A lot more PVCs lately

[jyg]

I'm almost 4 years out from my AVR with a bioprosthetic valve and a chunk of my proximal and innominate artery replaced with a Dacron graft. Right after surgery I had a lot of PVCs, that's to be expected. After a few months the cardio and I finally settled on 75mg/day for metoprolol. I am very thankful that I don't seem to have a lot of the same side effects that others do. I have seen PVCs regularly all along, but it was probably down below 20 or 30% even when acting up. When I exercise it would often be on the high end of that, occasionally really low.

Recently, I've been seeing huge increases in PVCs, sometimes when exercising it's been on the order of 50% of beats recorded as irregular over a recording of 5,000 beats at ~115bpm. Recently I've been under considerably more stress than I have been in some time, perhaps since before I had my surgery. This stressful period has passed, but I'm still noticing more PVCs. (Of course, as I sit here, I'm showing under 1% irregular heart beats... )

Do you think I should be concerned? Should my cardiologist be concerned? He tends to be dismissive, labelling me as a worrier. I try to "hear" this, and really, since my surgery and learning to live with all this, I'm considerably more relaxed above the whole thing. If anything, there's definitely a change in the trend. If you think it's possible to have useful feedback from all this, please provide.

FYI, I record my heart activity using a Polar bluetooth chest strap and the Heart Tracker app on my phone. irregulars are identified by an R-R > 10%. I almost always wear it when I'm exercising, per instructions from my cardio rehab folks after surgery. This is the first time I've worn it outside of exercising.

Thanks for taking the time...

 

[Ryanvs]

Hello.

When you say 'Recently' what is that time period? The last week, few months, few days etc? I only ask as (and perhaps this is just coincidence) I seem to have an increase in PVC's when I'm getting a cold virus or feeling generally off or tired. They only last a few seconds however, and certainly not to the extent you seem to have noticed.

I had terrible PVC's, AFIB etc. pre opp and was put onto sotalol. Still on it too.

My only advice would be to bring it up with your cardiologist. They could be nothing to worry about, or it could be a sign that something is up. Personally I'm a worrier too, about everything. I bring everything up with my cardiologist, no matter how minor.

 

[user 16827]

I agree with Ryanvs about the increase during a virus, without sounding like this is a simple fix try increasing your
magnesium...
add a Chelated Mag supplement ( most people on a western diet are low on Mag ) Personally i found this massively helped with my PVCs post surgery & i continue to take it now 7 years on,.
No harm in trying, it may just help,

 

[Eva]

You better check with your cardio. There are harmful and unharmful PVCs. Your cardio can tell if you need to be concerned or not. ’
One time I had an 'energy drink' before going for an echo as I was feeling tired to drive. My PVCs were so many that the technician called my cardio to look at them during the test! My cardio related them to the drink, which I stopped since then.

Keep us posted.

 

[almost_hectic]

You better check with your cardio. There are harmful and unharmful PVCs. Your cardio can tell if you need to be concerned or not. ’
One time I had an 'energy drink' before going for an echo as I was feeling tired to drive. My PVCs were so many that the technician called my cardio to look at them during the test! My cardio related them to the drink, which I stopped since then.

Keep us posted.

Diet can greatly contribute to arrhythmia. Both for good and bad. Sugars, caffeine, alcohol of course can be bad if you're susceptible, but also healthy diet and supplements can keep pvcs at bay. I used to have a lot of pvcs prior to my AVR surgery. Two years later they are almost nonexistent. One thing my surgeon did since I had a history of a fib was place an atrial appendage clip on my heart. It's there permenantly. It's to prevent clots during arrhythmia but I think I recently read it's now in clinical trials as a treatment for arrhythmia. Not sure how that works exactly. But my life is sure better for it.

Has your cardiologist ever talked to you about ablation?

 

[jyg]

Wow, thanks all for the great responses, it got me think read more. I've been keeping this all in mind and trying to evaluate some long-standing patterns in my life. I remembered that I had noticed PVCs, just a bit, some time before surgery. Cardio had me on a Holter and saw nothing significant. Since then, probably the habits that brought them on have just taken more of a hold as I've gotten older. I have a fair-to-poor diet, lots of carbs and surages. I'm about 30lbs overweight. I probably don't get enough magnesium. I drink one, at most two, units most evenings. It's not like an excessive amount, but it's not helping anything. It probably affects my deep sleep and snoring (not to mention the weight), which surely affects my heart health. And then I remembered that during the time I was stressed that the Northern California fires blew smoke through my city for a couple of weeks, quite densely at times, and it still is. At its worst I began taking Advair again for the first time in years (I have very mild allergy-instigated asthma, sporadically for decades). I forgot how it can cause me to feel nervous at times because of the affect on my heart rate. That's why I just don't take it all the time.

As I mentioned above, my cardio checked me with a Holter some time ago and found that the PVCs weren't harmful. I suppose that doesn't mine the situation can't change... I get an EKG every 6 months and an echo once a year. I get PVCs pretty often so I figured they've seen them during those tests. I haven't had a fainting or wooziness. If I did I'd be all over my cardio's office immediately.

At any rate, I think it's time to start making serious changes in my habits before the PVCs make serious changes in my heart. Just having stopped the Advair, if it's not relieving that stress, has got me down from the worst of the PVCs.

Thanks again.

 

[user 16827]

https://www.activationproducts.com/blog/alcohol-and-magnesium-deficiency/

Best of luck :Face-Cool:

 

[user 16827]

http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/need-more/

 

[pellicle]

Hi

I have a fair-to-poor diet, lots of carbs and surages. I'm about 30lbs overweight. I probably don't get enough magnesium. I drink one, at most two, units most evenings
​​​​​

I'd ditch the carbs and sugars before I'd worry about that amount of alcohol.

Read up on the harm of fructose, here is an interesting researcher / author from Australia. David is not what I'd call scientifically rigorous, and he is prone to simplifications and sensational language, but his points seem either valid or at the very least lead one to ask questions

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/sweet-poison-9780143783565

 

[Eva]

Good luck. Keep us posted.