If you're prone to anxiety and/or panic, like I am, then having PVC's can make you feel like you're caught in a vicious cycle.
My PVC's are not caused only by anxiety and stress, but they are certainly aggravated by both. If I get stressed, I get more PVC's. When I get more PVC's, I get anxious and panicky, which results in even more PVC's and then life is just miserable!
It's a vicious cycle!
I posted a couple of links to the right for "The Linden Method," which I decided to try and highly recommend to anyone who has ever experienced anxiety and/or panic, regardless of whether or not they suffer from PVC's. It has been very effective for me and although it's not enough to cure my PVC's, it has made living with them more manageable.
Feel free to submit and questions or comments on the topic!
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118 comments:
Hi Claudia, thanks for your excellent blog. I'm a fellow sufferer and right now I feel as if this thing is ruining my life. I'm at the stage of having to give up my job, which is high-stress but I love it....until the stress overloads and the ectopics start with a vengeance. Your story is my story.....I've been given the all-clear from Dr's, but as you know, this isn't any comfort when you're in the grip of a particularly bad episode, and the panic and anxiety cycle takes over. I have considered the Linden Method, but very pricey and I'm always wary of 'scams', so thanks for your endorsement, I might go ahead and part with the cash, I'm in such a low place with this whole thing right now.
BTW....my thoughts on beta-blockers, I started on a low dose of Inderal which helped for a few weeks, then they returned worse than ever, Dr changed me over to metopranol, another BB, which I've only been on for a few days, but feeling very tired and lightheaded, blood pressure and heart rate are too low and guess what? Still having the ectopics every day....will give it til next week when I go back to dr.
Glad I found this site, such a relief to feel not so alone with this.
Thanks again,
Joy.
Hi Joy,
I'm sorry to hear of your stressful situation. It sounds all too familiar. Yes, I know all too well how impossible things seem when the anxiety and panic cycle takes over. But if there's one thing I can't stress enough to you, it's that it's not hopeless. In fact, breaking the cycle is not as complicated as you may think.
I actually thought about giving the Linden Method a try a few years ago, but was too afraid that it might be a scam. So I forgot about it until things got even worse and I finally decided to try it as a last resort before going to a doctor to see about meds or therapy.
I can assure you that the Linden Method is not a scam. My experience with it is that it's exactly what it claims to be. It's a "roadmap" that will teach you how to break the anxiety cycle. It will help you see panic and anxiety for what they really are: a behavioural condition and NOT a mental illness.
It's true that it's a bit pricey, but it was worth every penny to me. (Tip: it's cheaper through the American Linden Method website than the UK one.) I ordered the downloadable version so that I could get started right away. It's cheaper than in book form and it was handy to have the manual on my laptop and then be able to tranfer all the mp3 files to my mp3player. If you buy the downloadable version, they send you all the files in the mail on backup CD's. As well, you have 1 year of e-mail or phone support from psychologists in case you need help or are still struggling with something. I did write them once and they responded promptly.
It's important to realize that the Linden Method requires work, determination, and patience on your part. Some notice a difference right away, while others take longer. I would say that I felt better gradually. I wouldn't say that I'm 100% anxiety free, but I'm sooooo much better than I was about a year ago. I think that if I didn't have PVC's, I would probably be virtually anxiety free. But since I do have them and likely always will, I still have moments where I feel like reverting back to my old "anxiety habits" (i.e. letting my thoughts and senses run wild) when my PVC's are running wild, or when I get overtired and overstressed. But now I feel like I actually have control over whether or not a PVC "attack" results in a panic or anxiety attack. I've had anxious moments, but I haven't had an anxiety attack since doing the Linden Method.
I know you probably feel at your wits end and very skeptical that anything will help. That's exactly how I was feeling about a year ago. My advice to you would be to give the Linden Method a try before giving up your job. Don't let the anxiety dictate how you live your life. I know that this is way easier said than done. If you have to take a sick leave or leave of absence for a while, then do so. Just don't quit your job or think that you have to withdraw in any way from life. When I started the Linden Method, I had about a week off from work where I tried to just focus on the programme. By the time I started work again, I felt like I had enough tools to actually go to work and have a decent day without feeling anxious. And then it was just uphill from there.
If you have any more questions or just want someone to talk to, feel free to post more questions. I know how you're feeling and it totally sucks. But there is hope and you're not alone! :)
Thanks for your kind words of support Claudia. I think I will try the Linden method, although as I'm in Australia, I might just wait until the poor old Aussie $ recovers slightly, or I'll need to take out a second mortgage to pay for it ;)
Thanks again, will let you know how I go with it.
Joy.
Hi Claudia,
I recently diagnosed with very frequent PVC's 5225 on 24 holtler monitor. Have had sob, fatigue and cardiologist still states its not from my pvc's. I have to tell you I think my pvc's got more rapid when i saw your beautiful picture. I have suffered with anxiety also for many years. Anyone have any thoughts on alcohol and pvcs?
thanks
John
Hi I too suffer from PVC's (the last 6 six years) I am a 33 year old male. Do not smoke and do not drink. One day they started and have had them ever since. No matter how many doctors tell me not to worry I still do. My pulse will jump to 120 and then I start with the ectopics sometimes 2 in a row then a pause for 2 seconds and then pulse jumps back up to 120. I ended up in emergency on sat as after 4 hours could not slow my pulse down.. Cardiologist just gave me a different beta-blocker and sent me on my way.. Even today sat at my desk at work they have started again, this time my pulse is only 90. Does anyone have an ideas as to how to stop these things.. they are starting to affect every part of my life.. Thanks...
John, some do say that alcohol increases the frequency and intensity of their PVC's. I don't drink, so I don't have any personal experience on the matter. But I don't even consume caffeine (except the small amount that's in chocolate) and I still get really bad PVC's sometimes.
Anonymous, PVC's are really hard to get rid of, but because they're almost never dangerous, it's not something you should worry about (although I know all too well that that is way easier said than done).
The thing I find strange is your sudden pulse increase. Do you think it's anxiety-related? Has your doctor witnessed your rapid pulse on the Holter in order to rule out another arrythmia, such as SVT?
To sum it up, for me personally, the best way to keep my PVC's under control is:
-regular intense exercise that gets your pulse really going
-eating well and getting enough rest (very important because fatigue appears to be a trigger for me)
-most importantly, trying to keep stress to a minimum and working on my anxiety issues.
Hi Claudia, thanks for the response, yes I have had many holter monitors and nothing has ever been said about the sudden pulse increase. For example lying in bed this morning my pulse was 62 - 68 then after having a cup of decaf coffee and a luke warm shower my pulse was 116 and the pvc's started again.. The cardio says unless I am getting 5000 plus pvc's in a 24 hour period they do not do anything other than beta blockers.. I have been fine all day until I ate a tuna sandwhich and that seems to have kicked them off again but only a few this time but my pulse is 96 and I feel flushed..
Thanks for your help and support.. Nobody understands the feeling and even though my wife is a senior emergency nurse she does not understand why I can not just igonore them..
Thanks again.
Was your cardiologist aware of these episodes? Did you say that you were sometimes experiencing a rapid pulse? If I were you, I would want to confirm with the cardiologist that this rapid pulse is not a separate issue from PVC's, just to rule that out. Since it was recorded on the Holter and nothing was said about it, you're most likely fine, but it would be a good idea to confirm that, especially since it's so bothersome for you. If they are able to examine one of these episodes and rule out any other heart problem, it may be anxiety-related. Sometimes it can be really hard to know the difference. I know that all too well! :)
I think that most people would think that PVC's is something they could just get used to and not worry about when the doctor tells them they're OK -- unless they've actually experienced them themselves!! Even after 15 years+ with mine, it's not something that I'm able to ever entirely get used to. At least not on the days when they're very intense and very frequent. So you have my sympathies! :)
Hi Claudia,
I have been diagnosed with IST (inapropriate sinus tachy) which is one issue and the ectopics are another.. I would rather get rid of the ectopic's and then worry about the IST. Has anyone found anything that helps to reduce the ectopic's. I know that I do not get 100's a day but I am waiting every minute of every day waiting for the next one!! Has anyone ever had the ectopics stop just as mine just started one day 6 years ago..
Mine seem to come and go. I do have at least a few each and every day. But some days they are so mild and relatively few, that I don't even give them a thought. But then I'll enter a rough period when I'll have hundreds of them every day for a week or two, and will sometimes have several sleepless nights. I just had a period like this a couple of weeks ago. Then they subsided and I've been feeling pretty good for a couple of weeks. The main thing is to expect that they will come back eventually (chances are that they will, but then again you may be one of the lucky ones who only has an isolated bout of them), but to not fear them. It's difficult sometimes, but when I have these bad bouts of them, I just remind myself that it won't last and that I'll feel better in a few days.
Hi
I don't really know whether i suffer from pvc's or not but i know i get frightened. I started having what i can only describe as missed heartbeats about 18 months ago. My husband had got me a bike and as i started to push harder on it i noticed that my heart would feel like it paused and would then do an extra strong beat. I felt it mostly in my neck but if i put my hand on my heart I could feel it happening. I went to my Dr and he did blood tests and a ECG test. He said everything was fine and not to worry about them. I havent had so many, or if I am i cant feel them, but as I am stepping up the cycling again I am beginning to have them a bit more. I rarely feel them at rest it just appears to mostly be when I am pushing myself at exercise. I know there are a lot of people with worse stories on here but I was just wondering if anyone could relate to this or reassure me it is ok? I want to believe the Dr and everyone who tells me this is fine but when it happens again I get so frightened I am going to drop dead! I also end up spending hours trawling the internet trying to find answers which I dont think really helps me, this group seems different though as everyone is suffering this same. Any advice would be more than welcome :) Many thanks, Meg
Hi Meg,
What you are describing (the sensation of a skipped beat, a pause and then a jolt) sounds like classic PVC to me. Your description fits it to a tee.
The only difference is that typically, PVC's occur more often at rest. The fact that you are getting them more during exercise sounds a bit atypical, but there could be a reason for this. You may be having them more often, even while at rest, but you only notice them when you work out because when your pulse is elevated, they can feel much more forceful and are more noticeable. I occasionally get them while working out, but they are much more frequent when I'm at rest. Some people feel all of their PVC's (like me), while others don't notice them at all. Some may only notice the more forceful ones. This could be your case.
If you would like to get a definite diagnosis, I would recommend pushing your doctor for the Holter monitor. As long as you are having them fairly regularly, chances are that you will get at least one or two within a day or two that you use the Holter monitor. That way the cardiologist will be able to "catch" it and give a definite diagnosis. EKG's and ECG's aren't that useful in diagnosing PVC's because often they don't occur during the test, so they are missed.
It's highly unlikely that you have a serious arrythmia, based on what you describe -- especially if you aren't experiencing any shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or extreme racing pulse. But always good to get a definite diagnosis from an expert.
