PVC'S....How have they changed your life...

[kane3]

I'm trying to get a number on responses from anyone who is affected by Premature-Ventricular-Contractions or PVC's. I have been on this site for some years now and have been blessed to know some great people who have helped me in my "battle" with Pvc's.

A little about myself for some new people who are in the community daily, I'm a 27yr/Male who has been suffering from PVC's since 2008. I awoke one morning after a night of drinking (alcohol), and realized my heart wasn't beating normally. Well, thinking I was dieing of course, I went into the ER where they did some testing and monitoring and told me I was having PVC's and it was nothing to worry about...go home. Well, I went home..and my journey since that day has been long...stressful, and sad. I went through a slew of testing since that time to try and figure anything out, and it was untill recently, I was diagnosed with PVC-induced-Cardiomyopathy (pardon the spelling). In the first few years of having anywhere from 5000-25000 Pvc's a day, I tried anything to reduce them and my symptoms. I lost 40lbs, I quit smoking instantly and drinking (still clean), I controlled my diet, exercised 2 hours a day, tried every herbal that I got recommended, changed my life style completely...and yet...had NO relief. My doctor's threw me Paxil and thought maybe I was depressed and that would eliminate the Pvcs, they gave me Xanax..Ambien..Clonazepam..anything to do with my mind since they thought I was for surely bringing these things on myself. But as time passed, my condition slowly started getting worse. I got more Pvc's by the hundreds, chest pain in certain areas, disrupted sleeping patterns and so on. So they gave a shot at an EP Study, in hopes to have that work. With a 80% chance of success and the best (what the word was) EP specialist around, the ablation was unsuccessful! Time passed, untill they did another MRI and noticed recently the Cardiomyopathy ...Im now wondering what will be in my future 5 years from now if these Pvc's keep beating the crap out of me?

Please share you story, share your information, share anything you can to shed some light on what worked or didn't work for you.Maybe what you can suggest, or recommend. Maybe a certain clinic or doctor that has made a world of difference for you (if so please don't name on here, private message, due to web policy). Anything that you can bring to my world will be forever thankful. I'm sure there are some stories out there and some success ones that can be very helpful in getting me some motivation to keep up with these things.

Thanks everyone! And if you have any questions for me, please feel free to ask since I have alot more to my journey that's not posted.

[curmudgen]

My Holter recorder picked up 13,000 PVC's/24 hours... had them for almost two years.........   I stopped taking Ambien and within 3 days my PVC's were essentially gone as were my other symptoms of epigastric/gerd like discomfort.  I have been symptom free for 4 months and what a relief.  I manage to fall asleep without any aids.  Good luck....

[kane3]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I see alot of you battle each day with these things along with the anxiety that comes along with them. There are days where I feel the majority of each PVC dolphin, but for the most part..it's about 1 PVC to every 5 i feel. So it is quite often. I guess Ive learned to deal with them, but there is the odd PVC that really catches me no matter what Im doing or where I am. Reading all your posts just makes me wish there was some peace and end to these things. You all are very brave to live each day with these. I hope we can keep hope and strength and support each other.

[RNRita]

I am a 54 y/o female who has had these since I was 19.  I could write a book, but my story sounds a lot like others.  I do want to answer the original question.

They have made my life different than other people's.  Because of them (back then I didn't know what they were and neither did docs) I have felt like less of a person.  I have horrific anxiety disorder and panic.  On top of them I have fibromyalgia and other fun things.  

I always wonder, if I could get rid of one thing, what would it be? The dizziness, the PVCs, the pain or one of the other ailments I have that there is NO cure for...hmmmm....which one?  If I knew I would never have another PVC again, that would be it.

I would be able to travel and do a lot of things I cannot do now.  Yes, a lot of people travel with these.  I have driven to Florida every year for the last 15.  My point then?  I can't fly because they go CRAZY with any G-force, and because I am wondering all the time if and when they will come (and I have the horrible pauses, etc) I am in a constant state of anxiety during any trip.  Panic attacks are abundant.  

Before you tell me to see a psychiatrist, I have seen MANY!  Everyone tries to put me on SSRIs and I can't take them, nor any other drugs for anxiety except Xanax, and that only helps to a certain extent.

I have read the book above when I was 20.  It helped, but my life was already changed.  Now I can only try to move on and wait for a real cure that I know will never come.

I'm in a bit of a bad place right now, due to an exacerbation of my fibromyalgia for about two or three months, sorry....I sound so morose....ick.

[achillea]

Have you ever been to a psychiatrist for your anxiety, etc?  From personal experience, I can tell you that there *are* ways to reduce the amount of stress you feel from these strange heartbeats that are so disturbing to all of us.

