hi guys,im a 33 year old male,in good health with a problem that wont end.when i was 18 years old i tried smoking a joint,bad move,i have a bad panic attack from this,didnt know what it was at the time,a week after that i felt flutters in my chest,i whould feel my paluse and i chould tell it was a skipped beat or somthing,scared the hell out of me,went to the er,did all kinds of test blood ekg,but found nothing,this whent on for years then they found it with the 24 hr holter monator,doctor said i was having pvc's and that it was from stress.at this time its 1995, they drove me crazy the more i worried the more they got worse,then in late 95 after a hard day at work,allways in the hot fl sun.but this was winter at the time i came home from work felt really tired so i went to bed.as soon as i got in bed a run of pvc's stared about ten in a row,then it felt like they wasnt stoping,called 911 emt got there and said your in a-fib.what is that?they took me to the er and the doctor gave me blood thinners and shocked me back in sinus,was good for 2 years but the pvc's was always there about 40 to 100 a day im quessing but i can allways feel them.then the pcs started again 1 night an bam a-fib again,this time it stoped on its own before the ems got there.7 years have past im 33 now no a-fib in good shape lift lots of weights 5"9 205lbs 5% body fat 6 mounths ago pcs like always then the a fib again out of no where,scared the hell out of me,because 1 i havent had a-fib in 7 years and 2 my heart rate was 150bpm my wife took me to the er put me on heprin a blood thinner to stop clots from forming due to the a-fib,10 hours later it stops on its own again,6 mounths past 3 weeks ago i woke up and im in a fib again this time i had to be shocked back to sinus all blood work is good not taking any drugs other than the toperol xl i no the pvcs must be causing this anyone had this happen to them any help whould be great

I am MIGHTILY IMPRESSED: 5"9 205lbs 5% body fat...do you COMPETE?
<delicate question: have you ever taken anabolics...real ones?>

Anyhoo,
Beta blockers are the proper class of drugs to treat A-fib. Why not tell your doctor you want to try 50 mg. atenolol once a day and see if they control the bouts better than the Toprol XL (God, does every doctor in America chooose this non-generic lately...Astra Zeneca must be very generous indeed!)

Since your bouts are relatively infrequent, although no less scary, I doubt that they will want to go the next route which is an ablation procedure. But if things get worse, that might be your answer.

But for now, try to find a beta blocker that suits you...the choice is huge WITH MANY CHEAP GENERICS

i did compete when i was in my mid 20s,never used any roids at all,trust me the first time a doctor sees me im asked that.i dont think they beleave me,but i never used em,ive taken all kinds of blockers toprol xl did seem to work best, that and batapace. but the pvcs always are there i have felt them evryday since 91,some days 1 or 2 some days up to 300 or more and im sure that the pvcs must bring on the a-fib,the doctors dont seem to think so but evertime im been a-fib its always after a run of pvc's.very fustrating

THats cool you still lift man. I just do cardio till i get over my anxeity issues. I have PVC's sometimes all day long and but when i workout they go away but always come back. I've had short spurts of fast heart beats like maybe 7 to 10 quick beats then a pause then back to normal 55 beats a minute. If those spurts were longer at 150bpm like you have i would freak right out. I have symtoms of A-fib but was told i don't have it. Sometimes i lay down after a stressfull day and my chest will letrally vibrate but when i check my pulse/bp its normal. I'm getting real good a learning to live with PVC's i have had every heart test imaginable and no -afib yet. But i do get quick burst of fast beats but thats usually when my body is packed full of Adrenaline from anxiety. Keep lifting bro. Keep that body strong. I think the fear of heart issuses are far worse then the heart problems themselves.

very true,the first time i went a-fib,i was feaked trust me,and that made it worse,ive learned to deal with the pvc's but the a-fib scares the hell out of me and im no scared of anything really but thats will scare bad the a-fib,because i got to sit in the hospial for 2 or 3 days an the shocking part of it,really sucks thanks for the feedback

How long have you been on Toprol XL? What other BBs have you tried? It just seems like something like propranolol would be better for maintenence and then you could take it during an occurance as well. With Toprol XL its not like you can control the dosing whatsoever.

well i was on enderol tamakor betapece,an toprol xl,the last 2 are the only thing that ever worked at all.the toprol kept me out of a-fib for seven years,so i didnt change it.untill now,im taking the betapace now 80mg tab i brake it in half 40mg in the morning and 40 before bed.but ill be changing back because this stuff makes me tired.and my heart rate drops to 35bpm at night.but even before the med my heart rate was in the low 60's always been it good shape,i work out 2 hours a day.every day for the last 20 years.all the doctors say dont lift weights with pvc's or if you have had a-fib.but they told me for years that pvc's are harmless.so i still lift.and they want me to say on blood thinners for life,but i dont take them because ive only been a-fib 4 times first time was in 95 i was 22.ive been to many doctors i quess i will find another 1,hell they all say somthing differnt,and ive done a ton of researce on this,i just think the pvc's anrt as harmless as they say

I don't mean to butt in, but I just wanted to comment on something... First of all, sorry you're going through this, I know it can be terrifying. Second, I have a similar story. I never had a problem until I tried weed. I smoked for maybe two months in high school and had to quit because of the panic attacks. I wondered if the pot had something to do with it, but blew it off...maybe it just does something in rare cases..I don't know...

