Afraid to sleep. Most episodes happen at night. What can I do?

@cmendes2026 This is where you, a mature person, has to make a reasoned and perhaps risky choice?: do I accept the anxiety of the PACS and do nothing, hope for the best, or do I risk taking a week's worth of flecainide and maybe it will do for my PACs what the good doctor presumes it will do? If the flecainide works, will you still be as anxious? So, which anxiety, and its extent, would you rather experiment with: the steady deterioration that will come with ongoing PACs that are uncontrolled or untreated, or accept a trial of a drug that might just be the ticket and put it all behind me for now...maybe forever?

The PACs are a sign of electrical disordering of your heart. They are closely associated with AF, atrial fibrillation, and the two often swap seats after an ablation, along with their other sibling, AFL or atrial flutter. After an ablation for one of those, it happens to a few patients that they soon show signs of defaulting to one of the other two, and that means yet another ablation. Fortunately, second ablations for anything enjoy a pretty hefty chance of success.

Once again, and not to keep bashing you over the head with my reasoning, which I hope you will agree is pretty trenchant, and out from under which you cannot squirm, your choice is anxiety or anxiety, except the second anxiety is likely to be transient....AND....leave you blissfully free from those dreaded PACs.

@cmendes2026
It's interesting it's always happening during sleep. Have you been checked for sleep apnea? That can trigger Afib so it makes sense it can trigger PVCs too. No part of our body likes being deprived of oxygen.

@californiazebra I was checked and I do not have sleep apnea.

I have Arrhythmia problem. I take meds for it. I have a type of Tachicardia but don't remember what type.
Whe I stand or walk I have heart racing, bp goes up, oxygen drops and I feel lightheadedness nausia and some chest pain.
Was in hospital for chest pain. Everything looked good
( Echo stress test) My cardiologist team treated me there.
I was sent home with still the same symptoms.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands...I'm recording my BP, pulse & oxygen. Keeping a list and seeing my primary doctor and possibly a new cardiologist. I'm concerned because I was like this before a few years back and suddenly my heart flat lined for 5 mins and 6 seconds. I received a pacemaker then. Have not had any problems until this last few weeks. My pacemaker was checked out and saw no problems. I feel lost.

@cmendes2026
I took flecainide (in combination with diltiazem) for a few years to control my afib. Those meds did a great job controlling my afib and I never noticed any side effects. It would be worth it to try it for a couple days/weeks and see if it helps. It sure reduced my anxiety from afib.

@aard I am on day 7 and it definitely has made a world of difference. I was afraid of the drug because of all the side effects reported and almost didn’t take it. I am trying to build myself up to do the ablation and hopefully be rid of these horrible PVC’s. How is your a fib now?

Glad to hear it's helping. I had an ablation about 4 years ago, then mitral valve repair surgery just over 2 years ago. Both surgeries went well and I am currently free of afib.