Thanks for your reply. yeah it is possible im getting them at rest but have noticed. When I do get them whilst exercising it will typically only be a single one or at most two in a row and when I calm my heartbeat down they stop, its almost like the rhythm has to get back to normal after such exertion. I'm mostly only worried that this will one day cause me to just drop dead, cos they aren't too often I can live with it fine, its just the anxiety it causes at the time.
Hi Claudia,
I recently became aware that I have PVC issues. It has been nice to read the posts here. At first I thought I was on the verge of having a heart attack, which is odd because I am only 34 and in fairly good health. I now believe that it has been brought on by too much stress, something I have a history with.
Starting when I was 19 I began having acute anxiety attacks. I would have them now and again and for a while I would have the fear of that hanging over my head whenever I traveled, etc. I never had it diagnosed or took medication for it. However, by the time I was 25 I had basically overcome my anxiety on my own by learning to better control the triggers. I have not had any problems with anxiety in 9 years. fingers crossed! I say that to those who are struggling with it, you can certainly beat it.
I was intrigued by the post about taking magnesium to minimize PVC. As I was googling what kinds of supplements are available I came across this site that had some interesting info on how "humming" can regulate heart rhythm by creating more nitric oxide. Maybe it's worth a shot since there seems to be little treatment available. I'll check back if it works:
http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/treat12.php
That's great that you were able to conquer your anxiety, because that's half the battle!
I'm intrigued by this humming theory. I think it would be hard for me to implement, but I guess it would become habit. Please do let us know how it works, even if you see no difference.
I am so glad I found this blog. I had my first experience with PVCs a month ago. I ended up in the emergency room and remained in the hospital until my heart rate went down (~ 120 bpm). I am 31, female, non-smoker, never had alcohol and generally healthy. I am glad that someone out there can relate to what I am going through. I am trying my best to deal with them one day at a time but they are taking over my life. I am constantly thinking about them and trying to figure out how to keep myself distracted. I did the holter monitor but didn't get the results yet. Now, I am on a 14-day monitor and I am on day 2.
About triggers, lack of sleep is a major trigger for me. I gave up coffee after my hospital admission (very sad about that) but if that's the price I have to pay to avoid PVCs, then I am willing.
Another thing I noticed is that my PVCs get worse after I eat. Anyone noticed that?
Thanks, Claudia for this excellent blog. I will be sure to come back again. Cheers.
I sometimes notice more PVC's after eating, particularly after a big meal.
I'm 42, female, fit, non-smoker.
I started throwing PVCs 3 months ago for no apparant reason. I have no stress.(I LOVE my life) I tend to drink a lot of booze, but that's nothing new. I was diagnosed with WPW 25 years ago, but I'm aymptomatic. I also had rheumatic fever as a kid, but I sufferred NO valve damage. These palps are a totally new, unrelated condition. I quit caffeine and booze and they got WORSE!!! I finally had to go on 2.5 mg Bisoprolol to get some relief. I really did NOT want to take these beta blockers, but I was desparate and since it's the lowest dosage possible, I thought it would be O.K. I would still like to find a REAL treatment. I want to know why my doctor did not offer ablation as a possible therapy.
Hi claudia,
Have suffered from ectopic beats for years. Just wanted to add that Chocolate can trigger ectopic beats big time. I ended up in hospital twice via ambulance because of chocolate. Had changed to the dark chocolate too. I might add that the hospital didn't work out what caused the major irregular heartbeats, my GP did when he mentioned the Theobromine in chocolate. Stopping chocolate has not stopped my ectopic beats but at least the awful bijiminy beats have stopped.
Sal
Hi Claudia
Just want to share my story. I have had the pesky PVCs on and off for 4 years, I am going through a terrible bout with them at the moment (for the last 4 weeks, UGH!!) It's so annoying because I usually will have them for a few weeks and then they are gone. The thing is, I accept that there is nothing wrong with my heart, so they dont worry me in that way, they more worry me in the sense of: will they ever go away? (which I'm sure excabates them!) And I find it incredibly hard to cocentrate at work when I have them all day. And then I feel sad and so frustrated with them. Anywho. Any tips? I feel like I am at my wits end!!
PS thank you for this glorious post. It really is lovely to know we're all in this together.
PPS what is the best way that you describe them to your friends/family? i just dont feel like anyone gets how awful & dispruptive they truely are.
Megan :)
Hi Megan!
Glad that you've found this blog so helpful! It's been great to see that none of us are alone. (Well, not great that so many of us have PVC's, but you get what I mean. :)
The best way I can describe PVC's when family and friends ask me what it feels like, is that it feels like my heart stops, skips a beat, and then has a jolt. Sometimes it feels like an extra beat, which is actually what it is. The disruption in the normal rhythm is what gives the stopped heart and skipped beat sensation. So for that second or two when you experience it, you feel like you're going to drop dead, and then you get that fight or flight response because it's so scary. When mine are mild, I don't get such an extreme reaction. But sometimes they are very strong and forceful, and sometimes I literally jump in my seat when I get them. So they're not fun and unless you've experienced them yourself, it's hard to appreciate what it's like for those of us who have hundreds, some even thousands, per day.
On days when they're bad and it's hard to concentrate, it can feel like a losing battle. I'm lucky because my job involves a lot of moving around. I work as a PSW in a nursing home and I'm usually quite busy tending to patients and preparing meals, etc. It must be difficult to have a desk job or a job that requires a lot of concentration. For me, distraction is the key. I still feel them even when I'm distracted, but they tend to be less frequent and not as forceful. When they're bad, don't try to "fight" it, because you end up in the vicious cycle of frustration and anxiety. Just accept them and let them go. I know it's a lot easier said than done, but try not to get worked up over them.
I have had a problem with ectopic beats for a while.
They come and go like an unwelcome guest......
Today I noticed them for the first time during my regular swim. Have never had them during exercise before.
I got so stressed and didn't know what to do. However i did try to continue.
I have had my EKG/ECG, 24 hour holter monitor. my heart echogram and the stress test on the treadmill on which I exercised till my target heart rate was achieved. Is there any other test I need to do.
Should I be worried about this new development?
ABM
Hi ABM!
I wouldn't be concerned about this new development. Although they are generally much more frequent during rest, it's not at all unusual to experience a few PVC's during exercise. I used to rarely ever get them while exercising, but now I find that I usually get a few. But my cardiologist assured me I was fine and was adamant about NOT giving up on exercise because of them. I generally run through them without stopping, unless I'm getting many of them. Then I find it's just too mentally challenging to run through them. But this doesn't happen very often. They can be extra uncomfortable because your heart rate and blood pressure are elevated during exercise, so the jolt sensation can feel even worse than PVC's during rest.
Sounds like you've had a good check-up. There's probably no other test that I can think of would be necessary. Good to hear that you had a stress test done as well. Did the Holter or any of the other tests pick up the PVC's so that the cardiologist was able to analyze them?
Dear Claudia,
Thanks for your reply.
The holter did pick up a few dozen of them during the day. The doctor did not seem to be concerned. Just asked me to do a stress test and none of them came up in that. They seemed to have stopped since then.
Have started again now. Today while in the pool I had 2 or 3 in a row. Is that something to be concerned about. I remember someone telling me you shouldn't get them back to back.
thanks,
ABM
That's a good question. They call them "couplets" (i.e. 2 irregular beats after another), or "triplets," etc. I've sometimes experienced 20+ in a row, and I have couplets and triplets pretty much daily. The Holter didn't catch any of these longer episodes, but I told my cardiologist about it and he wasn't concerned.
According to some websites, 3 or more consecutive PVC's is considered "ventricular tachycardia," which can in rare cases lead to ventricular fibrillation, which is very dangerous (like what you hear of young, healthy athletes suddenly dropping dead of). Now, I'm not an expert of course, but this is how I understand it:
"Ventricular tachycardia is a sustained run of rapid ventricular contractions."
Although my heartbeat can be very irregular with many couplets and triplets, I haven't experienced that scary, rapid, uncontrolable heartbeat. This is probably why I was never diagnosed with VT.
PVC's are not dangerous in themselves, but they CAN be a sign of an underlying more serious heart problem.
According to one website:
"A close correlation exists between the complexity of PVCs and the risk of developing ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation in patients with cardiac disease. Patients who have complex ventricular ectopy without apparent cardiac disease only rarely experience life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias."
So, since your heart is structurally OK and assuming you haven't experienced symptoms of VT (i.e. racing heartbeat), multiple PVC's are probably nothing to worry about in your case.
There is an excellent guide that I found here that will probably answer a lot of your questions.
Ok now I am getting scared!!!!!
I have been struggling with PVC's for 5 years now. I get very light headed and scared when it happens. I am now 25 years old and am just being terrified of having v-tach or sudden cardiac death. I have had an Echo and holtor, which showed my PVCs and Sinus Tach. Sometimes my heart does race up to 150bpm, but the cardiologist waves it off as anxiety. I want to stop thinking about this and I am ready to go and be a defibrillator just in case. With an electrical problem, how do they know for sure that it won't lead to VTach? I need some advice.
I asked my cardiologist specifically how great a risk I had for developing a more serious arrythmia, like VT. He said it was very unlikely, but to let him know if there were ever any significant changes.
All of this stuff is scary and it can be exhausting and daunting to think about and have at the back of your mind all the time. Usually I'm pretty good at controlling it, but I have my difficult bouts. Just last night, for example, they were really bad and I was up most of the night. I find that when I get tired and stressed, it gets VERY difficult to stay calm and think positive.
I think it's very important to remember that those who have VT or those young people that suddenly drop dead generally were oblivious to their condition and were never examined because they never had any problem. We, on the other hand, have a very high awareness of our PVC's and we HAVE been thoroughly examined and gotten a clean bill of health.
Maria, how often do you experience sinus tach? Was it picked up on the Holter or when the doctor examined you? If he's dismissing it as anxiety and you're confident that it's not, perhaps you should consider one of those event monitors that is worn for a month. It would be good to establish whether it's happening only during times of stress, or even at home when you're relaxed.
Make sure to check out the "Skipping Hearts" forum (see link on right). There's some good info and support to be found there from fellow sufferers.
Hi Claudia-
The sinus tach happens at any time, but mainly I wake up from it in the middle of the night. I have spent many nights in the ER due to this. Me looking on the internet about Vtach and SCA has just made me worse. I am not able to function and want my life back
I too have been having pvc's on and off for a few years. They seem to be getting worse. I have been having bouts of 20 in a row. Some websites say that is very serious. My doctor says to just try to forget them. Easier said than done. It just helps to know there are other people out there who understand (unfortunately).I haven't decided if this is just a bad run or if I need to call the doctor because they are getting worse. Have any of yours gotten worse without letting up?
Mine have. I actually get wake up a lot of nights with sinus tach on top of the PVCs and PACs. (sometimes bpm is 160) VERY scary...have ended up in the ER A LOT. I just want to get to a place that I am not so scared anymore....probably like most of you. I recommend the forum skippinghearts.com that Claudia has put on here. I joined today and the people on their have so much to say. Between this website and that one...hopefully we can start to feel better. But def get to a Dr. to get a peace of mind...that is what I am trying to do. (if there is such a thing as a peace of mind with PVCs)
Thanks for your advice. I had a couple of good days, and now a very bad one. It is so hard to see through to the other side when you are in the middle of these. I am so glad there are all of you out there to understand and we can all help each other through this.
