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PVC, Palps - Hormonal?

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Posted 10/26/2006 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,

Does anyone else experience increased palps before their period?  Why do they tend to increase? 

I really seem to notice that the week before, they are daily.

Also, are "extra beats" PVCs, or what is the technical name, and what are they?

Thanks!

MAXX

 

Posted 10/26/2006 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Maxx,

I have Atrial Fibrillation.  I was told while being treated in the ER for it... that PVC's (Premature ventricular contractions)...

happen to everyone....and I was told not to worry.

And yes,  I do! experience it more before or during my period.

I am convinced that my hormones have alot to do with it, especially now that i am in Peri-Menopause.

PVC's are extra beats....

Hope this is of help

god bless

funnel

Posted 10/26/2006 6:24 PM (GMT 0)

Hiya Funnel,

Thanks for the info.  I am 48 and probablly also peri-menopausal.  It is really interesting how this has happened over the year.  Did they treat you in emerg?  Do you just ignore them now.

Take care, and thanks.  It makes you feel better to know you're not alone.

MAXX

Posted 10/29/2006 5:21 PM (GMT 0)
Maxx,

Hello, sorry to hear about your annoying pvc's.  I have them too and they have been very bad lately.  Just had a stress echo and everything was normal.  I do experience more palps before and during my period.  My period is due on Tuesday and early this morning I woke up due to pvcs.  I'm exhausted and these things drive me nuts.  I'm also experiencing a lot of nervousness, not sure what that is from.  Maybe stress from the pvc's.  Hope you are able to get a handle on these things and please share if you come up with any ideas  :)   Take care

Posted 10/30/2006 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Bajoey, glad your stress echo was normal.  Do you find that calming, and what did the cardiologist say?

I know what you mean by being exhausted!  They are really scary, sometimes I just yell "stop it".  Like it really helps!

I find it comforting to know that I am not the only one (just read the posts) that can't get a handle on them.  They are depressing.  Last night I was laying in bed and they would not stop.  I don't even go to emerg anymore.  Before I found this "outlet" I really felt like a total hypochondriac.  Now I know I'm not alone. 

Take care, and enjoy the day (or night).

Maxx

 

Posted 11/1/2006 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Maxx,

   I also have PVC's and am glad I found this forum.  I feel so alone.  My PVC's started 12 yrs ago after I gave birth to my daughter.  (Although I didn't know what they were at the time).  3 months after giving birth I started getting them and since I didn't know what they were, I started to panic that I was dying which brought on panic attacks.  Therefore I have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder.  Well it took 10 years!!!! for me to be finally diagnosed with PVC's because they never seemed to happen when I was being tested.  I've had 3 stress tests, had a holter moniter, stress echo's.  The cardiologist's say that I have PVC's.  Most of the time I am ok when I get them but there always seems to be another symptom along with it that sends me into a panic again.  I do find that taking magnesium and Calcium helps alot!  My regular MD suggested this.

Would love to hear from you.  Although I feel for you, I am glad that I'm not the only one out there with these awful. PVC's.

Posted 11/1/2006 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
Mi Motherly,
That's exactly how I feel - I think I'm dying! I have also had stress tests, holters and the usual stuff. It's interesting how yours started after the birth of your daughter. I really feel that hormones play a big part in these. Does your md or cardiologist seem concerned about anything? What do you do when they happen?

Everything in my life revolves around them. I am actually terrified to travel as I feel like I have to be near a hospital!!! I think I turn them into panic attacks. It is wonderful that most of time you are okay. Keep it up.
I am going to try the calcium and magnesium. Hope to hear from you soon.
MAXX
Posted 11/1/2006 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Maxx, You might want to read up on anxiety disorders since you don't want to fly.  You sound like I was when I didn't know what was happening to me and started having panic attacks.  You have to get in your head that there is nothing wrong with you that is life threatening and you know what, we really don't have any control if you look at the big picture.  I try to tell my self that what is meant to be is meant to be.  (It doesn't always work, but I try)! 

I believe hormones have a lot to do with it and it's frustrating that there hasn't been much research done so therefore our doctors don't have answers for us.  How often do you get your PVC's? 

Motherly

Posted 11/1/2006 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Motherly, what great advice. I think that I do have PVCs and they then lead to Panic attacks. Funny, you gave me the same advice my mother gives me - "get it in your head that there is nothing wrong, you've been checked out". I am going to read up on anxiety disorders; I never made the connection.

My PVCs go daily for days, then nothing. They seem to come more when I am at rest. I exersize, though they were causing me to stop for a while. Now I just try to say the same thing as you " what will....". Very interesting.

Do you take anything for the anxiety?

