PVCs: need help mamanging the emotion and anxiety I feel about them

@browenn
Yes they were correct very common and almost all will have then from time to time with some, like me, start to become problematic. I probably have one every 5 beats when doing good and when bad every other beat.

Now your description of how you are dealing with it you need to discuss with your doctors. From experience with having these for over 20 years your anxiety and stress is not good for you and will cause more PVCs.

Has your doctors talked to you about fright or flight adrenaline response to stress and anxiety. It is a known (adrenaline) to cause more PVCs and PACs. What you describe is you have what is called "heart focus." It is common with those who have PVCs and PACs and you focus on your heart and thus will feel the PVCs when normally you would not as are very common. You are no alone in what you are feeling.

Do you have access to a electrophysiologist (EP). They are cardiologist who are experts in electrical functions of heart. Even better if you can see a EP and major medical institutions who will work with your local doctors. There is a ton of things you can do to help lessons your PVCs and the feelings you are having,

Medications, lifestyle changes, etc. Exercises you like doing (doctor approval), hobbies that make you smile. Anything you enjoy is going to help reduce your anxiety and stress.

Talked to your doctors about OTC (over the counter) magnesium. It is widely recommended by EPs and cardiologist to help reduce both PVCs and PACs.

I see a psychiatric medical specialist for my PTSD and anxiety/panic disorder. I take Escitalopram and have additional medications as needed for stress and sleep aids. I rarely take them now. Just knowing they are there are reassuring to me.

I would recommend talking to your doctors about your mental stress and how much having the PVCs had now affecting your mentally and physically. Have to be honest with them. Mental health is just as important as physical health and each affects each other dramatically.

@jc76 thank you for the information. My primary care is part of a large hospital I’ll ask about an EP

@browenn, I expanded the title of your discussion to reflect your concern about managing the anxiety that heart issues like premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) can cause or make existing anxiety problems worse.

You are not alone in this experience of the emotional side of heart problems and @jc76 has suggested some good things to consider and next steps to take.

@browenn, you mention that your experience with anxiety and depression started before the diagnosis of PVCs and the the anxiety and depression can be disabling.

Do you currently see a therapist to help manage your mental health?

@colleenyoung yes I see a psychiatrist and a therapist

@browenn, that's great that you already have a team in place who know you. I encourage you to share with them how this new diagnosis is affecting you. What tools have helped reduce your reduce in the past when something new throws you a worry curve ball?

I use the 5 senses. Dunk my head in and ice bath. I have a squeeze ball. I listen to the dare app. I talk to my sister. I do EFT tapping. The ice bath , sister and dare app work the best. I’m an ER frequent flyer card holder. (Even though I know I’ll be fine in an hour or so)

@browenn
Never heard the phrase "ER frequent flyer card holder." Maybe I should apply for one. For a while I was going to ER so many times the EMS who were taking me would call me by name when they got to my home greeting me by my first name. Not a good thing!!

I think I have already mentioned some ways to lesson your anxiety and stress. My EP and PCP suggested many times to splash cold water on my face when I start feeling like you did. I find doing the deep breathing really helps. Sitting straight to expand you chest.

I am told sitting up straight, eating with back straight, etc. can help as with an expanded chest you do not feel the PACs, and PVCs as much as when you are compressing areas around the heart and diaphragm.

I too see a physiatrist medicine specialist every 3-6 months. Can I aske, do you have any pets? I just lost my PTSD dog of 13 years who was a great friend of mine and helped me mentally with my anxiety and stress and he could tell when my PVCs and PACs would come up and would approach me with wagging tail and licking me.

A comforting pet, exercise you like (per doctor OK) hobbies, deep breathing, monitoring your posture, eating smaller meals, magnesium, many many things you can do. Just be open, tell your doctors all and asked specifically what can I do personally to help with this.

I must be very lucky that I don’t experience any symptoms with PVC’s. At first, I thought my pulse oximeter wasn’t working properly. My heart rate would drop in to the 40’s and 50’s. Then I put on my blood pressure cuff and the same low pulse numbers showed up. I contacted my cardiologist and she had me wear a holter monitor for 24 hours. Yep. I had an average of 18,000 PVC’s in 24 hours. 6 months later, I wore a holter monitor again, and the PVC’s were basically gone! I noticed I was having a few PVC’s about a month or so ago. I was feeling a little stressed. I think stress is what brings them on for me. I feel blessed that I am not suffering such awful symptoms like you are. I hope one of your physicians can get your terrible symptoms under control. I’ll say a prayer for you!

Hi there
I also get a lot of PVC's and they do tend to.make you anxious and have also had all the tests, ecg's, angiogram, halter monitor and they all say they are harmless.
One thing that seems to make mine come on is sugar...if I have a piece of cake it chocolate or anything that spikes my blood sugar....fortunately I don't eat sweet stuff much and eat very healthy.
But something I do is Calf Raises when they come on...
Hold onto the counter top and go up and down slowly 50 times up on your toes and down again....it really helps and so many articles are saying that your calf muscles act as your second heart...it activates the soleous muscle....perhaps give it a try, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Take care and stay healthy Kathy

Thank you I haven’t heard that yet about the calf. Now I want to look it up the body is interesting. I will definitely give it a go.