PVCs

[kcossich]

Thanks to a doctor's answer to a previous post about my chest pain, my family dr. has diagnosed me with costochondritis and I am finally starting to feel better; however, in the past few weeks, I have begun to have some PVCs. Can stress cause PVCs to happen?  My father died unexpectedly on Dec. 22 and both my brother and I have had episodes of PVCs (I am 31 and he is 29).  I also had a baby 5 weeks before my father died, so I have been under some addition stress! We have never had PVCs before.  The only reason I know that I'm having them is because my brother is a nurse and told me what they feel like.  Both of us have had treadmill stress tests and I have had a Thallium stress test, which all came back normal.  How do you cope with PVCs?  Is there any deep breathing technique that can help with them? Is just de-stressing enough to make them go away?  I usually have 1 every other day, but yesterday, I had 4, and I got a little worried.  Thank you!

[heartfull]

by the way....because i do have mild hypertension (recent development) and from my symptoms during and after v-tach episodes, mine are believed to be unstable. They can last anywhere from a 1/4 min. to a minute or so, comming off and on for hours. i am sick of them. i cant breathe, i become disoriented and after a big one i have shortness of breath and chest pain, sometimes for days. And fatigue that would put a horse to sleep. dont get me wrong, i am not afraid of dying tho i would love to stay around and continue working with the little children that i teach. my biggest problem is leaving my daughters too soon. i love them dearly. for that reason, i would rather have an ICD than to risk sudden death. I am at a much higher risk of SCD and i dont like it. The only reason i am on this machine this late is that a run of v-tach woke me up!! it was short and not too bothersome, just enough to wake me.
Have a good one tomorrow.

[heartfull]

hey,
  Thanks for the kindness of your post. I am truely sorry for the unstable heart beats and hope that they will leave you alone for a while. I started out like that too, just came and went whenever they felt like it. I know how it can drive you nuts.
  As for me, i know that God has become very protective of me  :) I experience little miricals now so often i cant even think He is ready for me to leave this earth just yet. I also believe that He provides us with the info that is available to us so that we can take some control over our own health. Thats why I highly reccomend that everyone obtain and read copies of their tests. Learn about all the terms used and understand them. That is the only way you will know if your dr is being upfront about all that is going on. I do realize that not everyone can handle knowing some of the things they find out and maybe it is best they dont know. For me, knowlege is power and power is understanding. Once i understand what is going on, i am less fearful. When i have an episode of VT, i know that i will likely come out of it sooner or later and am less scared. I'm not saying i'm not scared at all, just less. I know that if V-fib hits, it will be sudden and i likely will not even know it hit.
  I would like to ask you, if you know this. Is "wide range VT the same as like with long QRS? I cant find it anywhere and they seem to be one in the same, just different term? If you find anythig on it, it will help me with my plans for this.
  I hope you are feeling better soon. Dont feel like you are mental over the panic attacks. You must know that it is mostly your body doing this to you. Dont try to fight them off, it causes more stress. Let them happen to you, if that makes sence to you. When i have them, i give into them now. I lay down and meditate. I usually pray and find myself with my heavenly Father, a safe place for me. Find your place to go in your mind and try to seperate......mind over matter. I also take xanax when i have 'em. They are a big help.
  Good luck Hankstar and to everyone who reads this who is suffering with a cranky heart.
  God Bless

[dodgybeats]

I just want to say that I take my hat off to you out there who have thousands of PVCs/day - I have had about 50 today and it has been absolute sheer hell.  How do you cope with so many??

[Barbara]

I too am bothered with heart skips.  I recently went to the emergency room with them.  They hooked me up to the monitor and did ekg's.  guess what?  They asked me if I care to talk to someone.  When I said yes, they sent me to the crisis center to speak to a counselor.  They told me it was nerves and there was nothing wrong with my heart.  How's that?  Two weeks ago, the doctor sent me for a thalium stress test.  I also got a clean bill of health from that.  I went for massages, counseling, and even church,  with nothing helping.  Now there coming more frequently, like an episode every hour.  I don't know how much more I can take.  Anyone care to email me  ***@****.  Thanks for listening.

[Suzy]

Hi all PVC suffers!  Like most of you writing in this section,  I am a PVC sufferer too, getting approximately 6 PVC's a minute.  Very annoying, often with chest pain, and like everyone (it seems) been told not to worry about it.  Of course I believe my doctors that they are benign and probably won't kill me but they are worrying and it's difficult to not worry when your chest is flip flopping all day and your heart feels like someone is stabbing it with a pin! Just curious about the chest pain - is this normal with PVC's.  Would appreciate any feedback. Good luck to you all and hope we can all somehow figure out how to minimise these rotten things!

[JR]

suzy,
have chest pain all the time, but its probably from the beta blocker that im taking form my thumps and bangs. are you taking anything for it? also ive found that taking care of my digestive system (GERD)seems to help immensely.