Talk soon, Maxx
Posted 11/1/2006 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Maxx, well when I was diagnosed w/ anxiety, the Dr. put me on anti anxiety meds and xanax.  I went off the anxiety meds ASAP because they gave me side effects that were worse than how I was already feeling.  I still do take a xanax every now and then.  I get over stimulated very easily and am a very jittery, fast talking person, so when I feel like I can't calm myself down with relaxation tecniques or just have something going on where I just won't relax, then I'll take a xanax.  My cardiologist put me on .25 mg of atenalol which slows my heart rate down a bit.  That helps me relax too. 

If you read up on anxiety it will teach you how to change your thinking habits.  Also if you can find a book that teaches cognitative behavior, that might help.  It shows us how much we think irrational thoughts.  I hope I am helping you.  (Can you tell why my screen name is "Motherly")?  :-)  Hope to hear from you soon.

 

Posted 11/1/2006 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
I knew exactly why your name was motherly! Thanks for the advice. I tried xanax at the weekend for the first time; took one, nothing; so I took another one. I have never felt so awful the next day in my life! I was jittery and my heart was missing, skipping beats all day. I think I am going to talk to my doc in the morning as I have an appointment with him anyway.
My cardio put me on nothing. My heart is pretty slow (though it used to be fast and i obsessed about that!). I just want to stop these thoughts in their tracks and stop the irrational thinking. Life is very short and to obsess daily is nonsense.

I will stop at the library after work and pick up a couple of books on the cognitative behavior. Sounds interesting. Have you tried yoga or exersizing?MAXX
Posted 11/1/2006 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hello Motherly and Maxx

I too have pvc's and noticed them after the birth of my daughter 11 years ago.  Motherly?  Maybe we should have had son's...LOL....I think pregnancy might trigger these annoying things.  My pvc's get me when I lay down to go to bed, which I think is a bad time because I do not get any sleep all night and then I get depressed.  I work for a Chiropractor who specializes in nutrition and anti-aging.  After seeing my regular Docs and them telling me to relax, you are okay I decided to try the natural way.  My chiropractor told me to take extra magnesium and also Inositol to relax.  Inositol is in the B vitamins.  I have been taking these supplements for over a week and have noticed I am not as jittery and less palpitations.  My pvc's are usually brought on by nerves.  Had all my blood tested and everything is normal though my potassium was on the low side which can also cause pvcs.  I have been upping my potassium and taking those two supplements and I do feel a bit better :)    There are so many things that can cause these pvcs.  Maxx I think I told you before that I get them more when I am due to have my period.  I have started my period and not noticing to many pvcs.  There is not a day where I do not get atleast one, but rather have a few then one right after another all day or all night long.  I think the three of us should stay in touch and keep telling each other what's working....and then hopefully we can get this under control.  Take care ladies, hope you are doing well  :)

Mary

Posted 11/1/2006 11:26 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Mary and Maxx, my gosh, we could be triplets!! LOL

Maxx, I'm sorry the xanax didn't work for you.  It seems to calm my mind down, if that makes any sense, but I also know it's not really good to get dependent on it so it might be a good thing that it didn't work for you.  I haven't tried yoga, I should.  I just don't think I can relax enough.  Have you tried it?  As far as exercising, does carrying in the groceries count?? I don't have a cardio exercise regement, I just take my dog for a 2 mile walk (or should I say, she walks me)! maybe a couple of times a week.

Mary, I can't believe your pvc's started after child birth too!  I also can't believe that the doctors haven't pieced any of this together.  We can't be the only two women that this has happened to.  I felt great while I was pregnant, how about you?  I started getting them about 3 months after delivery.  I didn't have PPD or any of that.  I started feeling very lethargic like I was getting a bad case of the flu.  I even got a raspy voice.  I felt like I was having heart failure, although I don't know what that is.  My doctor just thinks I'm crazy more or less so I don't get support from him.  Oh, try taking a calcium supplement with your magnesium, it's supposed to help your body absorb the magnesium.

What do you guys feel when you get a pvc?  I get a funny feeling in my neck. 

Sorry my e-mails are so long, but I'm so happy that you can relate.  Talk to you soon.

