What is best approach to treating PVC's

[Wes2175]

I've experienced PVC's for most of my adult life (I'm 56). For the most part they would pop up for a brief period of time and then disappear as mysteriously as they arrived.
For the past six months the PVC's have increased dramatically (often continuing all day). I tried cutting out caffeine, taking vitamins and exercising more. Nothing has helped.
After a visit to a cardiologist (including stress tests, Holter monitor, blood work, etc -- all normal) I was prescribed beta-blockers and a few other anti-arrhythmia type drugs. I'm currently taking Bystolic (have been taking it for 2 months) - still no help. My primary symptom is a sudden kick or lurch in my stomach when the skipped beat occurs. This can go on all day, many hundreds of times.
These episodes are dramatically impacting my work, sleep, and exercise and leisure time. I've tried a few low dose tranquilizer type drugs (obtained from relatives) and these seem to help a bit. My doctor has dismissed the effectiveness of this avenue of treatment and continued to prescribe the present anti-arrhythmic drugs that I'm currently taking
Would a good anti-anxiety/sedative type of drug be a better course of treatment? Is there any clinical evidence to support this over the variety of anti-arrhythmic drugs I've tried? I really don't want to rely on tranquillizes but nothing else has worked. I feel like my life is falling apart.
Any advice would be welcomed.

[Wes2175]

Thanks to all for the advice. I think I'm going to try requesting Xanax and see if it helps. Interesting comment on taking medication before the PVC's start to kick in.
My feeling is that once I get the first skip (typically shortly after waking up but sometimes not until late morning or even later) they never let up. I can honestly say my body feels like it's in a different 'mode' on the rare days when I'm symptom free. Conversely when I'm really having a bad day (week, month...) I can actually feel a propensity for the PVC's to start in...like my system is somehow not in sync. Crazy huh?

[Vicschick]

Hi Wes!  I feel your pain!!  I got so sick of the skip feeling in my stomach area, I went to my doctor (not a cardio but an internist).  I got a lot of relief from proton pump inhibitors because I had reflux so bad and when it would act up oh man the skips were horrendous.  As a shot in the dark, the doctor scheduled me for a HIDA scan to test the efficiency of my gallbladder.  Lo and behold, they took out my gallbladder because it was functioning at 8% and guess what???  The skips have just about vanished and I was having them every day all day long.  They are few and far between now.  I surmised that because my GB was not functioning at all, my stomach was staying constantly upset it kept my vagus nerve constantly irritated, thus, skips, skips, skips.

Just a thought.  Maybe its your gallbladder :)

[jkfrench]

Hi Wes
I can completely understand how you are feeling.  When I'm having bad days I skip social engagements as well.  Just the thought of sitting or standing around with my friends and trying to talk while with the skips in my stomach is just too much.  Plus sometimes they are so hard that when I'm talking, it actually makes me say a word or two sounding like I was actually punched softly in the stomach.  It IS really hard to describe but when I told my doctor,  he said many people comment that they feel them in their upper stomach.  Sometimes it feels like falling in an elevator as well.    It is hard to ignore them.  I try, but I feel every one.  My life was so different prior to this.  I didn't have a care in the world.  I would be the first one to jump on a plane and fly to Europe!
I have a friend that swears by a very low dose of Xanax.  She takes it three times a day and said it really seems to help with the pvcs.
I have such a small dosage (.025mg) and I break it in half.  I haven't taken it but a few times. I didn't notice that much of a difference but I imagine I'm not taking enough.  Plus, my doctor says you have to take it before the skips so the anxiety over the skips hasn't set in yet.
So, maybe just taking 1 twice a day is the answer.  If mine don't settle down soon, I will try it.  
Good luck to you too.  You will be fine.  
Remember, they aren't life threatening.  I heard a doctor once say, to imagine it as just a tickle to the heart.  The beat is there, it is just early.  The next one will always be there if your heart is healthy.  I'm okay with that explanation.  The problem is having to feel every one of the early beats.  They are just too symtomatic when they hang on for hours.
Jodie

[Wes2175]

Many thanks, will give it a whirl...

