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Sigh. PVC’s have me desperate. How to cope?
First off, thank you for reading. I know from reading posts that people have it worse than I do and I offer my utmost respect for those of you who do.
Briefly-
39 yo/m
Reasonably healthy. Non smoker. Stressful job.
So, a few years ago I started to have an occasional (painful) pvc that always got my attention. Once it hit 3-4 a day, I did like everyone else, and sound of the alarm and got the full gamut of testing.
Benign. Low dose Metoprolol.
Ok great.
Fast forward to these last two months, and the amount of PVCs I am having has increased 100 fold. They are all day. I went from a few a month to one a minute.
Panic. Doctor. Here we go again.
Once again, they are telling me that they are unifocal and harmless. These. Don’t. Feel. Harmless.
They absolutely stop me mid sentence every time. Each one is like a jump scare. My stomach drops like a roller coaster and I have a brief adrenaline shot. Like you’re scaring the heck out of me over and over. Just a Deep painful fear each time.
The doctors don’t seem very concerned. They recommended a magnesium supplement, which I am taking religiously.
No caffeine. No smoking. No alcohols.
Nothing.
This has destroyed my quality of live almost overnight. I wake up in anticipation. I go to sleep in fear.
Does it get better? Is this my life now? Even as I type this, I’m having one about every 30 seconds. I don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want to do anything. I’m just petrified.
Wonder if switching from a beta to a calcium channel would work? Is this my life now?
The sad thing is… I “know” it’s supposed to be fine but why doesn’t it feel fine? Every shot of adrenaline warns me that I won’t be around much longer.
Just terrible.
Any input is appreciated.
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Hi my name is Lynn I’m going through the same thing with the PVC’s as you are I also have a fib.. today I e been up since 4am I did sleep a good 7 hours but was awaken the the PVC’s & they cause stress and it’s hard to calm down then BP and heart rate you never know what’s right because the PVC’s change every heartbeat and make BP go high and that’s scary .. I’m 68 years old healthy heart they say so that’s my plus but I understand being scard I’ve tried not to cry all day it is scary I won’t leave my home .. I do not drink caffeine or smoke or drink alcohol I eat so healthy now because I’m afraid to do salt or sweets causing me to lose weight now,,,, I’ve been told not to go to ER anymore if heart rate is in 30’s or 4’s with high BP because it’s the PVCs causing all of this .. yeah they say it’s all not harmful to us and not to worry but yet have to put Holter monitor on again for two weeks to decide if I’m gonna have another radio frequency ablation which was done in early 2008 so it’s all scary we just don’t know it is hard to sleep I’ll try to be here for you thank you for sharing and we’ll all just stick together …
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1 Reaction@littlebitshappy3
Are you seeing an electrophysiologist (EP)? They are cardiologist who are experts in the electrical functions of heart. If you are not seeing a EP asked to be referred to one.
My PCP and cardilogist say stress and anxiety are going to cause PVCs to rise. You are not sleeping right that is something your doctors should address.
Have your doctors mentioned medications to help with PVCs? Have they mentioned magnesium? Many things you can do medicine wise to help with this. Also has anyone discussed exercise (fun type) and or hobbies. They both can help mental outlook and stress but need to be guided by your doctors of okay for you based on your medical history.
Hi,
I have just recently been diagnosed with PVC's. I had a 30 day Phillip's heart monitor test which just ended and I don't know what the results will be. I understand how you feel and my cardiologist says they are harmless as well.
I do have a question to ask you and it is...What brand and mg of magnesium do you take? I need to start but there are so many brands and doses out there.
I wish you well my friend. I wish we could all just take a magic pill and be done with this stuff.
Thank you so much!
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1 ReactionI have PVCs. I try to ignore them, if they continue I get up and walk or light exercise.
@indywoman
Not sure you were asking me about magnesium.
First a caveat. Always check with your medical doctors who are treating you before adding any supplements. Many supplements can affect medications and or contradict medications you are on.
My electroyphysiologist recommended I take Magnesium Citrate. Why? He stated was highly absorable which some other forms are not. The citrate formula is used a lot also to help with constipation as increased water inside the colon and digestive tract.
