Jump to content

strange heart beats


Recommended Posts

The past few days, maybe two or three times a day I have noticed that my heart will kind of seem to pause and then beat forcefully for a few beats. It makes it hard to breath when it happens and I have to stop and think about what just happened. Has anyone experiance this before?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those are premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs. They often occur when your heart is overstimulated. They're not dangerous unless they're sustained for a long period (beyond a few beats), in which case they can turn into venticular tachyardia.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I second what jsb said. I just had an event monitor again for another month. I have PAC, PVC's and what you just described as non-sustained ventricular tachcyardia. To me it feels like a short flutter and it makes me cough or unable to breath for the few seconds that it's fluttering.

You should talk to your cardiologist about it. He/she might suggest an event monitor to see what your heart is doing.

steph

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get the same thing, and I would describe the sensation just as Briarrose did. My event recorder showed many PACs, a few PVC, and plain 'ol sinus tach - all benign in the context of a structurally normal heart. Apparently, everyone gets these ectopic beats from time to time. Some of us are just unlucky enough to 1) get them more frequently and/or 2) feel every gosh-darn one of them!

If you're at all concerned, best to get a 30-day event monitor and try to capture one of the episodes. The doc will then be able to tell you for sure what sort of arrhythmia you're having. But if I were a betting woman, I'd lay money that you're getting a string of PACs or PVCs - very uncomfortable and scary, but essentially harmless.

Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aprilmarie

Ditto to above. Expect to have more of them as your pregnancy progresses. Most pregnant women WITHOUT POTS have PACs and PVCs during pregnancy. I had a lot during my pregnancy, and I would think most pregnant POTS patients would notice more of them than non-POTS patients would.

I know it is disturbing/frightening. Unless you have a long sustained run of them (lasting minutes or longer), it is absolutely nothing to worry about. Keeping well-hydrated, I found, helped to reduce the frequency.

I agree that an event monitor would be helpful if only to calm any concerns you have.

Katherine

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get these on a daily basis. Several times a day to almost all day long. Sometimes worse than others. They scare the crap out of me even though I have had them for almost 20 yrs. Sometimes they even make me feel faint and unable to breath. I find that they are worse around my period, when I am stressed or tired and if I get too hot. Hope this helps. Try not to worry too much and go ahead and get an event recorder. Maybe it will ease your mind some. :)

Danelle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would say as well that it sounds like PVC's. I had them all through my pregnancy and especially towards the end- mostly when I was lying down. It wouldn't hurt to talk with your doc about it, but mostly likely it's nothing to be concerned about. Keep up the fluids- it helps a lot!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...