Fish oil and PVc's?

[PVC man]

Someone posted on another site that they had seen in a study a lonk between PVcs increasing and fish oil?  I find this fascinating because I DID increase my fish oil consumption a couple of months ago andhave recently gone through a REALLY BAD bout of PVcs.

I am very careful about the other stuff like caffeine, alcohol, etc.

Has ANYBODY heard about this?

Thanks and be well.

[RichardAZ]

Yes, fish oil gave me PVCs. I have a ventricular arrhythmia condition called PSVT (paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia). So I'm in the group of people predisposed for having PVCs with fish oil, according to a white paper I’m listing below. I only came across the paper after I consumed fish oil and had a flair up of PVCs this week.

I've had PSVT since I was 12 years old and it happens only once or twice a year and lasts a few minutes. I've never been treated for it, since it happens so rarely. Once in a while I also get PVCs but unfortunately PVCs are often a trigger for my PSVTs – which cause my heart rate to hit about 300bpm. Sometimes, rarely, I need an adenosine injection to restart my heart.

If it wasn't for my PSVT condition, my PVCs would be harmless and only slightly annoying (compared to PSVT).

Thankfully I rarely get PVCs unless I'm under stress. I had a couple weeks’ worth of PVCs last year and haven't noticed any since this week with my fish oil mishap.

Earlier this week I bought a bottle of Carlson's fish oil and took about a tablespoon (a bit too much). That evening I started having PVCs like never before. Hard, forceful PVCs one right after another, unprovoked by anything.

At first I didn't correlate it with the fish oil. Finally went to bed around 2am and didn't have many PVCs the next day. I took the carlson fish oil again in the evening and wham, more PVCs within an hour or two. This time I connected it with the fish oil and I researched it on google.

I found "Raitt et al showed that fish oils could increase the incidence of ventricular tachycardia in a subset of patients..." and "fish oils could increase the incidence of ventricular tachycardia". This was in "JAMA -- Fish Oil Supplementation and Risk of Ventricular Tachycardia."

It's been about 5 days since I started taking the fish oil and I'm still having PVCs. Today I read that it takes about 7 days to expel the EPA/DHA out of the blood: “British Journal of Nutrition / Volume 82 / Issue 06 / December 1999, pp 481-488”. I'm not sure if I'm interpreting that paper the right way, I'm not a doctor.

A couple days ago I called an on-call electrophysiologist who works with my cardiologist and she told me to take an extra beta blocker (normally I take 50mg of Toprol XL). I told her about the fish oil and she said "yeah, the fish oil probably could be the cause.".

I've been charting my PVCs in Excel by the hour and the peak happened shortly after the second dose of fish oil and has been gradually going down since. I hope I'm back to normal in another two or three days. This really *****.

Personally, I can do without the fish oil. My good cholesterol is low and my bad cholesterol is high. I'm only 37 years old and already have cholesterol spots in my eyes according to my eye doctor and my dad had severe atherosclerosis. I suppose just eating oatmeal, avoiding egg yolks, hamburgers and fries will suffice. Fish oil is for the birds.

[Wallisfire]

The omega 3's uncover your LDL's that were hidden buy your VLDL's, by removing the triglyceride attached to the LDL (stickier)but reduce your VLDL's , which are more atherogenic than LDL's. Now that you have reduced the more atherogenic VLDL, you can continue therapy by further reducing your LDL's.

[FuldaDon]

I had been having long bouts with very annoying PVC's and my cardiologist had prescribed Metoprolol to combat them.  It didn't seem to help and she increased the dosage.  Still no change.  But I had been taking fish oil capsules on occasion to promote heart health and noticed that the PVC's seemed to go away when I took them.  I decide to take them daily (twice) and now I can report that my PVC's have disappeared completely!!  

[steven2009]

When I was a kid around 8  years old {1974} I was put on Ritalin and took it about 2 years.I remember the PVc`s back then and knew nothing of it.I was took off the ritalin and growed like 6 inches in a year and gained about 25 pounds.

I started having panic attacks when I was around 15 and have had heart PVC`s off and on most of my life.I drank heavy for about 25 years and have been sober for about 18 months.My heart test within the last 2 years showed nothing wrong other than the PVC`s.

