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bigeminy and PVC's

I have had PVC's for years and have grown to accept them, as much as they bother me.  Last night I had a few glasses of wine and when I went to bed, as soon as I lay down I started feeling skipped beats, but like every 3rd, 4th or 5th beat.  It lasted about 3 minutes, and then I was fine, but it really scared me.  Has anyone else experienced anything like this, and is this just another manifestation of what I already have?  I do get PVC's every day, all day, sometimes more, sometimes less.
I'd love some answers!
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Avatar universal
I was diagnosed with Atrial tachycardia a New Years party a few years ago.  It all started a few days after that night, of beer drinking and shots with red bull.  Prior to that it was common for me to drink 1/2 pot of coffee a day, along with several diet cokes, I would also drink 8 - 10 beers three times a week (Wed, Friday/Saturday), oh and did I mention I smoke too?.  My condition that day brought me to the emergency room, I was stuck in the arrhythmia which lasted through the night, when I woke my heart was beating normally. A stress test showed nothing wrong with the heart.  I eventually saw a cardiologist and he gave me a monitor to wear for 4 weeks because I was now having very short arrhythmias at different times of the day/night.  After seeing the data, he diagnosed me with Atrial Tachycardia.  Since then I have lost 50 LBS (I am pretty skinny now!), I only drink 4 cups of 1/2 and 1/2 coffee a day and one diet Dr. Pepper.  I cut my drinking down to one night a week, but I still pound them (LOL), I drink 8 beers.  I really don't know what the root cause is, I wish I knew exactly what the cause is, is it the stress?  Is it the beer?  is it the cafine?  I wish I could fine a way to be able to drink 6 - 8 beers at least one night a week.  
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Avatar universal
Yes, too many times. Generally I avoid alcohol but I've found that a particular red wine that has no preservative or chemicals used in production (Sandy Farm - it's an Australian wine doubt it would be avail internationally)  has never caused an irregular heartbeat, headache or even that 'delicate' feeling the next day. Try experimenting with (initially small amounts) of organically grown preservative free wines and hopefully you will  find a couple you may tolerate. Do you have a heart condition? If irregular heartbeats are causing symptoms  I'd get an ambulatory EKG to assess whether it is benign.      
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Avatar universal
Thank God for this message board. I thought I was the only person going through this nightmare. I don't know a single person who has experienced these scary arrhythmias, which kind of suprises me considering I teach in a building with about 80 females. No one in my Bunco group has had this happen to her, either.
I used to get PVC's around my period every month for probably the last ten or so years. I'm 43 now. I used to notice them after an evening of drinking -- wine, beer, margaritas. I quit drinking altogether because of the palpitations. I also went off caffeine completely the week before Christmas (2007). Thinking I was doing everything right, I was mortified to endure a straight 20 minutes of the flip-flops about three weeks ago following an enormously stressful event. They'd stop for an hour or so and then come in runs of three, four, five. I called my PCP and her nurse told me to go to the emergency room. Of course then I was completely freakin' terrified and had numerous PVC's while strapped up to leads and an EKG. Doctor prescribed an IV of something to relax me, and wouldn't you know they went away. To rule out any underlying cause, the cardiologist who saw me in the ER ordered a Holter monitor, which I wore for 24 hours, experiencing (wouldn't you know) only five arrhythmias. Four days later I had a cardiac stress test (treadmill). Results came back: my heart is perfectly healthy. (wOOt!) The cardiologist said I had two choices: learn to live with the arrhythmias ("Oh, there you are, I'm paying no mind to you, you can't scare me," etc.) or take a beta blocker. Being already an anti-pill person, I told him that I would try to learn to tolerate my PVC's without spiraling into a panic attack (BECAUSE THE PALPS ARE SO FREAKING TERRIFYING). Lately, though, I've had two relatively stressful nights being awakened by the PVC's, and today, while driving home from school (I teach middle school ... so much for keeping stress on the down low!) on the interstate, I had about ten minutes of them, maybe every ten or so beats.
So I'm wondering: Should I give the beta blockers a try? Anyone out there had positive results?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Kate
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Avatar universal
YES!!!  and a lot longer than 3 minutes.
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257552 tn?1404602554
Hi,

Info from one site concerning paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and Wine:

Of 100 People with known Atrial Rhythm Problems:

“Results
Psychic [Mental] stress was the most common factor triggering arrhythmia (54%), followed by physical exertion (42%), tiredness (41%) coffee (25%) and infections (22%). Thirty-four patients cited alcohol, 26 in the form of red wine, 16 as white wine and 26 as spirits. Among these 34, red wine and spirits produced significantly more episodes of arrhythmia than white wine (p = 0.01 and 0.005 respectively).

Symptoms during arrhythmia were palpitations while exerting (88%), reduced physical ability (87%), palpitations at rest (86%), shortage of breath during exertion (70%) and anxiety (59%). Significant differences between sexes were noted regarding swollen legs (women 21%, men 6%, p = 0.027), nausea (women 36%, men 13%, p = 0.012) and anxiety (females 79%, males 51%, p = 0.014).

Conclusion
Psychic stress [Mental Stress] was the commonest triggering factor in hospitalized patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Red wine and spirits were more proarrhythmic than white wine.”

I am sure that the inclination of Alcohol to induce arrhythmias applies to ventricular arrhythmias as well. Alcohol’s involvement in the cause of arrhythmias is documented in many other places as well.

Be well.
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Avatar universal
How ironic...the bioflavonoids in red wine are supposed to be good for your heart.
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177337 tn?1310059899
I always get skipped beats when I lay down from red wine.  White wine doesn't seem to bother me but I only limit myself to two glasses.  Bellevedere Vodka for some reason doesn't bother me at all.  So...I have switched to a martini on Friday night instead of the wine.  I don't have racing or skipping with that specific vodka.  Sound like we are all in the same boat!
Frenchie
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255722 tn?1452546541
Moral of the story...no more red wine for you.  :-)

Hope your feeling better soon.
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Avatar universal
Oh my gosh!!!! I just spent my entire night last night having PVC'S on every 5th beat after having two glasses of red wine. I'm at work but, it scared me so I haven't slept.  THANK YOU for comments..........
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Avatar universal
I'm trying wean myself back on the booze. I used to love a few glasses before pregnancy but after pregnancy decided to avoid it in case it made my PVCs go even crazier. I've decided I don't care now. I want to continue this great pleasure in life PVCs or not. My only problem now is I seem to get hungover after just one glass. That's what a year without alcohol does to you. I need more practice.
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Avatar universal
I have the same issues with wine, so I've switched to beer.  Red wine for me, for some reason, is the absolute worst...so maybe try sipping a zinfandel or something and see how it goes..

Be well.
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Avatar universal
Thanks, I have had PLENTY of work up, and everything is normal.
For some reason wine seems to affect me worse than other drinking.
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Avatar universal
Maybe you need more wine.........to relax.  :)
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Avatar universal
I gave up wine -- which I love --- years ago due to that.  I have accepted the fact that I cant drink it.  I wen tto the EP for the first time last week.  I asked him every question possible about PVC/PAC's.  He says no matter what, no matter how -- you are not gong to die from them with a normal cardiac work up.  I asked him what to do when they come in a row like that and he said do your best to relax and not dump anyore adrenaline into your system.  LEt them pass on move on.  They aren't harmful to the heart.

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