Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

PVCs have been awful the last couple months... anyone else?

Well, last night marked the worst bout with pvcs/pacs I have ever had.  I was getting 3 or 4 every 10 minutes for about 12 hours.  I was unable to sleep at all and had to call in sick.  While I realize many people here experience much worse, it was bad for me- which in the past has typically been 3 or 4 a week... sometimes going months without any.

For whatever reason, the last two months have been brutal!  I have had a couple blood tests recently and electrolytes are all normal (except for low vitamin d).  I am convinced that there is a relationship between eating/vagal tone and my episodes.  Back to an event monitor on Tuesday.

Anyways, wasn't really looking for any advice- my echo, stress, ekgs are all normal and I have read an endless amount on the topic.  I just wish there was a tangible, fool proof method for eliminating these stupid palpitations.

just wanted to share my experience as I know many other people here have been having really bad episodes lately.

I always find them worse in the winter??
27 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
  Running makes the heart beat faster due to metabolic/aerobic demand.....caffeine and adrenalin stimulate the heart to beat faster...different stimulus/ different reason for increase of beat/different response to PVC's.   sometimes these things are counterintuitive .
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
See, thats what doesnt make sense. They say caffeine etc... makes pvcs worse because of adrenaline or stimulent--something--yet if you have pvcs, sometimes the doc will say if they are bothering you to go running to get your heart rate up---see???? NO SENSE to anyone of it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hey guys.

does anyone know if and why alchohol and caffeine makes pvc's worse??? ive read up about it on google and they seem to be triggers....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Mine are not mental either. I was minding my own business-use to the little blips of them--had them for many many years--then one day I literally woke up to thousands and thousands of them--and I was not scared at all---I had no idea they could be dangerous and I never heard of v-tach or anything--I never feared them---I just thought it was a funny sensation---then I made the mistake of going to the ER for something and they let me know it was a "problem"---and I was having a ton!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
not a mental cycle...at least not for me...mine have gradually gone away and for the most part are now finally gone, about a 3 week run of 2 or 3 a minute non stop, but then they just gradually went away...not all the sudden, but went from 2 or 3 a minute, to just happeniong in the morning and late afternoon with a couple a minute and then too just a blip here in there throughouht the day to now...having absolutely none and still think about them...mental, don't think so, tho it can aggravate them if you become obsessive about them.
Helpful - 0
1558471 tn?1331222035
Strangly, My PAC/PVC have reduced in the last two week. (Hopefully I didn't pass them on to you all via the computer :) ) With normally over 12,000 a day, I'm only having about 1000.  I haven't done anything  different.  But my  tachy episodes have picked up.  It is all sooo strange.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oh goodness, I just had the longest heart stop. FREAKED me out. I swear--I would rather feel the rotten frequent pvcs than whatever that LOOOOONG pause what. How is it you can feel your heart stop without  touching your wrist. Did i panick---oh yes. Did I feel for a pulse? After I prayed, then said to myself--while it was still stopped (or felt like it)--then I felt for the pulse and think I felt a light beat but was so panicked that it wasnt untill my heart was racing from fear that I relaxed.
Helpful - 0
221122 tn?1323011265
;>)  I've wanted to post that exact thing SOOOOO many times.  Too funny! <3
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
I understand that there are triggers that make these thing worse, but sometimes I wonder how much of it is a mental cycle. You go along with many things on your mind, you're busy and don't really pay them much attention and then one day you start to have too much time on your hands and start giving them more attention than they deserve. For me, I'm very uncomfortable during this part of the cycle and think about them way too much until I get tired of the whole situation and just get used to them again and get busy with other things. Then the good part of the cycle starts again. The one constant is the PVC's, they're always there it's just a matter of how much I think about them.

I don't know, I could be way off base:)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
pvcs are worse too when coming down sick, when actually sick, when recovering from being sick, before your period, or during your period, or after your period, or when you are tired or if you sleep too much, if you are hungry or if you eat too much, if you are excited about something, anxious, angry, or after any of those things--seriously--they dont really need an excuse to act out--they just do what they want when they want and for as long as they want and then they act all innocent. Hmmmmm very much like a criminal ---commit the crime then plead not guilty.
Helpful - 0
967168 tn?1477584489
Yes during and after exercise...have you had an exercise stress test to see what your heart does during exercise?

I get frequent pvc's during exercise, shortness of breath, nausea, extreme fatigue and get cold/hot sweats where my body doesn't actually sweat (ANS issues) then in recovery I get couplets, triplets and faint :P not a pretty sight - exercise while you can if your doctor says your heart is structurally normal; one day they may do like with me and give you a no exertion restriction - very depressing.

my exercise test results are in my journal - test and surgery results =)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey guys,

I am a new victim of the PVC and I am not enjoying them at all. They are frightening the hell out of me. I have been getting them at random times during the day, but lately they are especially hitting me at aroun 4am onwards. Today I had a skipping beat every minute, and this went on for a good 2 hours. I had to stop work and continually time my pulse....it was horrible...

