I started getting awful runs of PVCs 20 days ago (exactly 4 weeks after giving birth to my 3rd child. I had an echo (normal) and wore a 24 hr tape which did pick them up but the cardiologist said they were totally benign. She said they don’t worry until you have 7% ectopics and my level was 1% (or maybe less than 1%- I can’t remember).
I have a history of palpitations and fast heart rate for 10 years. I have felt several dropped beats in the past, and had a few at a time before but never anything like this. It feels utterly dreadful- today they lasted for 5 hours.
I’m struggling to understand how this has started so suddenly. Has anybody ever gotten to the bottom of what has caused them? I am breastfeeding and really hoping there is a hormonal element to this . I know sleep deprivation can make worse but that’s obviously not the whole picture.
I know it’s only been 20 days and some of you have suffered for years. But I feel quite depressed at the thought that this is my life now. I feel I can’t enjoy my new baby and I don’t see how I would return to work with these episodes (teacher). 😥😔
Many thanks for reading
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ajw38
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Mine started after a large sugary drink 2 years ago & never found a health cause! Had the odd single before but these were bad lasting hours on & off all day and night , started a BB and this helps loads but yours sounds hormonal and you body be getting back to normal slowly , seems loads of people get this and my cardiologist said I will have good periods & Break through periods
Which I do ( definitely times when it’s irritable
And anything can set it skipping like large meals
Alcohol sugar even just standing up , rest up and try writing down when they start and what u ate
That day or tea coffee u drank ect see if u find a pattern, maybe get iron & thyroid levels checked
Hi Michelle, thanks so much for your reply. Sorry you’re experiencing this too.
What beta blocker did you take? I did take Bisoprolol for 2 days when this started but then had an awful day so hospital advised I stop it. Now I’ve had an awful day without Bisoprolol so I guess I can’t blame that!!
Did you get the runs of them where they are absolutely constant??
I’ve pretty much had them on and off for 24 hrs now and it’s just unbearable.
I’m considering stopping breastfeeding which I’ll be devastated by but I can’t live like this!!
Do you have a consultant? Bisoptolol never worked for me either .
I was put on flectainde can’t be on that breast feeding tho .
Yes mine was constant they call Bigeminy I had a couple of episodes when my heart starting beating really fast I have SVT , AT and afib , don’t way to scary you . I do have heart problems all under control now . I just remember feeling like you after having my baby .
Try to remember as much as they awful they can’t kill you . Speak to you doctor about changing meds . Unfortunately might have to stop breastfeeding. You have got to be healthy. X
Thank you. All tests literally just show the dropped beats. Do you think stopping breastfeeding would help as change of hormones or because I could go on some better medication?
Hi. I am a teacher as well. I am 33 years old. I teach online classes and my schedule includes early morning classes so my sleep has been off. I have been waking up with a normal heart rate but as soon as my feet hit the floor in the upright position my heart goes from 75 (laying down) to about 130 (standing up). I get nauseous, dizzy, and just feel like crap all around. I get drops and flutters as well. I too had a one week holter and an echo stess test. Both were normal. I asked my cardio about what has been happening and he thinks dehydration. I feel like passing out in the shower sometimes and when I go from laying down to standing. I get your feelings of depression. Feeling like crap everyday has made me fed up and upset with always feeling like this. I have an appointment with my regular doctor next week to get blood work done and I will let you know what they say so maybe it could even shed some light on it for you. Maybe it has noting to do with the heart but something else in the body that is making the heart work harder. Maybe lacking in a vitamin or anemia or something. I don’t know. I’ve had blood work done before and all was good except some low potassium and slightly elevated glucose level but they don’t always check for everything. Sometimes you have to tell them and be an advocate for your own health. Also, I think maybe people could have these issues at certain times but when they do the testing maybe the levels are normal at that time. But I hate the flips and flutters as well. I get the sinking, dropping feeling too and dizzy like I said. ☹️
Also I think the hormonal thing may be contributing as well. I get the sweats really bad and get really edgy which I though was from lack of sleep but it had still been this way even after getting a full nights sleep and naps. I get so hot and start sweating and it is terrible. This probably affects heart rate as well
Have you looked into POTS syndrome? I have similar issues with heart rate jumping when I stand . My research has led me to investigate POTS or just inappropriate sinus tachycardia. I don't know if it's any of those, but those are the things I've come across. Best of luck to you.
Hello. My family doctor measured my heart rate while laying down and then standing in office but it didn’t do it while I was there. It doesn’t happen all the time. But I did think about that as well. So I guess they don’t think that is what it is.
Hi there! Congratulations on your new baby! I totally understand what you're going through. Had svt episodes during my last 2 pregnancies. Once the baby was born they pretty much settled but was left with constant runs of PVCs. They were awful! Had a holter for a week which showed the pvc/pac runs. My EP told me they are very likely hormone-related. And they did get better as the weeks/months went by. The beta blockers were not good for me as my blood pressure fell too low which left me very lightheaded and sooooo tired!! I did continue to breastfeed for 15 months as I personally did not find breastfeeding makes the PVCs worse. I know its tough to just say relax, it's not dangerous...blah blah blah...! But try to breath through it. It will get better as your body adjusts postpartum. And hug your baby plenty! Good luck! Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks so much for your reply. You’ve given me slight hope. How long would you say your runs went on for? I’ve been having them on and off for 48 hrs now with very little respite in the middle. Nearly went to A and E again last night. I have no idea how to live with this. Are you still getting them?