Claudia are you still having trouble sleeping at night? I just thought of a few things for you to try (and just to try in general when the palps are getting us all down):
- Cup of soothing tea before bed (ie lemon balm, peppermint, fresh lemon with a bit of honey)
- Get into your comfiest cosiest pjs and slippers
- Put candles on and do some relaxing with some lovely soothing meditative music on
- OR put on your favourite song, and no matter how terrible you feel, dance your ass off to it in your room :)
- Go outside, look at the stars, and take some deep breaths
- Go for a long walk and look at things of an aesthic nature
- Giggle at something. Smile no matter what you feel inside.
- Go spoil yourself. Get a massage, a delicous hot chocolate, rent your favourite movie, paint your toe nails, linger in a long warm bath. Anything to make you feel grand.
Thank you, all those suggestions sound wonderful. Especially the hot chocolate. :)
Claudia
Great site. i have had skipped heartbeats all my adult life(im 59)they are very uncomfortable and scary. It hasn't stopped me from living a full-life. iam a retired Captain from the NYC Correction dept.i hate having thewm when I drive.
thanks
Tony
Hi everyone, I am so glad I found this website. I have been having irregular heart rhythms for about 17 years now (I am 32). It started at 15 and continued. I have been in the emergency room on numerous occasions and been through all the tests. The doctors convinced me that it was in my head and that I have anxiety disorder. I went to a rhythm specialist in January after 1 month of continued irregular beats. I would have one normal beat and then the pause followed by the big thud over and over again. However, the event monitor did not capture too many pacs and pvcs ( I only had a few during the test) and the cardiologist didnt even tell me I had them, which I found very strange. I went back to my regular physician for the irregular beats and he told me the diagnosis. He said, "oh they are harmless." Then he wrote me a another prescription for anxiety medication. I am anxious because I think my heart is going to stop! I am not anxious about anything else. I honestly believe that the pacs and pvcs caused my panic disorder & not the other way around. I have spent the last 17 years of my life in counseling on & off thinking that I am crazy. Stress may make them worse, but often times they really do happen without reason. At this point I am ready to give up. I feel like someone or something is just playing russian roulette with me all day long everyday. Each day I wake up and wonder if this is going to be the last. I can't have a normal relationship, can't travel and I feel like I would rather die than deal with this for the rest of my life. It makes me feel so weak! I'm not trying to be negative, but I am on my 3rd week of constant irregular beats. I really feel like I am going to lose my mind! I don't feel like going to the hospital or doctors for them to dismiss my concerns. Anyhow, I just needed to vent a little bit. Thanks for starting this website. I hope that one day there is a cure for this and we can all have peaceful lives.
Take care,
Heather
Hi everyone,
Although I would never wish these things on my worst enemy, I have to say it is very comforting to know that I am not the only one going through this. I read your stories and I can understand how you feel. I've experienced regular PVC's/PAC's for about 5 years now; I too have had all the cardiac tests; I have been to the ER multiple times; I have seen doctors and cardiologists; I have spent hours on the internet trying to figure out how the heck to get rid of these things and whether or not there might be some other underlying medical problem causing them. I have had so much lab work done since these things started and everything always comes back normal (personally, I think it's a testament to how awful these things are and how much they impact quality of life that so many of us would RATHER find out something was wrong with us in the hope that a treatment might bring relief). I have been told I have an anxiety disorder; I now take Paxil for that plus a beta blocker which sometimes helps and other times (particularly around "that time of the month" does not) I agree with the previous post that the PVC's cause my anxiety rather than the other way around (though like many of you, I too am now caught in the vicious cycle because anxiety can and does make them worse at times). I was lucky enough to have a great PCP who really listened to me and tried to help me get to the bottom of this - even if we never did find a reason for them, she at least helped to put my mind at ease. It's frustrating because like many of you, some days I don't get a single PVC and I don't even think about them - and if I do, I am thankful, life feels wonderful! On other days, they bring me to tears. What I don't understand about doctors and their advice about PVC's is this: they say "just ignore them" because they won't kill you, but there are many medical conditions that fall in that category - uncomfortable, annoying, but most likely not going to kill you. Despite this, many of these conditions still have effective treatments - why? Because deadly or not, if they decrease a patient's quality of life, that's something worth paying attention to. Maybe someday someone will have an answer for us, but until then, thanks to all of you for sharing your stories and for your support. :)
Rainwalker and Tiffany, welcome to the blog! I'm glad that you're able to find support here. That's what I and the others are for. Sometimes the greatest relief for someone who suffers from PVC's is knowing that a) they're not alone and there are others out there who understand EXACTLY how it is and b) you're NOT making it up and it's not all in your head.
I agree completely that the anxiety is because of the PVC's and NOT the other way around. Of course, one ca already have anxiety issues before ever developing PVC's, but PVC's are not something that you can totally stop or control even if you are able to completely eliminate your anxiety. Yes, you can alleviate them by tackling your anxiety issues, but it's not enough to be free of PVC's. PVC's are a physical "problem" with the rhythm of your heart, extra ventricular impulses. But your doctors are right that they are almost always harmless. But I do think they have a tendency to dismiss how seriously they can affect one's quality of life simply because they haven't experienced PVC's themselves. As I was telling Runman a few comments back, NO ONE can truly understand how scary this condition is unless they've had it themselves. When it's bad, it's not easy to be satisfied by the argument that it won't kill you. As you know, they're extremely uncomfortable.
It's not unusual for me to have bad periods of them that last for 1, 2, 3 weeks. Then I may have a really good period of a few weeks where they're very mild.
So hang in there, both of you. Read through all the comments from people and always feel free to ask questions.
I have searched the internet for years and just found this site. Very interesting and I look forward to having time to get to know some of the bloggers on here. I am a 51 year old male who can remember having these pvc's at a junior and senior in high school--yet her I am. Folks- I have been through it all. The panic attacks, the fears, the agony and all that goes with these. Even after all that I have had and been through these things still scare me sick. I see some of you mentioning the real thumpers - when you feel that pause or absence and then that strong, hard beat that follows. I swear my heart is going to stop. Right now I am being nagged by the ones I feel in my stomach-Don't get that either, how you feel some in your chest and some in your stomach. Anyway, I am having these like crazy. I walk with my wife just over 4.0 miles a day and at times have 100-200 of these during the walk OR they will kick in after the walk. I can't think of anything much more annoying than the feeling and anxiety caused by these pvc's. I have had every test, had open heart for atrial fibrillation due to a 1-1 rate of 270-280 at times in this a-fib. I have had the holters - the whole thing but on they go and so do I. I will say these seem to run in cycles for me, and that at times the magnesium and potassium has seemed to work or bring some relief. You know I have a friend of mine who is a doctor who wore a holter one weekend--he had 20,000 in one day and guess what- he never felt a single one of the pvc's - never does. On the other hand I feel every little thing with my heart - I mean everything. Anyway- looking forward to following the site. Hello to all.
Steve, welcome to the blog! Thanks for telling us your story in detail with us. I hope that we'll be able to encourage and reassure each other here, even if we can't cure PVC's. Many of us can relate to your story. That was interesting how someone could have 20,000 of them in a day! And it's amazing how so many people don't even know that they have PVC's.
I know what you mean about how you notice EVERYTHING about your heart. I feel the same way. It's like a blessing and a curse at the same time. A blessing perhaps because we are probably more in-tune with our bodies than most folk, and a curse because we have such ultra high sensation of every small irregularity.
Although I have PVC's every single day, they definitely run in cycles for me. Some days are very mild and some are extremely intense. I've never been able to establish a real pattern, except I know that fatigue and/or stress can make them worse. And yet sometimes it doesn't. I've tried the magnesium and my potassium is OK. Nothing has helped me so far. What I try to do is tackle the anxiety that aggravates them, even though I know that it won't cure them. It helps and it makes me feel more proactive, which is an excellent coping mechanism.
Are your PVC's related to your a-fib issues? Are PVC's currently your only heart issue, or do you have others?
Thank you thank you thank you again for this blog. I have been havign the worst bout with the PVCs so far, 2 months now! Sometimes I feel really strong with them, other times the tears just flow for centuries.
I am on a beta blocker, have tried meditaion, magnesium, psychologist, natural herbs, but to no avail. Maybe some might say I should stop tryign to stop them and just learn to live with them. Easier said than done. SOmeone said to me "I dont get it, if they're not dangerous, why do they affect your life so much??!!" I looked at them and said "imagine having hiccups, all day, every day. That woudl be really annoying, wouldn't it? Now imagine that it's your heart hiccuping"
Anyway, I'l keep on truckin', keep smiling, keep finding ways to help me cope. If anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know. What do people think about acupunture?
Sending you all happy heart vibes. Keep blogging everyone!!
Hi everyone....it's been a couple of weeks since I posted....First, Claudia, you so right that NO ONE can understand what we go through if they don't get them or feel them. Was reading Steve's blog about his Dr. that had 20,000 a day and didn't feel any. I guess that should make us secure but it doesn't really help. I asked my Cardiologist once about things like that-he told me everyone gets them but not everyone feels them....his explanation to me about feeling the was in relation to my body - I'm 6'3" and 185....and. of course, a runner...He said that because i'm so thin that i would be more prone to feeling them....I don't know if I believe that or not...he of course, went on to say they are completely harmless.....All of you out there can relate when I tell you this - my wife is a "matter of fact" person, so I rarely tell her when I have bouts of these things because her response is always, Dr. said it's harmless, so forget about it! They'll never understand!!!! Funny, last week went back to drinking some iced tea (caffine) and went days w/o any skips.....then stopped the caffine and they came back. It's just a viscious cycle as we've all alluded too....but these posts do help.....I hope everyone has a good labor day weekend.
Runman Don, I'm glad that you check in regularly. I want to keep contact with you since you're also a runner and have had these things for so many years. If by any chance you're on Facebook, join my group there. Also, make sure to read my new post here on the blog.
Hey Claudia, hope your having a stress free weekend. I am on facebook but what do I search for to join your group. Remember , I'm old and, at times, technologically challenged. Thanks
Hey Don, you should be able to access it directly here. If not, try searching in groups for "Cardiac Arrythmia Support Group." I use the same heart monitor graphic as I do on this blog.
Hey, Can I ask for some advice? I have ectopic heartbeats from time to time - well, at least i think they are. It sometimes feels like my heart has actually stopped. Like someone is reaching into my chest and squeezing my heart. It doesn't exactly hurt but it makes me feel a bit weird for a moment or two.
I do suffer with anxiety and have had a 24 hour ecg. The doctor thought it was ok so I should trust him I guess...it's just that it is pretty scary. I'd love to hear that this is a familiar story to get a bit of reassurance.
