Sustained PVC's!!

[Barbmag]

I am wondering what  the longest period in which you have had sustained PVC's or PAC's? And how often will you  get sustained PVC's?
If there are no symptoms, ie dizziness, how long would you wait before you went to the ER or would you even consider going? Have you talked this over w/your cardio or EP?

Are you on medication that helps to suppress these and if so, what do you take and how much?

Yesterday, I started having sus. PVC's in the morning and it was not until about 10:30 PM before they stopped.At 8:30 PM I took  50MG of Metropolol which I have on hand to take on an as needed basis. I guess I should have taken one well before 8:30 but I was hoping that they would stop on their  own. I need to ask my EP when I see him next month how long before I take medication and how long it takes to get into my system. I am currently not taking meds on a daily basis b/c the BB that I was on did not seem to help and the Calcium Blocker seemed ineffective as well. I will get advice from my new EP re meds.

I had had a pretty good day on Sat w/o many PVC's and yesterday I had not done anything any differently so this is quite frustrating. I lead a healthy lifestyle and have for many years...although w/some cheating at times, say indulging in chocolate!! But, other than that, I know what I need to avoid and just do not want to take any chances so a glass of wine now and then is a thing of the past for me.

Thanks for any replies and if you have any other info re. PVC's that you want to share, it is much appreciated! These things are more than a nuisance.

[Barbarella]

I know its so hard not to worry about them, but the more you worry, the stronger they will be and the longer they will stay.  I've been there believe me.  I know what you are going through.  They will NOT kill you.

[jcmlet]

Since my thousands of PVC's disappeared 7 weeks ago(actually I still get the odd one or two a day), I have continued using a maintenance dose of 50 mg. of Atenolol each day.(It's hard to say if this is the reason I'm PVC free-I'm too scared to stop it just in case) I am to see my cardiologist in a week and find out if this is the route I should go forever? I've read a lot in this forum about Acebutolol being used as a PVC preventative and I'll see what he says.

[Barbmag]

I can not even imagine this at all....last night, I was feeling that I just had to find some relief or I was going to scream, cry, go crazy, throw fits and lots of emotions were rattling around in my brain!!! I wonder just how long your heart could survive this?? I am going to ask my EP when I see him next month!! I had done everything to try to get them to stop, including having my darling husband give me a toot massage, then a scalp massage...that usually helps anything!! Finally I took the med which I should have done after a few hours of ongoing irregular heart beats!! I can be v stubborn.
Thanks for your post and I am glad that you are much better!

[Barbarella]

I had them for 6 months straight at one time.  Bigenemy for two weeks straight, every third/fourth beat for 6 months.

[Barbmag]

I am also active and love the outdoors and these arrhythmias have affected my life in a negative way, even tho I try not to let them get the best of me. It is hard to concentrate on the task at hand if I am having PVC's all day! I am glad that you found a med that has helped control your cardio episodes.

[tsco]

The flecanide (Tambacor) is real effective at ridding them.  I have 5-20 a day now.  But because of another problem (Rate Induced Left Bundle Branch Block) the Felcanide pulls my LBBB rate down to around 115-120 bpm.  When I exert and hit around 120 the LBBB sometimes triggers my tachacardia. So I have to choose no PACs and stay kind of subdued or PAC's and able to exercise and exert.  Right now just to get through winter I have enjoyed no PACs and watching what I do.  Not sure I can live like this either because I am active and outdoors type.  So for you something like that might work (since you don't have my LBBB problem).  I wanted to keep trying my toprol (My family doc gave me) but my EP doc switched it.  I don't know why it was helping and I would have increased it if need be.

[Barbmag]

Gosh. that IS interesting but fortunate for you that the PVC's disappeared, at least for now and I hope forever! Are you still taking meds for this or did you stop that as well? Maybe if you are, the Atenolol is keeping everything quiet!!
That is such a good way to describe it.....crippling! As much as I try not to worry or concentrate on the sustained beats when I am experiencing them, I can not convince myself entirely that this 'condition' is as benign as the doctors want me to believe. If only I could get help from a mediation but so far the 25 mg did not seem to suppress them.I am going to certainly ask my EP on 2/7 if I should increase it to 50 mg.
Thanks for your post!!! Continued good luck!

[jcmlet]

After having occasional PVC's come and go for my whole life(20-400/day). last Oct. out of the blue, I developed 25-35,000/day. This included many runs of couplets, VT, bigeminy etc. and the severe episodes would last from 3-16 hrs. After spending 2 weeks in the hospital going thru all the tests, I was slated for an ablation on Dec. 19. My heart and arteries were structurally fine. I sat at home "white knuckling" through every day and night taking 100mg of atenolol and oxasepam for the anxiety during the severe episodes. Nothing in my lifestyle, diet etc had changed to cause this condition and I and the cardiologists were mystified. I was classified as severely asymptomatic(no underlying health related cause). Each day I felt like I was going to die.
I was fitted with another holter monitor 2 weeks before the ablation on Dec. 1st. Within an hour of hooking up the monitor all my PVC's just disappeared and I have at the most had only a dozen /day ever since(many days 0). The cardiologist said this can happen and there is no rhyme or reason. My ablation had to be cancelled and I am now in a holding pattern to see what happens next. They may return tomorrow or maybe never. That's the hard part now-just not knowing but trying to stay positive.
All I can say is that having 25-35,000/day for 2 mos is just crippling. I've heard it described as popcorn popping or butterfly wings flapping constantly(with no real pain).
I hope my little profile is interesting to you or anyone. I monitor this forum daily and it's comforting that we are not alone. All the best

[Barbmag]

Yes, that's what I mean and it's when I get them in a row...it could be every other beat or every 3rd or 4th. Usually when I have these, it is sporadic in that it can be even every 8th beat but this episode last for hours and hours, like yesterday. How did you get relief? Are you taking meds for them? I am at my wits end and hate it when they continue on for hours.

tsco, yes you are so right in that they almost seem worse than the tachacardia.
I was on 25mg Toprol XL which I think did help at first but then I did not get much relief. I am wondering if I should have tried 50 mg instead of going to a diff med all tog? Did you discuss that with your Cardio?

Thanks to you both!

[tsco]

I went for several weeks of bigeminy PACs.  Toprol extended release 25 mg finally slowed them down and then my Cardio switched me to Flecanide 75 mg 2 x/day.  This med really reduced them but I am having other sypmtoms from the med, so I don't know where to go next. I fear them coming back.  They are almost worse than my tachacardia.  I was so tired and worried. It's hard to concentrate on anything when you are disrupted with a thud in your chest every breath.  I wish they would figure them out.

[ireneo]

I guess I'm wondering what you mean by sustained PVC's? Are you referring to bigeminy where every other beat is a PVC? My only experience with more-than-normal PVC's and PAC's in my life was a period of 5 months when I was having 15-25 per minute. I did get the occasional 10-30 minute break which felt so wonderful. But for the most part I would thump along for hours on end. I feel bad for the people that have hours of bigeminy. That would be exhausting.