[Katydid]

I'm a long time sufferer of PAC's and PVC's. They'll go away for a few months, then when you least expect it, one day they hit - BAM! (and not in the Emeril kind of way) I had an episode of BAM the other night and have not been myself since. It seemed like they came in a row -- maybe 6 or 7 or so. It's hard to tell though if it really was every beat or every other beat or what. I tried feeling my pulse but it was hard to tell - of course I was terribly upset so my heart was beating really quickly, too. I saw my DR the following day who said to take a Lopressor (which I just filled the prescription for) when I have a bad run.

Does anyone else take something as needed? Does it work?

I feel like I cant go on vacation, go anywhere alone, or really do much outside of my house. I worry about them pretty much all the time and am incredibly fearful that they will lead to sudden death. It's really enveloping my whole life like a big, dark blanket. Its like I'm just sitting around, waiting for them to hit. Can anyone relate or shed some positive light on this? My Doctor says they are benign because my heart is structurally sound. It's Tuesday night and my husband wanted to take me out to dinner but I couldn't go bewcause I was afraid of having an episode in the restaurant. As you can tell, I'm in pretty bad shape emotionally at the moment. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Casper664]

Katydid I 100% feel your pain!!! I have PAC's and PVC's daily and unlike yours, mine have never disappeared..They're just always happening. You have to really try to not let this change your life though..that is something I'm realizing. Like you said, 6 months ago I too refrained from eating out (b/c I had 2 bad episodes while I was eating out), I'd avoid the gym b.c that is when I first noticed them happening, I avoided things I loved like rollerblading, tennis, even Great America b.c I thought I'd be on a rollercoaster and my heart would just stop and I'd drop dead! It's so scary, but I'm sure you feel the concern is warranted just like I did then. I would always suggest eating dinner at home with my boyfriend instead of him taking me out, and finally after all this avoidance behaivor, I said ENOUGH! This was a mere month ago I had this 'ah ha moment' as Oprah would say My friend is a counselor and gave me some great advice and reminded me that its normal to begin avoiding things that scare you, but you HAVE to eventually take the stand and say 'no! I will not let PVC's and PAC's and my fear take over my life. The thing I had to realize is that eating at the restaurant vs eating at home..no difference!! If my heart was going to skip, its going to skip at home OR at the restaurant. Granted, your anxiety about them happeneing if you go out to eat could def bring them on (as I know anxiety causes mine) so you have to start with baby steps. I started by eating at a restaurant with outdoor seating..very casual and QUICK! that way I was outside, felt as if I was in my back yard with friends, and knew that it was a quick meal so 'get in and get out'. conquering that was the first of many bigger steps you take from there. I can now eat at any restaurant and if I feel panic coming on or worry, I simply go to the bathroom and compose myself. You have to remind yourself that this happens all the time, and you havn't died yet! lol... I have been to the cardiologist, gotten a second opinion, and 3 EKG's, a 48 hr holter monitor, stress test and echocardiogram. ALL indicated PVC's and PAC's and BENIGN!!!! if your cardiologist says they are benign, you have to learn to accept them and embrace them They are now a part of you and always will be. I was in REALLY bad shape 5-6 months ago...my family said I was a COMPLETLY diff person...my BF was getting frustrated b.c he noticed it too. I was having full blown panic attacks daily, felt literally on edge all day..as if I could not get comfortable and my body was tense all the time...I cried all the time thinking im only 26 and I'm dying. You have to then realize that if these are benign, we can't have these thoughts take over our lives. I remember someone on a message board telling me something along these lines: There are those out there diagnosed with heart faliure/disease and are literally dying. They are out there living their life to the fullest and not letting anything stop them. Then there was me..someone diagnosed with BENIGN PVCs and PACs and letting it completly ruin my quality of life and determining what I would/wouldnt do. It was flat out ridiculous..and I have now realized I can't let them control me.

