PVC's after minmly invasive Bicuspid Aortic Vave replacement.

[Transam75]

Hello All,

I see that this topic is a common one. I am new here. I had valve replacement done 7/16/10.

I think its so strange that my PVC's didn't start becoming frequent ( 1-2 per minute) until 9/28/10.

Some of the palpitations are so strong that they feel like a shot of electric. I was on 50 mg lopressor before the palps started. Now I am on 100mgs per day. I was fine for 8 days, and unfortunately, they started again. Not as frequent (20 - 30 per day), but enough to be bothersome. I am afraid that these will never go away. Does anyone ever get dizzy or feel weird after they have one?

I have relayed all this info to my cardiologist. Its annoying because I suppose PVC's are fairly common and aren't a concern to them.

The Dr told me to get a monitor if they come back as a normal part of my heart rhythm again or I get the ones that make me feel dizzy.

I'm lost as to what to do.

Thanks,
Trevor

 

[kfay]

Trevor, Hi and Welcome. You are right, you have found a topic that is, unfortunately, quite common. If you haven't worn a holter monitor, I would suggest you do, only so you can be sure it is "only" pvc/pac's you are having. If nothing else, it will give you peace of mind. And you are right about your Dr.'s not being concerned about them if that is indeed what they are. They are considered benign, although to those of us who are having them they aren't too benign. However, I think you can count yourself lucky if you are only having 20 -30 per day. I doubt that you'll be able to find a Dr. who will be willing to do anything about that number of them.


Kim

 

[Michelle D]

If it is truly a PVC, just one causing dizziness is probably due to anxiety. I've gotten dizzy only if I have it after every second beat for at least 30 seconds. 20-30 a day is annoying, that's where I was at before surgery. Now I have tens of thousands a day. Even at that they will not do anything about them. I didn't have them until about 3-4 weeks after surgery, perhaps your heart is going through a change in electrical pathways. I think at 20-30 a day you can improve on that by avoiding all stimulants and keep a journal of when you have them, what you eat, how much you eat, if you are well hydrated, and when and what ness you take. I can't have chocolate, lie down after eating, I can't lay on my left side or stomach, no chocolate, no caffeine, and no suspenseful movies or books.

 

[Transam75]

Hello Michelle and Kim,

Thank you for your help. I actually started a log yesterday and am on my way to trying to figure this one out.

I believe that there is truly something going on with the electrical pathways in my heart. Scar tissue, remodeling etc.. I was told that this mellows out six months to a year after surgery by my surgeon. Have you ladies heard the same news?

I actually went to the ER one night when they were about 2 to 3 per minute and the ER doctor showed me on the monitor what a PVC was and explained the whole "we would rather not see them but people have them for decades and they are harmless" speech. My Dr (cardiologist) told me to get a monitor only if they come back to the 2-3 per minute stage again after upping my lopressor to 100mg.

I have actually found that stress from work (and in general) seem to make them come on. Have you guys found the same?

Trevor

 

[Bina]

Hello Trevor and welcome.
Like Michelle, mine are very much related to diet and stress....So, I avoid salt and bad fats, no coffee, consume very limited milk chocolate, and eat small meals.
Directly post op I also got dizzy spells with blood pressure drops and went to the hospital a couple of times to be checked out. Now 5 yrs later, I still get pvc/pac spells and continue to take Metoprolol (Lopressor), but I rarely get dizzy.

 

[kfay]

Trevor, You are right, both scar tissue and remodeling can cause rhythm issues as can general stress. You will really have to find things that are triggers for you, if you can. In my case, something happened during surgery that caused them, so there was no trigger if you will that I could avoid. Therefore, there weren't really any treatments that I was able to find that were effective. Hopefully, you will be able to find something that works for you. Try not to get too wrapped up in it. Especially if you are only having that few everyday. Trust me, it could be much, much worse.


Kim

 

[Michelle D]

I must also add that I just about had a panic attack today and now my PVCs are much stronger.

 

[Transam75]

TOTALLY!! panic and stress definitely cause the PVC's to ramp up......in my case anyway!! I actually have noted that in my journal!

 

[Bina]

Agreed....those of us who are sensitive to anxiety and stress are high risk for a weird HR.

