Cure PVCs Discussion Thread

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UserID: chelseapvc Type: CurePVCs Joined: Dec 06 2016

Thread Started: Dec 06 2016 Last Post: Dec 12 2016 Last Post By: Cubsfan3

Origin: General Topics Total Posts: 4

pvc controlling my life

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Posted Dec 06 2016	#1 of 4
chelseapvcUser Since: Dec 2016Posts: 2	Hi All, I am looking for any kind of help with my pvcs and learning to live with them. Almost 3 years ago now, about 6 months before turning 20 I was running around at work and felt the thud and fluttering in the bottom of my throat and a surge of adrenalin. For someone who has health anxiety this warranted a trip to the ER where they did an EKG and blood test all coming back negative. My GP then prescribed Cymbalta for my anxiety which she said was causing the palpitations. I wish that I had never gone onto this medication as it is proving extremely difficult to get off and has not helped with my PVCs which are in my opinion the root cause of my anxiety .. not vice versa. Over the years the PACs and PVCs have gotten worse, I have been to a cardiologist a couple of times and had an ECHO and stress test which all came back fine. He advised that my 1 week holter came back showing more PAC and some PVC and that I could take a beta blocker but would prefer me not to so I opted not to do so. During the week I was wearing the holter I felt the occasional individual ectopic but didn't have the feeling of the 'run' which I think it was is scaring me the most as I have't had this symptom confirmed. It feels like a couple of really fast and hard thumps followed by a long pause and a surge of adrenalin with some chest pain. I have these episodes 4 or 5 times a month and they really give me so much anxiety because I feel like im going to go into vtach and have a heart attack. I am told that anxiety worsens symptoms and can bring on episodes so I try to calm myself down but it becomes a vicious cycle. I have read the story and threads on here and can relate to some member's in that my potassium blood levels have come back low when I have been to the ER thinking im about to drop dead any second. Does anyone have any supplements they recommend? I also suffer from indigestion and acid reflux and was taking an antacid daily when i first began having PVCs .. similar to PVCMan's story, however I haven't taken these for over a year and am still having these horrible things daily. I drink pepsi max daily as I find the carbonation (I dont like mineral water) helps me burp and relieve pressure in the stomach easing off some of the PVC symptoms. However, I have read that the artificial sweetener can cause heart irregularities in some people - has anyone else found this with diet drinks? Any tips to help learning to live with these? Making me very depressed and anxious and I would love to enjoy life again and not worry about them! Thanks Chelsea
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Posted Dec 06 2016

#1 of 4

chelseapvcUser Since: Dec 2016Posts: 2

Hi All,

I am looking for any kind of help with my pvcs and learning to live with them.

Almost 3 years ago now, about 6 months before turning 20 I was running around at work and felt the thud and fluttering in the bottom of my throat and a surge of adrenalin. For someone who has health anxiety this warranted a trip to the ER where they did an EKG and blood test all coming back negative.

My GP then prescribed Cymbalta for my anxiety which she said was causing the palpitations. I wish that I had never gone onto this medication as it is proving extremely difficult to get off and has not helped with my PVCs which are in my opinion the root cause of my anxiety .. not vice versa.

Over the years the PACs and PVCs have gotten worse, I have been to a cardiologist a couple of times and had an ECHO and stress test which all came back fine. He advised that my 1 week holter came back showing more PAC and some PVC and that I could take a beta blocker but would prefer me not to so I opted not to do so. During the week I was wearing the holter I felt the occasional individual ectopic but didn't have the feeling of the 'run' which I think it was is scaring me the most as I have't had this symptom confirmed. It feels like a couple of really fast and hard thumps followed by a long pause and a surge of adrenalin with some chest pain. I have these episodes 4 or 5 times a month and they really give me so much anxiety because I feel like im going to go into vtach and have a heart attack. I am told that anxiety worsens symptoms and can bring on episodes so I try to calm myself down but it becomes a vicious cycle.

I have read the story and threads on here and can relate to some member's in that my potassium blood levels have come back low when I have been to the ER thinking im about to drop dead any second. Does anyone have any supplements they recommend? I also suffer from indigestion and acid reflux and was taking an antacid daily when i first began having PVCs .. similar to PVCMan's story, however I haven't taken these for over a year and am still having these horrible things daily. I drink pepsi max daily as I find the carbonation (I dont like mineral water) helps me burp and relieve pressure in the stomach easing off some of the PVC symptoms. However, I have read that the artificial sweetener can cause heart irregularities in some people - has anyone else found this with diet drinks?

Any tips to help learning to live with these? Making me very depressed and anxious and I would love to enjoy life again and not worry about them!

