Showbizguru

Anyone else get them ?
My cardiologist says they're routine and nothing to worry about but still ....
They seem to get worse just after eating.
I've tried all the usual - extra potassium/magensium, cutting out caffeine, increased exercise - but to no avail.
Any advice much appreciated.

Showbizguru

Maybe they're not so routine after all

annerj

wish I had some info for you but nothing

Doc Savage

PVCs can also commonly occur in the slightly hyperadrenergic state that follows recovery from drinking alcohol, even a few drinks. Perhaps you are doomed ....

If you have a little room to spare on your blood pressure, i.e., if it is above 120 mmHg systolic and you don't suffer from an abnormally low heart rate, you can check with your cardiologist about whether he would approve treatment with a beta blocker such as metoprolol or atenolol, which often do a great job in reducing PVC frequency, as well as controlling blood pressure and providing some degree of protection from heart attack.

Note that some physicians consider significant asthma to be a relative contraindication to beta blocker treatment.

Healthy travels,

Doc

Showbizguru

I Doc,
Thanks for the input.
Yeah, I had worked out that morning-after dehydration from a good session did send the PVCs into overdrive even before my cardiologist pointed out that reserach had also picked this up
Regular daily exercise to burn off some adrenalin also seems to keep them under control.
The cardio didn't think the PVC's were serious enough to warrant beta blockers.
Fortunately I'm over the panic stage now and into the management phase - I suppose it's inevitable that decades of hard living will eventually cause some side-effect.@:-)

Showbizguru

The good news for anyone reading this who may suddenly start suffering from PVCs is that with a slight change in lifestyle and no drugs they can disappear almost as mysteriously as they arrive.

After a few months of these blighters - imagine your heart skipping a beat but doing it regularly,noticeably and constantly for a few hours - they've simply disappeared.

Cutting out caffeine,cutting back on the booze and stepping up exercise seems to have worked.

But a strange and bizarre period of my life nonetheless.

annerj

^^

PTravel

I get these. Yes, caffeine, alcohol and lack of exercise contribute, as does being overweight. Just for point of clarification, PVCs are not skipped hearbeats, but delayed heartbeats. The heart fills with a little extra blood so that, when the contraction finally comes, it results in an uncomfortable feeling. It's not dangerous unless it happens for a number of beats in succession.

Fitstylist5

I too experience these on occasion. After a thorough cardiac workup, it was determined to be a benign condition, just like yourself. Don't you think the worst part is the anxiety that comes with the sensation? My Dr also seems to think fit, type a individuals who are especially in tune with their bodies tend to obsess about pvcs/pacs more than others would. When I am hit with an 'attack' of palps, I take it as a sign that I am overdoing life and need to step back and hit the yoga mat.

Showbizguru

Yup,the anxiety is a bugger but the relief when the cardiologist shrugs his shoulders and says it's no big deal is something else.

Doc Savage is right when he says it's lifestyle related. I think of it as a warning light on the dashboard of life after too many years in the fast lane.

And I'm surprised how quickly I got used to decaff.