Thanks,
Andy
Hi Andy,
The sensation you describe is something that I experience frequently. I get it most often at night when I'm trying to fall asleep. It literally feels like my heart stops, then when it starts up again it feels almost like it's quivering. The "squeezing" you describe is probably what I'm feeling as well. For me personally, that is the worst part of PVC's. I'd take the extra beats and jolts over the heart-stopping/quivering sensations. It's awful, I know, just hang in there because it's just another part of these PVC's.
Thanks Claudia,
It's good to hear that I'm not the only one! What a horrible thing to have to put up with! Still, at least it isn;t all that dangerous I guess...
Andy
Hi Claudia,
First of all, thanks for doing this blog! I appreciate it!
I am a 40 yr old male who developed high BP a few years ago. Was placed on a BP med and a few days later, ended up in the ER with a heart rate of 150. I was given a beta blocker and since I already had a stress test, opted for a cardiac cath. They located a small area of blockage in an artery and placed a stent. Fortunately, they caught it before I had a heart attack!
Since then I have developed PVCs. Additional testing revealed that everything else is fine - labs, echos, stress tests, etc. In fact, I lowered my cholesterol and triglycerides to normal and lost nearly 70 lbs! Years before I was diagnosd with a fatty liver and since then, it is gone!
The PVCs can be very annoying! Having a healthcare background myself, I was well aware of the dangers that too many PVCs can bring about...however, cadiologists have concluded that mine are indeed benign. I have a type A/D personality and a bit of OCD, so that doesn't help. I also notice lack of sleep, stress, a full stomach after a meal, changes in position (such as bending over), or laying in bed on my back or on my right side causes them to increase, or causes me to be more aware of them.
I do take a beta blocker, fish oil, and a few other meds to keep the blood thin and flowing.
Last night I woke up with a few PVCs after a very busy weekend. It made me a bit anxious, so thus I "Googled" around about benign PVCs. So MANY people are saying and describing similar symptoms on so many forums. I'm glad I ran across your blog. It's good to know I'm not the only one who might think they are loosing their mind at times because of these.
Glad you found the blog. I can relate to much of what you said, especially the bending over and different positions making PVC's worse. Sometimes when I bend over, I feel very faint and like my heart is being squeezed.
Claudia, first off thank you for starting the blog. i am 36 years old male and have suffered from PVCs since 1992. I was a hockey player and one evening during practise I had what I thought was an asthma attack. I later found out it was a panic attack. I felt a tightness in my chest, dizzy, sweating, difficult to breath and a racing heart. A week past and I had another one. In 1992 my panic attacks got so bad that agrophobia set in. (I cured myself by getting active again) I had a heart reate sitting on 110-120 beats per minute, resting. During a panic attack 160-180 all regular. I noticed a short time after I started getting PVCs. My cardiologist did every test under the sun and found nothing wrong with my heart. My blood pressure was little high and my thyroid level was a little up. I was placed on metoprolol 50mg twice a day. I have since had it increased to 100mg twice a day and was given an extra perindolpril 2mg once a day. I have noticed as I get older I am having more and more PVCs. All comes up fine on echo etc....I find it really diffcult to cope with them. It effects my work, I often have to have days off. When they do happen I am usually resting. I may feel a thump, or spasims for a second or two and than nothing for a few hours and than some more spasism etc...When I have them I often worry and get all panicked. I am now finding that I get them in clusters. I may be fine for a couple of months...no PVCs and than bam, a few day over 2-3 days. I really want them to stop. I find if I am rally active I dont get them as much but if I relax or become inactive for a few days, I start to get PVCs. I sometimes get a pinching short pain for a second between my upper top chest and sometimes above my upper top chest to the left (both away from my heart) for a second there I think its a heart attack. This is very rare getting this pinch. Maybe 2 a year. The last few days I have been getting PVCs often. They are really doing my head in. It is great to be able to read your story and others for I now feel like I am not alone. I thank you. EYB
I forgot to add (my post above) that I dont drink, I dont smoke, I dont drink tea or coffee but I do eat chocolate now and then. I dont do any drugs. I am also keen to meet other sufferers in Australia. Can I pass on my email? Thank you EYB
Hey EYB!
Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate to much of it. Like you, my PVC's have gotten worse with age. But, also like you, I've had several check-ups with cardiologists (including a very thorough one a bit over a year ago) and there is nothing structurally wrong with my heart as far as they can tell.
I've never tried meds for either the PVC's or the anxiety. After my PVC's exploded in frequency and intensity about a year and a half ago, my anxiety got worse and I felt like throwing in the towel and seeing the doc about anxiety meds. Luckily, I decided to give The Linden Method a try as a last resort and it totally changed the way that I view and deal with my anxiety. I came to the conclusion that it wouldn't benefit me to medicate the anxiety when the anxiety stemmed from my PVC's. So, I considered beta blockers for the PVC's but, after consulting with my cardiologist, decided against it. That's where I am now and I'm doing OK, but I have some bad days and (more so in the last year) some really horrendous nights. Sometimes I wish I had some beta blockers, but I will have to re-evaluate it when I feel that I really need them to function. I find that I get tired easily, but I feel like I'm not in shape like I used to be since I've been neglecting working out like I used to. I have to be careful not to get stressed or too fatigued or else it can send me into a bad bout of them.
I'm not sure why they seem to get worse with age for some people. I have them every single day, but some days are very mild. The couplets and multiples have really increased the past couple of years. I occasionally get a quick, sharp pain but it's not something I get a lot. Lately I've been getting more of a squeezing of the heart sensation and I sometimes feel it in my throat, which is something a lot of people experience but is still relatively new for me. It can make me feel a bit breathless sometimes. I've always been a fairly active runner, but I've been feeling frustrated with that lately as I had a couple of runs where I really felt winded, like I couldn't take a deep breath, and had to walk it. Really frustrating and disappointing to me.
I've never really experienced a racing pulse that wasn't anxiety-related. There have been a few times where I've wondered, but nothing that I can really pinpoint.
I'm the same as you. No coffee, tea, smoking, or drugs. My only source of caffeine is chocolate. Giving chocolate up didn't make a difference for me.
If you're comfortable posting your e-mail address here, it's no problem with me. I would also encourage you to join our Facebook group (see link on the sidebar). Not sure whether we have any Australians there, but it's possible as we have quite a few members now.
Did you play hockey in Australia? Or are you a Canuck like me? :)
Claudia hi,
I played hockey in Australia but I lived in Toronto for 3 years up until last year. I played a lot of hockey in Canada.
As for betablockers, I was placed on them because I have tachycaria and hypertenstion. I was active at one stage but I am so scared to get my heart rate up, I avoid lots of activity. I noticed my weight is going up and down. I am not a big eater but my weight changes.
I think tomorrow I will go visit the doctor for a check up. Get her to run some blood test and do another holter. They can never seem to catch my PVCs. When I get them I often freeze what I am doing. It scares the life out of me. The last few days I have had PVCs on a regular basis. Today I only had a couple.
I dont know if it is because I am not drinking enough water, maybe a mineral imbalance..........I dont know. I dont know what trigger them off this time.
My email address is eranshalomtoronto@gmail.com
If any Australians wanna get in touch with me, write me here please.
I joined your facebook group last night. Thank you for starting this blog. I really do know what you are going through.
I also want to add, that sometimes at night, I just go to close my eyes and THUMP goes my chest I jump up out of bed, my heart is racing and after a minute it slows down and I feel fine and go back to sleep. It feels like a jolt or as if someone stunned me.
PS: I travel a lot and I find when I am busy travelling around the world, I dont get PVCs. The last coupel of weeks I havent been going to bed early, I stay up late and sleep in until 9am. I have dark circles under my eyes and I have been inactive. This may be a trigger for my PVCs?
PVC triggers....I read that not drinking enough water can bring on PVCs. I also read that acid reflux can set off PVCs and tachycardia. As a baby I had acid reflux. During my adult hood, I sometimes get acid reflux but with little pain. I love my spicy food. Have any other suffers noticed had similar experiences? I personally know when I am going to get PVCs well before I get them. I dont know how I know but my body tells me somehow.
That's really cool that you lived in Toronto. I'm originally from Sarnia, 3 hrs southwest of Toronto. What hockey team did you play for? I was hockey nuts when I was younger but I've drifted away from it after leaving Canada. Never played, but watched it religiously. I was a Wings nut, so naturally I hated the Leafs. :)
Regarding mineral imbalance, make sure to try a couple things. First of all, make sure that your potassium level is OK. You can also try taking a magnesium supplement. You can get them over the counter. Magnesium is water soluble, so your body will naturally excrete excess. A fair number of people seem to find that their PVC's are lessened by a magnesium supplement. I gave it a try for a couple of months but didn't notice any difference. But maybe you'll be luckier.
The jolt you feel, especially at night, is completely normal and typical of PVC's. Also, you may think that you get fewer of them when you're busy and travelling, but it could be that you just don't notice them as much. Unless you're like me and can always feel your pulse without having to take it.
I've noticed my PVC's can sometimes be worse after a big meal. I seem to be OK with spicy food, but if I'm really full it can be worse. I've never thought about dehydration being a trigger for me. I'll have to think about that some more.
Hi Claudia....hope all is well....was interested in the post from the hockey player who's had the pvcs since the early 90s, I think he said....and also your comment about getting winded while running and therefore backing off on the running. As much as the Pvcs/pacs bother me, I continue to run....sometimes when i get them while running (don't always) i'll push myself even harder just to try and prove to myself that they are harmless....guess I get angry at them, if that makes any sense. Also, as I've mentioned before, i get them frequently during the "cool down" period after a run....that still really scares me....but as far as getting winded in concerned, I've had that happen also...I attribute that to going out for a run in a high anxiety state, particularly if I've had a lot of skips that day....if i stop my run because of it, i just make myself get up the next day and run again to try and prove to myself it was just an isolated incident....as always, I can relate to EVERYONE posting on this site! A reminder to everyone reading - i'm 63 and have had these darn things since my early twenties (they still often drive me crazy!) And Claudia, I do take a niravam once in awhile to calm down. My Dr. says it's the lowest dose available and can't hurt unless i start taking them several times a day, which i won't....i'm like you - nights are the worst so i often take one to help me sleep....hate to wake up at 2:00a.m with those pvcs/pacs....those are the worst times.....take care
Thanks so much for that, Runman! It always means soooo much more coming from those who have experienced it first-hand. The weather has turned cold here and so I've started working out inside again. I have a simple eliptical machine and now I've bought some weights, so that helps me through the long winter until I can run outside again. I had a good workout a couple of days ago with no problems. I'm excited about getting back into weights. I was in great shape about 2-3 years ago when I was running frequently and lifting a lot of weights at the gymn. Then my PVC's exploded, I started to get winded on the treadmill, and I got sidetracked.