A good shrink will be able to steer you towards something called cognitive behavior therapy, AND--more important--he/she will be able to prescribe medications that are more suitable for long-term use than Xanax (which, though nice, is merely a Band-Aid).

Strangely enough, I have found that effective psych therapy first greatly reduces my awareness of these beats, and then the diminished awareness seems to decrease the actual number I'm having.  Adrenaline, a hormone/neurotransmitter released when people are stressed, increases the tendency for PVCs and so on to increase, sometimes dramatically.

If you cannot afford a psychiatrist, please purchase an inexpensive little book called "Hope and Help For Your Nerves, by Dr. Claire Weekes.  She addresses ectopic heartbeats in it.

[Ihatepalps2]

Iam a 51 yr old female. Have had palps for 19 years. long time to suffer!!! I have had every test imaginable except a catherization. ( or EP study). I wear a holter about every year...and they always always say the same thing. Mostly PACs..few PVCs...stress related, benign...try to stop thinking about them. Ive been on so many meds. Atenolol helped for years, but that stopped working. I have a good heart...but about a year or so ago I had a heart scan..they noticed some "areas of narrowing"...but didnt feel the need for any cath or further testing. Told to lose weight, eat right, etc. That didnt really have anything to do with the palps. I have a VERY high stress life..something always always happening. All my holters usually show several thousand PACs..and the cardio not concerned.
Meanwhile, I go through life completely miserable. When Im having a day FULL of them, and I mean FULL...it sometimes is every 3rd beat....Iam ornery, scared, tired, somewhat short of breath, anxious ( I have anxiety and depression disorder) and miserable. Im on Metoprolol and Enalapril..as much for my high blood pressure as for any heart rhythm issues.
doesnt really do anything for the palps.
My mom recently passed away, and i can tell you its the most stressful time in my life, as we were VERY close. She had cancer, so it wasnt completely unexpected, but that doesnt make it any easier.
I do have days where i dont have palpitations....but just when I think..oh...maybe.... then bam! They are back,and they come back terrible. I cannot pinpoint what brings them on (other than stress). I ingest ZERO ( or as close to zero) caffiene...ive given up all my favorites, chocolate, coffee, anything with MSG...and still. Still when I have them, they are relentless. I do what the DR told me to do--ignore them, but of course, I cant. I just push through them---keep on doing what im doing...but my god...Im so so so so afraid im going to just drop dead--sudden cardiac arrest. Sometimes I get tired, during them, and sit down, but sitting down, makes it worse--then I focus on them.
Whats the worst time for me?? BEDTIME!!! How that Dr thinks that i can lay back, and go to SLEEP when my heart is skipping, tripping and flopping around like a fish in there,is beyond me.
I talk myself OUT of going to the ER on bad nights (ive done that a couple times..they just tell me the same thing. Last time, they never even kept a monitor on me!!!) Im not a hypo that goes to the ER all the time...ive only gone 2 x....in the last 5 years...but ....  the alternative..is lay there in bed, feeling them and being so scared that my heart will finally give up and stop. What a way to live, huh??? Let those damn things WIN!!!
Shame on me for letting them,but some days, specially lately with the grief Ive been going thru, I dont have the energy to fight thru them.
Im NOT a candidate for an EP study...my cardiologist says absolutly no reason for it. So..I just go thru life living this way. Sorry if I sound so down...im actually having a decent relatively palp-free day today..but im sure they will be back...
so..this is MY take on them.
Oh, Im on Xanax for anxiety as well. when they get extra bad, I do take that. Doesnt stop them, but it relaxes me.

[dolphin8808]

First of all, I am so sorry you have had such a tough battle with your PVCs. They are so God awful! I started having them a year ago, went through all the tests and was told I am fine and have a good life. I do have an accelearted HR anyway so recently my PCP told me to try Bystolic. I have yet to try it as I am also a Pill Phobic but do plan on giving it a shot.

So, they think that because of the # of PVCs you are having in a day, that is what caused your Cardiomyopathy? Do you feel how many you are having?  I mean do you feel between 5k-20k per day or are most unnoticed by you?

I do not have the number you have but I do live with them daily. I hate it, they scare the crap out of me at times and I think there HAS to be something else going on to cause PVCs. They tell me sometimes a nerve in the heart just gets "pissed off" and misfires. Well why does it misfire in my heart and not the girl's next to me?  I have gone through ups and downs with these. I can make myself have a PVC by sniffling too hard, moving a certain way etc. Really has effected my life and just living in general.

I am on Zoloft and Xanax as needed which I do think helps me maintain when I have a bad day.

Big hugz my friend! :)