STRESS and PVC's

[charjsohmom]

Hi Everyone,

So, we all know stress can cause PVC's, oh my, I just was in an emotional discussion with someone, and as it went on, I must have had 15 in a row!  Man, it was scary, I could barely catch my breath to continue the conversation.  I very much try to limit my stress, but life happens.  I was just wondering if I was in a really heated discussion, could it lead to something dangerous?  Yea, I know, structually normal heart and all that, but it felt dangerous!  I do have a congenital heart defect, which they are deciding what to do with now.

Does anyone know what it is about stress that triggers the PVC's?  If it is an electrical problem, what would stress have to do with it?  If I found out I won the lottery, would I drop?  I know good news tends to set them off as well.  Hell of way to live!  Scared of good news, scared of bad, don't want to get too excited!  They are constantly telling me they will not harm me, but when I ask why certain things trigger them, or why I go months with none, and then get them every minute, they have no idea.  So, why are they so sure about somethings, but have no clue about others?  

Anyway, just pondering!  I know they won't hurt me (mostly!!), but sometimes I still wonder...

Thanks so much for listening!

Michelle

[maryo12]

It all started months ago with mild chest pain, I have been having what I assume to be gastritis and have been very worrisom then I find out I am pregnant and I get even more concerned cause I am going thru a bankruptcy.  All this put together has been giving me insomnia and anxiety and  a little depression.  Then all of a sudden I get into a fight with my bf and these wierd heart beats starts which I wasn't sure what it was for days until I read about it and I have PVCs.  I am a very healthy person but I believe that the stress from the gastritis and econimical situation and finding out I am pregnant triggered my PVCs. I will be getting checked for thyroid hormones levels and ekg just to rule out or see if the pregnancy could of caused them due to the thyroid hormones which I know pregnancy overworks the thyroid during the first trimester.  I will come back with my diagnosis as soon as I find out. Good luck to all

[Tylergirl]

I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder many years ago when I was under great stress from marriage and family problems. I have always been active and exercise regularly, but I am always hyper.  I have an obsessive personality and obsess about my heart.  A few nights ago, I was stressing (for the last 3 weeks) and wound up with bad skipped heartbeats which the doctor said was PVC's according to the EKG and nothing to worry about.  The feelings of doom and anxiety from them was so scary.  I thought I was going crazy and they would have to put me away in a mental institution.  I am grateful for all of you sharing your experiences here because it helps to know I am not alone in this.  I wish there were support groups in person for this.  Thanks for sharing and being honest.

[PearljamCubFan]

I understand as well what everyone is going through as I've been feeling these things since I was a child but didn't know what they were until about 3 years ago when I noticed Trigeminy. Of course when you get to the ER, they don't see it on the EKG. Kind of like bringing your car into the mechnic but he doesn't find anything immediately. The last occurance about 2 years ago was a strong PVC every 2-3 minutes for 15 minutes which brought me to the ER again. I realized the pattern that caused the more severe PVC's were my combination of excessive exercise, followed by a night of drinking, and then excessive Caffeine the next day on top of work stress. I haven't had caffeine in 2 years but drink occassionally. It's funny because I drank alcohol everyday on vacation, sat out in the sun (dehydrated), and exercised but never felt one PVC. There is a strong correlation between Stress and PVC's and this proves the theory. I had probably my 3rd worst case of PVC's today with a few couplets and strong PVC's but they have subsided since I have calmed down. I can't go the ER everytime I feel them. I had the Stress Echo and met with a very prominent Cardiololgist in the New Orleans area who indicated as long as your Valves are good, you shouldn't be concerned about PVC's. I trust his insight. Good luck to everyone as I always turn back to this sight when I need some encouragement. It also helps that my wife has gotten them during exercise and stressful days so that has helped with the ease.

[jeff66185]

I have read all your comments and its all very similar to my own expirience.  WE should start PVC anynomus. I have had them off anf on for ten years, but the last 4 days have been the worse. Every ten minutes I get them and of course I cant stop thinking about it either, that doesnt help. I feel wimpy...=-(  I hate it skip skip pause pause, sometimes it feels like one two or even three. No chest pain just annoying as hell. You feel pending doom. I went to the ER last night and the PA said she wasnt worried and then the Doctor came in 4 hrs latter and scarred the **** out of me. Then he let me go after watching the monitor because he didnt see what I was feeling which was multiple skips or pauses or whatever they are, Just hads one now, *****. Im in the library using the internet. The doc let me go saying he saw one PVC right in front of me while I was talking to him. I told him I was scarred and he said he wanted me to get a stress test but thought it wasnt serious, He did not witness coupled PACs or PVCs. I also have esophogitis which hurts a little when I walk making me think I have angina. All My labs, Xrays and EKGs came back normal.

