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Another PVC story.....any ideas??

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Posted 4/7/2006 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
 

Hello, I have suffered from PVC's for 7+ years. At first they scared me to death. I had no idea what was going on. I wore a Holter Monitor for 48 hours a couple of years ago, so the Cardiologist saw the PVC's. I was told I had PVC's and not to worry. Okay?!?!

There is only one problem, it's me..not them who has to live with this! I am a mother of four children....12..9..7..and 5. The two youngest are boys, very energetic boys. I home school, and we have our own small construction company. Not to mention regular life. When I have these "spells" where my heart seems to skip beats, I get so very tired. Which I think makes them get worse, then I get more tired, and so on. I get, well I can't call it "Pain", but a uncomfortable sensation in my upper left chest that goes down my left arm. Two doctors, my regular family doctor and the cardiologist, says its nothing. That I am probably just anxious...DUH! I am, but AFTER the goofy feelings in my heart/chest area.

Also I get light headed and I start feeling like I can not think clearly. Like I am spacey or something. And sometimes short of breath. All of these things are considered normal? So hear I am with a messy house, needing to get kids on their school work, I have paper to file and I can not think clearly and I want to sleep!

I know caffeine and stress really flairs thing up! But what am I to do when these PVC’s goes on for days and days? I feel like I am on a constant mountain hike and I can not get off and rest! Even when I lay down to rest, I can't. I still get up without feeling rested.

I am sure in and out of other posts these statements/questions have been covered. I am just so very fed up. I need energy. I am stressed out. I feel like I have no mind left, and I want to sleep all the time now. These PVC's have been going on everyday now for about 2 months.

Does anyone else have these symptoms? And if so, have you found anything that helps?

Thanks all!

Posted 4/7/2006 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Well, either the PVCs cause you much stress and anxiety that you become tired, or you have a real and possible dangerous condition with your heart. Obviously you have MUCH to do with all your family and business. Add a large dose of anxiety, and it can drain you of your energy.

Remember that YOU are in charge of, or responsible for your health and treatment. If you really feel this is bad, you need to have some testing of your heart performed fairly quickly.

What is most disturbing to me is the "pains or sensations" you feel, that travel down your arm. Most often PVCs are benign, but not always. REMEMBER! Less than 30% of women that come to the ER while actually having a heart attack, DO NOT experience "chest pain". Their symptoms are sometimes vague and odd for a heart attack. You can have a heart attack that can last for a week! The attack starts when a coronary artery blockage increases to a point where the heart muscle starts to become damaged, due to normal demands but not enough oxygenated blood is getting to the area supplied by the artery. If one doesn't become aware of this, then a massive attack could happen when the artery completely closes off.

You need to see a cardiologist and have a 12 lead EKG, an echocardiogram, a nuclear imaged stress test, or one of the latest 64 slice ct coronary angiograms. All of these test are non invasive, but can save your life.

The very fastest way to get to all these tests is through the ER. If you don't want to sit in the ER and wait for hours, take a ride in an ambulance. It's your life and never stop trying to find out what is wrong with you. I can tell you from experience that it is a struggle to get the right treatment, and in time.

If you think that you may be having a heart attack, take 2 adult aspirin (chew them up) and dial 911.

Good luck :)

Rj
Posted 4/7/2006 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
I am so sorry that you are suffering so much.  Rj has given you some very good advice.  I have had PVC and PAC's for years, but have never had the other symptoms that you describe.  I would especially be worried about how tired you are.  Insist on a stress test, EKG, and blood work.  Women just aren't taken seriously when it comes to heart disease.  Do you have a family history of heart disease?  You didn't say how old you are. I, too, suffer from anxiety, and I know many anxiety symptoms can mimic heart problems, but at least if you have the tests, and nothing is wrong, it will put your mind at ease.  Seems like it would be a win, win situation!   Please keep us posted on what you find out.

Posted 4/7/2006 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
Those suffering from PVC's really should try magnesium supplements. I started taking a good quality multi-vit (Twin Lab Daily One without Iron) and 500mg Magnesium Citrate (Now brand) and my PVC's were completly gone after a week. I was having them daily before this.