I really have not had the PVC`s very often since getting off the booze.I started taking Cod Liver oil about 4 days ago.The night before last I went to bed and as I was dozing off my heart thumped and I felt as if I were going to die.

My research on Cod Liver oil has shown to be positive.I have ocular hypertension and the Cod Liver Oil in studies have shown to reduce ocular pressure and is very good on the hearts arteries.

I have also been on blood pressure medicine since I was 19 andnow im 43.I take Tenormin 50mg twice a day and it helps big time the PVC`s and a racing heart.

I think Ritalin as a child is why I have PVC`s to this day.I have learned how to talk myself out of the panic attacks and test shows my heart is not damaged in no way.Sometimes the PVC`s will cause you to think life is almost over.

Wanted to share.

Thank you all.

Take care.

Steven.

[Skippi]

Hello, it's not October yet, but just reading this post about fish oil: I've been taking fish oil since last October, and cross-fingers, so far so marvellous!!! I haven't had such a good year for a long long time. Still have my pvc's, but much much less and no attack whatsover! (when they don't stop, when they drive you crazy, when you just want to die because they annoy/scare the **** out of you, xcuse the language, but you all know the feeling). I'll go for a cholesterol test soon, so will check about my levels, but frankly, I don't care, I'd rather have high cholesterol than this skipping beats and the fear. I take the reflux-coated fishoil, 2 tablets per day, plus magnesium, 2/day. It's been the best treatment so far, I don't take any other medicines, but have my betablockers, just in case. Obviously, fish oil helps with some arrythmias, it sure helped me. Give it a try, it's been the best thing I've ever discovered in the past 15 years!

[itdood]

Fish oil made my PVCs worse as-well.    I even tried "pharmaceutical grade", dropped like $90 on this stuff.  

I ended up on a supplement roller coaster starting around January of 2009.    I've have gotten short bouts of PVCs since my 20s (I'm now 41)  but then in Jan I started getting them only at night, constant, and they were keeping me up.  Many tests, many doctors, much Internet research and $100s spent on meds and supplements. Cut out all caffeine and alcohol.  By about July I was a complete mess, experiencing 1000s of PVCs.  I tried beta blockers , calcium channel blockers, fish oil, COQ10, and zinc supplements.  I threw it all in the trash and said ya know what PVCs?  come and get me, if you want to take my life away, have at it.  And my PVCs started to get better.  Though I was still getting them around 3am every night.

Then I read an old post on here from a "MikeB" about Maalox making his better.  So I tried that, and they started to come down dramatically.  I wasn't sure if it was the Magnesium in the Maalox or making a GERD issue better.  Mind you I went to the GI and just had an endoscopy and there was nothing wrong with my belly.

So then I went and got some Mag GLycenate after some research (on top of the Maalox before bed).   Last week, I went 3 full days without any PVCs, first time in about 8 months.  Also was keeping a strict diet and lost 10 pounds.  I was on top of the world!  but I knew it would be short lived.    Relaxed my diet a bit and they've been breaking through once again.  Very light at night around 3am ish but I can get back to sleep.  Perhaps 3 or 4 throughout the day but compared to 1000s, that's nothing.

I've been through hell and back with this since January.  Docs really had no answers.  I suspect mag defiency now....  I really could never pin point a food trigger.  I've also started Mag Taurate today.

So here's my regimine now

125mg Mag Taurate in the morning
200mg Mag Glycineate in the afternoon
50cc Maalox before bed, which is about 400mg Mag Hydroxide

I don't have any GI issues with that amount, as I've read it's not too risky to overdo Mag.  You just get diarrhea if you are taking too much and it you don't absorb it.

I've heard of folks on as much as 1,000 mg of mag from various sources with good benefit.

I've been taking the Maalox for about 2 weeks now, I'd like to get off it.    I asked my doc about it long term and he had no concerns given my options, but the aluminum hydroxide is something I'd like to eliminate.


