Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

Hi my name is Kim. I am a 63 year old single mom of a mentally and physically challenged adult child. I recently (since March of 2026) have been experiencing heart palpitations. I just was diagnosed with PACs and a mild Tricuspid valve regurgitation. I have had a cardiac workup of an halter monitor, ECHO and a stress test. I was just told by my cardiologist not to worry about the PACs and that my heart is totally normal. My concern is that my "PACs" seem to be getting worse with physical activity resulting in 4 rapid beats followed by the skipped beat (it used to be 2 quick beats follwed by the skipped beat) several times when I stop exercising. I also have increased shortness if breath and have to sit down because I don't feel very well. I expressed these concerns to my cardiologist but he didn't seem concerned and told me to keep exercising because it should reduce the PACs. Should I be concerned or just continue to exercise as directed and not worry? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I also forgot to mention during these episodes my heart rate elevates into the 120s.

@kad13
Please book an appointment with an electrophysiologist (EP), a specialist in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm problems. It is a mistake to follow only the guidance of a general cardiologist. Generally speaking, an EO will be much more proactive than others. They know well the downside of waving off
heart arrhythmias.
Also, see the most highly rated EP you can find, often at a major teaching hospital. Send your existing records ahead of your appointment for review. Good luck!

@kad13 If you have symptoms that last more than about four seconds, and have time to take your pulse somehow and find that it is running over 100 BPM, the chances are that you have a tachyarrhythmia, possibly atrial fibrillation. That rate, over 100 BPM, might also mean you have what is called 'rapid ventricular response'. Some people fibrillate under 100 BPM, and that means their left ventricle is not trying to keep up with the left atrium when the atrium begins to fibrillate. Much above an indicated 100 BPM means your ventricles are trying to beat in concert with the rapidly beating atrium.

If this ever goes on longer than 24 hours, get to an emergency room and tell them what has happened.

PACs should NOT make you breathless, not the couplets, triplets, or quadruplets you say you are experiencing. Breathlessness tells me, an untrained non-medical person, that you have what is called 'supra-ventricular tachycardia', and it might be the atrial fibrillation variety. The only way to be sure is to have a 12 lead ECG done when it is happening, and it's not likely in view of the self-limiting nature of your arrhythmia.

What I suggest you do, if you have the means, is to acquire a Kardia Mobile 6L. You can get them from amazon over night. They're not expensive, and sometimes on sale, so shop around. You don't need their subscription service, but the device can show if you have atrial fibrillation or some other indeterminate arrhythmia (it won't diagnose anything that isn't atrial fibrillation as far as I know). You can show the readout to a physician who would then presumably become your advocate to a cardiologist or to an electrophysiologist.