Aa
PVC's
I have a long history of heart type issues. I'm 39 and at 23 I had an ablation for WPW. Everything was fine for years until about 3yrs ago and the skipping goofy beats started back up. Soooo back to the cardiologist I went. They did the whole EKG and Echo etc. Now it's PVC's. When I had my ablation I also had MVP. So, 2yrs ago I had an Echo and they didn't see the MVP. My PVC's do not bother me constantly but when they do ugh... it's a nightmare. I can not take anything due to low blood pressure. WHAT are my other options if any? I know PVC's won't hurt me but after the WPW scare these things scare the heck out of me. I go for another Echo in 2 days. I think I have also noticed them with anxiety. If I take an Ativan it usually calms them down but shesh I can't sleep constantly. So what other options are out there? Like I said I know they won't hurt me and are harmless... it's just what I went through before it's that old memory fear ya know?
I hear you loud and clear. I had a major PVC flare up in 2009 that still hasn't left me despite all but gone away at this point. I know it will probably come back again. I've had short flare ups all through my 30s, where about twice per year I'd get salvos lasting about 2-3 weeks. These would occur for about 30-90 minutes per day.
Then in jan 2009 I started getting about 6,000 per day. This happened even at night causing massive sleep deprivation for about 8 months. I tried everything. BP meds made them worse. I saw 2 PCPs and 2 different cardiologists, and 1 EP. My final appointment was with a cardiologist where I asked my wife to come with me for the first time. It made me feel weak as a person to ask her to the appointment but I was desperate at this point, I was walking out of appointments with no direction or answers and not thinking clearly anymore. It was kinda funny watching the cardiologist and my wife start to talk about me like I wasn't even there. They were both desperate to help me but were both at a loss.
Think worst case desperate, that's where i was. I have 2 young kids that didn't have a father because I was so distracted and depressed by what was going on. I was also having all sorts of GI symptoms as-well. I had a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy which were both clear. I had 2 nuclear stress tests, 3 stress tests, 2 echos, 3 different holters (2 of which were 30 day event monitors), and 1 cardiac MRI where I was in the bore for almost 3 hours hooked up to so much crap I can't list it. I knew from my research that ablation probably wasn't the answer at this time. I was in a bad place.
Eventually things just turned around for me, rather suddenly, right around Aug 2009, during a vacation I forced myself to take the family on. Not sure if it was a mental turnaround or physical. I was able to stay in bed through the entire night for the first time. Though I was still getting episodes they weren't lasting more the 60 minutes.
Things pretty much stayed the same from aug 2009 until about march of this year. I was anywhere from 0 to about 300 PVCs per day which for me was a very welcome change. The night episodes went away. My job situation became nasty this year but was very lucky to land a new gig. Massive interviews. Getting PVCs during the interviews, in front of 10 people in a large interview format was a blast I tell ya!!! not. I was chosen for the job out of a large field of some very smart, educated, and talented people. I don't know how. This meant a promotion for me and a better living for my family. Then mysteriously as they started in Jan 2009 they were gone by the time of my first day on the new job. I’ve had to travel a lot, and I’m not the most relaxed flyer in the world.
I know a ton about cardiology know. I buried myself in trying to get to the bottom of the issue.
Unfortunately it's a tough problem to resolve. I really wish, more than you could ever know, that there was an easy way to make them go away. If it were to come to a medication, we’d have to dull away heart muscle cells propensity to pace the heartbeat. Well that’s not an option. The only real effective way to stop them would be to kill the m-fer cells that are firing them and we’re nowhere near having technology that can do that. Right now EPs can take a SWAG(scientific wild as$ guess) at where the cells are located then nuke that entire area. For benign PVCs it’s hit or miss. For benign PVCs coming from certain areas of the heart the success rate is higher but not perfect, and the very act of ablating the area might cause other areas to become irritated and start firing PVCs.
Anyways, you probably get what I’m saying.
