Heart Rhythm Conditions – Welcome to the group

Welcome to the Heart Rhythm Conditions group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
Did you know that the average heart beats 100,000 times a day? Millions of people live with heart rhythm problems (heart arrhythmias) which occur when the electrical impulses that coordinate heartbeats don't work properly. Let's connect with each other; we can share stories and learn about coping with the challenges, and living well with abnormal heart rhythms. I invite you to follow the group. Simply click the +FOLLOW icon on the group landing page.

I'm Kanaaz (@kanaazpereira), and I'm the moderator of this group. When you post to this group, chances are you'll also be greeted by volunteer patient Mentors and fellow members. Learn more about Moderators and Mentors on Connect.

Let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

@tomr

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.

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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

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@johnpny

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

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@lalton , @johnpny thank you both. I seem to have lucked into a string of experienced cardiologists with good credentials. The PVCs were dramatic enough (number, effect) for them to skip quickly to ablation before more damage to the muscle occurs. I only wish I could blame it on being a high end athlete but I am not that rigorous. The docs did the monitor and are pretty sure of the general location of the aberrant cells so I’m hopeful. Thanks again.

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@johnpny

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

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@johnpny
You are of course correct about the information. I had beed victim to PVCs for a very long time and have the resultant damage they cause. Various tests, including 2 of those stress inducing tests done with chemicals as I could not run a tread mill prior to my bypass and then the increase from 10/minute(2013) to 20/minute(2015). While I was in hospital for 3 days prior to and then 4 days following the bypass the monitors were able to give a very clear picture to the M.D.s so they were able to basically spot the exact location to ablate.

Had not realized until now that those days of monitoring were what were needed to pinpoint the exact location of the nerve that was misfiring. I still get them, but not more than 3/minute and then only under great stressful conditions. My cardiologist told me that having the Bradycardia (as low as 36BPM while sleeping) can allow the stray PVC, but they happen while my BPM is often higher, and not while I'm sleeping.

To monitor the PVCs I own a portable ECG device that slaps on the back of an iPOD or could go on an iPhone. It is from Kardia. I do not feel the PVCs as they are not as strongly felt, but that could be due to the damage initially done to my heart by the excessive PVCs.

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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.

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@espivack

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.

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I read your post to my husband, he thinks you are having an anxiety reaction.

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@tomr

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.

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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.

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@espivack

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.

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espivack, Your PVC problem is much worse than mine ever got . The way to use the Kardia devise to note the PVCs is to look at the distance between the beats. If they are really close followed by a longer pause it indicates PVC happened. I always make the star go yellow so I can review the ones with the PVCs with my Cardiologist.

It is bad Kardia does not care about PVCs. They are definitely behind the current knowledge that indicates the PVC induced heart failure. Even Mayo clinic now recognizes how they damage hearts.

I remember the Kettle Drum beats of the return to beating my heart was producing. I used to lay in bed and count them. Now I seldom actually feel them, but sometimes I do.

Dr told me those quick and short beats mean the blood is not a full volume beat and the heart has to struggle to send out the next one and that is why it can feel like a Kettle Drum size boom going off inside the chest.

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@predictable

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

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Very well said. I have been on bystolic for many years for blood pressure. For this reason, my now persistent and apparently permanent again did not cause the racing heart. Everyone is different, but I am very thankful for my bystolic and Eliquis to control the rate and help prevent a stroke.

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@healthytoday

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.

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A Premature Ventricular Contraction seems to be fairly easy to observe. It is physical. One can even observe them by taking a pulse. When hooked up to an EKG or monitor it appears to be possible to speculate the location based on the image it leaves on the recording device (sometimes referred to as the morphology). Doctors often classify the PVCs according to how many PVCs are observed versus normal beats ( often expressed in term of percentage of PVCs vs normal beats, or ectopic burden). PVCs in succession or combination are also noted, as would be any evidence of other abnormal beats.

Doctors also look to see if pVC activity coincides with time of day. Sometimes PVCs are more common during periods of stress of exertion, seeming to suggest a Adrenalin like trigger.

So even if the problem is anxiety, it’s still a problem to be looked into.

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I'm Dennis and was diagnosed with a fib just before x mas. Was put on metro at that time by GP. Saw cardiologist 2 jan. Was told my Aortic regurgitation was worse. I might have to have Open heart surgery. Was put on Eliquis and told to come back in 3 months for another eco cardiogram. Right now feel fine. any comments would be appreciated.

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