Are 84 pvcs an hour excessive?

Posted by gram0322 @gram0322, Apr 4 8:42am

My pacemaker report showed I was having 84 pvcs an hour. Is that an excessive amount? I am feeling palpitations but not excessively.

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@harveywj

You really need the cardio telemetry used from the pacemaker to determine what your burden is. Burden is based on how many heart beats and how many PVC events over a period of time. So you cannot have some here suggest that your burden is "0.2% burden" based on guessing 72 BPM and also guessing how long the PVC is. That is not acceptable to just guess someone's HR and determine their burden. There is a big difference between 2% burden and 0.2% burden. A simple way to present this is 20 cents is 20% of a 100 cents. Which makes 2 dimes 20%= 0.2 X 100.I didn't finish. So .2% of 20%(20 dimes) would = 4 cents. So the example given to you is not the methodology of describing %s correctly. It is a confusing.
My recent monitor for 30 days had my burden @ 21% with a HR of 50 BPM. So that is scary high burden. Fortunately my heart has reset itself and the the burden has dropped dramatically. I am now using a Kardia mobile device checking it regularly. I can also feel the difference. My energy is so much better and I feel so much better. This results in better perfusion. Real high sustained burden ratio of PVCs and or PACs decreases perfusion and increases stress to the heart much like Afib can also do. Also I would be careful about listening to contributors here predicating that this will get worse as you "age and acquire a condition or two that encourages the progression." That is really not true and if it is then let your cardio doc be the one to determine what you might be faced with in the future.

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Can I ask what caused your rate to convert? Was it just spontaneous or is there a medication that’s helping you?

My Electrophysiologist started me on flecainide once my burden was at 16% and following a combined atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation ER visit.

I am feeling so much better with only occasional PVC/PAC runs. Before it would be four days in a row of non-stop craziness. I am not lying awake every night wondering if “this is it.”

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@mysweetheart70

Can I ask what caused your rate to convert? Was it just spontaneous or is there a medication that’s helping you?

My Electrophysiologist started me on flecainide once my burden was at 16% and following a combined atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation ER visit.

I am feeling so much better with only occasional PVC/PAC runs. Before it would be four days in a row of non-stop craziness. I am not lying awake every night wondering if “this is it.”

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What I can tell you is I made some adjustments in the supplements. It was not spontaneous. I noticed in late Feb I was starting to feel better when resting at night. And then by mid March is started to feel better with fewer event during the day. And recently I am having more "normal sinus rhythm" events according to the Kardia device that I bought per my EP. I have not taken any prescription meds for the PACs/PVCs/Afib except for eliquis for clotting issues. I still have a few or occasional PVCs and PACs. That has been replaced by a lot more normal sinus mixed in with what Karida calls "Unclassified". That means Afib is not detected but it is not quite fall under "normal". I suspect it is occasional PVCs. I am not paying for the higher version of Kardia which includes PVCs and other things. I let my EP read what is on my smart phone vs paying Kardia $11/month. But I cannot say for sure the change in supplements is what helped. I was taking 400 mg of Ubiquinol and upped it to 700 mg a day. Note I am taking Ubiquinol and not Ubiquinone. They are very different versions of Coq10. Ubiquinol is highly bioavailable whereas ubiquinone is not very bioavailable.
I added taurine, starting at 500 mg/ day and then doubled it to 1000/day.
I was taking magnesium taurate @ 125mg/day and doubled that to 250mg/day.
I also started L-arginine 700mg/day and doubled it to 1400mg/day.
I also was taking D-ribose 5 grams/day when this started and continued taking it.
I have been on a strict diet for years that I started for a problem with GI problems and fatigue but is heart healthy. The important part of the diet is that it is an anti-inflammatory diet. Much like the Mediterranean diet.
One last little note : our dog had a heart murmur appear at age 7 years. We put her on high doses of ubiquinol (200 mg for a 40# dog) as well as diet changes. 2 months later she still had a murmur but then 8 months later the murmur was gone.

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@harveywj

What I can tell you is I made some adjustments in the supplements. It was not spontaneous. I noticed in late Feb I was starting to feel better when resting at night. And then by mid March is started to feel better with fewer event during the day. And recently I am having more "normal sinus rhythm" events according to the Kardia device that I bought per my EP. I have not taken any prescription meds for the PACs/PVCs/Afib except for eliquis for clotting issues. I still have a few or occasional PVCs and PACs. That has been replaced by a lot more normal sinus mixed in with what Karida calls "Unclassified". That means Afib is not detected but it is not quite fall under "normal". I suspect it is occasional PVCs. I am not paying for the higher version of Kardia which includes PVCs and other things. I let my EP read what is on my smart phone vs paying Kardia $11/month. But I cannot say for sure the change in supplements is what helped. I was taking 400 mg of Ubiquinol and upped it to 700 mg a day. Note I am taking Ubiquinol and not Ubiquinone. They are very different versions of Coq10. Ubiquinol is highly bioavailable whereas ubiquinone is not very bioavailable.
I added taurine, starting at 500 mg/ day and then doubled it to 1000/day.
I was taking magnesium taurate @ 125mg/day and doubled that to 250mg/day.
I also started L-arginine 700mg/day and doubled it to 1400mg/day.
I also was taking D-ribose 5 grams/day when this started and continued taking it.
I have been on a strict diet for years that I started for a problem with GI problems and fatigue but is heart healthy. The important part of the diet is that it is an anti-inflammatory diet. Much like the Mediterranean diet.
One last little note : our dog had a heart murmur appear at age 7 years. We put her on high doses of ubiquinol (200 mg for a 40# dog) as well as diet changes. 2 months later she still had a murmur but then 8 months later the murmur was gone.

