Poll: PVCs -

[Kitsakatsa]

The recent post about arrhythmias is just a little spooky because there was so much talk about PVCs.

My questions:

1.Did you have a history of PVCs directly before POTS symptoms onset/diagnosis/etc? (people commonly have them, but I am talking about the kind that are actually bothersome and noticeable)

2. Did you notice that when you were sick, your PVCs were more prevelent/pronounced?

3. Have your PVCs continued with the same pattern throughout your POTS illness?

4. Did the onset of PVCs correllate with anything in your life?

I will start with my own:

1. I had PVCs for 3 years directly before onset of POTS

2. An illness would put me in a documented (by halter monitor) pattern for at least 5 days straight.

3. My PVCs have decreased

4. Myself and 5 other nurses experienced onset the same week while working in a burn unit and caring for a pseudomonus patient.

Do you see my concern? I am not trying to play Nancy Drew, it is just that so many of us (from the other post) seem to have them and so many of us work in the healthcare field. I don't know. Maybe I just need to cool it and go find some chocolate!!

[corina]

Kitsakatsa,

who's Nancy Drew?????

Corina

[RunnerGirl]

Hi, Corina! It seems that "Nancy Drew" does not have the same "fame" among Dutch little girls as she does with American little girls! :-)

Nancy Drew is a beloved fictional character, the heroine of a series of mystery books written for children and young teenagers. Nancy and her friends ALWAYS solve the puzzle, the mystery, etc. I read just about every Nancy Drew book growing up, and I know kids are still reading them today.

Anyway, is there such a character in Dutch childrens literature? It's fun to get to see our cultural differences and learn about each other!

Best,

RunnerGirl

[RunnerGirl]

1.Did you have a history of PVCs directly before POTS symptoms onset/diagnosis/etc? (people commonly have them, but I am talking about the kind that are actually bothersome and noticeable)

I'm sure I did, but I never noticed them.

2. Did you notice that when you were sick, your PVCs were more prevelent/pronounced?

No, I actually noticed them when I started feeling BETTER. I think having sinus tachycardia tends to mask the symptoms of PVCs, since the pause between the premature beat and the regular beat is not as pronounced when your heart is going fast. I notice my PVCs (actually, I get mostly atrial ectopics, PACs) most when I am calm, quiet, resting, with a low heart rate.

3. Have your PVCs continued with the same pattern throughout your POTS illness?

They initially got worse as my sinus tach got better - something I later was able to connect to a side effect of an SSRI I was put on to help with my symptoms (Lexapro). The frequency of noticable ectopic activity in my case has diminished with the weaning off of Lexapro and, frankly, my growing ability to ignore the darn things (or at least not obsess about them) when the strike.

4. Did the onset of PVCs correllate with anything in your life?

Yes. The awareness of my heart rate during the onset of my POTS symptoms; coupled with the anxiety and frustration over being told initially it was 'panic attacks,' (I KNEW my heart rate wasn't skyrocketing on my daily runs from panic attacks!); which then turned into anxiety over being told I might have a rare adrenal gland tumor (pheo); which THEN turned into anxiety over simply not having an appropriate diagnosis! You get the picture. I'm not sure if it was the illness itself or the STRESS and WORRY over the illness that made my ectopics worse.

Looking forward to other's answers here...

[danelle]

1. Not that I can really recall but it has been almost 20 yrs!

2. Most definitely they were/are worse when I am sick or not feeling well, under stress, scared, angry, premenstral, season changes,etc. Also I noticed them to be alot worse with my second pregnancy. Also with ANY physical activity WHATSOEVER.

3 and 4. They vary in frequency and duration/severity for no apparant reason lots of the time. THe things listed above USUALLY make them worse but that isn't always the case, I can be doing NOTHING or they wake me up out of my sleep.

Hope I haven't missed anything.

Kitsakatsa, I am a nurse too! And I will take a piece of chocolate please!

[morgan617]

I've had them a very long time, but they are much worse since my ablation. I too am, or was a nurse, on a cardiac unit of all things. How ironic.....morgan

[EarthMother]

1.I think I was "diagnosed" with PVCs back in my early twenties. I certainly had several bouts with what they called idiopathic orthostatic hypotension throughout my 20's and into my 30's. But I wasn't diagnosed with POTS until my early 40's.

