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Frequent PVCS
Has anyone experienced frequent PVCS for over 6 months. My PCP and Cardiologist are scratching their heads. I have normal electrolytes, tsh, magnesium level. Holter showed bigeminy and trigeminy but Cardiology feels like the overall burden is not high enough to treat. I have a baseline low heart rate 50s which makes treatment with a beta blocker impossible.
I had a normal echo 2023, repeat pending, and a normal nuclear Stress Test 2024.
I'm not under stress, we'll, take that back....these PVCs are driving me insane! I have been looking into any of my medications that could cause palpitations and have discontinued my amlodopine and Telmisartan. I'm currently on Valsartan 80mg bid with systolic running 150s and diastolic high 80s. I don't do caffeine and make sure I get adequate sleep. I'm exhausted with trying to figure this out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Debra
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So sorry your life is being difficult. I wish I had an answer but I don’t.
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1 Reaction@debraadell
Did I read right that your systolic is 150s? Have your doctors told you that is high. When your BP goes up usually a sign of cardiovascular disease and or stress/anxiety.
Asked your doctor about taking magnesium. I read yours was normal. My EP put me on 400 mg of magnesium citrate saying it has been shown to help with PVCs and PACs.
I have had PVCs and PACs for decades. I had on ablation to fix a RV and has stayed that way for over 10 years. I really started having a lot more PVCs from LV. Holter monitor showed coming from 3 different areas. Discussed doing an ablation on LV but EP wanted to try medication first. The put me on mexilitene (spell) which you have to take 3 times a day due to not staying in body long (low toxicity).
Per my EP and pace clinic (I have a ICD/Pacemaker) my PVCs were cut in half and did not have any VTAC since went on it.
Have you considered getting a second opinion. I see you mentioned PCP and cardiologist but did not say electrophysicologist (EP). That is a cardiologist who specilizes in electrical functions of your heart. I would suggest trying to get a second opinion from a major medical facility like Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, etc. asking for a EP.
Try to keep a journal of when your PVCs get worse. See if anything is causing more or them you can pinpoint. You did mentioned stress when having them. My EP says stress and anxiety will cause more PVCs and PACs. I know I have been dealing with them since 2000.
Asked your doctors about being able to do exercise. If okay do you like doing something? If so do it and enjoy it. It will help with mental stress/anxiety of the PVCs and improve your cardiovascular fitness. Not an exerciser how about a hobby. Doing something to bring you mind off your PVCs is good for you both mentally and physically.
Good luck. Consider getting a second opinion but seek to see a EP.
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2 ReactionsPVCs are confounding but apparently not too dangerous if the PVC load is low. Are yours painful or just annoying? I too suffer from frequent high PVC load, ie PVC load is a percentage, or the number of PVCs per minute as compared to heart beats per minute. My cardio says anything greater than 10% PVC load is dangerous for me. This morning my BPM was 60 and my PVCs/minute were 6 thus I was at 10% PVC load. If I exercise lightly like walking 2mph, my PVC load can go as high as 34 %. Then I need to sit down , do the diaphramic breathing (deep breathing using the diapharm muscle under the lower ribs) until I bring the PVCs back under 10%. That can take me a good while. Do see an EP to find out if an ablation will lower your PVCs. Isaw an EP who said my PVCs were coming from more than 6 spots in the Left Ventricle and occassional ones in the right ventricle thus an ablation is not for me. Don't give up. Knowledge helps us deal with our issues. Thanks for sharing.
Hi jc76. Yes, there was an EP that came in and did a drive by consult unofficially while I was seeing the Cardiology NP. He attributed everything to stress; (my daughter had a stillborn baby boy at 37 weeks which we all took very hard). I'm tired of attributing everything to stress which is why I'm getting my records together to perhaps be seen outside of the VA if I don't get any answers from within. I asked for a repeat echo ( to be sure I don't have PVC induced cardiomyopathy). and the repeat holter monitor since my PVCs are becoming more frequent, more intense , associated with dizziness and lasting basically all day. I just got both done today so waiting on results. I'm going to get a copy of my nuclear stress test as well that was done last year. Thank you so much for taking time out to respond! It means a lot!
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2 ReactionsForgot to mention, that's another thing we're trying to tackle; is my uncontrolled htn. I honestly believe that Telmisartan and Amlodopine at max dose was causing my palpitations. Since discontinuing those, my palpitations are better. Now we've switched from Losartan which was not helping my bp, to Valsartan 80mg bid which I've only been on a week. I got one reading in the 120s systolic tonight and I was shocked as I'm ususally 150s to 160s systolic. I have a message out for my doctor to call me in the morning so we can get a game plan. Thank you so much!
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1 ReactionNo mine are not painful, just intense and associated with dizziness. My PVC burden was < 2.3 on the last holter so we'll see how this repeat study looks. No, I can't give up. I've got to help these doctors figure this thing out. Thank you!
I have had pvc and pac for over a year now, with a little time off here and there, but same thing, nobody knows why and they tell me to ignore them they are benign. My heart rate runs low too, the lower it goes I think the more I have. Good luck figuring it out and getting rid of them.