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Thanks for the info. I may end up getting the kardia mobile device—EP thought it could helpful.
I wear an AppleWatch and run ECGs if I feel I might be going into tachycardia flutter. But it also has its limitations, as during runs of PVC/PAC, it will often say “inconclusive.” I’ve had cardio’s in the past say it’s simply the watch’s limitations in measuring skipped beats and weaker fast beats.
I can’t take blood thinners due to a genetic disorder and so we are trying to keep the burden as low as possible and from going into flutter or fibrillation. (I’m not sold on the watchman device.)
I’ll def look into the supplements you mentioned. TY.

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@mysweetheart70

Can I ask what caused your rate to convert? Was it just spontaneous or is there a medication that’s helping you?

My Electrophysiologist started me on flecainide once my burden was at 16% and following a combined atrial flutter/atrial fibrillation ER visit.

I am feeling so much better with only occasional PVC/PAC runs. Before it would be four days in a row of non-stop craziness. I am not lying awake every night wondering if “this is it.”

Jump to this post

I was bradycardic. Heart rates in the 30’s and 40,s at rest. Doctors were not concerned because my HR increased when I got active. I developed a fib. That’s when the tachycardia became an issue and was put on Multaq. It wasn’t working. I was cardioverted 4 x in 6 months. I had an ablation. This seems to have curtailed the a fib( fingers crossed). I am on metoprolol to keep my heart rate down. This in turn lowered my HR to the point where I had to have a pacemaker implanted to keep it elevated. After the ablation I wore a monitor which showed my heart paused 1200 times in 10 days. The longest duration was 8 seconds.

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@harveywj

What I can tell you is I made some adjustments in the supplements. It was not spontaneous. I noticed in late Feb I was starting to feel better when resting at night. And then by mid March is started to feel better with fewer event during the day. And recently I am having more "normal sinus rhythm" events according to the Kardia device that I bought per my EP. I have not taken any prescription meds for the PACs/PVCs/Afib except for eliquis for clotting issues. I still have a few or occasional PVCs and PACs. That has been replaced by a lot more normal sinus mixed in with what Karida calls "Unclassified". That means Afib is not detected but it is not quite fall under "normal". I suspect it is occasional PVCs. I am not paying for the higher version of Kardia which includes PVCs and other things. I let my EP read what is on my smart phone vs paying Kardia $11/month. But I cannot say for sure the change in supplements is what helped. I was taking 400 mg of Ubiquinol and upped it to 700 mg a day. Note I am taking Ubiquinol and not Ubiquinone. They are very different versions of Coq10. Ubiquinol is highly bioavailable whereas ubiquinone is not very bioavailable.
I added taurine, starting at 500 mg/ day and then doubled it to 1000/day.
I was taking magnesium taurate @ 125mg/day and doubled that to 250mg/day.
I also started L-arginine 700mg/day and doubled it to 1400mg/day.
I also was taking D-ribose 5 grams/day when this started and continued taking it.
I have been on a strict diet for years that I started for a problem with GI problems and fatigue but is heart healthy. The important part of the diet is that it is an anti-inflammatory diet. Much like the Mediterranean diet.
One last little note : our dog had a heart murmur appear at age 7 years. We put her on high doses of ubiquinol (200 mg for a 40# dog) as well as diet changes. 2 months later she still had a murmur but then 8 months later the murmur was gone.

Jump to this post

@harveywj
I too take a lot of supplements. Ubiquinol is very expensive. I think I asked you before which brand you take. I have tried both Qunol and Life Extension.

One of the suupplements I do not take but you do is L-arginine. Can I ask the reason you started taking it. Is there some research on it's benefits PVCs, etc.

I see you are only on magnesium 250 mg a day. My EP at Mayo Clinic wanted me on 400 mg. a day. I take Life Extension form as Citrate.

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@jc76

@harveywj
I too take a lot of supplements. Ubiquinol is very expensive. I think I asked you before which brand you take. I have tried both Qunol and Life Extension.

One of the suupplements I do not take but you do is L-arginine. Can I ask the reason you started taking it. Is there some research on it's benefits PVCs, etc.

I see you are only on magnesium 250 mg a day. My EP at Mayo Clinic wanted me on 400 mg. a day. I take Life Extension form as Citrate.

