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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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I've had PVC'S for many years also. Cardiologist said years ago that everyone has them, even him. It's just that I'm very aware of mine whereas most people do not feel them. I also take losartan for high blood pressure. I take 25mg metoprolol twice daily. I take magnesium citrate supplement per my cardiologists request. My PVC'S are almost nonexistent now. Every now and then I'll feel them. My doctor said unless you are having other symptoms, profuse sweating, chest pain, difficulty breathing, arm pain etc, then there is usually nothing to worry about.
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1 Reaction@brheartbeat
Yes mine are all day also. Some are minor and I ignore some are stronger and pause to see if more coming.
My EP at Mayo Jacksonville recommended I take 400 mg of magnesium to help with PVCs. He recommended the Citrate form. Why? It is highly absorbable. Some though it can cause some digestive issue. I researched on line and found that the Glycimate (spell) was also highly absorable.
Check with you doctors first before starting a supplement to make sure right fo you. Example. Posters were promoting potassium as helping. I checked with my EP and said did not recommend taking any additional potassium as my blood test revealed I was at the high level of posttasium in my blood test.
Anxiety and panic attacks. We per my doctors need to try and reduce anxiety and stress. Per my doctors they do add and aggravate PVCs and PAC (atrium) rympthm.
What I do is participate in exercise I like doing 6 days a week. It really helps reduce my anxiety as always thinking about PVCs and possibly getting a AICD shock. Check again with your doctors about exercising as we do not know about your medical history.
Some don't like to exercise. Then find a hobby you really like. I have posted in past reading several history books on FDR. He was under tremendous stress in WW2. What he did almost every day was to work on hisstamp collection as it allowed him to relax and enjoy something.
It goes a long way with mental health which has dramatic affect on physical health.
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1 ReactionAfter years of heart palpitations doc finally said it is basically an extra heartbeat with symptoms which most people don't have symptoms and there is nothing they can do about it. I'm very frustrated and tired. They increased my metoprolol and sometimes it helps and sometimes it doesn't. I'm trying to learn to live with it because apparently that's all you can do.
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2 Reactions@squizzer
Are you seeing a Electrophysiologist? That is a specialized cardiologist who specializes in electrical systems of heart. If you are not I would suggest finding one at a major medical facility and get a second opinion.
I have PVC and PACS with an occasional side order of SVTs. I'm able to catch the runs of SVTs on my apple watch which look very scary to me, but my cardiologist told me not to worry; as long as my heartbeat returns to normal within a short amount of time. They are however, very bothersome as it feels like something is wrong. I've been exercising on an elliptical daily, fairly intensive for 30 minutes, and not letting my heart rate go above 130. Don't want anything to happen at the gym. My cardiologist said there's no need to run any more tests or see an electrophysiologist. So we shall see.