Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

Hi my name is Tom. I’m a seventy year old white male. I have recently been diagnosed with PVCs. They came on like a thief in the night with the principal symptom being inability to draw breath (fluid in left lung). My PCP, refered me to a Pulmonologist who in turn sent me to a Cardiologist. ECG disclosed the PVCs. Echo cardiogram showed really bad efficiency. Cardiac MRI to look for damage (still waiting for interpretation), and ablation scheduled in two weeks. Currently taking metropololol and a diureticbut the condition is barely controlled. I would love to know a couple of things like: what did I do to cause these? I’ve always been a competitive or amateur swimmer and distance runner. Heart never had a problem before.

Sorry to hear of your problems. This is rarely a medical condition with a quick fix. PVCs can often be thought of in oversimplifjed terms as an electrical signal bouncing off a zone of bad tissue. The signal can often be rerouted by destroying the related path, but only if a specific location giving rise to the pvc can be observed. This is often done by observing the number and types of pvcs recorded on a 24 hour test, or when mapping during a study when an ablation is to be attempted.

Then there are meds

Doctors will almost always start with safe medicines that might not be as strong. They can often rotate through medicines, or combinations, to see which work and what you can tolerate. It’s always about balancing the risk of the PVCs vs the side effects of the meds. In some cases they will not start a new med unless you are in the hospital hooked up so that you can be observed

Sorry to hear of your problems. This is rarely a medical condition with a quick fix. PVCs can often be thought of in oversimplifjed terms as an electrical signal bouncing off a zone of bad tissue. The signal can often be rerouted by destroying the related path, but only if a specific location giving rise to the pvc can be observed. This is often done by observing the number and types of pvcs recorded on a 24 hour test, or when mapping during a study when an ablation is to be attempted.

Then there are meds

Doctors will almost always start with safe medicines that might not be as strong. They can often rotate through medicines, or combinations, to see which work and what you can tolerate. It’s always about balancing the risk of the PVCs vs the side effects of the meds. In some cases they will not start a new med unless you are in the hospital hooked up so that you can be observed

Hello, sorry to hear about your suffering. I also have PVCs but they were originally classified as rare 2 yrs ago. They now seem to be ramping up as I have had several episodes in just the last month.
I am told that my symptoms are unusual, so if anyone else has the same symptoms please let me know.
Episodes start with elevated BP, 200/90 ish, my heart is pounding 100+, I get diarrhea pretty fast after it all starts, then sometimes I throw up or just feel nauseous. The episodes last anywhere from 1-5 hours. I’m told that these symptoms are not typical.
I have a Doc appointment tomorrow to discuss next steps.
BTW, I have the Kardia app, it doesn’t have the capability to report PVCs, so now I’m not sure why my Doc told me to get it!? Any heart rate data over 100 doesn’t get captured and shows as “unclassified”, so not real helpful.

Hi my name is Tom. I’m a seventy year old white male. I have recently been diagnosed with PVCs. They came on like a thief in the night with the principal symptom being inability to draw breath (fluid in left lung). My PCP, refered me to a Pulmonologist who in turn sent me to a Cardiologist. ECG disclosed the PVCs. Echo cardiogram showed really bad efficiency. Cardiac MRI to look for damage (still waiting for interpretation), and ablation scheduled in two weeks. Currently taking metropololol and a diureticbut the condition is barely controlled. I would love to know a couple of things like: what did I do to cause these? I’ve always been a competitive or amateur swimmer and distance runner. Heart never had a problem before.

Hello, sorry to hear about your suffering. I also have PVCs but they were originally classified as rare 2 yrs ago. They now seem to be ramping up as I have had several episodes in just the last month.
I am told that my symptoms are unusual, so if anyone else has the same symptoms please let me know.
Episodes start with elevated BP, 200/90 ish, my heart is pounding 100+, I get diarrhea pretty fast after it all starts, then sometimes I throw up or just feel nauseous. The episodes last anywhere from 1-5 hours. I’m told that these symptoms are not typical.
I have a Doc appointment tomorrow to discuss next steps.
BTW, I have the Kardia app, it doesn’t have the capability to report PVCs, so now I’m not sure why my Doc told me to get it!? Any heart rate data over 100 doesn’t get captured and shows as “unclassified”, so not real helpful.

I'd like to raise some doubts about proposals by @afrobin for getting off common medicines for treatment of A-fib and its symptoms -- first the recommendation for rigorous exercise to make it possible to cut off use of beta blockers within a month; second the idea that anticoagulants are not needed if A-fib is ended ("cured"?) due to exercise, and third that if you have A-fib you can get clear indications from your heart on whether medications are even needed. I don't feel that these proposals are wrong, just that they may be unique to the condition of one or a few patients and unfortunately fatal to a few on the other end of possibility -- myself, for example.

First, I get no signals from my heart about my A-fib, which I'm told is clearly obvious on an EKG; otherwise I'm conscious of it only by watching my heart rate's irregularity on my blood pressure meter at home. Second, my A-fib medication is a relatively strong dose of a beta blocker twice a day and a medium dose of Coumadin anticoagulant once a day; these meds have applied for nearly two years. Third, my exercise regimen is challenging, but not comparable to running a mile. I was preparing last Spring to begin a gradual reduction in my beta blocker medication over a period of two-three months.

However, out for a brisk walk in June, I was struck by symptoms of a stroke, my return home on foot was belabored by loss of balance and repeated stumbles. At urgent care several hours later, the MRI showed I had suffered a "small stroke," probably from an A-fib clot ejected into a cranial artery. Movement of my left arm and leg and my jaw was affected. I spent six weeks in physical therapy and regained my balance as a result.

Lessons learned? First, if I ever again experience symptoms of a stroke, I'll call 9-1-1 and get emergency medical transportation and care right away. Second, I'll be less determined to back down on the medications that have carried me thus far. Third, coordination with my medical team is required before I take ANY steps to modify the therapy my doctors recommend. I hope other A-fib victims find something helpful in my experience with it, especially to avoid cutting back therapy unilaterally. @afrobin's decision to follow this practice and work with a doctor is a good example for us all. Martin

It seems to me it isn't all physical, what about your emotional life? And all the grief from TV news showing us images of starving children in Yemen. I think this has an effect on us even if it bypasses the brain and goes directly to the heart. I'd take a fast from world suffering.