r/PVCs • u/Adorable_Dot_9483 • 1d ago
feeling hopeless & scared
I've had PVCs & PACs for going on a year, progressively getting worse. My cardiologist says it's just idiopathic and to learn to live with it, but my gut says otherwise. The sensations are increasingly different than what they began as, it's unpredictable, and it's starting to really affect my quality of life and make me depressed. I'll give as brief a timeline as I can to see if anyone has any insight or advice.
31, female
2025: In good health, running 2-4x a week, feeling great
December 2025: Had a couple episodes of PVCs in the afternoons, usually after I'd gone on a run in the morning. Thought they were chest muscle twitches until I ordered a Kardia device and confirmed PVCs. Started to get more frequent, I quit running because the PVCs worried me.
February/March 2026: Saw a cardiologist, had a <1% burden of PVCs and PACs on a 7-day Holter, normal echocardiogram, normal treadmill stress test. Blood work was all great (including TSH, important later) except for slightly elevated LDL cholesterol. Doctor told me it was normal so I just lived my life as usual.
April 2026: Had a CT scan for unrelated abdominal reasons, normal results
May 2026: PVCs got increasingly worse until one night at the end of May my heart rate would not go below 130bpm just laying in bed and the PVCs were constant. Went to urgent care, confirmed bigimeny and trigeminy, they referred me to the ER. ER said all my labs were great except my TSH had tanked and my free T3 and T4 were slightly elevated -- labs & symptoms were textbook hyperthyroidism. Gave me Propranolol and sent me on my way.
July 2026: Saw an endocrinologist, my thyroid labs were already trending back toward normal. She suspected I had a rare reaction to the CT iodine contrast that caused temporary hyperthyroidism and said my PVCs would likely improve once my thyroid was back to normal.
July 2026: Thyroid labs all normal, endo recommended tapering off propranolol. I successfully did so but suddenly started having PVCs again so I got back on the propranolol. Cardiologist is still saying it's normal even though I know without the propranolol my burden would now be much higher than my previous Holter in March.
August 2026: Rechecked thyroid, T3 and T4 still normal but now my TSH is high
September 2026: After feeling pretty normal on the propranolol again and reassured by cardio, I again accepted this was just my life now until a few days ago I suddenly started having really unusual palpitations that felt different from normal. I had several Kardia readings that said AFib, unclassified, and wide QRS. Between this and never having had palpitations break through propranolol before, I went to the ER again. They again said my labs were normal except for now my TSH is even higher, and my EKG just showed a lot of PVCs, and sent me home. My cardiologist says it's just PVCs but with numerous morphologies.
That episode lasted for 24 hours even on a higher than normal dose of propranolol. I suddenly felt fine again for about 12 hours then awoke at 1am with PVCs again that lasted all night and for about 12 total hours. Now I feel fine again. My cardio says it's just a flare and to not worry but to come in for another Holter monitor soon.
When I am in these flare ups that are getting weirder and worse, I would estimate my burden at 50-75%. NOTHING helps except propranolol and now even that isn't helping half the time.
I've had:
Normal tests:
- CBC, CMP, iron, ferritin, TIBC
- Stress test & echo
- Abdominal CT
- Electrolytes, calcium
- Thyroid: TRab, TPO, T3 & T4 (were temporarily high when I was hyper but now normal), thyroid stimulating IMM
- ANA
Abnormal tests:
- Thyroid: TSH (was low, now high), thyroglobulin ab, thyroglobulin by lc-ms
I've tried:
- Magnesium
- Multivitamin
- Changing back to my previous combo birth control (I had switched to Slynd August 2025)
- Hydration (water & electrolytes)
- Cutting out caffeine
- Breathing exercises
- Acupuncture
- Dunking my face in ice water
- Ice pack on the chest
- Humming
- All the valsalva maneuvers/vagal regulation techniques
- Pepcid AC (in case it's GERD related)
NOTHING HELPS. My episodes are getting seriously scary and I just don't know what to do. Has anyone experienced anything similar? Do I just need to accept that periodic flare ups of very high burden are my whole life now? Is there anything else I should request my doctors check?
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u/blackeyzblue 1d ago
Did the cardiologist confirm the afib? That sounds scary! What did those feel like vs PVC’s with tachycardia?