2. Most definately. One of the first things I notice during a "crash" is the arythimias and tachycardia feel out of control.

3. No, I go through long periods without any noticable PVCs. Actually I take that back ... I was also diagnosed with Hashimoto Thyroiditis at that same time.

4. I can't pin point the onset of the PVCs on anything in particular. I do think however the really bad crashes in my 30's that lead to a diagnosis of chronic epstien barr and/or chronic fatigue sydrome were related to viral issues.

I LOVED Nancy Drew ... my eight year old is reading one this week!

EM

[RunnerGirl]

Earthmother,

I think we've hit this topic before, but I, too, have Hashimotos. After a period of relative stability, my thyroid was ALL OVER THE PLACE for about a year, particularly when I first had the onset of my ANS symptoms. I've always been convinced that the thyroid had something to do with my issues, including the PACs and PVCs. Knock on wood, my thyroid has been stable for the last year, and my ANS troubles are also much improved. Definitely makes me wonder about the relationship between autoimmune diseases like Hashi's and POTS.

RG

[EarthMother]

You have a better memory than I RunnerGirl, but I think you are right about the connections between the thyroid (probably adrenals as well) and the ANS.

When I crash now, I tend to make adjustments in my synthroid. My doctor is very flexible and understands there is no science here. I noticed in January I was getting very "jumpy" and decided to back down from 100 mcg to 75. And it feels much better for now. I've been anywhere from 50 - 125 mcg over the years and while I often thought the higher the dose the better (because it would repress my own body's autoimmune response) now I'm not sure and I would rather gage my treatment on how my body is feeling over my lab results.

I am eagerly awaiting your story on the boards. Your post to JLB made me feel wonderful this week. As it turned out I came home that day, bent down to get lettuce from the crisper drawer and my heart started going all over the place. But instead of jumping up, I just sat there in the chill of the fridge and remembered your post. I thought about what you must have been feeling before that race when your heart was skipping, skipping, skipping and I just let myself feel it for a bit and then ... it settled down and I finished making dinner.

I wish I could say I'm "over" those days of panic when my heart goes crazy ... but it's still a challenge and maybe will be a lifelong practice.

EM

[corina]

Hi RunnerGirl,

thanks for explaining! I can't think of any heroic Dutch girl in literature, maybe it's my bad memory (but I did read a lot being a little girl!!!), or we're just not THAT heroic (grrrr, hate the thought ). We read the English writers about heroic children I guess, like Enid Blyton (a group of 5, solving mysteries) and J.K. Rowling! I love to talk about these kind of differences in our culturs!! Thanks again,

not heroic Corina!!!

[Dawg Tired]

1. Yes, actually, I have NCS but I had problems with PVC's, dizziness, fatigue for about 3 years before the dx.

2. Oh yeah!

3. Sometimes I will go a few days at a time where I don't notice them but usually I have several bouts a day - especially during the night - when they are really pronounced.

4. Nope. I too was a nurse working in a clinic for an internist. The NMS came on about 2 years later while working for an insurance company.

[JLB]

1.Did you have a history of PVCs directly before POTS symptoms onset/diagnosis/etc? (people commonly have them, but I am talking about the kind that are actually bothersome and noticeable)

Not directly. I had bouts of tachy since the age of 21, but the flip-flops began in my early 30's.

2. Did you notice that when you were sick, your PVCs were more prevelent/pronounced?

Usually not during, but after - especially in the last couple of years.

3. Have your PVCs continued with the same pattern throughout your POTS illness?

I get at least a few every day, then have episodes of several-day constant PVCs (actually, this crash has been 3 weeks.)

4. Did the onset of PVCs correllate with anything in your life?

Not sure - have to think about that one...

[mvdula]

Replying to this old post, because I have wondered about this myself:

I had PVC's and SVT (that was ablated) for about 3 years before my POTS onset (not diagnosed definitely yet). The PVCs have waxed and waned seemingly according to hormones and anxiety. Seems though that when PVCs started (about same time I had 1st SVT), my life changed - not like it did when the POTS started though - just enough for me to look back and say something shifted......