I've been diagnosed with
PACs and told they were benign. The doctor called them "infrequent," but they sure don't feel that way to me.) I've had several
EKG's, an office exam by a cardiologist, had a 24 hour Holter monitor and a thallium stress test.
My bp and cholesterol are fine. But the
PACs started about the same time I began menopause, and they've seemed to increase in frequency over the last several years. I've been told that it's almost expected that they increase in number as I get older, but they still make me nervous. I've taken antidepressants, anxiolytics, and am now on a low dose of atenolol twice a day, plus .25 mg of Klonopin twice a day. For a while, this seemed to work fine, but now my
PAC's are back, not as severe, but seemingly more frequent. I know the vicious cycle
PVC/
PAC and anxiety - you have one, you get anxious, adrenalin rushes through your body, you have more
PACs, it makes you more nervous, you get more palps, and so on.
Here's one question I have: what about posture changes? I seem to have more
PAC's if I'm sitting slumped back in a chair than when I'm upright. Is this postural change more
PAC's, or am I just likely to feel them more? Am I putting pressure on my vagus nerve and that might be contributing to the problem? My last cardiac checkup was only three months ago, and the doc gave me a clean bill of health, as far as my heart is concerned.