Here's more info on the recent study showing that fish oil can aggravate ventricular arrhythmias though this study population was on folks with ICDs.  Extrapolating this to the general public is a stretch.  http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/1130/63

[Skippi]

ok, some of you might have read my previous posts: I have been taking fish oil since last October and find it helps with my pvc's! I feel so much better and my skips appear much less than before. I do take the reflux-coated fish-oil, so don't have any problems with stomach/gas, etc. I am convinced that the fish-oil has helped me (touch-wood :) and believe me, I've tried a few things during the last 14 years of my skippings... My colesterol is ok, so must check next time I guess. I just feel "normal" for most of the time, which is an amazing feeling. Still watch what I eat, don't drink coffee, and generally live healthy of course! I'm still convinced too that the stomach/vagus nerve plays a huge role and that it's not necessarily the heart that has a problem!!! It's affected of course, but if the vagus nerve is irritated (food/alcohol/coffein/tiredness/stress), then those are the times I dread!

[Skippyxxx1_]

Try eating much smaller meals don’t have a tight belt and after you eat with a tight belt do not bend over or squat down which pushes up on your diaphragm which can trigger all that crap

[Bon-Bon]

I experienced PVC's for years.  When I took the fish oil it worsened the PVC's right away.  It increased gas pain, bloating and nausia.  So, I stopped taking it.  

I switched to Flaxseed Oil caps.  It did not reduce the PVC's; but, I did feel so much better mentally and physically while taking it.  I stayed on Flaxseed Oil caps for a year or so due to the physical and mental benefits I was experiencing from it.  Eventually, I stopped taking the Flaxseed Oil caps all together to see if the PVC's would reduce.  After about a week or two of not taking it, I noticed a real reduction in the amount of PVC's; however, now the physical and mental benefits while on the Flaxseed Oil caps was also deminishing.  Oh, well.

I ordered a high grade of CoQ10.  It was very expensive, supposedly the best of the best (don't they all claim that?)  Anyway, after ingesting the first pill, 20 minutes later, without warning, I felt a heat rush throughout my body and a bad episode of Tachycardia for about 15 minutes.  It scarred the begeebees out of me!  After the episode was over, I actually felt wonderful!!!  I felt a since of well-being, a reduction in PVC's, mental clarity, etc. after the first pill.  It was wonderful!  I continued to take as directed and continued to have the wonderful benefits mentioned above; however, I never experienced the heat rush again.  But, after completing the first bottle, the PVC's began to increase.  Instead of increasing the dose as suggested,  I stopped taking it altogether, and the PVC's reduced again after a week or two.  Of course, the mental clarity and feeling of well-being deminshed too.  

By the way, when I was taking the "oils"  like many of you, my cholesterol increased also.  My before and after cholesterol tests proved it.  However, it did increase the HDL (so called good cholesterol).  

[Skippyxxx1_]

I don’t know this for a fact but you sound anxiety based Expect the worst and you get the worst

[ken54624]

I agree with you. CoQ10 made my heart race. Cod liver at night is relaxing for me. I have a brother with mental illness and Cod liver oil prescibed by his Dr. has help him a great deal. I'm on the generic for toporal 25 mg extended release for PVC"s ,the amazing thing about this drug. My anxiety is much better. Panic disorder practically gone. Stay well

[Barbarella]

I cannot take fish oil OR CQ10.  It took me awhile to find out that I have side effects from CQ10, I never dreamed that CQ10 would give me side effects since its so highly praised and so good for the heart.  I finally found the side effects listed by the Mayo Clinic and I had every one of them.  

[Manhattan]

yes, i've had bad pvcs when taking fish oil, flaxseed oil and primrose oil - co q10 as well. i wonder if these supplements affect your hormone levels and that is why.

[Barbarella]

When I got gas and nausea from taking fish oil I googled the side effects of fish oil, and it did say that it can raise the LDL.

[Skippyxxx1_]

Speaking about cholesterol there’s a city in Italy along the coast where the entire city has a cholesterol of over 400 but no one there ever gets heart attacks actually I think it may be in the alps you can Google it and find information about it I don’t believe cholesterol is A marker for bad Health necessarily. I met a man who was as nervous and is jumping and angry as I’ve ever seen his wife was an ER nurse and they told me he just got over a mass of heart attack when they put him in the Cath Lab he had zero clogged arteries. Now this is no fantasy he live next to Van Nuys Airport in Van Nuys California I spoke to him around 1988 I was confused about it but it is not uncommon so I don’t believe anyone really knows what causes heart attacks they say eating cows and a chicken raise your cholesterol let me be but I don’t believe that foreign cholesterol from a different species clogs her own arteries I’d like to see a DNA done on the internal plaque to see if it’s actually cow DNA  

[anacyde]

There was a recent study published that warns of the risk of an INCREASE in ventricular arrhythmia in those who have pre-existing ventricular arrhythmias.  After reading the article, my husband and I stopped taking it.  And yes, it totally contradicts information published in previous studies.  If I find it, I'll provide the name of the article and the journal so you can read it for yourselves.