Let me know if you want to talk more detail on this. I can try and help you with tips that worked for me on day to day activities and not feeling the way I know you are feeling right now. My new goal is to comfortably work out daily again. I am struggling there, but have found so much pride in knowing I can at least get thru the day to day activites now without the scary anxious panicky feeling. I'd love to help you through this if I can offer any tips or advice..just let me know!!!


sorry for the novel

[prettycakes]

Hi Katydid
I just posted a similar experience. I got 3 or 4 hard beats in a row that were 10 times stronger than the normal PVC now and then. I called my doctor and he isn't interested in seeing me so I hope that makes you feel better too! He just wasn't worried.
prettycakes

[Jeff]

It's funny, because I never realized it until I was reading other people's posts - if my heart were to go into ventricular fibrillation and I drop on the spot, it's not going to matter much where I am. In fact, if I'm out, I might be at a spot that has an AED (it's sad, but I do look for them when going into new places), and the odds of my surviving may have just tripled. Short of my wife dragging my big butt out to the car, hooking up jumper cables and giving me a jolt, there isn't going to be much she can do for me from home.

And Casper - I think you have the right attitude, to learn to accept them. And I'm hesitant to mention this for fear that it will slow your acceptance of them, but don't be surprised if after you've learned to accept them that they in fact go away. I went for almost a year having 5 figures worth of PVC's every day. I'd often wonder as I left for work if that was the day I was going to die, and if it was, I was hoping I wasn't driving one of our trucks and end up killing someone else in the process.

And then I started researching. And I started making attitude and lifestyle changes. And slowly, the PVC's went away. Not totally - they still come back now and then, but over the last 800 days or so I've only had about 45 bad PVC days (I keep an excel spreadsheet ).

[Katydid]

It just gets so frustrating some times, you tend to lose hope. I'll probably be fine, but it feels like my life is on hold until I can convince myself, again, of that.

[jkfrench]

Hi katydid
I wish I knew why they can "kick in" with more frequency -- when I was really bad, I spent a lot of time trying to figure it out and ironically what I learned is that the very act of trying to find a pattern actually made them worse. One of the best things I did for myself (and I stick to it to this day) is to never feel my pulse again when they are acting up. Isn't that radical?! I was sticking my fingers into my throat many times a day, and finally I realized I had learned absolutely NOTHING of value and in fact it all seemed to bring more on. I am convinced that there are physical reasons for it (irritable patches/foci in there) and there are physical reasons it is triggered (fatigue, stress, adrenaline, caffeine or sugar for some people, hormones, viruses) BUT once they appear, one's thoughts/attitude and attention "grows" their number. Once they have your attention and you give it to them, they multiply! So, I have tried not to "feed and water" them with my attention and it has lessened them dramatically. That is not going to make them disappear, of course, because there is that patch of cells that we were probably born with, or that got activated inappropriately due to God knows what. But it does make a very big difference to our experience of having them, how we think about them. This has been the central tenet of my dealing with these things. I have "put them in there place" so to speak -- made a decision to limit my attention.

Of course, that was after I learned everything I could about them! I, too, need information and understanding. What I have learned can be boiled down to this: they are emanating from cells that are in the "wrong place" or are being active at the "wrong time." Sort of like someone with bad eyesight, or other physical "imperfections" like we all have. Given certain triggers, like those we are always told, or some combination (for me it has to be a combination I think, and then they stick around for awhile like yours do) they fire off. So you get more PVCs, more frequently, in more complex forms for some period. Like getting a mosquito bite: when the area has become inflamed and itchy, it just takes time to resolve. In a healthy heart, which we have, thank God, it means almost nothing. For instance, a hiccup doesn't mean that a person can't breathe, but it is annoying and distracting. These are like hiccups of the heart. They don't damage the heart (even at high levels!) and they can't throw you into a fatal rhythm because the properly working cells far outnumber our few rebels in there. It is basically impossible for the few renegade cells to override the vast majority of the correctly working cells, particularly when you have a strong heart from regular exercise. I know that you think that will happen because that is what it feels like, but I have learned through experience that feelings can lie.