Jump to this post

I take ProCaps CoQ10. The owner of the company is Andrew Lessman and he takes it as well as his family members and friends and his doctor. I worked in Human Resources and I filled in for his Executive Assistant and so, I know that he takes a ton of his own products. They are made into Smoothies for him and I had to take care of getting them for him..plus sending his family and close friends products overnight whenever they called in. They all look a lot younger than than they are/were.

I worked for him for several years and I trust his products.

I take Magnesium and Taurine, B-12, Circulation and Vein Support, ALA+NAC and Essential 1 multi vitamin in addition to his CoQ10 and my new shipment of his Cholesterol medication “CholestaCare should be delivered today.

I was slacking off and then the AFib diagnosis happened and I am back on track.

I ran out of the CoQ10, had cardiac catheterization surgery, was given a clean bill of heart health and then developed A-Fib. I just added the Taurine after doing some research. I have since read that the cardiac catheter surgery can cause AFib. I was backed into a corner by the Cardiologist to have the surgery because my R valve pressure was higher than normal. I have chronic pain. I needed a new hip. My hip surgery has been canceled twice now…

The morning after I started taking Eliquis, I woke up to extreme pain in my legs. It’s both legs but the L leg is more painful. It’s mainly concentrated in my thighs. I had a Doppler of both legs yesterday and I have no DVT’s. I had some minor spine pain from spinal stenosis but same thing. Pain ramped up the morning after I began Eliquis. It’s not getting ANY better either.

I am going to meet with a Cardiologist to discuss the Watchman because I can’t take any of the blood thinners.

Just wanted to mention how much pain I now have in my legs after only taking Eliquis for 3 days before I made the connection. I feel so stupid for not making the connection immediately…

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@marilyn222

I take ProCaps CoQ10. The owner of the company is Andrew Lessman and he takes it as well as his family members and friends and his doctor. I worked in Human Resources and I filled in for his Executive Assistant and so, I know that he takes a ton of his own products. They are made into Smoothies for him and I had to take care of getting them for him..plus sending his family and close friends products overnight whenever they called in. They all look a lot younger than than they are/were.

I worked for him for several years and I trust his products.

I take Magnesium and Taurine, B-12, Circulation and Vein Support, ALA+NAC and Essential 1 multi vitamin in addition to his CoQ10 and my new shipment of his Cholesterol medication “CholestaCare should be delivered today.

I was slacking off and then the AFib diagnosis happened and I am back on track.

I ran out of the CoQ10, had cardiac catheterization surgery, was given a clean bill of heart health and then developed A-Fib. I just added the Taurine after doing some research. I have since read that the cardiac catheter surgery can cause AFib. I was backed into a corner by the Cardiologist to have the surgery because my R valve pressure was higher than normal. I have chronic pain. I needed a new hip. My hip surgery has been canceled twice now…

The morning after I started taking Eliquis, I woke up to extreme pain in my legs. It’s both legs but the L leg is more painful. It’s mainly concentrated in my thighs. I had a Doppler of both legs yesterday and I have no DVT’s. I had some minor spine pain from spinal stenosis but same thing. Pain ramped up the morning after I began Eliquis. It’s not getting ANY better either.

I am going to meet with a Cardiologist to discuss the Watchman because I can’t take any of the blood thinners.

Just wanted to mention how much pain I now have in my legs after only taking Eliquis for 3 days before I made the connection. I feel so stupid for not making the connection immediately…

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@marilyn222
Thanks for information. Sorry to hear about your issues and hope they improve.

What is the Eliquis for? I have heard of it but don't know quite what it is prescribed for.

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Eliquis is one of the NOACs, (New Oral Anti-Coagulants). There are several, one being Apixaban, which Eliquis is.

Until about the past 10 years or so, warfarin was administered to 'thin blood', but it needs frequent monitoring and dose adjustment based on the results of lab tests about every two weeks or so. The NOACs don't 'thin' the blood, they merely retard the onset of clotting. I worried, thinking I'd bleed to death first time I fell of my bicycle, or something like that. Meanwhile, I have been cut and bruised many times in the past six years, and the blood always clots. It doesn't STOP clotting...it delays it. So really, its a miracle drug well tolerated by the vast majority of patients...with some unfortunate exceptions. It greatly reduces the threat of a stroke or a clot in the heart arteries, but still allows a cut to clot normally....just not in the first couple of minutes.

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@jc76

@marilyn222
Thanks for information. Sorry to hear about your issues and hope they improve.

What is the Eliquis for? I have heard of it but don't know quite what it is prescribed for.

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Eliquis (apixaban) works by selectively inhibiting (blocking) the effects of factor Xa (FXa), an enzyme that plays a key role in the formation of substances that cause blood clotting. Through its action on FXa, apixaban makes blood less likely to clot.
Eliquis belongs to the class of drugs known as factor Xa inhibitors. Eliquis may also be called a direct-acting anticoagulant (DOAC).

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I’m a fairly new (Feb. 4, 24) PVC sufferer @23.8% burden. I’ve tried atenolol and flecainide which both made my symptoms 100x worse. EP is out of town, but meet in a week. He mentioned ablation and pacemaker. I’ve read anything over 10% burden is too much. What is the typical threshold for ablation ?

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