[Wes2175]

Jodi,
Yes, this stomach jolt-thing drives me crazy. I fell sort of crazy just describing it to people. My doctor really didn't want to put me on anything. He insisted the PVC's are benign and I should lean to ignore them, which is fine but it's difficult trying to get through the day with hundreds of skipped beats shooting down my stomach every hour. I've actually canceled business meetings, skipped social gatherings and basically withdrawn from so many things I really enjoy doing.
I pretty much insisted on trying any and all drugs, etc. assuming something would eventually work. So far nothing has. I'm to a point now where even a drugged stupor would be better then my present condition. Yeah, I know all this sounds melodramatic but I can't over emphasize the deleterious effect this ridiculous problem has had on my life.
Thanks for the advice, think I'll try the xanax route and see if it helps.
Best of luck to you, wes

[jkfrench]

Hi Wes,
I also get the lurch in the upper part of my stomach from my skips (I also feel the strong beat in my chest, but 85% of the time I feel them in my stomach).  I hate it and it can happen many times a minute for hours.  My doctor does not want me on an anti arrhythmics because of the benign nature of these pvc and pacs.  Why does your doctor want you on anti arrhythmics?  Are yours benign pvcs?  Have you had the number of pvc's you are getting in 24 hours recorded on a holter monitor?
Anyway, my doctor recomends beta blockers along with tranquilizers like xanax or klonopin.  That is a safer approach according to him.
Jodie

[curmudgen]

Angstrom magnesium is a liquid preparation  - see web site http://www.healthshop101.com/magnesium.html

I decided to try Mg for my palpitations - most information on internet is anecdotal but its worth a try...cheap fix if it works.  I am trying 250mg 2x/day.  No rhyme or reason to dosage other than what I found on the shelf in Walmart.  Since mine are episodic I never know from day to day what to expect.

[Wes2175]

Thanks Ron.... I did, in fact, begin taking Magnesium a few months ago (based on what I'd read). I bought a generic off-the-shelf brand: Magnesium, 500 mg. Nothing.
You reference: "angstom magnesium". Is this an important difference? Is dosage also important?
Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated. wes

[Wes2175]

Thanks Ron.... I did, in fact, begin taking Magnesium a few months ago (based on what I'd read). I bought a generic off-the-shelf brand: Magnesium, 500 mg. Nothing.
You reference: "angstom magnesium". Is this an important difference? Is dosage also important?
Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated. wes

[cindy707]

Hi Wes i read your post too...if the PVC's are effecting your life as they are and the doc is switching up the beta blockers to try to find one that the PVC's will react to and its not working i would seriously consider speaking with the doc and asking him/her for a referral to an EP Specialist to see if you are a candidate for an ablation.  I had issues that were pretty extreme with PVC's among other things four years ago and got the referral had the ablation and now no more PVC's at least.  An ablation is a cure where the meds are a treatment...i am just tossing out my thoughts here but we are the same age...i have gone thru this and a conventional ablation is a no brainer and you can go back to work within days of the procedure.  In this day and age with medical science no one has to go thru this anymore and like i said if your life has become effected to this exreme its time to consider the cure....just a thought

[viperron]

I am 66 and have had skips since I was about 25,, it's a bummer. Xanax helps me a lot however I really hate to take them but I do when necessary. I have tried everything and the only thing that has helped me a magnesium. I started experimenting with mg about 9 months ago. I will tell the whole story later if you want me to however I now use angstom magnesium  and even though I'm not perfect I am 90% better and will probably never stop using mg. Look up symtoms of not having enough mg in your body and there it is, never once did a doctor ever tell me about mg which upsets the hell out of me. Read everthing you can about mg and see what you think. Best of luck because I know how you feel and at times considered some pretty bad ways of solving this problem. Ron