PVC’s - Did You Ever Find The Cause?

[NRheart]

Just that really!

Out of the blue started suffering frequent symptomatic PVCs. I’m having the symptoms treated but have no idea what’s the cause. Does anyone who suffers with them know what causes theirs? Does finding out help make them stop?

[Hidden]

My understanding is that as with PACs, medics don’t even fully know why they happen. Some people find they may have an increased frequency relating to certain medications, increased levels of adrenaline, or certain food stuffs such as caffeine etc., but some people just have them regardless. I have SVT which is an arrhythmia triggered by PACs, and by making lifestyle changes to reduce the frequency of PACs (alongside medication) went from having around 30 episodes of arrhythmia a year, to not having one at all in the last 6 years. However a holter last autumn shows I do still have both PACs and also PVCs now as well. Not huge numbers of them, but about a dozen a day. Previously my PACS had been hundreds per day, but I wasn’t aware that I was having PVCs at all until the last holter. I’m usually more aware of the PVCs than I am the PACs, and they tend to make me feel a bit naff even though only occasional.

[NRheart in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much. I think I might fall into the regardless category. Mine started one night with tachycardia and have never stopped since then. Now every time the tachycardia starts they begin, I think they feel so much worse in the midst of a very fast heart - I’m sure you know all about that with SVT. My PVCs are happening every few beats when I’m tachycardic which doesn’t feel great so I’m trying to think what else I can try to get them gone.

[Hidden in reply to NRheart]

It might not help at all, but I’m now a big advocate of trying lifestyle changes to see if it does make a difference when it comes to ectopics generally. As in my case, it hasn’t eradicated the problem, but it has helped massively, and if the PVCs are effecting you day to day, you have nothing really to lose by binning caffeine, for example, which is associated with increased adrenaline and both kinds of ectopic in turn. For PVCs, the recognised lifestyle factors are caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, stress and insufficient sleep. I definitely find that sleep is a big factor for me: if I burn the candle at both ends, I can pretty much guarantee noticeable PVCs. The ones I hate are the almost painful ones, like a thump in my chest. I was just dozing off a couple of nights ago only to feel a massive thud, which scared the life out of me and triggered ten minutes of additional palpitations.

[NRheart in reply to Hidden]

I have those painful thumps too. It’s so hard to feel comfortable while they’re firing away. Thanks so much for the advice - I’m already alcohol and caffeine free (never smoked) but have a baby so sleep is scarce right now so that could be something that’s not helping the volume...and maybe some hope for the future that they might calm down!So glad the lifestyle changes helped improved yours and the SVT - that must have been a relief when the change started to show.

[Hidden in reply to NRheart]

Interestingly, there is thought to be a hormonal link with PVCs for some. I meant to mention it in my original reply. I’m no expert in female hormones and hormonal changes, and I have no idea of the timings and everything else, but just thinking out loud, I wonder if becoming a mum could have potentially played a part in triggering them in any way?

Anyway. Good luck to you and your family, and I do hope it settles for you in time.

[NRheart in reply to Hidden]

I had no idea there was a link, that’s so interesting. Pregnancy really triggered my tachycardia and then the PVCs started after. I will ask my cardiologist if this could be causing them to flare. Thank you so so much, wishing you back the very best.

[Melliesissy]

Hi. I had similar which started when pregnant with my son. Was ok after his birth except when very tired in evenings (3 children by then) I have it again now that I am starting menopause. So for me I think it is hormonal. I also notice worse when dehydrated so I take large glass water to bed and drink as soon as wake up. Difficult to look after yourself when you have a baby to look after but you need to be fit to do this! Catch up on sleep when you can and listen to your body. My other triggers are stress (including from being a parent) and too much chocolate.

[NRheart in reply to Melliesissy]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply! My fast heart was a problem with my pregnancy and some palpitations, but a couple of months after birth they’ve really taken over and can go on for hours which feels really unsettling. I’m wondering if my hormones haven’t reset after the birth. Thanks so much for the advice with finding sleep and water. Did yours gradually disappear? Are you finding anything helpful with them now they’re creeping back in?

[Melliesissy in reply to NRheart]

Hi, I think they were less after he was born and don't remember them when I had girls so I wonder if it was the dose of male hormones he gave me??? It takes ages for hormones to level, feels like even longer if you breast feed, but more gradual. I'm not sure if it's the same length for everyone. I think your midwife or obstetrician could help answer that. I always try to do a brisk walk outdoors everyday or at least gardening, it really helps my stress levels (also did this with new baby which I also found quite stressful) Limit regular tea and alcohol ( i forgot to say that is a trigger for me too). Sometimes if I hold my breath and tense my abs and kind of bear down it stops a run. I think this has to do with the vagus nerve. There are other posts on this. Try searching on that, I find it quite tricky to re find threads here. Good luck and enjoy your baby time, it really is special and I didn't realise till it was over!

[NRheart in reply to Melliesissy]

Mine seem to have gone the other way which is what I’m struggling to make sense of. The only triggers I’ve been able to identify so far as strange, bending over quickly and walking up the stairs tend to trigger a flurry of them but brisk walking helps me too.Next time I get a run of them I’m going to try the tensing abs thing just incase that could help me too. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and for your kind words and luck. I am loving every moment of being a mum, I would just really love a bit more reassurance that these beats are just unpleasant rather than damaging to my heart and that it might go back to beating more regularly soon. Hopefully time will get things back in sync.

I hope yours aren’t too bad right now having returned. They’re hard to sit comfortably with when they get going I know .

[Melliesissy in reply to NRheart]

Hi again, thanks for your message, a few more thoughts have popped up that I forgot to say. I take magnesium supplements, mostly for menopause support but I remembered 2 things from this. 1, babies take loads of your vitamins and minerals so you could well be deficient (also unless you have always eaten organic our regular veg is also lacking as soils are now impoverished from intensive farming) 2 the York cardiologist sanjay guptar recommends magnesium for palpitations. Look him up on YouTube for good explanations of which and why. There are also posts on here regarding him and magnesium. If mine get worse I slather on magnesium oil after a shower, easy! Def helps me. And have you had your iron levels checked? I can recommend Floradix liquid, it doesn't bung you up! Good luck with it all.