Then in jan 2009 I started getting about 6,000 per day. This happened even at night causing massive sleep deprivation for about 8 months. I tried everything. BP meds made them worse. I saw 2 PCPs and 2 different cardiologists, and 1 EP. My final appointment was with a cardiologist where I asked my wife to come with me for the first time. It made me feel weak as a person to ask her to the appointment but I was desperate at this point, I was walking out of appointments with no direction or answers and not thinking clearly anymore. It was kinda funny watching the cardiologist and my wife start to talk about me like I wasn't even there. They were both desperate to help me but were both at a loss.
Think worst case desperate, that's where i was. I have 2 young kids that didn't have a father because I was so distracted and depressed by what was going on. I was also having all sorts of GI symptoms as-well. I had a colonoscopy and an upper endoscopy which were both clear. I had 2 nuclear stress tests, 3 stress tests, 2 echos, 3 different holters (2 of which were 30 day event monitors), and 1 cardiac MRI where I was in the bore for almost 3 hours hooked up to so much crap I can't list it. I knew from my research that ablation probably wasn't the answer at this time. I was in a bad place.
Eventually things just turned around for me, rather suddenly, right around Aug 2009, during a vacation I forced myself to take the family on. Not sure if it was a mental turnaround or physical. I was able to stay in bed through the entire night for the first time. Though I was still getting episodes they weren't lasting more the 60 minutes.
Things pretty much stayed the same from aug 2009 until about march of this year. I was anywhere from 0 to about 300 PVCs per day which for me was a very welcome change. The night episodes went away. My job situation became nasty this year but was very lucky to land a new gig. Massive interviews. Getting PVCs during the interviews, in front of 10 people in a large interview format was a blast I tell ya!!! not. I was chosen for the job out of a large field of some very smart, educated, and talented people. I don't know how. This meant a promotion for me and a better living for my family. Then mysteriously as they started in Jan 2009 they were gone by the time of my first day on the new job. I’ve had to travel a lot, and I’m not the most relaxed flyer in the world.
I know a ton about cardiology know. I buried myself in trying to get to the bottom of the issue.
Unfortunately it's a tough problem to resolve. I really wish, more than you could ever know, that there was an easy way to make them go away. If it were to come to a medication, we’d have to dull away heart muscle cells propensity to pace the heartbeat. Well that’s not an option. The only real effective way to stop them would be to kill the m-fer cells that are firing them and we’re nowhere near having technology that can do that. Right now EPs can take a SWAG(scientific wild as$ guess) at where the cells are located then nuke that entire area. For benign PVCs it’s hit or miss. For benign PVCs coming from certain areas of the heart the success rate is higher but not perfect, and the very act of ablating the area might cause other areas to become irritated and start firing PVCs.
Anyways, you probably get what I’m saying.
I've been dealing with some sort of heart issue for 18yrs and there is no more lifestyle changes I can make lol Don't drink period, only 130lbs, don't drink soda etc, take daily vitamins (not multi) and nothing I have stopped or changed has effected my pvc's. If my blood pressure was higher and I could take BP medication I would. I see nothing wrong with taking something that helps you. But, unfortunately it's not an option for me. Just like everything else... what works for one person might be a terrible experience for another sadly. Before I had my ablation for WPW they tried me on two different medications to help control the tach. with no help at all, as a matter of fact they made me worse. For me I sooner tell someone to go for the ablation and not even try medication, but that's my personal experience and opinion. It had caused a lot of problems for me, I was pregnant with twins and had to have an emergency c-section at 7 months due to the fact that the strain of them on my heart was causing very bad problems. And they were afraid I'd have a heart attack while in labor. With all that said... as I said I know my pvc's are harmless to me. I know this BUT deep inside I can not tell myself this since I remember that feeling and remember the terrible parts of years ago. Some bad things never leave you sadly.
Try lifestyle changes first. There are many things you can try. Things that seem to have positive effects are reducing carbs/refined sugars, eliminate caffeine, supplement electrolytes especially magnesium, stress management, moderate exercise, weight loss, don't smoke, alcohol in moderation.....It takes time. For instance, if you've consumed excessive quantities of caffeine over the course of many years it can take months to reverse the cellular electro-chemical process changes that have made you prone to ectopic beats.