Hi guys I am another Aussie, 25 yrs old only had these things for a year, i think i am gettin anxiety with them as well but its everyday and its hard to decide weather it is anxiety or there is a separate medical issue causing this. Caus the i would rather have the PVC's then the bouts of anxiety or whatever it is. How can i tell if its anxiety and its all in my head? I am gettin slightly used to the PVC's now, i have at least 1 or 2 every minute and then it can go up to 1 every few beats but they never go away for more than 2 minutes. I noticed a lot of you seem to have cycles of them going away or at least fading out a bit. I never get that they are with me every minute of every day for 12 months straight...gahhh. Anyway several doctors are telling me not to worry about them. now if i can just tackle the anxiety....... i dont have a blogger account but my name is James
Hi James,
If you've had a thorough examination by a specialist and they tell you that they are benign, then I really think you're OK. The frequency of them that you describe sounds really, really rough, since it's like that day in, day out, 24 hours a day for you.
PVC's and anxiety are two separate issues, but they can affect each other. PVC's are a physical issue (i.e. an irregular heart rhythm). As I'm sure you can attest to, that is not just in your head or imagination. The irregular beats are very real and we feel them all the time even though they aren't dangerous.
Anxiety, on the other hand, is a behavioural issue. It's not a mental illness, it's not a chemical imbalance. It's a bad habit that some of us are prone to and we get stuck in a vicious cycle of feeling anxious, which can give us horrible physical sensations (i.e. panic attacks). The anxiety makes our PVC's worse, which makes us more anxious, and the cycle never stops.
If you can tackle your anxiety issues, it's not likely to cure you of PVC's, since they are a separate issue. However, reducing your anxiety will likely reduce the frequency and intensity of your PVC's and make living with them more manageable. So I suggest working on that first, since PVC's are very hard to get rid of and medications carry some risks and side-effects which can be much worse than the PVC's themselves.
To deal with the anxiety, I can't emphasize enough how great "The Linden Method" is. It will totally change how you think about and approach your anxiety.
Hi it James again, yeah living with the PVC's wouldnt be so hard for me without the anxiety, i am getting used to the fact that my heart just beats differenetly now, but these other symptoms which the docs say are anxiety are the worst but i never get a racing pulse or rapid breathing and i never feel anxious or at least i dont think i do so its hard to tell for me and believe the docs that it is anxiety, i also have bradycardia so usually my heart rate sits at 50bpm but when i am really relaxed or sleeping i have had it recorded down to 37 bpm... once was in the ER i told a nurse and she said to me "just stop looking at the screen" pretty hard to do when alarm bells are ringing on the screen because your heart rate is low..ha ha ha. So because of the slow HR beta blockers are a no go for me.
thanks for listening
James
oooh also...james again, i notice a lot of you say you dont drink or smoke or anything but is there anyone out there that does with this problem? i am travellin to see some friends in mexico and peru in a couple of weeks and i want to know if it would be safe to enjoy a few drinks with them for new years or any other little fiestas going on :)
cheers to anyone with info on this
james
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Hi guys and Hi Claudia,
Ex Australian Hockey player here again. I am thinking of starting up a PVC support group in Sydney Australia. Many of us have similar experiences with PVC and we never seem to get an answer from our cardiologist. Its ok, youre not going to die, just live with them. Not only do the missed or extra beats give us anxiety but PVC are controlling our lives. It controls mine. Im too scarded to get my heart rate up because I dont want to get PVCs. PVC are ruining my life, playing havoc with my job and social life and really I am at my witsend. There is no support group out there for us well not in Australia. James, please feel free to contact me at eranshalomtoronto@gmail.com
If there are any other Australians wanting to contact me, please do so. I will start up my own PVC facebook group and if it is ok with you Claudia I would like to add your blog to my facebook group.
Take care
Absolutely, EYB! I think that's a great idea and I hope that you're able to get in contact with other Aussie PVC sufferers out there. Feel free to post a link to your FB group in my FB group. I'll also add a link to your Australian group here on the blog sidebar.
LATEST HOLTER RESULTS:
I had another 24 hour holter. Like usual I felt no PVCs but the holter did record some.
My heart rate average was 77pbm, min was 50bpm @ 7:18am the max was 118bpm @ 14:10.
Ventricular Ectopy:
VE Total 319
V-Pair 29
V-Run 12
Longest V-Run 6 beats
Max HR V-Run 175bpm
Min HR V-Run 91bpm
VE's per 1000/per hour 3/14
Ventricular R on T 55
Supraventricular Ectopy
SVE Total 81
SV-Run Total 1
Longest SV-Run 3 beats
Max HR SV-Run 225bpm
SVE per 1000/per 1/4
Total Aberrant beats/runs 13/0
Atrial Fib/Flutter 0.0%
Pauses
Pauses in Excess if 2.5 sec 5
Max Pause 8.1 sec
QT
Max QT 427 ms(Ch.1)
Max QTc 482 ms
Time of Max QT 0643 HR 61bpm
Cardiologist remarks:
Sinus Rhythm throughout. Pauses recorded are artefacts. In frequent ventricular ectopics. Rare supraventricilar ectopics. Many artefacts.
This was my reading without feeling anything unsual. I didnt feel any ectopics at all. My GP said nothing to worry about. May have to learn to live with them!
Does anyone understand the above? Does it look serious? I am worried about the pauses especially 8.1 seconds or is that 8.1 seconds in total. 8.1 second pause while sleeping doesnt sound good to me?
Help
I did some reading and there are a couple of other forums where they analyzed a Holter result:
See here and here about significant pauses.
Try not to worry, because after all you know that you've made it this far and it's probably not big enough a deal for your GP to be worried. Trust enough in your GP to be assured that even an 8 second pause is probably OK, but be prudent enough to demand a consultation with a specialist. I would also be concerned about a pause that long.
EYB, please keep us up to date on what happens with your GP and cardiologist!
Hi Claudia
I had another look over my results and my heart didn't have any pauses. The cardiologist wrote the 5 pauses I had are artefacts meaning equipment problems not my heart. Here i was thinking my heart stopped for 8.1 seconds. Silly me. I now know an artefact n medical terms. I guess 319 ectopics in 34 hours isnt that serious considering others get 1000's a day. During my 24 hour holter, I didnt feel any PVC's and yet I had 319. Every few weeks I get a cluster of PVC that I can feel. They usually last over a few days. Thanks again for a great blog. Cheers
Good to hear!! That certainly makes a lot more sense than your heart stopping for that length of time. I was beginning to wonder. :) I find that any real pause of more than about 1.5 to 2 seconds is unbearable, let alone 8. :)
Hi Claudia, just wanted to tell you how glad i am to have discovered your blog. I am going through a real rough patch at the moment when i should be happier than ever. I'm 23 years old and had a baby boy 4 months ago and when he was about 8 weeks old, i started to get what i can only describe as a flutter in my chest and sometimes it feels like a thump. They happen daily now since that point and they really scare me. I've always thought i've been a normal healthy person and i had a great pregnancy so i don't know why they've started. I am prone to anxiety and worry. My Mum always tell me i worry if there's nothing to worry about!! I don't have many friends as i don't really like talking to people - it makes me nervous, but sometimes i push past this and think, i'm going to win, but i never quite manage it. I mentioned them to my doctor when i plucked up the courage but she just felt my pulse with her fingers and told me they're ectopic beats and nothing to worry about. I didn't find this very comforting but am finding it hard to go back and get a second opinion as i don't want to worry my family. (My Dad worries far too much about me and he suffers from anxiety and depression, and i really don't want to be the cause of it, especially as he's pretty much alot better!)Obviously now they're a daily occurence, i think alot about them. I have a habit of letting my mind wander and making little problems blow up into huge issues. But i think that before i become pregnant, i may have been getting the same weird flutters and also some heart racing when i was hungover. ( I used to drink quite abit and also used to smoke - i don't now although i have the occasional bottle of beer or glass of wine, anyway i digress!) I wonder if i've caused them myself from weekends spent drinking and smoking with friends at the pub. Have i ruined my heart for good? I wouldn't say i was an alcohol abuser back then, alot of my friends drank 3 times the amount i did but i sometimes think to myself what if i had a problem i didn't realise and now i've messed it up more?! I don't really exercise and when i was pregnant i pretty much sat on my behind for the duration. So i think maybe now i'm not always being lazy, maybe that has something to do with them? Also, this Saturday just gone, i spent my first night away from my baby at a hotel for my boyfriend's Christmas party. There was about 200 people there and i was very nervous. It was my first night out, i felt really uncomfortable because i'm a size bigger than i used to be and felt ugly, i thought everyone was looking at me and judging me. So i had a couple of vodkas to make myself feel a little easier and had a little dance. But all day i was having the jumps and thumps and as the evening went on, they got worse and as i was concentrating on them i ended up having a rubbish time and went to bed early, where i couldn't sleep through worrying and the fear i was going to die!! That's another problem i have, i have a big fear of death... I'm sorry to ramble on but it feels good to get all this off my chest as no one else is willing to listen and the people that are willing, i don't want to tell as i don't want to worry them. Is there anything you can tell me to try and calm me down please?? I'm sooo worried and it's really getting me down. Thank you so much for your time in reading this. Sky xxx
Hi Sky!
I'm glad you wrote, sometimes it can really help just to get this stuff off your chest and to share your worries with someone who can understand them without dismissing them.
I see a lot of myself in what you describe -- especially when I was younger and had a lot of stress in my life. Even though I was never into the party scene and never drank or smoked, I was (and sometimes still am) a huge worry wart. I am also very prone to anxiety and seem to have a low tolerance for stress. Once my PVC's (ectopics) started to get really bad, I found myself getting increasinly anxious to the point I was starting to get full-blown panic attacks and I felt like not really going out any more or being social. I knew that wasn't a good sign and I started to feel sort of resigned to my "condition" until I discovered The Linden Method. (See the links on the sidebar for more info about it.) This TOTALLY changed how I viewed my anxiety and helped me get control of my life again. I think that someone like you could REALLY benefit from it, and so I highly recommend it. It was probably the wisest decision I ever made, otherwise I would probably be on anti-anxiety meds right now, which may have just made my PVC's worse. Although PVC's can be difficult to get rid of (I still have them every day and some days are really intense), managing my anxiety helps me cope much better. Right now I don't take any medication for anything and I'm managing OK. If my PVC's progress and get more difficult to manage, I will re-evaluate beta blockers.
Here's what I would suggest in your case:
1.) Focus on tackling your anxiety issues, as opposed to focusing on your heart worries. Personally, I think that the Linden Method is the most effective way of doing this.
2.) Insist that your doctor set you up with a Holter monitor so that they can "catch" your PVC's when they happen and can give you a definite diagnosis. As well, an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) is a good idea as it can rule out any structural problems with your heart. Based on what you describe, I'm about 99% sure that your doctor is right and that they are harmless ectopics. But it's always good to rule out any underlying problems. It will also put your mind at ease.
3.) Once you get a definite diagnosis, remember that there is nothing structurally wrong with your heart. When your PVC's are bad, try to remind yourself of this fact and remember that the bad episode will pass. It will!!! Even though it can be really uncomfortable when you're going through it. I know, I still struggle with them mostly at night. Some episodes can be really difficult to stay calm in.
hi there
what a wonderful forum! I am writing from Australia and it is so amazing to see that people all over the world experience the same issues!