[PikaPika88]

I think the dr told my mum to give a lot of scott emulsion to my brother.  End up his valve closed back to normal.  It was under 10 years old.  I wish it can work for me 49 years old aging valves.

The other forum, a senior dr said it may help for my aging heart as well.  My cardio said my heart muscle was getting old.......  POOR FISH.... they've to die for our aging heart!  

[va_tony]

I hadn't heard that fish oil raises cholesterol. It's really just a small quantity in a couple of capsules.  Are you sure?

In general, fish oil (omega 3) is promotes a healthy heart and I think that alone justifies taking it.  When the heart is healthy, the rhythm will follow.  So it should help rhythm too.  I have read that it can promote dangerous vt in those with ICD. But if you have a healthy heart, fish oil will help you maintain it.

There are several Omega 3 fatty acids. They are named ALA (alpha linolenic acid ), EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexanoic acid). ALA is found in flaxseed oil whereas EPA and DHA are found in fish oils. ALA is able to convert into EPA and then into DHA, but not everyone efficiently converts ALA into EPA and DHA, especially as we age. So, the bottom line, fish oils are best to take although a small amount of flaxseed oil is needed on occasion.

[Mozartcowgirl]

i have to say this.. but i did try fish oil a while back.. and THEY MADE MINE WORSE>. i kept taking it.. believeing it was somethng else.. finally.. i stopped taking  it.. and wham.. they got much LESS.

[frenchie47]

is flaxseed oil the same as fish oil?  It has the omega 3's in it.  I don't need my cholesterol going up.

ps.  can anyone relate to my question posted earlier about heart pauses and PAT?
Frenchie

[PVC man]

My cardio told me today that he never heard of fish oil increasing PVCs.  But it sure DID raise my bad and total cholesterol, so I'm done with the supplements...

Anybody on fish oil please watch your LDL and total chol.

Be well all.

[Skippyxxx1_]

Sounds like to me you have a good doctor

[fearfactor]

Magnesium taurate has seemed to help mine as well.  

[KLB32]

I tried to take fish oil but it upset my stomach too much.  I have noticed that Co-enzyme Q10 and magnesium have helped my palps.

I still get them but not as often.

[PVC man]

Thank you all for the input!!  I'll ask my cardio. tomorrow and I'm sure he'll look at me funny.

[wmac]

I read that omega 3 actually can make your arrthymias worse and even life threating. they say its good for you but if you have arrthymias its not to take. There is a new study on this. On the main heart forum before they switched it all one doc did make comment of it cant remember where. good luck I stay away from omeg 3.

[Skippyxxx1_]

I’ve never heard of people eating fish and have bad arrhythmias fish oil is just fish without the bulk don’t take fish oil on an empty stomach and don’t eat too much which is in American sickness. There’s a lot of fat pigs in America

[tinymatches]

i did take fish oil and i did feel an increase in PAC which i get so i stopped that and started flaxseed oil and that decreases my PACs.

[wunabnorm]

I was actually about to buy a bottle of fish oil capsules, but hesitated until I read more about them. Anybody else who has taken them please respond.

[Skippyxxx1_]

Before I took 12 fish oil pills a day with food three times a day 12 total I had 77,000 PVCs in a 24 hour period with a Holter monitor six months after I was on that regiment I had none I’m 70 years old and have been Plagued with PVC since the age of 17 so you figure it out. I was tortured with those things my entire life and destroyed my sleep my entire life. PVCs are also triggered by thinking they’re gonna happen they’re also triggered by leaning forward cold weather anxiety stress something you may want to consider. I noticed when I start taking fish oil took an entire bottle of maybe 400 pills taking in one a day nothing really happened when I upped it to a day or three a day I thought something may if happened but it wasn’t until I took 12 a day for three times a day that I personally really noticed the benefit it never triggered PVCs in me but it also never stopped my a fib that I can see.