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Avatar universal

PVC's and PAC's

This has been an ongoing thing with me.  I'm still here, and I'm still having them.  My thing is I don't know when I need to go to emergency, or to just "chill out" and bite the bullet.

I have been having pvc storms or whatever.  I usually get them in the evening which doesn't help.  It seems I get them when I eat certain things ( which I will stop eating ).  I get them while doing dishes.  I get them when my 93 year old Mom starts asking me " do you feel ok?".  In other words there seem to be a lot of triggers.

Last night I got one of these storms.  I had just seen the cardiologist yesterday!  Everything was fine.  He did schedule me for a holter, but not for two weeks as he will be out of town.  I asked him if I needed to worry when this happened, he said no.  Because my heart is fine.  But last night I realized I was not only having PVC's but PAC's as well.  I have had Paroxysmal Afib since 2009.  I take flecanide and metropolol for it.  So far they have kept me in sinus rhythm.  But last night, I could feel that my afib was coming back.  It was not the usual lub lub pause.  It was lub lub pop pop pop.  I didn't know if I should go to emergency, or just sit it out.  I did just sit it out, because I couldn't really leave a 93 year old alone by herself.  They eventually seemed to die down, and I fell asleep.  Is this the right thing to do, when this happens?  I can't get through to my cardiologist.
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913367 tn?1421324660
What do several PVCs or PACs in a row, feel like? I get them here and there. Usually one, followed by three -five normal beats then another. They are so random. But very much a pain in the butt!
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Avatar universal
You have pvc's uncontrolled.  I just had an ablation today for these and as I lay here typing to you I have not had one PVC's.  I was getting them 22% of the time on the Holter mostly at night and I couldn't sleep. They would drive me crazy.  When I went in this morning, I was only having an occasional PVC but they induced me with adrenalin and could reproduce them and were able to zap a big one and several small ones. I just want to sleep all the time now.  Ablation is the way to go.  It works.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the comments.  They have let-up considerably.  I think once I realized they are not going to kill me, the anxiety went away.  I also think that eating a big meal triggers these, as they always happen after dinner.
Thanks all!

Kenny
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Avatar universal
Hi Kenny. I can't help with your main question because I guess that is a judgement call and only you know how you feel. I know though that many people get pvcs after eating heavy meals or when they have gas or indigestion. I read recently about foods containing tyramine causing palpitations. Tyramine is in overripe fruit and in aged products like mature cheese and salami etc. Also, I find eating small regular meals helps. Heavy meals, spicy foods have triggered my pvcs on occasion.

I have had spells where I have had thousands of pvcs a day, even bigeminy, and my doctor still stays they are harmless. However, they are very alarming and distressing when you are the one suffering. I hope you feel better soon.
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Avatar universal
Af feels pretty much the same as a bunch of pvc's.  It's just that when it comes it doesn't let up and your heart also starts beating fast and erratically.  I can feel the difference, some people can't.  I read somewhere that if your heartbeat goes higher than 120 bpm, then you should seek help.
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Avatar universal
I have the same problem with not knowing when to go to the ER. I would be going every minute if that were the case. I have PVCS all day and all night. I get about 12 within a minute. That goes on all day and night. I am exhausted! What does AF feel like? I think I have it but the Drs have not said I do.
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