[UpstateNY]

Hello, everyone. Yes, another "PVC", "weird beats" topic. I guess that would be pretty popular around here. lol. I am a 40 year old male that has been dealing with PVC's and tachycardia since I was about 10. Every dayfor as long as I can remember I have noticed what I suppose are PVC's or weird sensations with my heart. I have seen three specialists over the years. have worn Holter about a half dozen times, 2 echos ( but no echocardiogram in the past 15 years), stress test 10 years ago....etc. Nothing has ever showed up that was considered much of a concern to the doctors. The past six months I have noticed a lot more episodes with PVC's and wonder why it would increase out of the blue like that. I USED to be very athletic and even ran track (400m) in college. Could my now being not nearly in as good of shape be a big factor? Just wore a 24 hour Holter a month ago and was told no worries. Just got done with an episode that felt as if every 2nd or 3rd beat was a PVC for about an hour. I guess it just drives ya crazy and hightens the anxiety when it is happening...no matter how many times you hear it is not dangerous. Sorry for rambling so long.
One other thing. maybe a couple times a year my heart will go into full tachycardia. It is usually brought on by some movement, or when I bend down. It happened in basketball practice way back in high school one time when I turned and the ball was coming right at my face. Seemedlike the way I jerked real quick to move out of the way somehow triggered it. Slipped on ice before and the sudden jerking started it up. When it starts I can tell immediately and usually if I put my legs up it goes away within a few minutes, though I have had it last near an hour at times. And when it stops it doesn't just gradually slow down it happens in like one beat. The tachy goes from about 180-200 bpm right back to normal instantly. Is that indicative of SVT? Again...sorry so long, I will shorten it up next time. thanks in advance.

[dr461]

PVCs increase and decrease often with no rhyme or reason. Nobody has been able to predict their occurrence or frequency. Generally, the increase or decrease relates directly to stress and anxiety--that seems to be the biggest correlation. Sounds like you have had medical opinions, but no recent echo. Does the doctor think an echo is warranted? Getting briefly "tacky" once again, in the absence of heart disease or structural malformation is not at all unusual. Sounds like you should clarify this with your doctor if you have doubts--in all likelihood, it is probably nothing, but make sure.

[Jeff]

Welcome, UpstateNY.

The definition of PSVT is that it starts and stops without warning, so yeah, my unprofessional, non-clinical diagnosis would be PSVT of some sort. Which is really common. I've never had it as long as you have, but it starts and stops the same way - immediately off to the races and just as immediately back to normal, like "What? I was NOT beating fast! YOU were beating fast!"

It sounds like the issues are ones you've had awhile, so that should help the mental part of the game, but if you're feeling like this is new or unusual, call your doc and set up an appointment. You have some good baseline info to go off of from previous tests, so that should be a big help in determining whether anything has changed, or if you've got some non-cardiac issues affecting your cardiac issues, like kids or house or money or job or marriage or girlfriend or unhealthy lifestyle or whatever.

[Susie]

Welcome, Upstate NY.

Yep, Jeff is right, sounds like PSVT to me too. I have very short runs of it sometimes, they start and stop without warning, where as regular tachy builds up and takes time to slow down, at least that is how it is for me.

[UpstateNY]

Thanks for the comments, guys. And with the PVST it seems like there is always some sudden event that kicks it off. As I said above..from a ball coming at my face and surprising me, slipping on ice or some other sudden quick reaction. Rarely has it ever started when I was just sitting there, say, relaxed on the couch or something like that. Is that common with PSVT? Even when I have those spells where it goes on for several minutes I never feel light headed or as if I am going to pass out or anything like that, but I do get quite anxious because you always have that thought in your head that what if it goes totally out of control and just stops. The usual anxiety.

One thing I do need to get over is my anxiety related to exercise. For a couple years now whenever I have worked out i.e. gone for a run, I notice some PVC's during the recovery phase and that has actually been a big reason as to why I have cut waaay back on strenuous exercise. I have seen my doctor recently and had the Holter for 24 hrs. He told me to go ahead and not worry and that as I got back into it and in better shape it may improve things as well.

[Cheers]

I had a tachycardia event which lasted over 4 hours. Came on suddenly after a PVC while bending over. That was 8 years ago. Been on beta blockers since. I still have short runs (7 beat run caught on recent event monitor) but they just feel like PVCs to me. Dr still says I am fine. I too have exercise anxiety. To me, the 'symtoms' of exercise are the same as panic symptoms and SVT symptoms. Then the avoidance sets in. Luckily (?) my vanity takes over and I make myself do it anyway...tho not nearly as hard as I should.

[UpstateNY]

I have also wondered...why does it seem like if I have to lean forward (not even totally bending over, just like a 45 degree angle) it makes them kick in almost immediately. So weird.

[Cheers]

I honestly do think it is vagel nerve related. ***dont yell at me David LOL*** I certainly can't be positive...but this happens to TONS of ppl. I have a friend who ONLY gets skips when bending over.

[Susie]

I tell you, whenever I drink a lot of water, or eat a bigger meal than I should, if I bend down, bingo, the damn things start, and will usually kick into a short burst of PSVT. I hate that, but, it happens, I just wish it would have happened when I had that darn monitor on.

LOL, Cheers, I agree, I think it is vagus nerve related too, but, who knows. I was reading some info on an A-fib site, and it did say that some A-fib was Vagal nerve induced, soh, I don't know.

I hate those bending over skips though, for some reason, they scare me the most, wonder why?

[Cheers]

Maybe because we are almost anticipating them, thus releasing more adrenaline...??