Not condeming the use of weed to anyone, just sharing a story btw.... very very odd though...

no your right pot can cause the pvc's because of the panic attacks the scared shitless feeling in a panic attack will cause huge amounts of adrialane and that will cause the pvc's i whould be willing to bet thats what your having

I heard a lot of people with A-Fib are taking blood thinner or aspirin. What about if you have V-Fib? Do you need to take blood thinner or aspirin?

I don't mean to butt in, but I just wanted to comment on something... First of all, sorry you're going through this, I know it can be terrifying. Second, I have a similar story. I never had a problem until I tried weed. I smoked for maybe two months in high school and had to quit because of the panic attacks. I wondered if the pot had something to do with it, but blew it off...maybe it just does something in rare cases..I don't know...

Not condeming the use of weed to anyone, just sharing a story btw.... very very odd though...
I use to blame mine on partying then i thought about how i've had them as far back as i can remember. long before i had as much as a sip of booze or coffee. They just didn't bother me till i started having panic attacks. If i have a few weeks of bad panic attacks i can get them for a few after the fact rugulary even while calm. It seems like if i have prolonged strees i get like aftershock pvc's for awhile like adrenline is still all throughout my body even though ive been calm for weeks. My current bought with PVC's are happening while calm caffine and beer free. but i had a good 3 weeks of not leaving the house from anxiety and job stress. So i know its not stimulants. They don't help but i am convinced stress is about 80% of the cause. When im not stressed out i get em here an there. I've said this before here but i think the only garunteed way to get em in my case is prolonged stress. A day or 2 of stress doesn't seem to matter its just when i get real anxious for a week or more them they start.

same her,the strees causes it, like you said ill get them or a week or to after havinng a panic attack,your right thats how it works in my case as well,as to the other question on blood thinners i dont take them,now if i go a-fib then of course the er will give them to me untill i convert back to sinus.but i know when i go a-fib and i no when im not in it,

Whats the difference in how an A-fib feels compared regular pvc's. I'm just curious. Every so often i get few second burst of rapid heartbeats it never last more than 5 secnonds or so then it goes right back to normal. That only happens once in a great while.

a-fib feels just like pvc's the only diff is a-fib is constant you feel the flutter and skipped beats for hours even days,sometimes it wont stop on its own and you have to be shocked to go back to sinus.i have had a-fib 4 times now and ive been shocked twice,after being in it for over 48 hours and the other times it stopped on its own once in the hospial an hour before they was going to shock me, the other time i was in it for 3 hours at home and it just stop before i went to the er

Thanx for the info chad. I have all the risk factors thats why i asked. I don't think i have a-fib it but i do get pvc's all day sometimes but its not constant. On a bad day i may get dozens of flutters but its not constant and my heartbeat is about 55 or 60 with it never going more than 80 even while nervous or upset. Sorry for bugging you again chad but i got another question. I lift weights here and there and notice that certain exercises give me pvc's mainly shoulder shrugs. Is This the case with you?(only asking cuz you said your a bodybuilder)

well in my case most of the pvc's come after the workout,as my heart rate comes down,the only time i get them in a work out is if im doing real heavy leg work outs, then i will get them,and high cardio workouts,i dont push the carido as hard as i used to in my mid 20's i went a-fib in a high cardio work out,thats why,if i get my haret rate over 150bpm i will have pvc's evry time,on any given day in quessing, but i whould say i have anywhere for 10 to 400 pvc's a day

