PVC's/PAC's

[jason152318]

Ive been experiencing palpitations for about a week. I hooked myself up to a cardiac monitor at work and saw normal sinus rhythm with occasional PAC's/PVC's. I could feel the PAC's when I saw them appear on the monitor. Im a little worried though considering im only 25 years old. I work as a firefighter/paramedic and normaly dont worry to much when I see things like that on the monitor but now that its me it kind of worries me. On occasion I also feel a sharp pain in the upper left part of my chest, but it lasts about as long as a heart beat. Any ideas? i do drink coffee regularly knowing that caffene can cause the symptoms im having. Any info or input would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Jason

[kane3]

Hey,
First, I think your going to be just fine, and you have nothing to worry about. It's the constant thinking that there is a problem that is making you think there is something more than what it is. Most pvc/pac's are not a problem and many of us experience them daily wheather we notice them or not. Anxiety, stress, caffine, alcohol ect are just a few of the things that can make these beats happen. I myself suffer from pvc's and range around the 10000 mark per day and I feel almost everyone. It took me about 6 months to get used to them. I also experience a pain like yourself, mainly on the left side towards the middle when the pvc's start acting up. Ive been going on a year and a half now with these, im 25, a Police Officer, athletic and they haven't killed  me yet!! I would suggest following up with your family doctor and discussing your concerns anyhow, just to be on the safe side. A Holter Moniter would be a great way to see if your experiencing anything extra abnormal. I do take a med called Clonazepam that helps me settle down if I feel like Im paying to much attention to the pvc's....there's lots of options for you. For surely give up the coffee!! Take care
Kane

[cindy707]

Hey Jason i read your post.  Isn't it funny how when its someone else we disassociate and when it comes to us that we are the worst pts.  I guess that falls under too much information.  I doubt very much from my opinion that you need to be worried....my thinking is that the pain you feel in the upper L. part of your chest may have a little something to do with your carotid artery which makes sense to me because if you're tossing off a couple of PVC's or PACS your carotid would dialate to compensate for the heartbeat.  And yep....you know coffee and the nature of the beast of your job could cause these.  In your field of business i am assuming that you are in good physical shape but stress can also throw out a few premature or odd beats in our bodies.  I wouldn't be hooking yourself up unless you get some additional symtoms and even then i would have someone i work with take a look for an outside opinion.  Its sort of like when you read a PDR all of a sudden you experience alot of the symtoms that you read so its best to stay away from self diagnosing.  You are in a position that i am sure you are exposed to alot of medical personnel and probably have friends in the field and you may want to just toss them a couple of what do you thinks.  If in doubt be a good pt. and make an appt. w. a cardioligist just to reassure yourself.  Most PVC's as i am sure you are aware are pretty benign as well as PACS ...you are not exactly in the lowest stress job out there.  I would lay off of the caffeine, no self diagnosis and know whenever it happens it will pass pretty quickly....you know the other symtoms to look for and if your sinus rhythm is panning out okay you are probably pretty good to go. There is no rhyme or reason for either situations and they tend to have a mind of their own about when and where they're going to pop up.  You seem to me to be in a lower risk group but maybe time to change some habits.  If in doubt make the call, spend the 50.00 to see a heart doc if nothing else for reassurance and don't be comparing yourself to your victims Jason....i am sure if you responded to their call there was alot more going on with their hx. than what is going on with you......good luck....