I have had skipped beats (ectopic) for years on and off, what I thought was the worse bout was 5 years ago when my eldest son was 6 months old, they lasted 5 days. I now have my second son who is 9 months old and guess what started 10 weeks ago? yep, same thing. this time they have not let up for 10 weeks running. I am a generally anxious person and I find that my breathing can affect how I am feeling on a regulat basis. I an currently trying an breatheasy program that a kinesiologist in QLD, Aus has researched and created. it seems to make sense but is a slow process.
I had a halter 5 years ago and then a few weeks ago - ectopic beats the diagnosis and "live with it" attitude from doctor. I am starting to find a cycle over the past 10 weeks, I tend to get 3 0r 4 days or continuous just before a period so could be hormonal. all in all, I strongly believe that we are all predisposed to the condition but unfortunately we feel it more than others and stress, being over tired and anxiety can make it much worse. one thing is for sure, we are all in it together - we all know how it feels and I am so happy I found this website... makes things a little more bearable when the thoughts go a little down hill and the positives get lost (which again is just before a period - PMS has a massive strain on our emotions!!)
Hey James from oz
I am a fellow Ozzie who is suffering as you are and feel the same, all day every day - they are driving me nuts too. a little advice for everyone, Try a powder called ULTRA MUSCLEZE. I got it from Priceline compounding section and it seems to sometimes ease it a bit as it contains potasium and magnesium which are apparently great for skipped heart beats. also, when you have an attack for a long time (say every couple of beats for a couple hours), try sitting and taking really calm and slow breathes in and out for a few minutes, however dont breathe all the way in and out, just a little shallower - I got this advice from a kinesioligist in QLD. I find this can sometimes ease them also.
Goodluck
Horray - It is nice to know that others suffer from PVC's. I've had very few throughout my life for years. Over the past two years they come much more frequently. I'm 47 and think it may be related to my hormones - or lack of! At times I get 10 to 15 PVC's a minute. As an ED nurse, I have the opportunity to put myself on the cardiac monitor when I feel that I have many. I've found that I have many couplets. It is frightening. I too wish they would just go away.
Thank goodness I accidentally stumbled upon this blog. I am a 55 year-old female and have been dealing with these nasty PVC's for over 6 years now, not long after battling breast cancer. Since I was 27, I have ended up in an emergency room in almost every state and town I've lived in from severe anxiety attacks, even before being diagnosed with PVC's. Numerous cardiologist visits and tests later, finally a holter monitor captured the PVC's. Currently I have been dealing with constant PVC's for over a week now. As an educator, standing in front of a group of students just doesn't work well when constant skipped beats affect the tone of my voice, not to mention get me off task easily. The PVC's are the worst when they start my day by waking me up every morning like clockwork at 4am. Needless to say, I don't get much sleep, and being tired just makes it all worse. I had to take a day off work because it got so bad I couldn't function. My cardiologist put me on magnesium tablets and Lanoxin. I've been taking Coreg and Diovan for over 3 years now, and was taking Toprol XL before that. Two days on the Lanoxin and I swear a half hour after I take it the PVC's are worse, not to mention the throbbing headache I get. I stopped the Lanoxin after those two days and called my doctor. He called and left a message saying that I needed to come in and see him next week and that he wanted to do blood work to check my potassium levels. Is that a bad thing? I called the pharmacist today to ask how quickly the Lanoxin should have worked, and he said almost immediately, and that most people get rid of the headache within a week or so. Maybe it was just coincidence that the PVC's got worse those two days and I should try it again while I'm waiting to get in to see my doctor. Caffeine doesn't seem to make any difference for me, thank goodness, because I would be lost without my morning coffee, although I would gladly give it up with that would fix. I worry that the current beta-blockers I am taking are no longer working. How many more can I try before none of them work? What else can be done so that I don't have to live the rest of my life feeling like my heart is going to give out on me and miss that next heartbeat?
Thanks for an awesome site, a place to know that I am not alone.
Susan
I have considered beta blockers too, however when diving deep into the research they caution medication to treat arrhythmias because they too have the capability of causing a worse or more dangerous arrhythmia.
I work in a large teaching hospital and have access to quick Up To Date information regarding every condition possible. I have research PVC's extensively. Most research recommends no treatment. If however the patient can not tolerate the PVC's the first line of recommended medication with the least side effects are the beta blockers. However there are a large percentage where the beta blockers do not work. I considered an ablation - but that too is certainly no without side effects. stroke, perferation, ablated the wrong site causing more arrythymia.
I don't have any answers. I find it extremly frustrating. It is frightening knowing that most of my PVC's are couplets and I can get up to 10 to 15 in a minute (counting one pair of couplets as one). How can that be normal and not dangerous? It makes no sense to me.
Hi Susan, thanks for your comment! You're not alone! Your doctor wanting to check your potassium level is a good thing. In fact, that's one of the first things they should do because sometimes PVC's are as simple as low potassium levels. As well, he will probably check your thyroid hormones through blood work. Be prepared, though, for the likely possibility that your bloodwork will come back normal and you still won't know exactly what causes your PVC's. As long as your cardiologist diagnoses your PVC's as benign (meaning no underlying structural heart problem or more serious arrythmia), you may want to make it your goal to get off the heart meds -- especially since you are experiencing nasty side-effects. And since you suffer from anxiety attacks, concentrate on dealing with those first. I've struggled a lot with anxiety because of this problem and eventually started to get full-blown panic attacks. It was terrible. But I discovered "The Linden Method" and so I recommend it HIGHLY to ever anxiety sufferer out there. I'm doing much better and I'm not on any meds. Dealing with your anxiety won't cure your PVC's, but it will help you manage them much better and beating the anxiety will likely result in less PVC's. I've put up some links on the sidebar to the Linden Method, so I recommend you check it out. Any questions, I'd be glad to answer them as best I can.
Regarding couplets, I know, it's hard to believe that they aren't dangerous because they FEEL so dangerous. I get a lot of couplets, triplets, and multiples, but not all the time. At night sometimes I have 30 or 40 irregular beats in a row, one after the other. It seems to be due to the position I'm in because I have to sit up and turn around and then my heart will go back into its normal rhythm. I told my cardiologist about it and he wasn't concerned at all.
I am a 39 year old male, sufferer of PVC's for about 5 years. Wore a Holtor monitor back in 2005, said they were benign, began taking 50mg of TOPROL XL and it helped some. Lately, and I mean in last 2 weeks, they have come back 10 fold. I began a Master's Program and take care of my daughter while my wife works, but it went from about 3-10 per day to like 50 per day. Went for EKG yesterdat, normal sinus rhythm, looked good. Doc told me to try another Holtor next week, but anxiety is through the roof.
I too get them worse at night lately, lying on back, heart "STOPS" for a second, then bounces back. Drive wife insane with this, but I could be at a party enjoying myself, then BOOM, PVC, and off I go on the "I am going to die tonite" train.
Tony
I too tried the Linden Method, but found it not very helpful. I did enjoy the downloads and listen to the audio portions on my Ipod to calm me down at times.
Full blown panic attacks are rare for me, but my first was back in 1997. My brain seems to be wired for anxiety since I was a kid and the PVC's do nothing but exacerbate this condition.
Looking back, my last Holter was on 9-8-2006. It showed 4 single PAC's and 8 single VE's. I fear it is much, much worse now. Longest was 1.36 secs.
Avg HR was 85 BPM.
Min HR was 47 BPM at 3:35am
Max HR as 144 while exercising at 11:11am
I also suffer from Mal De Debarqment Syndrome (4 year sufferer) so I have a multitude of rare conditions. Some days I wish I were 17 again, like most days.
Tony -
50 a day! Wow I wish I had 50 a day, try 50 in 15 minutes! That's about where I am several times a day for most days. I get so many, that all I do is cough. As times, I get dizzy. Today is a great day. I only had many for about 30 minutes. But tomorrow...may be different. Yelp...mine too come without warning. Could be bending down petting a dog and it starts and last for hours... It is miserable. I am waiting for V-tachto V-fib and then death. But..I'm still alive!
Teri
I only get episodes (PVC's) when i feel danger. EX: when I go to the dr office, public speaking, etc...My heart will go fast because i get so scared and thats when i feel the PVC's....I do suffer with anxiety and have had a 24 hour ecg, Heart Ultrasound, 2 regular ECGs The doctor thought it was ok so I should trust him I guess...it's just that it is pretty scary. I'd love to hear that this is a familiar story to get a bit of reassurance.
Thank you so much!
Hi
I appreciate this blog remarkably and read each new entry with interest. This is my first question. I enjoy the 'challenges' of ectopic heartbeats, anxiety disorder and panic attacks and and also am probably menopausal - these conditions all enjoy each other's company.
Five years ago, when first diagnosed with anxiety and ectopic heartbeats, I did all the cardiac tests - have many ectopics but no treatment required. All these years later, my anxiety still kicks in and all my rationalisation goes out the window, when that first physical symptom hits. My question to fellow people of this journey is about the location and feeling of these ectopic heartbeats. Sometimes, I feel a warm constant sensation (maybe 5-20 seconds right in the middle of the underside of my left breast - not painful just a sensation of warmth, maybe a tiny bit sting-like. Then other times it's a sensation on the upper inside of my left brease - close to the sternum by much higher than the other one and right where my breast joins the chest - this seems to have a slight pulse - maybe two - five of them just a tiny sting but coming and going with my heartbeat. Yet other times, it is a thump (again not painful, last just a fraction of a second) which seems to fit more with what others of you describe. Any thoughts? Are these all ectopic heartbeats - in the different places - no pain but just different sensations?
Look forward to your feedback. time to panic or not?
Hi Kabysgood,
It seems like everyone experiences PVC's and ectopics slightly differently and in several different ways. I occasionally get a sharp pain that only lasts a moment, but whether it's directly related to my heart or a nearby muscle is hard to know sometimes. I often experience jolts, and others describe a discomfort in their throat area. What I struggle with most, however, is the heart-stopping sensation (most often at night), as well as a quivering or weak heartbeat sensation. Once again, these occur most at night. I still don't know the cause of these sensations, and they can be extremely scary sometimes, but at the same time I know that if my heart really were quivering or beating weakly, I wouldn't be able to function physically as well as I do.
I know what you mean about the anxiety and rationalization going out the window during a bad episode. What works for me is to just surrender to each bad episode without getting too anxious, knowing that it will pass. It always does. But it's easier said than done, I know.
can someone comment on this: once in a while, I'll go through a 24 hour period (or a little longer) where I have multiple skipped beats ALL the time. I'll have 4 - 14 normal beats, then the rest of the minute will be skipped beats, often 1 - skip- 2-skip -1 -skip, etc. This will go on,as I said, for up to 24 hours.
In all the internet stuff,it says contact your doc if you have multiple skipped beats...but on this blog it seems like lots of people have them...
I had a holter about 1.5 years ago and diagnosed PVCS; an echo about 2 years ago said everything was normal structurally.
Any advice?
