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Female 31, constant PVCs. What can I personally do to help myself?

Posted by missdee1993 @missdee1993, Feb 6 1:13pm

The doctors in my country generally aren’t very explorative. They just want you to take a beta blocker and move on, no desire to help find a cause for PVCs that have bothered me greatly for 4 years. I’ve had a bad week of them, due to see a cardiologist soon. In the meantime, I need some advice on how I can help myself. I took magnesium glycinate and somehow, the PVCs got worse. I’ve improved my eating habits to prevent bloating or IBS. I take electrolytes. But for some reason these things have not helped me this week. I generally don’t have any other symptoms, besides discomfort and irritation. Sometimes a mild chest pain. In any case, this stuff is scary.

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713j | @713j | Feb 10 8:08am
In reply to @jc76 "@713j Hay no problem. I copied the post I repliec to @missdee1993 below. Did this answer..." + (show)
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@713j
Hay no problem. I copied the post I repliec to @missdee1993 below.

Did this answer your question. I should have just answered it but getting old and lazy.
++++++
In reply to @missdee1993 "I definitely don’t have access to those facilities, I’m very far away from the US (Africa)...." + (show)
@missdee1993
The medication I take is called Mexiletine. 150 MG every 8 hours. I wanted another ablation, but EP said let's try medication first.

It has low toxicity, so you have to take every 8 hours to keep in your blood stream.

I also take 400 MG of Magnesium Citrate per my EP.

Recently had unexplained episode with ICD/Pacemaker and EP recommended drinking Electrolytes. I am doing that also.

What my EP and HF doctors say is what I do. Find an exercise (after doctor approval) you like doing and/or hobby to bring some joy to your life. It helps reduce stress and anxiety and can go a long way to reducing stress in your life which per my EP can have a drastic effect on the number of PVCs you can have.

Wow Africa. You are a long way off. Good luck!

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Thanks

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thepvcmaster | @thepvcmaster | 1 day ago
In reply to @tallej01 "How were you diagnosed? How many are you having. Because they are essentially harmless, unless you..." + (show)
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How were you diagnosed? How many are you having.
Because they are essentially harmless, unless you have a large number, an ablation is generally the best way to “ cure” them
Drs. will not typically do this unless they are very high.
I had two areas ablated as I was having so many, over a million in a month.
Mine were literally one out of 3 beats being a PVC.

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@tallej01

The big question….did the ablation work? If so, tell us about it.

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thepvcmaster | @thepvcmaster | 1 day ago
In reply to @jc76 "@missdee1993 Been plaque with PVCs for decades. I had ablation done on RV and fixed it...." + (show)
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@missdee1993
Been plaque with PVCs for decades. I had ablation done on RV and fixed it. PVCs started up again about 2 years ago from the LV. EP advised would try medication first. I was already on Entresto and Carvedilol per my HF doctor.

I was put on a mediation that you take 3 times a day. It is specifically to help reduce PVCs and PACs. It is not toxic like amaridome (spell) so you have to take it every 8 hours as leaves body quite quickly. It worked. May PVCs drastically reduced along with no tachycardia.

You mentioned in your country, so I assume you are not in U.S. I would have suggested second opinion in U.S. at a major medical facility like; Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, John Hopkins, etc.

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@jc76

Hey you can’t leave us hanging….what exactly is the medicine? I’m guessing Flecanide

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jc76 | @jc76 | 18 hours ago
In reply to @thepvcmaster "@jc76 Hey you can’t leave us hanging….what exactly is the medicine? I’m guessing Flecanide" + (show)
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@jc76

Hey you can’t leave us hanging….what exactly is the medicine? I’m guessing Flecanide

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@thepvcmaster
I am always skeptical of mentioning a specific medicine as may not be appropriate for you. But I am glad to pass the name along

The medication I was put on is called, Mexiletine. I take 150 mg every 8 hours. I was told the every 8 hours was due to the medication does not stay in body and must be taken every 8 hours. Thus low toxicity (per my EP) unlike Amiodarone which can be very toxic.

Now for me it really helped. I could tell my PVCs went down dramatically. My Pacemaker history (done every 3 months) showed a drastic improvement with PVCs.

Now from time to time my stress level can go way up because of other medical conditions.
Also, my wife is an uncontrolled diabetic and it affected her eyes and had to have surgery and she had just recovered from back surgery. Her misery affects me dramatically.

When my stress level goes up my PVCs follow with same increase. I have learned the close association with stress causing increase in PVCs. I try to do what I know reduces my stress and that is exercise. I love doing water aerobics 5 days a week, bike ride, and swim.

But that stress release sometimes has road blocks. I just had MOHS surgery on my hand for squamous skin cancer and could not go into water for 2 weeks or use my left hand which required closing it.

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