MomtoGiuliana Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Does this happen to anyone else? After eating?within 30 min to 2 hours?I get very forceful PVCs or PACs (I guess that is what it is?there is a hesitation and then pow! a strong heartbeat?sometimes I get two in a row). Sometimes it is just a few in that 90 min +/- time period, sometimes it is a dozen or more. It is disturbing to say the least. Sometimes I feel a little faint or feel like there is an electric surge through my body ? just an instant feeling that comes and goes in a second or less. It seems to occur as food is leaving my stomach/pyloric sphincter activity. It's been terrible today. I have had this symptom come and go in the past but it has gotten worse in the past several weeks again. I have been thinking about calling my POTS specialist to get some feedback. I realize they are probably benign since I have had all the basic cardiac tests. I am wondering if anyone else gets this, related to this particular phase of digestion.?!THANKSKatherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferInOhio Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Hi Katherine,I get those forceful PACs/PVCs every once in a while. Sometimes several in one day. Like you said, they are one big POW. I've had this for a very long time...even before my POTS diagnosis. The cardiologist I went to at the time told me that it is from a buildup of the "premature beat blood" behind a valve and the big beat you feel is the heart getting the blood from the premature beat AND the blood from the next beat out through the valve all at one time. Completely benign, just annoying. I occasionally notice after eating a big meal or maybe a meal that I've inhaled too quickly However, I get them other times too...probably moreso than just after eating.Hope that helps some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Hello! I get this most times I eat. It's related to postprandial hypotension in me- because more blood goes to my stomach to digest my food, my bp drops, which makes my heart beat harder to comepnsate. Could this be what is happening to you?I'm getting some extremely forceful PVCs and PACs at the moment - over the last week my pulse has been really, really fast and irregular.Let us know how you get on with the medics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yogini Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Yes, this happens to me when my POTS is acting up. I usually feel the worst after lunch. I have tried to follow all of the "rules" - cutting back on carbs, smaller meals, etc., but doesn't seem to help much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 I do get these but not on a regular basis. I never found a correlation of cause and effect.My girlfriend swears SHE can tell when my food is starting to digest...she says it is like a "wave" comes over me and she can just see in my face that I look spacey! I do know I intentionally eat way smaller meals now. Partly due to my episodic gastroparesis diagnosis...but I FEEL better having say, only a small salad and then two hours later a coupe of slices of turkey and then two hours later something fruit and then two hours later a yogurt...I do think when/ you ask the doctor you are right in thinking it will be considered not worrysome. It is again more annoying that dangerous. Of course, if you think it is an excessive situation, keep looking for answers. Some people have such a problem with digestion and heartrates that they use these new stomach pacers now.Feel better, best regards,tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Thanks everyone. Even after YEARS of this symptom, it is still disquieting. I definitely have something that happens with my circulation after I eat that is not normal. It does not cause hypotension though. My bp actually often goes up for about 15 minutes or so (not dangerously high, but on the high side--as high as 150/70 with no beta blocker.) This is worse in the AM and less severe as the day goes on. My hr goes up, my heart pounds and I get these PACs/PVCs that get started as food starts leaving my stomach.I do have periods where this process does not seem to happen, or is very mild, and then it flares up again.Katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmpower Posted March 10, 2007 Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 Hi. I get these after lots of meals, especially if I bend over or slouch. All my cardiologists have said, "so?......" as if it's no big deal. I hate it, but it is always quick. I just think to myself, if it gets bad, I can always stop eating...Seriously, there are lots of reasons for them (in addition to postprandial hypotension) and I have spent a long time in the anatomy books and sites to figure it out. For me the skip and pound and lightheadedness is usually followed in a few seconds by a gurgle, so I know it is gas or food moving in my system. The upper part of the stomach is extremely close to the heart and when there is food or air (me if I eat too fast) or even stomach wall movement, then the heart will be anatomically affected. If this happens, the filling in the chambers will be affected. If I stand up and move a little after a meal, or even sit up straight, or sip water, or push down on my stomach or try to burp, then the sensations will stop.Depending on your depth of breathing and degree of constipation, your heart can be closer to your transverse colon or splenic flexure, and then food in your stomach squishes things together more and the heart gets affected. The pericardium also is connected to the esophagus and left lung and you get the idea how these things interact. And since we are all shaped differently, the effects are different.I guess I can sum up by saying you are not alone, but the reasons for your symptoms may be unique to you.OLL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted March 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2007 OLL--thanks very much--very interesting."For me the skip and pound and lightheadedness is usually followed in a few seconds by a gurgle"--YES, exactly the same for me!I also think the same thing sometimes...if I didn't have to eat, I would feel so much better I have also noticed the PVCs or PACs when I bend over--and when I raise my arms. It does not happen all the time, but there is a correlation.It would be more comforting to understand it better!Katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radha Posted March 13, 2007 Report Share Posted March 13, 2007 for those of you who has a drop in bp after eating how much did it drop and how soon after eating? thanksradha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandy Posted March 13, 2007 Report Share Posted March 13, 2007 I can totally relate to getting PAC's after eating. Even if I eat a small meal i will experience PAC's. And i seem to suffer alot with PAC's with bigeminy. It's a continuous feeling of palps one right after another.. And it's funny no matter what I do they do not go away. They are very uncomfortable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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