Are pvcs dangerous?

[Luksta]

on my spring break i was playing a game of soccer with friends, we were having fun i was pushing myself very hard, after the game i walked to get some water when i felt my heart really pounding fast and hard, this scared me so i sat down for  a few and eventually my pulse regularized. a few minutes after my friend wanted to do pull ups so i said okay and tried. after 2 pull ups my heart started racing (this seems normal). so i went home. the next days were very scary, i felt like my heart was stopping and skipping beats like crazy, i had no idea what was happening. i complained to my mother and she took me to the doctor. the doctor said the blood came back perfect but he recommended to see a cardiologist. the appointment was the next month and i was very anxious, so i ended up going to the emergency room instead. finally they sent a cardiologist to test my heart (chest xray, EKG, and ultrasound) they found that i had pvcs and told me that usually they are benign and not life threatening. just to make sure he said to come in for another check up in 2 days. e then had me put on a holter monitor for 48 hours. i came back and the information he gave me was confusing. he said he he saw 2 pvcs in a row 2 times but said that is fine. then he said he saw 3 pvcs and sounded a little concerned. then he went to say that this was fine as well. the next day i went and took a stress test, the guy said my heart was perfect and was even surprised at how well i did. that gave me a little reassurance because i wanted to start playing soccer again. we then see the cardiologist one last time and he offers us 2 options, either i have a surgery where they freeze the part of my heart thats causing the pvcs, or i can go on beta blockers. my father presented the idea that i wait for the end of summer before making a decision because it could have been stress from school and needing to take finals. what i believe it is is that i was worrying about my heart after the soccer game and became fixated on it to the point that i developed anxiety because of it. now that school is over and all my tests are done i feel as if they have either gotten a bit better or im just not noticing them as much. but they are diffidently still there. and when i do feel one i start getting worked up and more seem to follow. i have been having some chest pain and tightness, but this is only when i am experiencing anxiety, so i think i can blame it on that, also my chest xray came back fine and my heart looked fine, so the chest pain cant be related to my heart i don't think. my question is if i can start working out and playing soccer and pushing myself as hard as i used to. because i have been tired lately and i think just sitting around is what is causing it. thank you for reading.  

[kaylamt]

Since your heart is structurally normal and healthy the PVCs won't hurt you at all. They are just extremely hard to live with..: I have a few questions for you though. How many are you having a day? You must be having a lot if you are getting so many they are giving you ablation as an option . Typically they only give ablation as an option if you are having around 15k. Something tells me you aren't have THAT many. If you're having less than 10k and don't want to do the surgery then don't. But if they are really hard on you go for it. Ablation is typically extremely successful!

[Luksta]

I don't know how many he never said, he was only concerned about how many in a row there were not how many I had. So maybe that's a good thing. Can I still work out and play soccer like I used to? He never answered that for me.

[MichelleP_3811]

Yes that is what they feel like to me.  I can get little runs and even patterns that sustain for a little while but my heart is healthy so it isn't a concern.  I just try to ignore them and get on with my life.  But since an ablation was recommended I would just get a clear idea of how many you are having and a second opinion wouldn't hurt but I agree it may not be necessary or even advisable to rush into an ablation at this time but having a very clear picture of your situation is important.  Take care.

[researcher09]

It concerns me that your cardiologist/electrophysiologist offered to use cryo ablation on your PVC without even knowing where the source of the PVC is located.   Cryo ablation is typically used in situations where navigation is easy and there is a elevated risk for heart block.  For example ablating anything located near the sinus node.   PVCs may or may not be easily navigated depending on location.  If you are referred for ablation, make sure to find a center that are expert at VT ablations (PVC ablations require the same skills).  The procedure required detailed mapping followed by careful navigation.  If you can get an experienced VT ablation expert in your corner, the procedure is likely to be successful and will offer great relieve much like SVT ablation.

[MichelleP_3811]

I would get a clear idea of how many you are having a day.  How many were actually recorded in a row.  If you only had a handful and one small run of three I would not recommend doing an ablation.  Ablations for pvcs and pacs are very tricky and don't always work and can cause more problems then they are trying to help.  They really are for those whose lives are totally disrupted by the amount they are having or that the amount they are having are compromising the health of the heart.  If your heart is healthy it can handle a small amount of premature beats, even short runs of them so just get a clear idea of how many you are having and maybe even get a second opinion.  Also when you work out or play soccer hard make sure you do a warm up and cool down and drink lots of water.  Maybe even get some sports drinks because heavy sweating will deplete you of necessary electrolytes.  By the way, it is very common for athletes to have premature beats.  Try to not hyper focus on that you have them or how many you have but whether or not they interrupt your ability to function.  If you are still able to do everything normal and your heart is evaluated to be healthy the risks associated with them is extremely minimal.  Take care.

[Luksta]

Thank you, they don't really mess with my day, I ignore them mostly. Sometimes they can be quite annoying, if it gets to a point when I Can't function normally I would do the surgery. But at this point I don't think I need it.

[kaylamt]

What do they feel like to you? I was checking my pulse when it happened and it was so weird. I had the PVC but instead of the hard thump you get after the reset there's was another fast best after. Idk if that's multiple or if I'm just crazy.

[Luksta]

They feel like a flutter in my chest, if I were to feel my pulse it would most likely be what you described.

[kaylamt]

Yeah no problem! I think I've felt multiple in a row and it scared me so bad! That's why I was curious about what he said. Do you feel the mutlitples?

[Luksta]

Sometimes, those are the most scary

[kaylamt]

Well if he didn't want you to exercise they'd definitely tell you not to. Is your heart is healthy then you can definitely continue exercising . Did he seem very concerned about the couplets??

[Luksta]

He said for a two or three they don't usually do anything he said that they can do the surgery or beta blockers if I want. Thank you for the response by the way.