No PVCs if I exercise regularly. Taking Flecainide. Why do they go away when I exercise?

[Bahrain22]

I have been diagnosed with PVCs. On my halter, 24% of all beats were PVCs. My cardiologist said this was very high. He recommended ablation, but the idea of this scared the hell out of me, so he prescribed 50mg twice a day of Flecainide.

The weird thing is, if I run for 30 mins every other day, I don't feel any PVCs. If I don't run for a couple of weeks, the PVCs come back, even taking the Flecainide.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I can't put my finger on what's causing them. I've been experiencing these for around 7 years, they've got worse over time. Before I went on the Flecainide I was having them everyday, for what felt like most of the day, except when I was in a routine of running every other day.

I'm 39, fit and healthy, never smoked, eat well and exercise. I drink a little (glass of wine at the weekends), dont drink tea or coffee or eat much chocolate, so have hardly any caffeine. I've had a couple of echocardiograms which have all come back normal.

Any thoughts / advice would be appreciated.

[Bahrain22]

Thanks for replying. I wonder if I'm better off on Beta Blockers then? I do suffer with anxiety and have an extremely stressful job.

[ILowe]

The heart needs exercise! At a similar age my Cardiologist told me that three fast walks per week were not enough, and I should go swimming 1-2x per week. Somehow, regular exercise (in a form you enjoy) seems to help the heart work better.

You must not overdo the exercise, because that can cause problems to return. There seems to be an optimum level of exercise, which will vary with the individual, your fitness etc.

Some people who get AF from time to time find they can get rid if it through exercise.

Think of it this way. There are two arguing children inside you: rate and rhythm. When Rhythm starts misbehaving and become irregular, Rate steps up, in an attempt to calm down the Rhythm since when moving faster it is harder to be irregular.

[Bahrain22 in reply to ILowe]

Thank you for your reply. I will keep my exercise routine as it certainly helps. So have you been living with PVCs for a while?

[myhome in reply to Bahrain22]

Please can you tell me want is PVCs i am new to all this and dont know much about all these meaning

[Bahrain22 in reply to myhome]

Premature ventricular contractions. My cardiologist explained it as your heart functions via electrical signals. PVCs are rougue signals that make your heart beat more and out of sync.

[myhome in reply to Bahrain22]

Thank you for that information, i have HF and am waiting for the results of a Halter 24hour test i had a mouth ago, every think seams to take along time.

[Bahrain22 in reply to myhome]

It took 6 years and several doctors for me to be diagnosed. Finding the right cardiologist is so important. Don't be afraid to try a different doctor if you don't feel that you're getting anywhere. I knew there was something 'wrong' but no one seemed to be able to tell me what it was until a year ago and I showed a different cardiologist my ECG reading and straight away he said, 'you're having PVCs' (which I'd never heard of). It was such a relief to find someone who could tell me what was going on!

[ILowe in reply to Bahrain22]

I have been living with irregularities since detected age 24. I have been through many stages and options, trying both sotolol and flecainide for instance, and trying flecainide/bisoprolol initially as PIP ie took it when I needed it, then after three cardioversions was told to take it all the time. I have learned a huge amount through this forum.

[Bahrain22 in reply to ILowe]

My doctor recommended ablation, but this seems so extreme and I've read, on here, that it doesn't always work and you may still need meds anyway, so I'm not sure I see the benefit.

[ILowe in reply to Bahrain22]

There are different opinions here and I do not think this is a clear cut question. The forum is great for reading about the ins and outs of a matter like this. I came to a similar conclusion, especially as I know I tolerate the meds very well. But, if I remember rightly, the chance of success in an ablation is increased if you do it sooner rather than later.

[Bahrain22 in reply to ILowe]

Ah OK. Very useful advice, thank you.

[Ally20]

Hi Bahrain....I was the same...I've had pvcs for 10 years...but they came back with avengence this year, holter put me at 20% burden...very symptomatic so I actually became bedridden for two months...mine went with exercise before this time...same as you good diet, didnt drink...make sure you get good sleep and stay well hydrated ..( which I'm sure you do anyway) mine ended up breaking through betablockers very quickly so I had to have ablation...I wish I hadn't waited so long as I was a mess by the time my ablation came....I am now out of bed, have my life back and can eat and drink what I want....yes it is scary, but with a burden that high....its worth considering....

[Cheesekun in reply to Ally20]

So your ablation was 100% successful? Do you still get any?

[TayPv]

Ablations are extremely safe and effective for frequent PVCs. Also, PVCs are overrun by the heart during exercise so it’s quite normal for them to stop. Hope you’re feeling better now

[Bahrain22 in reply to TayPv]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I'm no better sadly. I think an ablation is necessary but I worry about complications and recovery time. Have you had an ablation?

[Wk67]

Hi, I had almost 20% ventricular ectopics for 18 months, could hardly put one foot in front of another, so breathless. Had ablation in May, zapped 5 places in rt v , and now so much better. If you get the chance, go for it, was fascinating and instant results. So grateful for such wonderful care.