I think anyone who prescribes or takes blood pressure meds (BBs or CCBs) for benign ectopics is out of their mind. I can argue all day against it. Sorry to be so opinionated about it, perhaps I'm wrong. I base this on my own personal experience and anecdotal info I've seen from other experiences. I can't find a single study on the subject, I wish someone would do one. I wonder why no one has ever studied the approach??? Because there isn't any empirical evidence to support using BP meds for benign ectopics the act of doing so is no better than a homeopathic approach.
I think anyone who prescribes or takes blood pressure meds (BBs or CCBs) for benign ectopics is out of their mind. I can argue all day against it. Sorry to be so opinionated about it, perhaps I'm wrong. I base this on my own personal experience and anecdotal info I've seen from other experiences. I can't find a single study on the subject, I wish someone would do one. I wonder why no one has ever studied the approach??? Because there isn't any empirical evidence to support using BP meds for benign ectopics the act of doing so is no better than a homeopathic approach.
Yea, I'm sure a shrink really would be a good idea :D I mean my ativan works great, PVC's are gone in less then an hour but now I'm ready to sleep lol My fear is the fact that my PVC's remind me sooo much of the WPW. It's like an instant thought that goes through my head. Then I get all worked up I guess and just make it even worse... My WPW was pretty bad and I guess just all that fear stuck with me although I never knew it until the PVC's chimed in feeling pretty much the same way. Ugh... THEN I think why? Wasn't WPW enough? Shesh I don't want PVC's. Only issue for me is I can not take anything to actually "calm" me down cause it makes me sleepy. At least nothing I've tried as of yet anyhow. But, I will look into a shrink I'm sure there is something they can figure out to get this stupid fear outa my head.
"...it's that old memory fear... "
Oh, yeah. Dr. Claire Weekes calls this 'the second fear" or the fear of the fear. You might want to check out her little books on anxiety problems. One is called "Peace from Nervous Suffering"; another is "More Help for Your Nerves." They were published quite a while ago, but her approach is still perfectly valid.
She analyzes what is going on in both the body and the brain, and presents simple exercises for dealing with this kind of fear. This helps many people with PVCs and other benign arrhythmias, at least to some extent.
These sweet little books weren't really helpful in my case, though. I got a serious and effective 'tool kit' for this kind of problem from my shrink. It does involve anti-anxiety/antidepressant drugs for short periods of time, and since I have heart issues, my knowledgeable psychiatrist is careful about which medications he offers me. It is important to be aware that there are in fact safe and effective medical options for those with anxiety related to cardiac problems.
A great many of those who suffer from anxiety and depression related to their arrhythmias are opposed to medication, however, and choose other options more in line with holistic medical practices.
If I were you, I'd talk to a nice shrink and see what he/she suggests.
Oh, yeah. Dr. Claire Weekes calls this 'the second fear" or the fear of the fear. You might want to check out her little books on anxiety problems. One is called "Peace from Nervous Suffering"; another is "More Help for Your Nerves." They were published quite a while ago, but her approach is still perfectly valid.
She analyzes what is going on in both the body and the brain, and presents simple exercises for dealing with this kind of fear. This helps many people with PVCs and other benign arrhythmias, at least to some extent.
These sweet little books weren't really helpful in my case, though. I got a serious and effective 'tool kit' for this kind of problem from my shrink. It does involve anti-anxiety/antidepressant drugs for short periods of time, and since I have heart issues, my knowledgeable psychiatrist is careful about which medications he offers me. It is important to be aware that there are in fact safe and effective medical options for those with anxiety related to cardiac problems.
A great many of those who suffer from anxiety and depression related to their arrhythmias are opposed to medication, however, and choose other options more in line with holistic medical practices.
If I were you, I'd talk to a nice shrink and see what he/she suggests.
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