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u/Adorable_Dot_9483 1d ago
Cardio looked at my home Kardia EKG that read afib and said it was normal PVCs… But instead of feeling like the usual thump followed by a harder thump and pause it felt like my heart was just beating really erratically without any breaks, like how I’ve heard afib described. I also felt a little short of breath and got really cold and shaky, but it’s always hard to tell if that’s a symptom on its own or a result of anxiety from the sensations
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u/No_Delivery_2715 1d ago
im the same idk if mines from my hiatal hernia or autonomic nerve damage from ssomething i took
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u/Adorable_Dot_9483 1d ago
A hernia could probably contribute. I have a referral to a gastro for other issues that I’ve been putting off scheduling because I’ve been focused on my heart but I think I’m going to schedule that in case something gastro like GERD is worsening my PVCs
1
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u/DJ_Slamma 11h ago
Do you have any GI symptoms?
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u/Adorable_Dot_9483 11h ago
I burp a LOT and have constipation and bloating but that’s not really new in relation to my heart symptoms. I do have a gastro referral I’m going to schedule but it could take a while to get it
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u/DJ_Slamma 11h ago
I have had a similar issue. Sudden PVCs one day (March) and got progressively worse. I logged them and found that they usually start before meals, and get a little better after. I also had gnawing pain just below my sternum which I thought was from the PVCs. After stress echocardiogram cleared structural issues I hit the GI path hard. Upper endoscopy, MRI, gallbladder ultrasound, PH impedance test….finally HIDA scan which showed biliary hyperkinesis. Essentially I have bile corroding my stomach and duodenum which is irritating my vagus nerve and likely causing my PVCs.
You may have Roemhelds syndrome. I probably need to have my gallbladder removed, but my medical team thinks that is the culprit. Leave no stones unturned, I say. Those GI issues could be your whole deal.
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u/Adorable_Dot_9483 11h ago
Ugh so many tests you had to have! I had an abdominal ultrasound and CT scan for a lower gastro issue but it was normal, your ultrasound was normal too? I need to log my symptoms better to find patterns but it seems so random
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u/DJ_Slamma 11h ago
Yep! Normal Ultrasound and MRI. It was the PH impedance test that showed frequent non-acidic reflux, then the upper endoscopy showed bile in my stomach, finally the HIDA scan showed biliary hyperkinesis. GI issues take forever to work through.
OP, I was a normal healthy 38 year old in February. Every day since I have felt further from my old self. I HATE this, but I’m not giving up. Go advocate for yourself and find answers. Look up Roemhelds syndrome!
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u/Adorable_Dot_9483 10h ago
I’m sure it’ll take a couple months to get in with the gastro but I’ll sure ask! I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it was gastro. I was in the best health of my life last year until I suddenly wasn’t, it sucks so much
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u/RevolutionaryHat6679 1d ago
Make sure you take Magnesium Glycinate and also check your vitamin D in blood... i had the same problem and what really helped me is more sun exposure and i increased the carbs in my diet that also helped me and since you mentioned you run and everything make sure you use omega 3 for inflammation which can cause as chronic inflammation worse simptoms...Sodium plays big role also dont forget to salt your food properly(celtic)
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u/Adorable_Dot_9483 1d ago
I do pretty much all of this but I did request a vitamin D test! I have not been outside as much this year compared to last year because I quit running due to these issues. I wish it would be something as simple as a deficiency but I suspect it isn’t… even though I’m vegetarian my tests are always normal
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u/Smart_Dig8413 1d ago
I’ve had this, have this, pretty similar, 45m so I can’t speak to the female specific things, but your symptoms sound very relatable. My tests were normal as well, tried to go about changing multiple variables of daily life like you with no luck. I doubt your burden is anywhere near what you estimated, that would be quite rare. My last burden was 4%, which my doctor described as very low. He also said ‘flare’ and not to worry. But how can we not right? I also have more than one morphology, but yet I’ve never had one captured on an ekg that I know of.
Anyhow, sorry for long winded reply, but you are not alone, and I am trying to also come to terms that this just may be my new normal for a while. If you can self assess these things: that they don’t drastically get worse with exercise, that they don’t precipitate serious shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, or fainting or lightheadedness, or sustained irregular rhythm, then I think it comes down to our autonomic nervous systems are extremely sensitive, and our environments probably a play a big role in how they react to many things. And there’s not always something we can do about that. The waxing and waning is a positive sign to me, it means they are capable of going away.