Can those who have had PVC's please respond, and let me know how long you have had these? I have had them for about 2 months now, and although I passed a nuclear stress test, I worry that these will harm my heart and shorten my life. I have a cardiologist follow up appt. this Thursday, and am anxious to hear what he will say. Can you live a normal, long life w/ PVC's? I have children I need to raise, and would like to be there for grandchildren, etc. I am 37. I go back and forth from not worrying about them, to totally stressing out when my heart is acting crazy. I have been getting these PVC's every day, and very often, morning, noon, and night.
Hello KG-
Assuming that you know there are no structural abnormalities to the heart- yes, it seems a person can have very frequent PVCs and suffer no ill effects beyond the fatigue and ill feelings that come with the PVCs themselves. I have had 2 episodes of wild PVCs in the past 6 weeks. My PVC rate just 2 weeks ago was over 30 thousand in 24 hours. That was a PVC every other heartbeat for most of that day. I did not feel well at all and that episode lasted for 6 weary days. I saw a cardiologist, was diagnosed with 'Symptommatic VPC (Ventricular Premature Complex), and I will be having an echocardiogram (Oct 25th) and a stress test in order to rule out other causes. If I clear that hurdle, I will just have to accept that something (perhaps my 8 hour surgery in June) or some medication has insulted my heart and this is the result.
My cardio tells me PVCs at so high a rate will be very tiring but should not keep me from functioning -if a bit more slowly. He seemed to think that much of my distress was due to not being sure that I wasn't in acute danger. Once that fear was put to rest, says he, I will learn the PVCs are less difficult to live with. Oh, and he has a patient who has an every other heartbeat PVC rate ALL of the time and plays tennis!
I am adjusting my thinking, I guess. I am currently PVC free and trying to enjoy the days. I still find it hard to imagine working and driving with my heart jumping around in my chest BUT I am told I am not in any danger and so I am going to try to believe it.
Do I remember, KG, that you have had all the routine tests already? I understand your fears very well. I thought my GP was mad when she toild me I was likely just fine. It is a hard thing to believe. Let us know what your cardio tells you. Suzy-Q
Yes, you are right, I had the tests and was told the results were normal, but have not actually talked to the cardiologist yet about the PVC's, it was just the nurse telling me everything was OK w/ the second test result. So, all I have to go by until Thurs. is this board, and thankfully there are others here who have PVC's and are told they are not dangerous if there are no other heart problems. I don't think I have as many as you per day, but I had over 1 thousand when I had my holter monitor, and that was a very, "slow" day, I did not even feel most of them, so I wonder how many I have on my "normal" days when I feel them all the time all day. I would not say it was every other beat all day, but it is every other beat off and on several times an hour. It is reassuring to hear though about the patient who has the frequent PVC's and plays tennis. That is just the kind of story that makes me feel better, since I know next to nothing else to go by, except some of the scary things I read on the internet when I google "PVC's".
And yes, my commute to work is over an hour each way, and that is another time I worry - if I were to have a heart attack while driving and trapped in the fast lane! I almost always have them when I am driving, in fact the very first bout of them I had was while driving in traffic - you are still and quiet and can't help but notice them when they happen then. My commute and at night are when they worry me the most.
Thanks again so much for responding, and keep us informed on your test results, and I can let you know what the cardiologist has to say about mine.
Hi,
I had to respond because PVC's is what brought me to this board. I have a post of my story, but the short of it is.....I have had some PVCs all my adult life.....never really thought a lot of it. Maybe a couple a day that was very noticeable. As I got older I noticed them more often and maybe lasting longer...disturbing my sleep just a bit...but nothing to make me overly concerned. THEN, it happened just a few weeks ago I was eating a king size snickers bar and drinking a cup of coffee for breakfast.. My heart started to jump all over my chest, even to the point I thought it was coming out my back. I figured now that I am 43 years old I dont need to eat chocolate and drink coffee....it was very erratic for about 20 min then started to calm down enough that at least I wasnt walking the floor with it. BUT that began several days of continous PVCs that just wouldnt quit. It got to the point where I couldnt function at work, and began to think about death......that I must be dying.....and what was going to happen to my loved ones and my animals! I went to the doc...had a bad ekg...with lots of PVCs and was sent to a heart center where they did the echo....I also havent talked with the doc, but am wearing a 30 day monitor and nurse told me about the mitral valve stenosis that scared me silly. BUT I have recorded a total of 4 episodes with the monitor in 2 weeks.....and even right now have NO PVCs that I can feel. I dont know if it was the mitral valve thing that caused the several horrible days of those, or what....but I HOPE it doesnt ever happen again! I visit the doc on NOV 2, so maybe more answers then,at least know you are not alone.....I guess you know to cut back on the caffine, and try bearing down or coughing to stop the worst of the PVCs. That works sometimes...and then sometimes not. Anyway, good luck and know there are days where you will feel better in the future!
Mileena
hello
I was diagnosed with PVC's last yr after 2 event recorders and 1 holter monitor (which finally caught some).I have been having these since I can remember (bout 13 im now 32).I was told "just some PVC's of no real concern.I have had others tests ekg,stress test with echocardiogram all normal.My pvc's comes in spurts a few here and there and then weeks with them nightly hardly being able to sleep.I get mainly the skips,quviers,flutters and abnormal rythm feelings.I have 5 kids myself ages from 13 to 22 months so I understand your worry I was scared but doc told me tons of people get PVC's and they are most times harmless.I do know they can have triggers like ......chocolate,sodas,ciggs,some cold meds anything with caffiene and stress and anxiety ...lucky me I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder lol.Anyway,I would just keep checked as normal by my doctor but they really are harmless unless you have a heart problem.
Last edited by tnmomofive; 10-14-2006 at 09:54 PM.
My heart started to jump all over my chest, even to the point I thought it was coming out my back. I figured now that I am 43 years old I dont need to eat chocolate and drink coffee....it was very erratic for about 20 min then started to calm down enough that at least I wasnt walking the floor with it. BUT that began several days of continous PVCs that just wouldnt quit. It got to the point where I couldnt function at work, and began to think about death......that I must be dying.....and what was going to happen to my loved ones and my animals! I went to the doc...had a bad ekg...with lots of PVCs and was sent to a heart center where they did the echo....I also havent talked with the doc, but am wearing a 30 day monitor and nurse told me about the mitral valve stenosis that scared me silly. BUT I have recorded a total of 4 episodes with the monitor in 2 weeks.....and even right now have NO PVCs that I can feel. I dont know if it was the mitral valve thing that caused the several horrible days of those, or what....but I HOPE it doesnt ever happen again! I visit the doc on NOV 2, so maybe more answers then,at least know you are not alone.....I guess you know to cut back on the caffine, and try bearing down or coughing to stop the worst of the PVCs. That works sometimes...and then sometimes not. Anyway, good luck and know there are days where you will feel better in the future!
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