 

[Eva]

Hi and welcome, Trevor.

I was wondering recently about the cause of my increased PVCs, and my cardio found out that I was taking too much Thyroid medication (Levothyroxine). When I stopped it for three days, I had extremely few ones throughout the day compared to three/minute certain times. Yesterday, they started again on the low dose. I skipped my medication this morning...they went down again!

Here is a link about PVCs and causes, which in my case, was due to prescribed medication as they mention. In my case, I switched from Brand name to generic last June and I started noticing them early August. I am going to switch back to Bran name and see what happens, as I cannot stay without medication.

http://www.hrspatients.org/patients/substances/default.asp


Good luck to all of us.

And yes, anxiety and stress for sensitive people are triggers.

 

[Michelle D]

Do you have less PVCs while exercising? If so you might wonder if the lopressor is getting your heart rate too low. When my heart rate is the lowest that's when I have to most irritating PVCs. My whole post-pubescent life my resting heart rate was 100 bpm, I was checked out many times in college and my heart was very healthy. Now on beta blockers my heart rate has been low as 6" bpm but usually 80 bpm and PVCs galore. When I get my heart rate up over 100 bpm at cardio rehab I don't register a single PVC. So I think my heart wants to go fast.

 

[buncle]

the best way for me to reduce pvc's is exercise.even just a treadmill will help me alot when they come on.i know when your having them exercise is the last thing you want to do but, many of use have found it helps alot.

 

[Eva]

the best way for me to reduce pvc's is exercise.even just a treadmill will help me alot when they come on.i know when your having them exercise is the last thing you want to do but, many of use have found it helps alot.

I am a bit curious to know at what pace do you use the treadmill? I am trying to walk again daily and I do about 2 miles/50 mins. What is confusing to me is that when I was doing rehab, my PVCs increased when I increased my speed on the treadmill. The nurses made me lower my speed!!

 

[Michelle D]

For most people PVCs decrease with exercise. I go into cardiac rehab and hook up to the EKG thing and usually am in trigamy, then once I get my heart rate up to 110 bpm I have NO PVCs. Sometimes I'll have a slight short atrial flutter here and there but no pvcs. I just got back from my cardiologist and she told me no so good news about pvcs. She has patients that have them for years after surgery. So she will not say if I'll ever live without them so I should focus on the anxiety.

 

[Transam75]

Hi Guys,

I am finding that my PVC's are related to anxiety and stress. My heart beats normal most of the time. Exercise is the same, normal heart beats. When I am stressed out at work or anxious they come. Usually one sharp one followed by a few mini ones since the lopressor was upped to 100mg per day.

I can tell everyone that I did not get these under stress or anxiety before my heart surgery. Every once in a while I would feel my heart "flip flop" in my years before surgery. I sure do hope they will go away. Very scary when I'm at work trying to focus.

Trevor

 

[buncle]

Eva-I am about the same pace 2.5 or so for 45 minutes or so.If I miss for more than a couple days I get more pvc's.Also just general daily activity helps.More active less pvc's.I had alot of pvc's prior to surgery Then almost none for 60 days or so after.Then they started again for several months and now not so much.They used to scare me and raise my anxiety level but, now I dont worry nearly so much and that helps calm them down too.To all of you that have pcv's I "get it" they are very, very frustrating .Dont give up-find a balance that works for you between exercise,diet (stimulants caffine etc.) beta-blockers and relaxation.

 

[Eva]

Hi Guys,

I am finding that my PVC's are related to anxiety and stress. My heart beats normal most of the time. Exercise is the same, normal heart beats. When I am stressed out at work or anxious they come. Usually one sharp one followed by a few mini ones since the lopressor was upped to 100mg per day.

I can tell everyone that I did not get these under stress or anxiety before my heart surgery. Every once in a while I would feel my heart "flip flop" in my years before surgery. I sure do hope they will go away. Very scary when I'm at work trying to focus.

Trevor

Trevor,

You feel them now more as you are more alert to what is going on with your body, which is a normal anxiety issue we deal with after the surgery. With time, once you feel better and better and regain your faith that your heart is OK, your anxiety will go away and take the PVCs with it.

Though my main PVCs' trigger is my thyroid medication, I get more when I am stressed out or drink decaffeinated coffee!!