Comments Please
Jeff

[jpeeken]

Ive been lurking on this site for quite a while now, but feel it is time to weigh in. Im a 34 year old male who has had a-fib, pvc's, and pac's since I was 16. For the last 18 years, I have lived in almost constant fear of something catastrophic happening. However, I have had some periods of relief that have lasted for up to a couple years at a time. I have never been sure if the anxiety comes first or if it a response to the cardiac episodes. I guess its beside the point. Here's something that I wanted to share that I haven't read about, but I think fits with the stress topic. The periods of time that I am most symptomatic are after a break up with a girlfriend. In the last five years, I have had to be hospitalized shortly after EACH AND EVERY break up ( with a serious girlfriend) that I have had. I either go in to a fib OR I have super symptomatic pvc's. It has actually gotten to the point where my family doesnt believe me when I tell them that my heart isnt well. But the proof is always right there on the rhythm strip. Its odd. So, recently, my girlfriend broke up with me because the anxiety I was having about my heart was too much for her and sure enough, I am very symptomatic again. Its gotten to the point that I am mostly fine until I see her out or I know that I am going to interact with her. SO, yes, stress is such an integral part of this.

I also wanted to mention that I am very symptomatic ( as others are) after eating large meals, consuming sugar or chocolate, while lying down after eating, AND when I press on my stomach ( just below the sternum.) This leads me to believe that there is some kind of vagal response. Does anyone know what this really means? My docs so far cant really explain to me the causal relationship to eating and the pvc's
These are the things that so far have helped a little.

1. Maalox after every meal.
2. Eating small meals and making sure that I chew my food very well.
3. Drinking water with my meals
4. Daily Multi-vitamin
5. Eating Very limited carbs.
6. Drinking electrolyte enhanced water at least once a day.
7. Breathing deeply
8. 40-60 mgs. of Inderal per day

This forum has brought me more understanding and comfort than any doc or anything else. Thanks for everyone who has shared and listened. If anyone has any info on vaso-vagal stuff, esp. with reference to eating I would sure appreciate it.

Now, if I could just meet a woman with the same med issues as me, my heart would break less often

[CollegeGirl143]

Everyone has pvc's :) their reason for being is infact, unknown, but it is known that considering the laws of probability, no person will go throughout life without a single pvc..i think the fact thats being stressed here is that stressful situations are common times for pvc's to rear their ugly heads :) since its not known what causes the heart to allow premature contractions, no one can say stress does or doesnt, but we do know its a big trigger :)

[e.r.boy]

Stress does not cause PVC's or Crohn's or Lupus or Arthritis, etc... It can however make any of these flare up. If stress caused PVC's , 300 million Americans would be running to their doctors demanding to know what is wrong with them. We all have stress. Stress, eating, exercising all ramp up our nervous system (vagal tone) and cause the foci in our heart tissue to fire off signals that interfere with our normal pacemaker. The resulting extra beat in the ventricle makes the heart reset itself and the next normal beat is much more forceful than normal. This is why we feel that weird sensation in our chest and neck. Its awful and unbearable but fortunately it will go away. I always look forward knowing they will go away again. These thoughts tone down your nervous system and give you hope. To all the doctors that tell us to ignore them, give me a break. You clearly have never had them like we have.
Its like ignoring a chinese water torture, coming at you randomly throughout the day. Deadly , no. Irritating, yes!

[anacyde]

"If I found out I won the lottery, would I drop?"

LOL  I doubt it.

Whenever I get in to a heated discussion with my dear husband, I can almost count on bigeminy (every other beat is a PAC).  I have to stop, bend, breathe, wait.

For most, if not all of us, stress is a known trigger.  Does stress make them more of a threat?  I don't see it.  Those of us with anxiety can talk about stress, heh.

[juniorfan32]

I have been having a bad bout of PVCs for about the last 5 months.  I had a miscarriage and it seemed to set them off as I was extremely depressed, stressed and hormonal.  I have noticed that when something bad happens that I am anxious about they flare up.  Ex  some of our friends were in an accident after leaving our house one night, on the way to the accident scene I was having tons of PVCs.  I hate the damn things.  Whoever can find a cure for these has my vote as president.  If I ever win the lotto my money will go to PVC research.  

[KLB32]

It is my understanding that the surge of adrenaline causes them.  Sometimes I will get one if I get startled, too.

I would make sure you ask your Dr. since you have a congenital defect.  For most of us with PVCs, they are nothing but a major annoyance!