I am very anxious about this new problem I have and am hoping I can gt rid of it, but dont understand why it is happening now???
Helpful - 0
221122 tn?1323011265
Yup....and crying makes me have them, too, so I stopped that, as well...:)
Helpful - 0
924240 tn?1300052827
PVCs terrorize me so much during exercise (even just walking the dogs) that I end up crying through my exercise sessions.  Can't go the the gym anymore so I now have to exercise at home. I used to love exercise and now I'm afraid of it.  I still force myself to do it because if I give in and let the PVCs win on that account, I'm done.
Anyone else bothered by PVCs during physical activity?
Helpful - 0
923105 tn?1341827649
I did have to smile about your post about you 'Have a Cure'

It's so true though, you go to your cardio with the PVC's they order a monitor for you, and guess what? hardly anything:/

IMO I think it's because you feel 'safe' with the monitor on - that's just how I feel anyway.

When I last had my monitor, I did everything I could to bring them on, exercising, drinking coffee, wine, you name it I did it, and guess what - nothing.

I am also having a bad run at the moment - so I guess it's off to see the cardio again !!

Debs x
Helpful - 0
221122 tn?1323011265
I've been reading this forum for years and this is the first time, for me, that I've noticed a plethora of posts about pvcs that are acting "worse than ever" all at the same time.  "There is something in the air" sounds right, all of a sudden.  What IS up?  One day we'll figure this out.....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
2 weeks and going strong...3 a minute and had a 6 month period of none, before these showed up again.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sorry, just an edit to my last post- beta blockers are considered antiarrhythmic agents- I just don't think they are as effective in decreasing PVCs as other classes of these drugs.  Just my opinion though.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know for certain that a healthy diet with good sources of potassium help decrease the number of PVCs I get.  They say the standard potassium intake for an adult (without kidney problems) is anywhere from 2000-4000mg. It takes a lot of fruit to get close to this count.  If you are on Toprol, you may not need to consume quite so much because beta blockers have a tendency to raise potassium levels in the blood.  Magnesium is essentially a natural beta blocker that also helps regulate the heart, but it is a little more difficult to attain, in large quantities, through food alone.

I also notice that stomach indigestion increases the PVCs I get.  As crazy as it sounds, pepto bismol is often effective in decreasing my irregular beats (assuming stomach issues are what is causing PVCs to flare up).

With all that said, there are an endless number of suggestions out there on what minerals and supplements help decrease PVCs, but I would caution people to be very careful about making drastic changes in your supplement habits without consulting a doctor.  Every supplement and mineral that is beneficial to the heart can also be detrimental if taken in excess.

In my experience, beta blockers aren't very effective at decreasing PVCs... it is a rate control drug, and not an antiarrhythmic agent.  Not to mention that 25mg is a very low dose...  Perhaps you should consider talking to your doctor about a higher dose, and possibly switch to a different BB to test it out?  This all depends on your sensitivity to these drugs, as some people have trouble taking them.  If you are not happy with the recommendations your GP is giving you, you should always get a second opinion.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

I share your concerns and you are not alone.  Not that I believe all problems are solved with drugs, but have you asked about an increase in Toprol dosage?   The things I think of when I am having an episode of PVC's is that they are benign, I don't have coronary heart disease,  I am not going to die and they will eventually subside.  I am not sure what helps anymore.
Helpful - 0
924240 tn?1300052827
I haven't had a break from PVCs in a long time, maybe a year and a half.  I have had them for about 9 years.  THey have been terrorizing me when I exercise, which really bums me out. I feel so alone, exhausted and frightened. I am currently taking 25 mg of Toprol XL.  Any suggestions about how to deal with these things?  I sometimes feel that they are driving me insane.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You sound like me. I've had mine for over 30 years, and 2 weeks ago they went crazy, after about 8 good months. I'm wondering if I'm going to ever be somewhat normal again. It's 12.48 am, and I'm on the computer cause PVC-s are keeping me awake. It's a wonderful life..! Mark
Helpful - 0
221122 tn?1323011265
Join the club.  Had about 9 great months last year, then about December they started back and have gotten considerably worse.  I have been having the worst time with them then I've ever had the last month.  And that is saying something since I've had them for 34 years. I have a cure.....I put a holter monitor on...they stop....:(
Helpful - 0
159619 tn?1707018272
I have to agree, my PVC's have been on a very bad run the last few months, mostly due to high stress (job related) and very little sleep, maybe 3 or 4 hours a night. I have seen my doctor a couple times over the past few weeks due to a sinus infection and we have spoken about it. He's taken a listen and told me they were "good, clean PVC's". I asked him what that meant and he said my heart sounded just fine between beats, no AFIB, no extra sounds and no funny rhythms and on a steady, stable pace just throwing some PVC's. He said nothing that needs to be seen by a cardiologist again. He said since my last echo in Dec 2007, my BP has been controlled and my exercise tolerance is very high so no need for tests as nothing has changed that would be seen on tests. He said a stress test would show me what I already know, I can acheive 10 -11 mets with no problem with more in reserve and an echo would not be likely to show any changes since everything else is fine and I feel well. As he said, "if you hang out at the pool, some day you'll take a dip". (sounds like something one of the docs here used to say) His point was, if you start asking for unnecessary tests, you are risking a false positive, especially over something like PVC's so I guess I'll just take his word for it and keep going.

Nice to know I have "good, clean PVC's" though:)
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community

Top Arrhythmias Answerers
1807132 tn?1318743597
Chicago, IL
1423357 tn?1511085442
Central, MA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Are there grounds to recommend coffee consumption? Recent studies perk interest.
Salt in food can hurt your heart.
Get answers to your top questions about this common — but scary — symptom
How to know when chest pain may be a sign of something else
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.