Here is a link for the magnesium http://www.iherb.com/magcitrate2.html

And the multi-vitamin http://www.vitacost.com/TwinlabDailyOneWithoutIron

When I had PVC's I got extremely tired too. They are very disturbing. Here are too links that associate magnesium with irregular heart beats and heart problems...

http://mgwater.com/disorder.shtml
"Even more ominous is the finding in a recent prospective study that
66% of patients in cardiac arrest had magnesium abnormalities and none
of these patients were successfully resuscitated. Magnesium deficiency
may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart
disease, cardiomyopathy, and certain arrhythmias. In the hospital
setting, it is particularly important to check serum magnesium in
patients with cardiovascular disease.

www.trackyourplaque.com

"Cardiac arrhythmias Having any sort of heart rhythm disorder should
cause your doctor to question whether magnesium levels in your body
are adequate, since low magnesium levels can trigger abnormal heart
rhythms. (While you can't rely on magnesium alone to treat abnormal
rhythms, magnesium can be a useful preventive strategy to help avoid
developing them in the first place.)Metabolic syndrome Yes, the
ubiquitous metabolic syndrome (low HDL, high triglycerides, small LDL,
high blood pressure, excessive abdominal fat, etc.) is clearly
associated with low magnesium levels. Lack of intracellular magnesium
impairs insulin responsiveness."
Posted 4/7/2006 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
I had pvc's for a while whose origin was partly from stress and partly from my blood sugar crashing after I quit a seven can a day soft drink habit.

The cure turned out to be 25 mg of toprol xl and 500 mg per day of magnesium tablets.

One thing, though.  My pvc's never made me feel tired or lightheaded, and I usually got them after skipping a meal or cooling down from exercise.

Lightheadedness and a pain radiating from the left chest to the left arm/armpit are heart attack symptoms, and should be followed up with a cardiologist who takes them seriously.  Before assuming the pvc's are benign, you should have an angiogram and an ultrasound of the heart to rule out structural defects and coronary artery disease.

 

Posted 4/7/2006 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys. you know I might just go to the ER when I have another great PVC attact when my left side is bothering me. by the time I make a doctors appt., and am seen...I ususaly feel Better. Why do doctors make us feel like we are clueless just because we do not have letters after our names?????

I am 38. I have dealt in the past with a sever panic disorder, which I am fine now...I had a past of heavy drinking and drugs (given up 12 tears ago) (I didnt want to mention that one before) I am a Christian and have left all of that behind me, but I guess I have wondered if I did damage. The two doctors agree that that is a big no. My dad has Wolf-Parkinson-White disease???whatever that is, and had congestive heart failure about a year ago that he was hospitalized with. My dads sister, my aunt, is on some medicine for her heart. I can remember right off the name, but more blood pumps through her heart than is suppose to be. Yet no one thinks this has anything to do with me.

Today I am hitting the couch and watching movies and drinking tea....decaf! LOL! Thanks again all!

Post Edited (mom101) : 4/11/2006 8:15:41 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/8/2006 3:37 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with everyone else. A ride in the ambulance is the best way to get all the tests you need. Once an ER doc hears "odd" heartbeat and chest/arm pain coming in, they usually pull all the stops to find the cause.
I once went in the ER due to my heart racing and chest pain. I thought I was having a heart attack. (Now, at the time I was so freaked out I was able to run across two softball fields while dragging two kids behind me and a parking lot.. should have been a clue, huh?) Get to the ER, I didn't even go thru Triage, the minute they saw my white face and gasping for breath and heard the word CHEST PAIN, they took me straight back and proceeded to start tests. Nothing wrong with me, of course.. but a panic attack that got out of control.. BUT it shows how seriously an ER will take symptoms over some docs. My doc just says, it's my fibro, or it's anxiety and dismisses it for the most part.
I wish you luck with this.
Sarah
Posted 4/9/2006 1:52 PM (GMT 0)

Hi mom101,  I wanted to welcome you to Healing Well forum.  We are happy to add you to our group here.  This is a great place to come for support or lend a hand to others.

You don't have to be embarrassed about posting, we all have done things in our past that we wish we didn't or could of changed.  But for the most part things or situations like that make up who we are today and make us stronger.  Wolff-Parkinson-White-Syndrome is a serious heart condition.  I am posting a link on it from the American Heart Association so you can read up.  Heart conditions and disease is most definitely hereditary so it is important to be informed about possible issues that could arise from parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles.  Otherwise you have received some good advice and to that I don't have anything to add.  Take care and I hope to see more from you.....

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4785

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