Please help! Quit drinking and now I have pvc's? My story!

[Jwillvin]

Hello I am a 27 y/o male with no history of health problems. I was however a heavy drinker for about the past 4 years (4-8 beers a day, 6-7 days a week on average). A couple of months ago I woke up and soon after my heart was thumping out of my chest. That lasted about an hour and then it settled into a very fast consistent rhythm that went on for another 2-3 hours. I went to the ER and by the time i got there it had stopped. The doc diagnosed me with party heart told me to cut the caffeine and the alcohol. (Which I thought was weird because I had never had it before and like I said I had been drinking for about 4 years.) I didn't however and a month later I woke up and again was having a crazy very fast heart beat. No palpitations like the first time. I thought it was the alcohol again and decided to go to work and forget about it. Well it didn't stop and I felt like I was going to pass out at work so I took a cab to the ER. This time they caught it on the EKG and the ER doc had me lie back and bear down while he massaged my neck and pressed on my eyes. My heart went back into sinus mode almost right away. The whole racing episode lasted for about 5 hrs and when they first had me hooked up to the ekg my heart was at 170bpm.  Both times they did a series of blood tests, x-rays, thyroid etc and everything came back negative. I also have no family history whatsoever of heart related illnesses.

The second time I was told I had proxomyl a-fib and was given a prescription for cardizem and an asprin everyday. And I was reffered to a cardiologist but it took a month for them to see me. I never took the cardizem because the side effects sounded dangerous. Also right after the second episode I quit drinking coffee and alcohol all together and I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms from the alcohol, mostly anxiety and panicy feelings. It was a very rough first two weeks.

I finally got in to see the cardiologist and explained to her all of the above. She did not have a copy of my ekg from the ER room where I was diagnosed with lone a-fib. I also told her that about a month before my first episode my workload doubled because of layoffs and I was dealing with a lot of stress. I also told her that in the month since my  ER visit I was having what I would describe as hiccups or slow hard beats periodically throughout the day. Even when I was just relaxing and seemingly without stress my heart would be in regular rythym and then out of nowhere a slow hard beat which then sent fear or adrenaline racing through my body. I was having these on most days but on some days i felt nothing. She said that I was having PVC's and that they were harmless and do to the stress and caffeine and alcohol (which I had been sober from for 30 days by the time I had my appt, so I didn't understand that). She then said that based on everything that I told her and my test results from the ER and the lack of family history, that a full work up wouldn't be necessary and that I should try to forget about the PVC's and try to relax and/or see a therapist about anxiety. Anxiety that I wouldn't have if i wasn't having this abnormal heartbeat in the first place! I can't seem to understand why all the sudden am I having these PVC's on an almost daily basis sometimes 2-3 in a row but mostly one by itself on average 10-15 times a day. Can it be that from giving up drinking I have disrupted something chemically? I also notice that after one of these PVC's I have to focus to gain a full breath. I mean I am not hyperventilating but I just feel the need for a deep breath, one that gets you over that hump and feels satisfying at the exhale. Is this normal? Is the cardiologist correct? Why all the sudden if I never had anything like this before? I find that I am thinking alot about these heartbeats and making myself crazy in the meantime. Please any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Josh

[Docshawn]

Alcohol is a major cause of pvc's, pac's, and a-fib.  After a good clip of abusive use levels (I have too) you often start experiencing symptoms the more you drink; more likely, once you have a good drinking session, the following day once alcohol is processed your heart will go into symptoms, it is a response to the depressant effect

[bsdtector]

Seems like I have a similar situation.  42 year old female, fit, non smoker,  6+ beers daily.  I wanted to flatten my belly a bit for summer, so I quit drinking and most other carbs for 2 weeks.  I started throwing PVCs which got worse day by day.  All tests come back normal(blood work, x-ray)  I could not function any longer, so doc prescribed 2.5 mg Bisoprolol.  I was VERY reluctant, but desparate, so I started taking it.  After 4 days of lousy side effects, I'm feeling fine now.  I will have an echocardiogram in 2 days.  I have many more questions to ask the cardiologist.  I really do NOT want to live on this or any other meds forever, but for now I'm just happy to feel some relief.  I RESENT being told that it is a harmless condition.   I was going INSANE!!!!    I was told I was not sick enough to claim unemployment insurance.  I honestly could NOT work.  What would I have done if hubby wasn't here to support me and the kids?
While I understand Beta blockers are not a CURE, I will stay on the Biosprolol until I find another treatment.   I am visiting an acupucturist
1-2x per week.  He claims that Chinese herbs can help as well.  I also practise Qigong  and I will start meditation classes tomorrow. I am also listening to Mozart for 30 minutes per day and keeping  rhodochrosite rock on my person as it is said to help irregular heartbeat.
(AI know it sounds crazy, but as I mentioned....I am desparate!)
I will update as more data comes in.  Hang in there.
~S

[Jwillvin]

Thanks for your comments. I am glad I quit drinking and have been sober for 44 days now. I've never had or noticied these irregular heartbeats until after my second ER visit at which time I also quit drinking cold turkey. As for my weight I am 6'3" and weigh 190 lbs which the doc said was perfect for my height. BP was also normal everytime they checked. I guess that I am just nervous that these could mean something worse! Has anyone else experienced similar situation?

[Jerry_NJ]

Giving up binge drinking (if you can drink lightly, say on more than one drink at or with dinner say, that should not be a problem) is a move, the only results can be good from both your physical and financial conditions.  While there may be some emotional withdrawal from stopping drinking and that can cause heart rhythm problems, I think that will pass, hang in there!

You didn't say anything about your weight, if that is over much it too could be a problem, and it may be reduced by stopping drinking.  Alcohol has a lot of calories and is usually accompanied with too much snack eating, a drink makes me hungry.