PVCs are back and worse than ever :'(

[Jenn1302]

They suddenly came on one night after 2 years of being gone and then every single night for the next 10 days. They horrible things kept me up for hours. They would also wake me up in the morning. After 10 nights and mornings of this hell they finally went away.

I have Romeheld syndrome (gastro-cardia) but my palpitations have never been this bad. During those 10 days I was getting 15-40 times the number of palpitations I had 2-3 years ago (based on the 48 hour Holter I wore) and I was mostly getting PVCs (the worse kind). These horrible PVCs kept me up EVERY SINGLE NIGHT and woke me up EVERY SINGLE MORNING during those 10 days. They never ever woke me up or kept me up before. It felt like I was getting kicked in the chest every time I was trying to sleep. My doctor says this is “normal”. How can anyone think this is even remotely normal?

I lead a healthy lifestyle:
No stimulants
No caffeine (literally zero caffeine, no tea, coffee or chocolate).
No alcohol.
No drugs.
Lots of exercise.

Why would my palpitations get this bad just like that out of the blue? Any help or input would be greatly appreciated.

[AnxiousNiki]

Hi Jenn1302!

I know how you’re feeling right now. I experienced the first episode of PVCs in 2016 which lasted for 20-25, at that time I was going through a very stressful period. I also have gastric and acidity problem. When I first experienced them I was so scared, I couldn’t eat, sleep or do anything else except being worried for the whole day, everyday. The first time it happened, I panicked so bad that I called an ambulance. The paramedics came and checked it and the PVCs showed up on their ECG. That was the first time I came to know about these PVCs. They asked me to stay calm and not to take too much stress but that didn’t help me. The next day itself I was so scared with these PVCs that I landed up in the hospital’s Emergency Department. There they ran all the tests and the doctors said that everything was normal and these PVCs might be because of the stress and anxiety. I was also advised to take a holter monitor and a treadmill stress test, which I got done and those came normal too. I was so frustrated with that feeling, that I used cry, cry and cry. Then after few days it disappeared on its own. I was so thankful and so happy.

Now almost after 2 years they’re back again. I don’t know why. I was with friends and was happy, was not stressed at that time at all. I’m so upset that I can’t express it. I again landed up at the ED and again the doctors said that all the tests are normal. This time they suggested me to take beta-blockers if I want to but I don’t want to take it because of its side-effects. I don’t know what to do. I’m so scared all the time that I’m not able to concentrate on anything. I get rapid heartbeats, then a pause and then a thud... then again rapid heartbeats. I feel breathless whenever they come. Such an awful feeling. People who don’t get it can’t understand what we go through. I stay far away from my parents and siblings in another country and haven’t told them anything about it because I don’t want them to worry about me.

I don’t take any stimulants, no tea, coffee, alcohol, drugs, chocolate or anything. I used to exercise before these PVCs were back but now I’m too scared to even exercise. Everyday going through this feeling is like dying slowly.

Don’t know how this is going to help you but thought to reply you on your post. Hope that all of us get rid of these nasty PVCs soon and are able to live our lives normally. Take care.

[Jenn1302]

Thank you for your responses and support. I'm sorry to hear you have to deal with this too. I recently came across Dr. Sanjay Gupta's (York Cadiology) videos and watched a few of them. This guy seems to know what he's talking about and actually tries to explain why we get these horrible things and how to get rid of them.

[noobeleng]

yes, i watched his videos a lot, they are really helping in explaining and also in calming myself.

[noobeleng]

Hello!

I too suffer from this, but unlike you i haven't been diagnosed with gastro-cardia (only mentioned that they can be related). I can live without any PVCs for mounths, but then out of nowhere they come. Can't sleep at all.

Sorry for not being helpful at all, just wanted to say that you are not alone in this mandess.

[Jenn1302]

I recently got a more detailed copy of my test results. Every single PVC I had during those 48 hours happened at night when I was lying down and trying to sleep. Most of them happened when I was asleep, no wonder they kept waking me up. I had zero PVCs during the day. ZERO. Literally 100% of them happened when I was lying down.

[Jenn1302]

Anyone?

[Jenn1302]

Update:
The PVCs that the most recent holter showed were UNIFOCAL. The ones I had before this 10 day episode were always MULTIFOCAL.