Posted 11/2/2006 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Motherly,

Hello  :)   Thank you for the response!  I am 36 and had my daughter Nicole 11 years ago.  Two to three months after my daughter was born (c-section)  I started having this feeling of a skipped beat and then a very strong beat after that.  It scared the heck out of me.  I felt great during my pregnancy...no pvc's.  I will never forget they started one afternoon and lasted pretty much the entire day, I was so scared I had a blood clot or something and that I was going to die.  I right away went to a cardiologist and he had me do a ultrasound of my heart...he then told me I had mitral valve prolapse and Dr. prescribed me atenolol and told me "not to worry about it"  easy for the old fart of a Dr. to say.  I took the medicine for a while and decided to stop taking it.  I didn't want to take medicine if my heart was "normal".  For the past 11 years I have just simply delt with it, but hate it when it happens.  Lately they have been worse and my pcp told me to see this wonderful cardiologist to make sure the mitral valve prolapse has not gotten worse.   Four weeks ago I went in and saw my new cardiologist and he had me take a stress echo....he came in and said he does  not see that I have mitral valve prolapse, but I do have pvc's.  He gave me a rx for a beta blocker and assured me that my heart is normal and do not panic when I get these pvc's..  Well, I do not want to take meds if my heart is normal so I am now taking the advice of the Dr. I work for to feel better.  I'm still having pvc's but not as much.  I'm hoping that by taking my new multi vitamin  (Pure Encapsulations-ultra nutrient) and (Inositol) for calming that I will feel better.  I don't mind getting them once in a while, I just hate having them all night long and during the day.  It really is affecting my life in a very negative way.  I will look into taking calcium, that might already be in my multi vitamin.  Glad I met you and Maxx.....You two seem very nice...thank you for your suggestions and support....I live in Seattle, where do you two live????  Let's keep chatting, makes me feel better  :)

Mary

Posted 11/2/2006 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Mary, I would love to keep in touch with you and Maxx too.  I am 45 and live in NJ.  Too bad we didn't live closer.  Maybe we could have started a support group or something.  Its so easy for the doctors to say not to worry about it.  It's not happening to them.  I'm sorry, you need your heart to stay alive!! It's hard not to get nervous when it's not acting right!!!  Your pvc's seemed to have started around the same timeframe mine did, that really interests me.  I had to push for 4 hours before my daughter came out, I thought maybe I did something to my heart at that time but you said you had a c-section so it couldn't have been my pushing.  It has to be hormonal.  But then why do vitamins seem to help?  I agree with you about the potassium too.  That could effect the heart rythym.  I make sure I drink a lot of water everyday too.  I just wish I found out I had pvc's right away.  It never seemed to happen when I was visiting the cardiologist so I was just labeled as have anxiety/panic disorder.  So for 10 years I was trying to fix that problem when it was all the worrying causing my anxiety and panic.  I was so depressed.  Like you, it's a pain in the butt dealing with it everyday.  I think it's the worse possible thing to have when in reality, it's not.   Hope to hear from you soon.  Take care. 

Posted 11/3/2006 6:33 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Guys, mine happened after a c-section!  Until then, fine.  Really weird.  I really don't get any warnings before they come - just feels like my heart stops and starts.  That's the only way to describe it.

I was also told I had mitral valve - then not.  We have to keep calming each other down.  Life is way too short to be obsessed with these things.  I do know (i think I've said this in the past), that I send myself into a panic when they happen.  I think this is why people get diagnosed with panic attacks.  They start out as pvc's and end up in a full-blown panic attack.

I am really going to increase my water intake and look into supplements.  They can't hurt, only help.  Do either of you go to a cardiologist regularly, or just yearly. 

I am actually flying to Nassau this week and I am kind of scared they will happen on the plane or there.  I have to calm myself down.

I did talk to my md yesterday re something for relaxation, he gave me lorazapam (ativan).  Hope it helps.

Great talking to both of you.

Maxx

ps

I am 48 and live in Toronto.

Posted 11/4/2006 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
Good Morning Maxx, and Motherly

Nice to read both of your posts!  I agree with you Maxx....my pvc's start and then it turns out to be a full blown panic attack and the pvc's get MUCH worse.  Mine too feels like my heart stops and then followed by a very powerful heartbeat.  The feeling almost takes me back a step...LOL...It is very uncomfortable (no pain) and it just makes me want to stay home and not go anywhere.  I am now convinced that having a child triggers this.  Thank god I only had one child!  Ladies, please try the inositol, I have been taking it every night for almost two weeks and my pvc's have improved even during my period.  I take 650mg every night and it does calm me down which of course helps with the pvc's.  Motherly, I have tons of cousins in NJ, was just there six months ago...I love it there!!!  Well, again very nice to hear from the both of you....if you have any questions or would like to chat here is my email address:  [email protected].  Take care and have a wonderful weekend!

Mary

Posted 11/4/2006 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

What is inositol Mary?  It is nice to know I'm not alone.  Let's all go and have a great weekend!!!!!

Maxx

Posted 12/29/2006 3:29 AM (GMT 0)
Yes.  I definitely have them premenstruel and had them almost constant when I was pregnant.  I finally found a fantasic cardiologist who ran some tests and assured me that mine are benign.  You know what?  Now I hardly notice them.  I think the reassurance was all I needed!  I woul encourage anyone having them to get a complete work up!  It gives you peace of mind!--Shari

Posted 12/30/2006 12:49 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Shari, yes they have to be hormonally activated.  What kind of tests did the cardio run.  I have had a workup and have been assured they are benign.  It's great to hear that you have a handle on them.  Happy New Year.

MaryAnn

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