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PVC's and related arrhythmias
I am a 49 year old male who since early child hood have had episodes of premature beats which are easily felt because I am thin. Past EKG's have usually shown normal sinus rhythms with occaisional pvcs.
Also on exercise I would have runs of rapid 120-140bpm (after) that sometimes went on for hours but kind of outgrew them. Some doctors hear a click or slight murmur. Recently have had more frequent bouts of premature beats that sometimes are accompanied by a spasm like sensation which can be felt with finger tips under the left breast. They only last afew seconds but also create a flush or rush sensation. I recently had a stress test, EKG, and a doppler echo. Stress test was normal and echo was also except for mild regurgitation of the tricuspid and slight of the mitral.
Through the years some doctors have said that I also have MVP but this has not been proven on the echo. I am currently wearing an event recorder and have had 30 events in two weeks which the doc says are benign. However, am scared about the shuddering sensations and incresing frequency of other symptoms. I don't smoke, drink, and have cut out all caffeine. I want to think that I am doing all that I can to ensure my kids have a dad to grow up with. However, the increasing frequency of the symptoms are robbing me of sleep and making me paranoid about travelling etc. They seem to come out of nowhere and last for varying lengths of time. Any suggetions would be most appreciated.
PS have never fainted with these symptoms but have felt faint occaisionally with them.
Also on exercise I would have runs of rapid 120-140bpm (after) that sometimes went on for hours but kind of outgrew them. Some doctors hear a click or slight murmur. Recently have had more frequent bouts of premature beats that sometimes are accompanied by a spasm like sensation which can be felt with finger tips under the left breast. They only last afew seconds but also create a flush or rush sensation. I recently had a stress test, EKG, and a doppler echo. Stress test was normal and echo was also except for mild regurgitation of the tricuspid and slight of the mitral.
Through the years some doctors have said that I also have MVP but this has not been proven on the echo. I am currently wearing an event recorder and have had 30 events in two weeks which the doc says are benign. However, am scared about the shuddering sensations and incresing frequency of other symptoms. I don't smoke, drink, and have cut out all caffeine. I want to think that I am doing all that I can to ensure my kids have a dad to grow up with. However, the increasing frequency of the symptoms are robbing me of sleep and making me paranoid about travelling etc. They seem to come out of nowhere and last for varying lengths of time. Any suggetions would be most appreciated.
PS have never fainted with these symptoms but have felt faint occaisionally with them.
P.S.
I can be reached by e-mail at ***@****
I can be reached by e-mail at ***@****
i am so thankful to find a forum where there are similar symptoms as mine. I am a 36 year old female and started having pvc's about a year ago. I was taking sudafed at the time maybe once or twice a day and that is about the only thing that was different in my life when the pvcs started. At first i ignored them and then went to see a doctor. they had me do the holter and diagnosed me with pvc -told me it wasn't serious and that was all. since then they come and go. seems lately they are worse. today i feel maybe 6 or 7 every minute. They feel like a big "rush" in your chest, similar to the feeling you get when you are driving and are about to suddenly hit a car. they seem to be more noticeable when i am still (sitting, eating, driving, etc.). they also seem to be worse in the evening. i am an avid runner and they don't get worse when i run. I sometimes get right sided chest pain but i don't know if it is related or just a pinched nerve in my neck. I tried no caffeine but it didn't seem to make a huge difference. has anyone noticed if being well hydrated makes a difference?
i am a 36 year old female and have been having pvcs for over a year. when they started the only thing i was doing differently was taking sudafed once or twice a day for sinus problems. they have continued off and on since. now they seem worse. today i seem to have about 6-7 a minute. they feel like a swell in your chest and like a rush that you get -the feeling you might have when you are driving and about to hit something-that rush of adrenalin i guess. it is very annoying. sometimes it feels like it is almost coming up in my throat. it seems to be more noticeable at rest (sitting, eating, driving). I run and ran a marathon in the fall and it did not get worse with that. I rarely feel it when i run. I tried stopping all caffeine and it didn't seem to make much of a difference. sometimes too I feel like i have to take a deep breath to get enough air (especially when i fly or go high altitudes). I also notice it sometimes feel like i can't breathe deep enough-this doesn't happen often and is not scary but just feels like i need to take a deep breath. this thing is really weird. i am not on meds and from everyones feedback it doesnt sound like a great idea. i would like to hear more about alternative therapies-acupuncture? good luck to everyone. i know this is frustrating.
An addendum to my above entry:
I forgot to mention that a nutritional supplement called Coenzyme Q10 has helped immensely. Probably more than any single thing I have done to combat this condition. I take 30 mg every day.
