Newbie to PVC's....Need some advise please.

[oceanminded]

I've had pretty bad health anxiety and panic disorder for the last couple of years. I'm 34, male, in decent shape and have had every test under the sun done for health anxiety related symptoms, all coming back clean with the exception of elevated cholesterol which I'm working on. About a week ago I was in my house when I started getting a strong irregular heart rhythm. I never had this before and I wasn't at the time feeling anxious or having any kind of panic attack. I did eat a large heavy meal. Anyways this freaked me out and I went to the E.R. My irregular heart rhythm must have lasted a good hour or two in E.R. and they were able to detect PVC's on ECG. They sent me home saying these were benign PVC's and that I should follow up with my DR. I called cartio DR. and was able to get in right away. He was not concerned with ECG and said not to worry about them since I already did Stress Test, blood work, etc. months earlier which all came back normal except for cholesterol issue. Well, I'm still freaking out and cannot stop taking pulse and BP and I have felt some PVC's but there not as strong as before. Also I feel like I'm losing it cuz I'm feeling weird sensations which I'm not sure are PVC's or just my imagination. I got a prescription of Lexapro which I haven't started yet. I just feel like I was doing so well and all of a sudden these PVC's came out of nowhere. Should I ask for more tests like echo which I haven't done yet? I'm just becoming obsessed now with my heart like never before and I'm even having nightmares about PVC's which wake me up with a racing heart. Any advice would be appreciated.

[ajwwr82]

Hi i am only 13 and i get pvcs. I know how bad you feel when u get an attack, even if u do know that u r okay. u kinda get depressed and what not...well when i have one i just convince my self that im gonna live to be so old and no heart problem is going to stop me. anyway you are going to be fine, by the way i have health anxiety too and i was also doin good until the pvcs. a good way to stop them is take a deep breath in so u can kinda feel it in your chest or ur heart i guess. this helps, and when u do eat, dont overeat as this causes them too. anyway, good luck, and believe me you'll be fine,im just a kid and i deal with them so i know a grown man can deal with them :-)

[Momto3]

Hi oceanminded,

It sounds like you really are in excellent health, with the exception of the health anxiety.  If it helps, I've had PVCs for at least 30 years and at times the monitors picked up over 20,000 PVCs in a day.  They really are benign and will not hurt you. Think of them like a headache or the hiccups.  They're both very annoying, sometimes come on out of nowhere, but are not serious.

At one time I did take a beta blocker (Inderal or propanolol) and had no problem going on and/or off of it over a period of about 12 years.  Some doctors wlil prescribe beta blockers for their patients who have a hard time dealing with the PVCs or for those who are very symptomatic.  Try not to worry, you're gonna be just fine : )

connie

[lucyluu]

I am a female and was not going to respond to your post but I saw that you put weird sensation in chest so I thought I should say something.  I just found out I have PVC's a month ago.  Apparently I have been getting these for a while but couldnt feel them other then recalling a light strange sensation in my chest off and on over the years.  A month ago that sensation kept getting stronger and stronger followed by thumps.  The sensation would start in the center and radiate out wards.  Not painful but like you said a sensation.  I was getting tons of PVC's in a day all of a sudden and these sensations.  I went to the ER and a Cardiologist.  I had a stress test that detected the PVC's everytime I got the sensation so now I know what it is.  I dont have heart disease, my echo was great and my blood work is good too.  They put me on Propranolol for a few weeks and I just weaned off of it.  It helped take the load off my heart for a while and control the anxiety.  However its hell getting off of that med.

Now that I know what I am dealing with I asked to go off the med and see how my heart and heart rate would do naturally on its own without the anxiety.  Since I have been off I still get the PVC's but not as many also due to adding Omega 3 Fish Oil into my diet.  The sensation however is not there at all anymore.  I think it had something to do with the anxiety of what was happening. When I get nervous now I just remind myself that the structure of my heart is ok.  I bought a blood pressure monitor so that when I do get panicky I can take it and see that its low and Im ok.  Ive had to take 2 pills since I went off a week ago but that is ok.  Im sure Ill get to a point where I can go pill free for a long time.

Just check out your life.  When these PVC's came on strong with the sensations I was extreamly fatigued.  I just had a baby and my husband has been gone a lot for work.  We have also had a lot of stress.  One because he was gone so much and two we bought a new home in this crazy market with a new baby.  Bad idea.  Check out what is going on in your life because it can make this condition way worse.  You may need to slow down a bit.  I have cut my schedule in half and have been doing much better.  Sometimes I barely feel them and when I do to much I definately get a thump back from my heart.  

Hope this helps.

[bigglenn357]

Im 40 year old male good shape but smoke and drink,1 pack a day and maybe 12 beers in a week.Its hell when you have these attacks mine used to go away after a day or two but now they are almost constant and everyday so dont get to frightened.You sound like me I was always taking my pulse and blood pressure then you feel the skiped beat and your anxiety goes crazy and then a panic attack.Well I havent got use to them but relax your not going to drop dead from them by saying that and reading this forum you will soon see they are manageable by not worrying about them.I work in a stressful enviroment I do hvac service work up on roofs in boiler rooms and in attics so its kinda scary when I have these pvcs and Im alone thinking Im dying!! All in all Im still here thanks to lorazapam to calm me down.Also a hint my cholesterol 4 months ago was 260 total with ldl 155 I didnt realy change my diet and Im not fat Im actually in great shape,so I started taking bayer heart healthy asprin 81 mgs it has phyterols in it to lower cholesterol.Last week cholesterol was 182 and ldl 120,my doc couldnt believe it said he was going to reccomend the asprin to other patients,but nothing beats eating right but I cant do it I love steak.Sorry for the ramble and good luck,and relax!!