Thanks
Chelsea

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Posted Dec 06 2016	#2 of 4
Cubsfan3User Since: Apr 2013Posts: 28	Chelsea The most important thing you have to accomplish is not letting these things control your life. I know that is easier said than done but it is possible. I was afraid to do anything. Afraid to eat, afraid to workout, afraid to walk up stairs, afraid to go to work. Then one day I told myself that this is no way to live. They were impossible to ignore since I felt each and every one. However, I had the ability to make the decision to either let them control my life or not. So I chose the latter. Not sure how to really explain this other than I got mentally tougher. From that day on (about 4 years ago) I didn't let them dictate my life. Good call on not taking the beta blocker. I did take one for about 6 months and they did absolutely nothing for me. When mine were really bad (thousands per day) I started drinking a lot of coconut water as I too had a low potassium level. Most of the time this would eliminate of reduce them temporarily. Also, doing cardio for about a half hour was something that would help them. Recently, I have eliminated all processed foods and sugar from my diet and have not had any pvcs to speak of. Long story short, you can drive yourself crazy trying to find a cause/cure. Hope this helped a little bit. Let me know if you have any other questions. I'd be happy to help.
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Posted Dec 06 2016

#2 of 4

Cubsfan3User Since: Apr 2013Posts: 28

Chelsea
The most important thing you have to accomplish is not letting these things control your life. I know that is easier said than done but it is possible. I was afraid to do anything. Afraid to eat, afraid to workout, afraid to walk up stairs, afraid to go to work. Then one day I told myself that this is no way to live. They were impossible to ignore since I felt each and every one. However, I had the ability to make the decision to either let them control my life or not. So I chose the latter. Not sure how to really explain this other than I got mentally tougher. From that day on (about 4 years ago) I didn't let them dictate my life.
Good call on not taking the beta blocker. I did take one for about 6 months and they did absolutely nothing for me.
When mine were really bad (thousands per day) I started drinking a lot of coconut water as I too had a low potassium level. Most of the time this would eliminate of reduce them temporarily. Also, doing cardio for about a half hour was something that would help them. Recently, I have eliminated all processed foods and sugar from my diet and have not had any pvcs to speak of. Long story short, you can drive yourself crazy trying to find a cause/cure.
Hope this helped a little bit. Let me know if you have any other questions. I'd be happy to help.

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Posted Dec 09 2016	#3 of 4
chelseapvcUser Since: Dec 2016Posts: 2	Thank you Cubsfan3, it's so helpful for me to know I am not alone in this and happy to hear you have learned to live life to it's fullest! I am trying to ignore them however, every time I tell myself I can't live like this and need to continue living my life as I was I get a run of PVCs or maybe vtach (unfortunately havent had this symptom whilst wearing a holter so not exactly sure) which winds me and scares the life out of me which sets me back to square one anxiously waiting for the next heart stopping moment - literally! Did you have couplets or runs and what do you do when you're feeling them harder than usual to try and ignore them? I have just recently done a 4 hour glucose fasting test to check for hypoglycaemia and am starting a no sugar, gluten or dairy diet (which will be hard because i LOVE chocolate) hopefully this will ease off the symptoms as the DR advised a quick drop in blood sugar increases HR. Thanks, Chelsea
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Posted Dec 09 2016

#3 of 4

chelseapvcUser Since: Dec 2016Posts: 2

Thank you Cubsfan3, it's so helpful for me to know I am not alone in this and happy to hear you have learned to live life to it's fullest!

I am trying to ignore them however, every time I tell myself I can't live like this and need to continue living my life as I was I get a run of PVCs or maybe vtach (unfortunately havent had this symptom whilst wearing a holter so not exactly sure) which winds me and scares the life out of me which sets me back to square one anxiously waiting for the next heart stopping moment - literally!

Did you have couplets or runs and what do you do when you're feeling them harder than usual to try and ignore them?

I have just recently done a 4 hour glucose fasting test to check for hypoglycaemia and am starting a no sugar, gluten or dairy diet (which will be hard because i LOVE chocolate) hopefully this will ease off the symptoms as the DR advised a quick drop in blood sugar increases HR.

Thanks,
Chelsea

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Posted Dec 12 2016	#4 of 4
Cubsfan3User Since: Apr 2013Posts: 28	At my worst I was having 16-17 per minute and that lasted pretty much all day long for a few days. Some of them have a lot of force and used to really scare me. But honestly, I just don't let them bother me anymore. I've been to several emergency rooms and seen 2 cardiologists and both have told me I have a very healthy heart. Therefore, I have no need to worry. It may take awhile but you can get there to. I'm sure you've had all the tests and been told the same thing. So why worry or be scared?
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Posted Dec 12 2016

#4 of 4

Cubsfan3User Since: Apr 2013Posts: 28

At my worst I was having 16-17 per minute and that lasted pretty much all day long for a few days. Some of them have a lot of force and used to really scare me. But honestly, I just don't let them bother me anymore. I've been to several emergency rooms and seen 2 cardiologists and both have told me I have a very healthy heart. Therefore, I have no need to worry. It may take awhile but you can get there to. I'm sure you've had all the tests and been told the same thing. So why worry or be scared?

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