Also another question:
Have any women out there with heartbeat irregularities noticed any correlation between the ovulatory and menstrual phases of the monthly cycle and episodes of arrhythmia? Mine seem to be worse at those times during the month.
I forgot to mention that a nutritional supplement called Coenzyme Q10 has helped immensely. Probably more than any single thing I have done to combat this condition. I take 30 mg every day.
Also another question:
Have any women out there with heartbeat irregularities noticed any correlation between the ovulatory and menstrual phases of the monthly cycle and episodes of arrhythmia? Mine seem to be worse at those times during the month.
After reading all these entries, I am in tears. I had no idea that so many people were suffering and having their lives ruined as have. I have been experiencing similar symptoms for more than 10 years now.
My PAC's began halfway through my pregnancy with my son in Tokyo Japan almost 11 years ago. The doctors there treated me with Valium and told me to relax and not to worry so much. After my return to the U.S. I began having severe episodes of skipped heartbeats for weeks at a time, and then they would just disappear for months, even years.
In 1992, I had a sonogram and was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse. I also have had episodes of Panic Disorder throughout my adult life. I have made numerous trips to the ER for this condiditon and have been to every kind of doctor.
My family practitioner suggested that I may be suffering from depression. My gynecologist thinks I may be peri-menopausal (early). And my cardiologist can offer no treatments except digoxin (which seemed to make the arrhythmia worse) and Toporol (a beta blocker which turned me into a zombie after about 4 days).
A psychotherapist diagonesed me with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and treated me with EMDR (a mild form of hypnosis). Acupuncture also seemed to help somewhat, mostly for helping me to regain my stamina.
I often find that listening to my own heartbeat with a stethoscope seems to help. It's a simple form of biofeedback. A glass of wine will often relax me in the evenings. But these are not always an option when one has to function.
I am also looking into something called HeartMath, Freeze Frame and Cut Thru by a man named Doc Childre. His techniques are getting favorable attention and feedback from the cardiology world. You can find web pages about this by plugging these names into any search engine.
I am currently going through another severe episode of skipped beats which have been increasingly disturbing over the past several months. I've missed several days of work this month and am beginning to worry about my future livelihood.
What I would like to ask everyone is:
How do you cope with daily life? How do you function at your jobs and meet the demands of parenting while experiencing these symptoms? How do you make plans for simple outings and ever hope to fulfull your dreams for the future?
My PAC's began halfway through my pregnancy with my son in Tokyo Japan almost 11 years ago. The doctors there treated me with Valium and told me to relax and not to worry so much. After my return to the U.S. I began having severe episodes of skipped heartbeats for weeks at a time, and then they would just disappear for months, even years.
In 1992, I had a sonogram and was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse. I also have had episodes of Panic Disorder throughout my adult life. I have made numerous trips to the ER for this condiditon and have been to every kind of doctor.
My family practitioner suggested that I may be suffering from depression. My gynecologist thinks I may be peri-menopausal (early). And my cardiologist can offer no treatments except digoxin (which seemed to make the arrhythmia worse) and Toporol (a beta blocker which turned me into a zombie after about 4 days).
A psychotherapist diagonesed me with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and treated me with EMDR (a mild form of hypnosis). Acupuncture also seemed to help somewhat, mostly for helping me to regain my stamina.
I often find that listening to my own heartbeat with a stethoscope seems to help. It's a simple form of biofeedback. A glass of wine will often relax me in the evenings. But these are not always an option when one has to function.
I am also looking into something called HeartMath, Freeze Frame and Cut Thru by a man named Doc Childre. His techniques are getting favorable attention and feedback from the cardiology world. You can find web pages about this by plugging these names into any search engine.
I am currently going through another severe episode of skipped beats which have been increasingly disturbing over the past several months. I've missed several days of work this month and am beginning to worry about my future livelihood.
What I would like to ask everyone is:
How do you cope with daily life? How do you function at your jobs and meet the demands of parenting while experiencing these symptoms? How do you make plans for simple outings and ever hope to fulfull your dreams for the future?
I thought I would pass on some interesting news to all of you in hopes maybe someone else is taking Claritin for their allergies. I have been on Claritin for about 5 years. My original posting talked about my PVCs getting much worse lately. The cardiologist suggested changing my allergy medication from claritin to allegra. I thought I would try no allergy medication at all and about 10 days after stopping the Claritin, my PVCs are basically GONE. After dinner they used to be the worst about 1 PVC per every 4 or 5 regular beats. Now I've only felt 2 or 3 a day with none on some days. I've heard that Claritin D could cause palpitaions but not regular Claritin. I'v just started drinking 1 cup of coffee in the morning without causing any more PCVs. I'm convinced it was the Claritin causing the problem. Hope this may help someone. Good Luck to all of you with the PVC problems.
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