For the first 3-4 months after my baby was born they were so frequent I thought i would lose my mind. They sometimes lasted most of the day and night but I did get a break here and there. I recall thinking that if by 4 months they still go on like this I will have to go back on meds and/or stop breastfeeding. But it did get better with time - and with sleep! I hired a baby night nurse for several weeks so I could get more sleep and it made a huge difference.
Now, nearly 2 years later I do get the runs of PVCs mostly when I am stressed (who isn't?!?) and when I don't sleep enough. So my advice is to try to go easy on yourself, try some yoga exercises and GET SOME SLEEP! Every night!
Thank you again for your reply. Do they get easier to deal with? Like will the awful dread feeling stop washing over me when I feel that THUMP that tells me I’m going to have them for hours?
I’m struggling to not panic about the future and imagining a life of dealing with these constantly. I’m only 31.
Also coming to terms with the fact that I couldn’t ever have another baby as so scared of going through this again. (I do have 3 children so I should be satisfied).
Sorry I know I sound a bit over dramatic, I think I’m still getting over the fear of when this first started. Hopefully I’ll feel a bit more positive when I’ve got used to them!
Hi just been reading all the comments, I’m 30 can really relate to what ur going through after the birth of my son 7 years ago I got them bad and currently waiting for more test results 7 years on I feel like they are completely ruining my life the fear when they come is unbearable for me
Really sorry to hear that. I’m still getting them constantly but at the moment each thud isn’t quite so strong so more bearable. Not sure if it’s just a coincidence or because I started taken magnesium or because my thyroid medication changed. So many unknown. How often do you get them ? Have you worn a holter tape before?
yea it’s been going on that long for me , do you have them on most beats or just every few hours ? I’m awaiting my results for my 24 tape should get them tomorrow last year I had one and they said I had 40 etopics in one hour just feeling so run down with it x
Well I was getting episodes that last hours. I wore my holter for about 30 hours and I had 756 ectopic beats That really worried me because I hadn’t been that bad that day. The cardiologist said not to worry as less than 1% but since I saw her I had 48 hrs where they carried on and on. I’m sure the number would have exceeded 7% which is when they apparently worry. It’s been much more bearable last 2 weeks but I think they are getting worse again. The world feels a scary dark place with them. How have you coped with them for 7 years? Do you go periods without them? How long after giving birth did yours start?
756! Blimey that’s a lot how have they been ? Mine have been bad another ambulance out I was also told they can be dangerous and if you runs of them all in a row it can cause a cardiac arrest I feel completely worried sick and the fact I can’t even see a cardiologist on the nhs
They don't usually give medication for ectopics unless the pauses are causing significant symptoms such as passing out. I can get 12-15 every minute but my Cardiologist isn't worried.
Have you watched Sanjay Gupta vids on YouTube ? He explains what they are and that they are considered benign.
If you have had a scan of ur heart and it’s structurely normal and don’t have any underlying issues then no, but there are lots of things to consider how many your having what type they are if they coming from the top chambers or bottom
I’m getting 6-12 a minute at the moment and just feeling exhausted and so so anxious which of course is making them worse! It’s so hard to get out of the spiral you get in.
Daisee1963, just wondering if you are still experiencing frequent pvcs? If not, what has helped for you? I am currently experiencing the same for the past month and a half. I was getting them back to back, 4 to 11 skipped beats in a row (bygimeny) when it came on all of a sudden. I have bad days or nights where I am getting 4-8 skipped beats a minute and then I have some good days or nights when I only get 2-3 a minute. I am currently taking a beta blocker for svts for over twenty years. My cardiologist had me double my dose, but did not help at all. I always had some pvcs since I can remember, but only a few here or there. I hope that you have found relief for yours.
Hi, I am pleased to say that ‘touch wood’ mine stopped apart from the odd couple here and there. I believe mine was a hormonal thing as they started a few weeks after giving birth.
I can’t say I did anything other than completely eliminate caffeine . I did also start taking magnesium but I can’t say if that helped or not as I stopped taking and am still not getting them.
I’m truly sorry you are suffering, I know how awful they are!
they feel like your heart stops for a second, then BOOM. In reality it is your heart putting in an early beat which causes it to pause for a bit longer to compensate!
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That really worried me because I hadn’t been that bad that day. The cardiologist said not to worry as less than 1% but since I saw her I had 48 hrs where they carried on and on. I’m sure the number would have exceeded 7% which is when they apparently worry. It’s been much more bearable last 2 weeks but I think they are getting worse again. The world feels a scary dark place with them. How have you coped with them for 7 years? Do you go periods without them? How long after giving birth did yours start? 
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