My EP said if citrate acts to much on your digestion Glycimate is another higly absorable form.
My caveat comes from my experience and interface with my medical doctors. There was a discussion on MC by posters citing potassium being very helpful with PVCs. I was going to add it but I remembered my doctors saying to check with them and list any supplements on my medications and supplements list.
I asked my EP about taking potassium to help with PVCs. My EP contacted me through Mayo portal and said do no recommend me taking potassium supplements as my blood work showed I was already at the high normal level per my blood work.
@jc76 hi this is Lynn i’ve been in the hospital since 315 in the morning yesterday it’s now 20 8 AM Friday morning and I actually got to see the doctor you’re talking about am EP along with my cardiologist and he did give me some new medication to take along with my 12.5 mg times one every a.m. wants to keep me in the hospital couple days and monitor me I’ve also had a stroke two years ago August it was so they’re doing CAT scan with contrast and CAT scan without contrast and MRI and a lot of blood work my heart is healthy and believe it or not now that I’m in the hospital the heart is holding a regular blood pressure beats go up and down because of the PVCs I’m not feeling them as hard as it was constant all day long of feeling the other day I just couldn’t take anymore it’s like existing it’s not living it’s existing and I’ve been fighting it since July but I’m to the point I can’t do this when they get worse so a couple days they will know if the medicine is working well and if it is great if it’s not then we will have to talk about ablation but I’ll keep in touch with you you are so wonderful a great supporter to all I’m very sure and I am very grateful for you thank you so much and I talk text and not proofreading without my glasses so I hope everything came ok thank you again for being here you give a lot of comfort🤗
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1 ReactionAlso I don’t remember if I mentioned day before yesterday the PVCs were the strongest they’ve ever been every third beat I was having a PVC that was fun I woke up early a.m. until I got to the hospital at 3:15 AM today and they saw how bad they were and they said definitely something needs to be done so I’m praying they don’t just send me home today because he said he wanted me to start the medicine I already can’t remember the name of the new one I’m so overtired but I’ll ask my nurse when she comes in and let you know I believe it starts with an L I’m not sure but I have my regular blood pressure medicine that’s just lisinopril and I have an extra one of my blood pressure stays over 180 when the PVCs are really bad but I’ve only had to take that once but this new medicine is for the PVCs but I will look it up and figure out what it is I’m just too tired right now I can’t believe I can’t remember that but thanks again
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1 Reaction@littlebitshappy3
Hang in there. Don't worry about your spelling you are talking to a person who should use spell check much more than I do and would never even blink an eye of a miss spelled word.
The medical profession has come a long way in treating heart arrymthmias with some great new medications and life style changes. Know that and stay positive
This is just a guess here but I'd say you have what most of the women in my family, mother, sister, me, another sister, have. Our adrenaline pump doesn't turn off.
I know when I'm telling a story and get excited or upset I will start having them. I'm on 25 mg metoprolol but I'm also on xanax to calm me down. Since I was diagnosed with cancer and can't take hormones, my oncologist put me on citalopram 20mg.
It helps with the hot flashes but more importantly I think it helps with the PVC's too. I have about 1 a week and sometimes longer than that.
I have gone to ER in past because of them and one night they were like a shotgun going off..real sporadic, 2 or 3 then a pause the more then a pause...scared me to death.
My cardiologist told me that everyone, even he, had them. It's just that I can feel every one I have. I had EMS here, hooked up to machine and I'd call everytime I had one. He said he's never had anyone that could call them spot on like I did.
I also take magnesium daily and started the Alpha lipoic acid about 3 weeks or so ago. Something else you can possibly do to stop the PVC's....bear down like you're having a bowel movement or baby. You can also cough.
The rhythm of your heartbeat needs to be reset. They can do this in the office too. I'd try things I mentioned and if that doesn't work ask about the resetting the beat. You might research that too. I wish you the absolute best because I know how scary that is.
Just try several things until you find what works. The xanax, the citalopram or other low dose antidepressant. There are things to help. I also take a multivitamin, B-complex, vitamin E.
I'd Google Things to do or take to stop PVC's. 🙂
@littlebitshappy3 see if you can find my comment. Hope things get better for you.