Yea thats kinda simlar to me. i Was goin all out till this summer. I've had pvc's all my life on and off i just didn't give them much thought but some home stress brought on anxiety attacks,which got worse and worse and fed the pvc's which are at a all time high making me think there is something else wrong yada yada yada. im pretty much rid of anxiety its just i have fear of bad pvc episodes so i don't do my hardcore routine. During the summer i had a bad panic attack due to major rapid after i did a profesional fighter routine my buddy that trains MMA showed me. Basically Pushups,pull ups,sit ups,squat thrust then do it over again with no rest. Well after the 3rd or 4th set of going balls out without rest my heart was going bonkers which it would in a normal person due to the intensity but it cause a panic attack with me cuz i couldnt catch my breath so i freaked. by the way before this recent episode i was drinking no less than 6 cups of coffee a day and an energy drink before a workout. Hard to figure out why i was ended up getting pvc's huh?
lol

the panic attacks is what started mine as well i can deal with it now that i know what they are an the pvc's i can deal with untill there are lots of them like 30 in 2 min,then that scares me and that makes them worse,its not so much the pvc's that scare me its the fear of going a-fib again,and i must say the a-fib is the scarest thing i have ever been though in my life,very hard for me to deal with,and the fact that other than the pvc's and a-fib thats the only problem i have had with my health.i get so tired of hearing you have a-fib????you must be using riods so to all ppl out there you can be in great shape and still have these problems

Yea dude i wouldnt deal with it well. I'm just getting to where regular pvc's don't freak me out much less something as intense as an a-fib. My cousin That i just got off the phone with told me A-fib is what he has. I knew he had heart problems i just wasnt sure what. Well like 12 years ago he said he had his heart "shocked" to get the beat normal and he gets attacks all the time. He's 40 still smokes and drinks and seems to have the "F##k it" attitude about it. He said he's on blood thinners and the whole buisness he said. He pretty much admitted the way he lives isnt gonna keep him around to long but he just one of those guys uno. I wish i were more that way. I'd rather live only another 10 or 15 years care free then 30 or 40 worried all the time never enjoying myself. But im a worrier by nature so i'll be a wuss and live awhile with my high blood pressure and pvc's. Keep in touch with how your doing man. From what i read A-fibbers can live to be old and grey as long as they watch it abit. Because of my High BP my sittiuation isnt as scary as yours but im in the same boat. I can't be partying all night and eating what i want anymore. Gotta get healthy.

Chad, <and everyone else>
Make sure you are taking magnesium every day. It sometimes works wonders at straightening out a wonky rhythm.

Chad,
I can understand your aversion to blood thinners but DO take a daily aspirin (I think adult size is best.) Better safe than sorry.

Chad, <and everyone else>
Make sure you are taking magnesium every day. It sometimes works wonders at straightening out a wonky rhythm.

Chad,
I can understand your aversion to blood thinners but DO take a daily aspirin (I think adult size is best.) Better safe than sorry. How much magnesium is a safe starting amount every day. I've taken vitamains and stuff before and had stomach issues.

my blood work showed good magnesium,so the magnesium had nothing to do with mine

my blood work showed good magnesium,so the magnesium had nothing to do with mine

You can still have low intracellular magnesium even if your blood levels are normal.

A couple of months ago I had a constant run of PVCs and think I even might have had a short (maybe 15 min of A-fib). I started on one pill of Magnesium, cheapest I could find....it did wonders for me. It caused a bit of cramping and loose bowel at first, but that has gotten better. I wont say I havent had ANY PVCs but the truth is for years I havent sit still without being aware of my own heart beating....and now I have times when I am not aware of it. Its total peace for as long as this last for me.
Mileena

ill have to try it then and see thanks

i got the 250mg af mag been taking it for 3 days but no change as of yet, it was going to work wouldnt it have worked by now?

i got the 250mg af mag been taking it for 3 days but no change as of yet, it was going to work wouldnt it have worked by now?

What kind of mag are you taking? Magnesium oxide is very poorly absorbed apparently. You need to take chelated mag, or mag glycinate.

Also, 250mg probably isn't enough. Try taking 400mg and try it for at least a couple of weeks.

could you PLEASE describe what a-fib feel slike again? i am having an arrhythmia that could be svt of afib..or who knows what. i am fearful it is life threatening. i used to have episodes of whree i owuld have pvc's that lasted for 3mo. at a time. about 10 a minute.. YES A MINUTE! it has subsided a great deal..but now this weird thing where my heard is NOT beating n a normal sinus rythym is happening. i'm so scared i cannot even sleep for fear of dying in my sleep. this is really bad too. it just starts beating erratically. sor a short time. like 30 sec or so. i think the first one lasted about 1 min. thanks so much.. i hope you read this and answer back... mimi in texas

a-fib feels like pvc's but lasts for hours or days and may not stop on its own and you have to be shocked back to sinus,sometimes i will have up to 20 pvc's in a minute but its not a-fib a-fib feels alot like pvc's but a-fib feels like constant flutters and skipped and pauses in your heart beat,ive been a-fib 4 times ive never have it for less than 24 hours,its stoped on its own 2 times but i was in it for almost 2 days,in my case as im in good shape if im in a-fib my hr will never get over 120 bpm,most of the time in a-fib im about 90bpm like right now my hr is 58bpm

i stoped taking the mag,after 2 weeks couldnt tell any changes