PVC's Palpatations Low Potassium??

[lucyluu]

Does anyone with benign PVC’s have low potassium.  I just started getting these a few months ago and now they are out of control.  Had a stress test that showed them but no heart disease.  I am getting an Echo today so hopefully Ill find out more but I already know what the answer is going to be.

I am tired of asking why and getting upset.  Now I want answers and maybe we could help each other since the docs don’t really seem to know what is going on.  When I asked for Potassium results from my blood work over the past few years my levels are never above 4 and have been as low as 3.  My doctor said that this didn’t matter but I don’t agree.  I agree that these wont kill me but I don’t agree that they are normal.  There has to be something off at a cellular level of the heart to be doing this to so many people.  

Emedicine health says that if your potassium levels are below 3.5 then that is to low and can cause or amplify PVC’s so did the ER doc.  Ive had weird health issues along with my heart over the past 3 years that no one has been able to figure out. Im wondering if it could have been low Potassium/Magnesium all along.  A year ago I was put on Magnesium to help with my issues and it did.  Magnesium can affect the heart like Potassium.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone knew this info.  I know we need doctors but sometimes its good to do your own research as well.

[Christine0687]

i printed out your long post and i am going to try some of the stuff that you have been doing. Thank you for sharing your experience!

[lucyluu]

I just left a post on my whole diet situation in another post below this one.  Its amazing to see how far I have come since I posted this back in September.  I feel amazing.  Mine is hormonal.  You could be on to something Christine with the low vitamins during cycles but I wouldnt know now because I take stuff everyday to counter act what is going on.  The Potassium, Fish Oil and herbs really made a difference for me.  

I think Hangglider has a point too.  I moved to Southern Cal from the North East last year.  I was still having so many issues but the sun helped to keep me calm.  There is nothing like a sunny day to lift your spirits.  I live by the heart tracker on this site it has helped me so much.

Lucy

[Christine0687]

Here is my semi-educated guess through my experience....
I believe that during my mid-cycle(ovualtion) ,which is when i experience most of the arrythmia, my potassium and/or magnesium levels drop which causes this rapid heartbeat and pvcs.  I am having bloodwork during my next ovulation to confirm this. I believe this is hormone related and deficiency related. I have tracked when this stuff happens to me and it is always mid-cylce. Something is happening to me during that time to cause this stuff, i just need to figure out what that is.  When I was in the hospital for this, my potassium was low.  I am thinking that the hormonal inbalances during this time is causing deficiencies. There is something called slow-mag that is suppose to help with arythmias. I haven't tried it yet because I don't know if it will interact with the nadolol that I am on.  I will get to the bottom of this!

[jkfrench]

I've been thinking along the same lines as you.  Vitamins play an important role in keeping us healthy.  I don't take any.  I want to but don't know where to start.  I do eat healthy but not a lot (I'm small) so I'm probably not getting the daily recommended doses.  I eat nuts, yogart, flaxseed, banannas, salmon, spinach, egg whites...all that stuff but I still get these pvc's.  I don't drink soda,and I might have a decaff a couple times a week.  It makes me crazy why we can't figure this out.
I just checked my bloodwork from June of last year and my potassium was 3.9.  hmmmm maybe you are on to something
Frenchie

[HangGlider]

Low vitamin D - how's your calcium level? If it's elevated, even though it might still fall within the high end of 'normal' - you might want to have your PTH (parathyroid hormone) level checked. Hyperparathyroidism can contribute to rhythm problems. Look at http:///www.parathyroid.com for more symptoms/info.

If your calcium and PTH are good, then you're probably low on vitamin D simply because you live in Michigan. I'd bet over half the population there is vitamin D deficient - simply because the Sun is at too low of an angle during most of the year to be able to cause vitamin D synthesis in your skin. Plus, when you do go outside you're probably bundled-up - so you wouldn't get much Sun even if it were intense enough. Check out Dr. Neil Nedley's site for more info on vitamin D deficiency: http://www.drnedley.com

Best regards,

HangGlider  

[taratownsend]

I have low Potassium and low Vit-D levels. I have been having alot more pvcs than normal latley...like every other beat for hours every day and I'm always lathargic and dizzy.

I always take a multi-vitamin and extra vit-d and eat a banana and oj every day so I have no idea why my levels are low. Patato's are a great source of Potassium. I don't drink nearly enough milk though.

I pray everyone starts to feel better very soon. My prayers go out to all of you.

Tara