Your symptoms actually sound very typical, so I wouldn't worry about them if you've been examined already (which you have). I know it's easier said than done, and these multiple beats can be extremely unsettling, but it's surprisingly common and benign.
HI, Claudia
Thanks for the above advice, although I'm slow in getting back to you. I had a few good weeks and now this week I've had going on 36 hours of continuous PVC's. Had a few hours today of just a few, but mostly it's a beat or two, then a skip. I have that weird fluttering or quivering feeling, too, that you've mentioned. I try not to get all worried, but because they are coming in such intense episodes, I am more upset about it. I have an appointment with my doc in a couple days just to go over this with her.
At times I'll feel a tightening in my chest as well. I forgot to mention, that the echo showed that I have mild regurgitation (I think Tricuspid) but my doc said that was no big deal. I'm wondering though, could that make them worse? who the hell knows?!
It is amazing and frustrating to know that so many of us suffer from these things and yet we are still scared. I am hoping to really STOP the fear....then my mood wouldn't change and I could just be annoyed instead of anxious when these intense periods happen. The infrequent ones don't bother me anymore.
Pat
Hi Claudia, I have never suffered from anxiety albeit I do have a stressful job. I have noticed ectopic heart beats for the last month and two weeks ago I thought I was dying in the night when they really increased in frequency! Reading blogs like yours has made me realise this is not the case and that I need to be "at ease in my own skin". Thanks for creating this resource.
John
Just found your site. I saw the last comment on this was from 2009 so I don't know if I'm too late in finding it. I have just started having PVCs, what I consider bad. 3-4 in a row (1 regular beat in between each) about every 30 seconds to a minute. I also suffer from extreme anxiety. I just did a halter and am waiting on full report but doc said it only had 1 PVC on it. but I had 30 in the 15 minutes while I was in the waiting room to turn in the monitor. I spent a whole day in the ER where they monitored me and patted me on the head and said...just live with it. Had an echo and was told I was normal and to just live with it. I'm afraid to even walk. As long as I'm sitting and breathing calmly I only have 1 or 2 every once in a while, but as soon as I start moving around they kick in. I'm so scared.
Jax
hi jax, if it helps you im in the same boat i actually started noticing sipped beats a long time ago... i just nvr paid much attention to them and thought it was just in my head because i have anxiety and thought i was looing for something to be wrong. wAsnt until july 5th of this year i had a sick feeling in my stomach that wouldnt go away so i went into the dr. the said my stomach was fine and sent me out the door.
that nightmy heart would thump pretty hard while i was in bed so i checked my pulse... low and behold i noticed skipped beats...again. this time i paid attention to them and asked my wife to feel my pulse. she said she felt that it was fine.. but i was freaking out..
i told her i was going in to the er and she told me to go to bed and that i was having a panic attack because i was really scared. i laid down and somehow fell asleep. next morning i couldn't help but notice my stomach having that nauseous feeling and the thumps in my chest at the same time. so i went into the er and they did the normal blood and ekg ive had a million times w/ my aNXIETY. then the i told the doc about the missed beats and he watched the monitor and said "you just had one!!, did you feel it?!" and i said "yeah!!, thats y im here" and way he sat down with me and explained what pvc's were and even drew me a picture of the heart and how mine is probably miswired which is causing the irregular beats.
now the only thing i seem to be different then most is when i have mine i get a sick feeling in my stomach.. but i can feel my heart doing "flips" and i think thats what feels like a "sick" stomach.
well to make a short story long ... im very much scared, it does feel like the "end is near" while they are happening.. but i keep in mind that every medical person i see shows no concern and is very relaxed and confident in saying pvc's are no big deal (even tho they feel very much like an emergency). and my er doc says he suffers from them and said "they feel scary, but, im 99.99% that you will be just fine and do your best not to focus on them.
jax from what ive been reading your not alone and try not to focus on them to much. most will notice if your busy you dont feel that anythings wrong..
i personally think a glass of water helps(at least for me anyway), since if you read the heart needs water and calcium to survive only makes sense that it would help.
take care everyone, any info on the sour stomach would be appreciated!!
-Ryan
hi jax, if it helps you im in the same boat i actually started noticing sipped beats a long time ago... i just nvr paid much attention to them and thought it was just in my head because i have anxiety and thought i was looing for something to be wrong. wAsnt until july 5th of this year i had a sick feeling in my stomach that wouldnt go away so i went into the dr. the said my stomach was fine and sent me out the door.
that nightmy heart would thump pretty hard while i was in bed so i checked my pulse... low and behold i noticed skipped beats...again. this time i paid attention to them and asked my wife to feel my pulse. she said she felt that it was fine.. but i was freaking out..
i told her i was going in to the er and she told me to go to bed and that i was having a panic attack because i was really scared. i laid down and somehow fell asleep. next morning i couldn't help but notice my stomach having that nauseous feeling and the thumps in my chest at the same time. so i went into the er and they did the normal blood and ekg ive had a million times w/ my aNXIETY. then the i told the doc about the missed beats and he watched the monitor and said "you just had one!!, did you feel it?!" and i said "yeah!!, thats y im here" and way he sat down with me and explained what pvc's were and even drew me a picture of the heart and how mine is probably miswired which is causing the irregular beats.
now the only thing i seem to be different then most is when i have mine i get a sick feeling in my stomach.. but i can feel my heart doing "flips" and i think thats what feels like a "sick" stomach.
well to make a short story long ... im very much scared, it does feel like the "end is near" while they are happening.. but i keep in mind that every medical person i see shows no concern and is very relaxed and confident in saying pvc's are no big deal (even tho they feel very much like an emergency). and my er doc says he suffers from them and said "they feel scary, but, im 99.99% that you will be just fine and do your best not to focus on them.
jax from what ive been reading your not alone and try not to focus on them to much. most will notice if your busy you dont feel that anythings wrong..
i personally think a glass of water helps(at least for me anyway), since if you read the heart needs water and calcium to survive only makes sense that it would help.
take care everyone, any info on the sour stomach would be appreciated!!
-Ryan
P.S.
my wife did admit to feeling the skipped beats the next day... she claims she was just trying to keep me calm =)
-Ryan
Hello
Hope you're ok, no posts for a while. I'm 49 and in the UK. Have spent two nights at A&E (or ER as you would call it) in the last fortnight. No fun. Only a paramedic mentioned ectopic heartbeat. Am under considerable stress at the moment and that seems to be the trigger for me. All started about 7 years ago when my dad got diagnosed with terminal cancer... Now they come and go with stressful/tired periods. I get the nasty heart-stoppy bangy ones, but can sometimes tell they're on the way from visual disturbance and 'fizzing' in my feet. Have also noticed this last bad time that my 'funny turns' coincide with dispepsia and often preempted by eating - or if I don't eat regularly as if there's some sort of adrenalin/insulin negative feedback thing going on. Though it's comforting to read that others suffer similarly when I thought I was going mad, some of the sharing also sets of new worries. Hey ho, here's hoping someone somewhere decides to specialise in this and finds a 'cure' or at least an off switch. Regards to all, it's nice not to be alone.
Twink, UK
Thanks for the excellent blog Claudia. I was diagnosed with PVCs this summer after a trip to the ER and a 48 hour holter monitor. The monitor showed 24,000 PVCs in 48 hours (i also went to the ER during this time, and felt highly stressed out for most of the monitor period). I am a 27 year old female, healthy. For a month after my diagnosis they seemed to go away (after being reassured by my GP certainly helped), but have since come back with a vengeance. I am seeing a naturopath and taking fish oil and CO-Q10. I feel them only when i am at rest, mostly in the afternoon at work. I have developed a new symptom too. Sometimes i will feel my pulse and can feel the PVCs happening and then the pulse returning to normal, but lately this beat turns into a slow forceful beat many times in a row. I am worried i am going into V-Tach (many PVCs in a row), but from what i have read this doesn't sound right since V-tach is a rapid heartbeat. I am going to see my GP again on thursday for some reassurance, and also to ask for an Echo (that is the only test i haven't had so far). I would be interested to hear any feedback. Thank you to all the posters for letting me know i am not alone!
-K
Hi Claudia, very good job on this page.
I got a question:
I just got my Holter results, please let me know what they mean and what should I do. Thank you, they show as following:
Background Rhythim: Sinus rate range 56-147
Ventricular Ectopy: Rare(1)
Supraventricular Ectopy: Ocassional (758) with 9 runs os SVT the longest for 7 beats and the fastest at 170 bpm.
Correlation with Symptoms: Symptoms correlated to runs of SVT.
Interpretation: Sinus rhythim with one VPB, ocassional SVEs and symptomatic runs of SVT.
I'm not exactly sure what all the results mean, but what was your reason for being fitted with a Holter monitor? Were you experiencing skipped or irregular beats, or a racing pulse? Has your cardiologist had an appointment with you to talk about the results?
If only there were one simple tablet to make these things go away for good. I can cope with the odd random ones but when they get a bit hectic its very scary as you all know. That then creates a circle of fear which releases more adrenalin which creates the flight or fight response and so it continues. Even though ive been told they are just a nuisance i still worry when they have missed something. Heart disease runs in my family but they assure me its not that. When i get stressed and anxious they are worse and thats when my mind and thoughts take over that something is terribly wrong. I worry about everything even the weather so i am my own worst enemy. This week has been bad and now i,m geting twinges in my chest so its hard to stay rational about them. Its changing the thought patterns i think and learning that worrying serves no purpose because whatever is about to happen( and it usually doesnt)worrying will not stop it . All it does is keep the cycle going ( if that makes sense). So to all you fellow sufferers, you are not alone and this site is great for getting it off your cheat( pardon the pun). Its not easy but hang on in there !!!
Wow, seems no one is posting anymore! I have almost worked out the trigger for my pvc's.
1. Food, any sugar or large meal
2. Being tired or streased.
If I limit the amount of food eg: eat small meals i am better.
The only thing i find that helps is inderal or sometimes called propananol. I only need 10mg and withing 15min my pvc's start to ease. Been dealing with them for 7 years now!!!!
I've been suffering from eptopics for 6 years now i have good periods and bad ones always at the doctors been to the hospital loads of times and had all the tests done suffer with anxiety bad think I'm dying when I get them I know there is nothing wrong with me but just hate feeling like this all the time
I
Great blog. ...tks applied...thought I was alone with this.
.
Hi Guys,
Glad i came across this amazing site and thought i'd share my story.
I was diagnosed with Ectopic heart beats when i was around 23, I'm 29 now. At that time i was going through depression and anxiety. One day i woke up to find my heart feeling like it was stopping. After checking my pulse and noticing my heart was pausing i freaked out which of course made it far worse.
I was taken to the hospital and had every test under the sun, the cardiologist told me that i had ectopic beats, premature beat followed by a pause, he told me they were not dangerous and sent me on my way.
I went back to a specilist and got more tests (Stress test ultra sound etc) with the same result.
As many of you know it's of little comfort.
So i started researching on how to stop it from happening with not a lot of success.
I have isolated most of my triggers for ectopics, (stressful situation, blood pressure rises, caffiene and certain preservites, cold water shocks)
but i still get them.