I researched all of this, read scientific journals, etc. and it all indicates that it is benign because it can't "take over." (think of hiccups again) Our hearts just aren't screwed up that much (it only feels like it). That is why the focus is on dealing with them and living with them. Don't let them win! You don't need to be afraid of them, you only think you do. And, yes, I have had all of those nasty strange varieties of rhythms with all of the different names that you have. The crazy s**t that they caught on my various Holters is amazing. Yet, it clears out and I have never even fainted from any of it! I have just been made emotionally exhausted and crazy for long stretches. But I hit bottom in January of this year and swore I would live differently/better either with or without them. My doctors advice was to get a grip or your are going to blow. Well that is what I needed I guess. Please stop worrying and live your life!
Jodie

[ihatepalps2]

Wow! can I relate to all the posts on this thread!!
( Hi Jeff! You referred me when we talked on MedHelp...and here I am!)
Ive had palpitations for about 15 years. Not all the time, and there have been years in there where I didnt have them, but in the past year, theyve come back. Not every day...but to narrow it down, its been a week now, that they have been really crazy. I wrack my brain to try to figure out what brought them on...like we all do.
I also get to the point, where I dont want to go anywhere, do anything...but...then I do realize that they happen here at home too. Usually..more..because I honestly think its due to the fact that Im sitting here, taking my pulse...focusing on my heartbeat...waiting for the next palpitation! Its horrible. I cried yesterday..I just begged that they go away. then I thought about what I had done--cry? That probably just made them worse...and certainly didnt make them go away! It did nothing to help the situation...but I too..when Im having days with them, feel like im in a dark, black hole..and NOBODY around me ( family..friends) has these, so they do not understand. And after all these years...and the testings that Ive had done, and been told repeatedly that they are "nothing..benign...try to forget about them..) my family gets irritated when they see me take my pulse...or...have "that" look on my face...its fear..that Im trying unsuccessfully to hide from people.
When Im having a bout with the palps, I am a different person. I am irritable, short with people, distracted, tired, ornery, and terrified.
All things, that probably contribute to them even more.
Its just so upsetting!!!

[Jeff]

Hi ihatepalps2 - Good to see you here.

I know that I'm a dude and all, and that I risk forfeiture of my dude card for saying this, but on a few occasions when worries about money, the kids, mortgage, incoming work (I own a small business) have had me superstressed and I've had thousands upon thousands of palpitations daily, thinking I'm going to die (once in awhile, hoping I would die to take it all away), I've wept like a baby as I spill out everything that's been bottled up for days, weeks or months to my wife as we sit in bed and talk.

Invariably, the next day the PVCs are gone. It's like a pressure valve was turned and PSSSHHHHHH! the stress was just released.

So I think that crying in a supportive environment can be a good thing, but without the support, it's probably not anywhere near as helpful.

So I hope this site can be the support that some people need but can't get, either because their significant other just doesn't understand, or because they don't have anyone they can share with.

[jkfrench]

Hey there....great to see you here!
When I get to the point where you are right now..the only thing that helps is making a doctors appt. and getting reassurance. Which proves that my own fear increases their intensity because once he tells me I'm okay, I feel better. I remember back in February when I was having more than I had ever had before, I drove myself to the doctor and thought I would collaspe in the parking lot. That is how scared I was. I sat an cried in my car so I know exactly how you feel. The PVCs felt different and stronger and I just was sure that something was really wrong "this time".
He hooked up the moniter for 24 hours and I went back the next day. He called me several hours later to tell me everything was benign and there was nothing to worry about. Within 2 hours I felt better (my mind has way to much control over my body) and I was out walking that night. 5 months later, and they are still settled (meaning only a handful a day). of course I have found a few new problems to worry about and I'm sure if I stress too long over them that the "aftershock" will begin and the cycle of PVC's will rear their ugly heads.
Take care and please visit often.
Frenchie

[momof3]

hi, i'm new to the site as well, from med help too - new to PVC's, brand new - 2 weeks yesterday - i am a nurse learned all about PVC's in nursing school but until u experience them, you can not relate to all we are feeling. reading all your posts really makes me feel like i'm not alone. i went to the beach today and i was so afraid to go in the water because i thought it would trigger PVCs - but i gathered up the strength and i went in - and of course i got a few PVC's but i worked through them. i will keep on working at it, but i feel so many of the same emotions as you all do, i haven't gotten to the point where i've broken down and cried but i know that a release of emotions is coming and i anticipate i'll feel better - 8 yrs ago my daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes - it took a week for me to breakdown - i was at the funeral for my father in law and i just cried uncontrolably for 20 minutes - not only for my father in law, not only for my daughter but for everything built up inside - that's how i feel now, i want to get it all out, i want to feel normal again i hate these PVCs. thankyou all for writing - these type of postings have been a godsend