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Long Term PAC and PVC Suffer. Need your support and guidance
Hello everyone. Thank you for reading this below is my story:
I have been dealing with PVCs and PACs for almost 20 years. They flare up once per year usually. I have had Zio Patch monitors, tons of EKGs, a stress echo four years ago, two heart CT scans two decades ago, many ER visits, etc, etc. All results were normal with the exception of showing PACs and PVC. My burden has always been below 2% when they flare up.
25-e some stats:
1. I am 55 and in good health
2. Borderline blood pressure: usually around 120-130/75-85 most normal days.
3. Borderline type 2 diabetic.
4. I do suffer from chronic anxiety and depression. Twenty years ago I suffered many panic attacks for the course of a year. But they have gone away. Mostly I deal with almost daily anxiety and worry.
5. Non smoker, no drugs
6. I do drink alcohol ( wine or beer) on weekends with my wife, only at night.
7. I am at a healthy weight. Cholesterol and Triglycerides all normal.
8. Resting heart rate: 50-60. Cardio doc states that this heart rate is normal for me.
Well my most recent flare up started two weeks ago and they seem worse. I feel the extra beat the moment I wake up they go on all day until I go to bed. I went to the ER and they did another EKG and ran a bunch of blood work. Of course...all normal. Diagnosis: PACs. Electrolytes also all normal.
In the last week, I have noticed my skipped beats increasing when I move around, go grab groceries, go for a walk, even exercise. This has me more scared than ever. My regular doctor told me not to worry, but I am seeing an electrophysiologist (EP) tomorrow. I did see an EP two years ago and he told me I was fine and prescribed Flecianide to take as needed. I saw the side effects and they scared me off so I never tried them. Eventually, the extra beats went away.
I have also tried Metropolol and they did not work. They also made my heart rate slower so my cardio doc told me to stop taking them.
But as stated, they extra beats are back and I am more scared then ever, especially with them increasing with movement or exercise. I have never fainted or felt dizzy from these. I only catch my breath and feel extra alerted.
Finally, my palpitations also seem to increase considerably after I eat a meal. Is this normal?
Any advice, recommendations, encouragement, support please.
Thank you and my apologies for any typos or writing errors.
RR
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hHeart arrhythmia is frequent for me at times, mainly PVCs. This current regime is helping. I have been walking daily for 30 minutes since December 12, 2023. Lost 13 lbs so far. Limit sodium to under 1750mg daily and liquids 64 ozs. In March I started taking Q10 100 mg, 0live leaf extract 100mg daily and K2 100mg. PVCs are down from 20 per minute to 0-2 per minute resting. The PVCs go up during exercise but now I only get about 5 per minute on the tread mill. Stopped drinking beer\wine in the evenings, or any alcohol for 3 months and now have added back one glass of white wine on some Fridays. One heart medicine: Enalapril 2.5 mg daily. (I tried 5.0Mg but it was too much for me. Extreme loose stools and venule bursts in fingers and legs.) I allergic to beta blockers except one, bisopropolol and swore it off due to the many side effects. I looked at statins and the side effects on my wonky liver would be a disaster. My career was highly stressful and when I was diagnosed in December with heart failure 35% EF and LBBB I knew I had to quit. That lack of stress may be what is keeping me alive more than anything. Still I am extremely dizzy and unsteady on my feet due to low blood flow, but the Enalipril gave me back my breathing at night, on a one to no pillow surface, and I no long feel faint all day long. If you are stressed at work I highly recommend a lower stress job.
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2 ReactionsHow about this for a laugher. I went to get an ECHO to check on heart function and more specifically LBBB. Results came back and EP said my results were normal and for now I do not need a pace maker. Also my EP allowed me to start on bio-identical testosterone per my functional medicine doctor. Here is the laugher. Upon leaving the clinic the engine on my car seized up in the parking lot. Ha 87,000 miles practically new and it's shot. But hey my ECHO came back normal and my ejection fraction ratio is up to 55%.
After engine seized it had zero ejection fraction ratio. LOL!
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3 ReactionsAnyone had the lariat procedure, vs the watchman.
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1 ReactionAnxiety can be such a difficult conditon. Do you wear a watch (Fitbit/Apple etc) to measure your heart rate throughout the day? This can help determine tachycardia and how high your heart rate goes during these events.
You mention your recent flare started 2 weeks ago, did anything precede it? Some possible triggers - recent illness, recent vaccines, allergic reactions?
Have any of your doctors mentioned dysautonomia or postprandial tachycardia?
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