I've tried meds, magnesium, multi vits, fish oil, different teas and herbs, acupunture, massage, yoga etc
You name it and i have probably tried it :P
I have found that staying away from your triggers and learning how to manage your fear response to an episode is the best way to cope.
P.S
If you like a pick me up in the mornings but have found that caffiene is a strong trigger for you (like me) try loose leaf silver needle(White tea) its a tea from china, i find it doesnt give me problems with my ectopics(as long and i don't drink to many cups)
Cheers guys and remeber, To live 100 years in fear is a tragedy but living one day without fear is a triumph.
Hey Claudia,
So great to have found a place with people who understand. I just recently got married, moved and started a new job (how's that for stressful?). I started to get PVC's about a month before my wedding and now they won't stop. I've had them every day since then. It feels like your heart pauses, flutters around and then surges. And I get kind of flushed and dizzy for a moment. Does that happen to you? I've been to the dr and had an EKG and they said it was fine, just stress and anxiety. I asked for a holter monitor though and am now on day 2 of that. Just looking for some comfort. I am so tired of these controlling my life and constantly being worried about my heart..
Thanks so much,
Kristin
Can These PVC's ever go away..and why did they come in the first place?
Mine seemed to have started about 3 months ago..out of no where..and have been coming since then..Trying to fully understand them..but so anxious when they do come..it stops me in my track..and at that moment I want to just stop everything..I have been to a cardiologist several times..and I am assued they are harmless..but to me they are quite bothersome..and I anticipate when to expect them next..and this is not how I want to have my days spent..worrying about when they will come..I try not to think about them..but its impossible not too..It creates so much anxiety..
I do need to get more sleep each night..and exercise alot more..will these ever just dissapear??
Any response would be great;
Robin
Hi Robin! I highly recommend that you read through all the posts and comments on this blog. Also, you should join our group on Facebook (see link on the sidebar). We now have almost 400 members there and many are ready to share advice and support each other there.
At 28 I developed uncomfortable nightly PVCs, but I rarely get them now that I've finally given up on caffeine. My doctor's prognosis: "women worry too much".
Insulting, but it was good to know that although it feels scary, there's nothing unhealthy about my jump-thumping heart.
Stressing out makes it much worse, so when I get them now I focus on distracting myself so that I can't feel my heartbeat anymore. Stand up, go for a walk, talk to someone about something different, watch tv, listen to music, eat something. Even if it's 2am and you just want to sleep (which is when it usually strikes me).
It was easy for me to correlate my caffeine intake with whether I had a flip-bumping heart later that night. I found no connection to alcohol, but THC definitely causes them crazy beats. I also suspect chocolate but have yet to perform any real test because I love it too much. Dietary restrictions are a slippery slope, and I feel I'm better off learning to deal with the anxiety than letting those PVCs rule my life.
Hi Claudia
For the last three or four days I have had sensations of 'skipped' 'missed' heart beats and it has frightened me to an extent where I worry alot.
I am suffering with depression and anxiety which I take meds and also I have a disability called Ankylosing Spondilitus which I also take meds for.
I drink coffee and I have been told by my doctor to cut down on the caffeine as he suspects I have Ectopic heart beats.
Please advise and help many thanks.
Hi i am suffering from ectopic heartbeats, I have extra beats several times a minute my ecg shows. I am a wroking mum to 4 children,one is severly disabled. I am also at the beginning of a divorce. i am unsure whether to go on beta blockers, any advice??
Hi Claudia
Nearly 2 months ago I started having PVC's (ectopic beats)before these two months I use to have the odd ectopic beat every 6 or so months and it was only a couple, it tended to happen when I got really wound up about something. It instantly made me calm down as i was shocked and scared as to what it might be.
Anyway back to the beginning of these last two months...I had decided to go on a bike ride with my fella, it was about a 7-8 mile bike ride on flat ground. After this bike ride I started having ectopics every day all day, at first 5 a minute! I was taken to hospital twice as I was averaging 42 an hour!
The doctors have had me on two 24hour monitors and i've had 6 ecg's. The 24 hour monitors caught my ectopics but the ecg's alone didn't. These were classed as benign ectopics and otherwise my heart trace was alright. Highest heart rate for a short time was 140.
The doctor perscribed beta blockers to try and relieve the ectopics but i'm a bit frightened to take them. Does anyone have any advice as to what I should do? I still have had no answers as to why they started and if they are going to be with me forever. I feel like i'm having to stop doing things that frighten me as it makes them worse. I dont want to end up house bound and scared to do anything.
I should also mention i have struggled with panic attacks for about 5 years, although i am able to control them to a certain extent and have been doing alot better recently until this happened.
Any help would be appreciated :)
Heather
Here is an artcile that may help you find a way to reduce your palps
http://heart4pvc.webs.com/reduceyourpalpitations.htm
Hope this helps!
Hi Heather!
Are you on Facebook? If so, I highly recommend that you request to join our group there (see link on the sidebar under "Related Links") in order to interact with other fellow sufferers. I also highly recommend looking into the Linden Method to manage anxiety better. It was a big help for me in overcoming anxiety and panic attacks, as well as coping when my PVCs were really bad.
The way you describe your PVCs is not at all uncommon. I was having hundreds, perhaps even thousands per day when they were at their worst. I decided against beta-blockers because I felt that the risk of side effects was not worth it since my PVCs were benign. My cardiologist also advised against it. The good news is that they subsided significantly on their own. Now I still have them daily, but they are much less intense and I hardly think about them. Stress can be a trigger for me, and yet not always. I was never able to establish exactly why I had such bad bouts of them.
Hi Claudia
Thank you for your advice/information it has helped alot and I will join your facebook group too.
Since I last posted I have been on another 24 hour monitor and the results came back worse, averaging 70+ ectopics and hour. After seeing this my doctor really pushed the beta blockers and I finally gave in and took them as the ectopics were starting to really upset and scare me. I am taking bisoprolol 1.25mg and *touch wood* since starting them 14days ago the only side effects I've had is headaches and feeling dizzy on occasion.
My ectopics are still present but I am having good days. On a good day I'll have a few, last weekend I had two days with none, and on bad days I'll have quite a few, normally in the morning but thn they will disappear. These ectopics however are less violent and I dont get wound up with them as much.
I tend to get ectopics bad when I'm eating and when I first wake up in the morning, do you get this too?
Also have you ever had an explaination as to why yours suddenly started? I think the 'not knowing why' bothers me the most.
Heather
Hi Claudia.
Just wanted to share this. I've had PVCs for the past 10 years on and off. I've been to countless doctors and had every test known to man to try and work out why they were happening. No one could give me an answer.
Then recently I started taking magnesium supplements and they have pretty much gone away! It's amazing. I keep thinking that it's just a coincidence and that tomorrow I'll wake up and they'll be back but it hasn't happened. I've also started taking potassium supplements which seems to help even more.
It may not working for everyone but I just wanted to share my experience in the hope that it may help others. It's ridiculous how much time and money I spent going to doctors and not ONE of them ever mentioned magnesium.
Anyway thanks for your blog. It's great to have resources like these on the net for people like me to call upon.
Josh
Hi Claudia, and everyone else, I love this sight and honestly it makes me feel so much better knowing that I am not alone in this. I started feeling my PVC's in my first pregnancy, and that was 8 years ago. I am 30 years old. At first they only happened at night when I was resting, and I had no idea what was going on. After I gave birth to my daughter, they got much worse and I also started developing panic attacks. I was so devastated. Here I was a new mom, and I was supposed to be loving my life but I hated everything about it because of these pvc, they completely overtook my life. I saw different cardiologists and went to the ER a million times, and every time they would tell me the same thing. Take some antidepressants and go home. The thing is that I was not depressed, and I definitely was not anxious prior to my pvc's The pvc's cause my anxiety. Well the years went by and I noticed they were getting better without any medications. So I started writing down every time I would have them a lot, and I would write what was occurring in my life at the time they were happening. I find that that helps because there are triggers. STRESS is the worse trigger for me. The thing is my pvc's happen about a week or two after a traumatic or stressful event has occured, and it took me a while to figure that out. I started exercising, and I became a fitness instructor. It helped but I still get them even when I am exercising. Another thing that I like to do is regularly visit my doctor, and get an EKG and an EEG. It puts me at ease. I guess they will never go away, but one thing is for sure, the more you think about them the more they occur. Sorry for this long comment. I wish you all the best and I love reading your comments. Thanks Claudia
SANJA
Hi Claudia, Great blog and loads of comments from fellow Palpateers! Just thought i'd share my experience for what it's worth. I'm a 36 year old male, pretty fit and healthy and started with PVC's around 15 years ago. I used to think that I was going to drop dead at any moment but as the years have gone by I realise that what hasn't killed me yet surely has made me stronger. The latest pattern (If you can call it that) is to have 1 or 2 a day for a number of weeks and then something triggers en episode and I literally get about 4 or 5 a minute every minute of the day for up to 2 - 3 weeks and then at a moment when the palps choose they just stop again and i go back to having 1 or 2 a day until the next bout. I wouldn't say that i'm scared any more but it does invade your life and is very hard to switch off to it. Like so many of the other posts, been checked out with ecg, echo, holter and all benign. I think mine are stress related as I have a busy management position with 30 staff. I think of my body as a cup and the stress as water, as the water builds up in the cup all is ok but when it gets to the top it starts to overflow and that's when the palps start with a vengeance, the water flows away and then the cycle starts again. A bit silly possibly but it makes sense to me. anyway, would be interesting to hear if anyone else has the same sort of patterns as me with this annoying thing. And I hope for the newer sufferers it is a comfort to know that after 15 years of these things i am still here to talk about them. When they got really bad I went to the gym and thought let's see what will happen, I took my HR up to 187 on the treadmill for about 30 mins and nothing happened so it made me realise that what the Dr's are saying is true. They really are nothing to worry about :-)
Please email me at joanne-lyne66@hotmail.com
Have just read your post from 2009 regarding PVCs. Your story is a mirror of how I feel. I would very much like to know how you're doing. I live in Australia, 47 yr old scared single mother. I go to bed at night wondering if ill wake up the next day.
I hope to hear from you.
Regards.....Joanne
Hi. I'm Sue. I've experienced SVT periodically from the age of 13 and now I'm 58.
This seems pretty well controlled by Verapamil, but for the past week, I have had the most dreadful bouts of ectopic beats. They come in runs of either one, two, three or four and can continue for what seems like ages, but actually is only probably a minute or two. The other day at work they were there almost all day on and off. I've had these before a couple of years ago but no this bad. I've had my heart checked, bloods ad bp. All fine. My heart was beating 'normally' when I had my ecg, so not whilst getting the ectopic beats. My anxiety is through the roof with this. I don't get them at rest. They seem worse in the mornings up to lunch time. I am almost scared of getting out of bed for fear they'll come on again. Due to see my cardiologist soon and hoping he will send me for an echo and more tests as I am so scared of sudden death even though GP etc have said they are benign. :(
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