical that adrenalin makes the heart beat faster/harder thereby raising BP, electrolytes control membrane physiology and an imbalance in the latter would change the electrical activity of heart cells.  Electrolyte imbalance is hard to manage since it takes many days to change the electrolyte levels in the blood stream...and which one is slightly out of kilter with respect to the others is tough to determine unless a blood test comes back with significant shifts in their levels.  I just keep experimenting, like a chemistry experiment, a week of extra this and a week of extra that until the PVC's disappear and the I still don't know what works since they come back out of no where and attack again..

[dmacd74]

I know how you feel, I am currently going through a terrible bout myself.  I went to an EP this morning and learned some new information.  As soon as I collect my thoughts I will post.

Debbie