What can cause frequent PVC's ?
I am a 41 year old female with frequent PVC's and SVT. Two years ago I was admitted to the hospital with chest pains and an arrythmia. Since then I have had a heart cath and two separate monitors, I have seen an electrophysiologist for my SVT and nothing has been diagnosed. The only thing that was obvious in all the tests they have run is that when this all started my potassium level was a little low.
Since then I have noticed that the PVC's become more frequent in conjunction with the muscle spasms I get when my potassium is low.
Lately the PVC's have been keeping me awake at night, nothing is more botherson than feeling like your heart wants to leap out of your chest when you are ready to go to sleep. I had my blood drawn last week for the yearly check up but found out that everything in that bloodwork was normal but my Cholesterol (237 with an LDL of 155) so according to that bloodwork, it can't be the potassium causing the PVC's.
The PVC's are really botherson for me, but since they are "benign" my doctor isn't really concerned about them. I'm afraid that there might be an underlying ailment that is causing the PVC's but we just haven't found out what it is yet because the PVC's are benign. I have done a little research on the web, but have been unable to come up with anything that mentions the causes of frequent PVC's. I would appreciate any information that you might be able to give me.
I do not have an answer however I am 48 and having the same symptoms as you are having so if someone does answer your question maybe they could email me or you with a copy of the answer. My pvcs start and this drops my blood pressure, increases my heart rate makes me very lightheaded and causes severe chest pain and there is no sense in going to the hospital to get admitted to ICU for the same tests and the same answers its not your heart so we will just ignore what is causing it.
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I know exactly how both of you feel. I was 39 years old when I felt my first PVC. I was admitted to the hospital on the cardiac floor for 4 days and on a heart monitor 24/7 two times last year. Both times I was released because they didn't know why I have the PVC's. They basically told me the same thing, not to worry that they are normal and everyone gets them. I get so dizzy and lightheaded and I have constant pressure in my chest and nobody can tell me why. When I was hospitalized, they said I had bigeminy and trigeminy (PVC every 2-3 heartbeats). Sorry but to me, that doesn't seem acceptable. July 31st will be a full year that I have dealt with this and I have no more answers than I did the first day I felt them.
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Yankee2009
Thursday, October 01, 2009 at 09:16 PM
I am 47 and have also been dealing with PVC's for one year now. My pvcs are every two beats sometimes every beat 24/7. I have been for every test possible and my heart perfectly normal. I have thryoid problems and it seems when my thyroid is not quite leveled they get worse. I am now going through hormone testing. It may be possible that a lack of estrogen is making me very symptomatic. My EP specialist told me this is not a life long condition, we will see.
Yankee2009
Thursday, October 01, 2009 at 09:16 PM
I am 47 and have also been dealing with PVC's for one year now. My pvcs are every two beats sometimes every beat 24/7. I have been for every test possible and my heart perfectly normal. I have thryoid problems and it seems when my thyroid is not quite leveled they get worse. I am now going through hormone testing. It may be possible that a lack of estrogen is making me very symptomatic. My EP specialist told me this is not a life long condition, we will see.
Not a doctor here but I am a 41 year old woman with PVCs sometimes more frequent than other times. I think there is a hormonal link, when estrogen is particularly low. Somedays there are none and other days all day long they occur. Have worn the holder monitor and told they are not life threatening just disturbing. Welcome any answers.
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I am a 39-year-old pregnant woman with PVCs. I had WPW which was ablated in 2006. I have been symptom-free since then, until I became pregnant. Now I have PVCs very randomly, but sometimes as often as every 4 or 5 beats, for hours in a row. Some days, I have none at all.
I have worn a monitor, had an echocardiogram. They see the PVCs but seem unconcerned with them. The echo came back completely normal. My electrophysiologist believes they are hormone related, and since I'm pregnant, this is why the PVCs have returned.
But I will say that I don't quite believe they aren't dangerous. It feels pretty scary to me. I pray to God that once this baby is delivered, that all the PVCs will disappear.
I just wanted to say that I understand what you are all going through, and I feel for you. I really do...
xoxo
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I am a 58 y/o female with frequent PVC's. Drs have agreed with yours that they are benign and I agree with you that it feels horrible. I have found that taking liquid oxygen when they start tends to stop them for me and relieves the dizziness and uncomfortable tightness. Liquid oxygen can be purchased on the internet and is worth a try. If you get hospitalized the first thing they do is put you on oxygen so I tried it.
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I am a 58 y/o female with frequent PVC's. Drs have agreed with yours that they are benign and I agree with you that it feels horrible. I have found that taking liquid oxygen when they start tends to stop them for me and relieves the dizziness and uncomfortable tightness. Liquid oxygen can be purchased on the internet and is worth a try. If you get hospitalized the first thing they do is put you on oxygen so I tried it.
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I have thousands of PVCs a day. The medical profession thinks PVCs are "benign" but I disagree. At the level I have them, they are anything but benign. Years of PVC's like this can cause a cardiomyopathy.
There are many different causes and treatments for PVCs.
Some people report Magnesium supplements have helped (400-600 mg a day of the Mag Chloride, not the oxide.)
Fish oil (omega 3) has been reported to help PVCs.
One man reported taking 150 mg of COQ10 a day and he said that stopped his PVCs after years of being on beta blockers.
Some people report that their GERD (gastric reflux) is what causes them. I did read that esphogeal irritation can bring on PVCs. These individuals take Prilosec and other anti-ulcer medications.
Hormone inbalance, the ratio of estrogen (too high) to progesterone (low) in women can bring on PVCs.
PVCs are very individual and the treatment of them is as well.
Good luck to all in finding your particular treatment. I'm still trying to find mine.
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rayP144
Monday, October 19, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Thank you and everyone else for their comments regarding my question about the frequent PVCs.
A lot of things have changed since I posted that question, the biggest of which is that I quit my high stress job in April. After quitting my job I took time off to relax (as much as you can with a 6 year old home for the summer) and then I got even more ill. I had issues with my stomach that made me and my doctor believe that I had a bowel obstruction. After a STAT CT of my abdomen we found out that I was not obstucted but couldn't figure out what was causing this symptom. I ended up going to a new GI who did multiple blood tests on me and finally told me that I probably had Celiac disease (the tests were not conclusive, but I had the genetic factors for Celiac disease). Celiac disease affects the small bowel and is basically a gluten allergy. If you've been eating Gluten and you have Celiac disease it keeps your body from absorbing the nutrients from the food that you've been eating. Which is probably why I was having so many problems with my potassium as well as the other abdominal problems (IBS, IBD, spastic colon) I've had most of my life.
There is not a cure for Celiac disease, just a lifestyle change which basically means I have had to get gluten completely out of my diet (not an easy feat) but I have started feeling better. The PVC's still occur, but not as frequently and the problems I was having because of the potassium deficiency have improved as well. I take Toporol for my SVT symptoms but I have been wondering what would happen if I stop taking it after I've gotten my diet completely under control....
I agree.
Whereabouts are you based?
Surely these drs can come up with bettr solutions than this?
My story is similar and I am fed up with feeling ill.
Jean.