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Due to the high volume of questions being asked, we have temporarily suspended new questions from being posted. Please browse the existing questions as you will most likely find your answer. Once we have answered the current topics we will allow new questions again.

Shawna

Posts: 2

Premature Ventricular Contractions

Hi Lorna,

I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for me. I started getting what feels like jumps or skipped heart beats and then a feeling as if my heart is trying to catch up or get back on track. These symptoms started around mid-November 2011 (about 4 months now). As far as I can tell, they just started one day and have been going on (off and on) ever since. I notice them most when resting or just after eating, especially if I've eaten a big meal. It's not that I've never noticed a skipped heart beat before, but since that day, my heart has seemingly changed and this seems to be the way it is now, almost all of the time. I'm nearly 39 years old, 120 lbs, and around 5'4". I'm relatively healthy...I exercise about 3 times a week (walking/Pilates/Yoga) and I've been vegan for about 4 and a half years. I take a vitamin B12 and a vitamin D3 (I wasn't sure if vitamin D2 would be as effective). I drink alcohol moderately, maybe 3 drinks a week and I take marijuana orally sometimes. I have little stress in my life, except psychological and relationship stressors although I am very sensitive, can be prone to anxiety and depression and notice my body reacting to stress often. I rarely get sick (maybe once every 3 years or so) but I did get a flu this February and I had a fever for a few days. During this time I noticed the heart skips to be a lot more pronounced. I've seen my family doctor and another doctor about my heart. They checked my Thyroid and they checked my for anemia. My blood tests have come up normal. I had and ECG and a chest X-ray both of which were normal as well. I had a 24 hour heart Holter a couple of months ago, and, even though I was experiencing the heart skips, my doctor doesn't seem concerned with the results. She says that she thinks I have premature ventricular contractions. My mother started getting the same symptoms when she was around my age as well. What's your view on this and do you think there is anything I can do to heal myself?

Hi Lorna,

I'm wondering if you have any suggestions for me.  I started getting what feels like jumps or skipped heart beats and then a feeling as if my heart is trying to catch up or get back on track.  These symptoms started around mid-November 2011 (about 4 months now).  As far as I can tell, they just started one day and have been going on (off and on) ever since.  I notice them most when resting or just after eating, especially if I've eaten a big meal.  It's not that I've never noticed a skipped heart beat before, but since that day, my heart has seemingly changed and this seems to be the way it is now, almost all of the time.  I'm nearly 39 years old, 120 lbs, and around 5'4".  I'm relatively healthy...I exercise about 3 times a week (walking/Pilates/Yoga) and I've been vegan for about 4 and a half years.  I take a vitamin B12 and a vitamin D3 (I wasn't sure if vitamin D2 would be as effective).  I drink alcohol moderately, maybe 3 drinks a week and I take marijuana orally sometimes.  I have little stress in my life, except psychological and relationship stressors although I am very sensitive, can be prone to anxiety and depression and notice my body reacting to stress often.  I rarely get sick (maybe once every 3 years or so) but I did get a flu this February and I had a fever for a few days.  During this time I noticed the heart skips to be a lot more pronounced.  I've seen my family doctor and another doctor about my heart.  They checked my Thyroid and they checked my for anemia.  My blood tests have come up normal.  I had and ECG and a chest X-ray both of which were normal as well.  I had a 24 hour heart Holter a couple of months ago, and, even though I was experiencing the heart skips, my doctor doesn't seem concerned with the results.  She says that she thinks I have premature ventricular contractions.  My mother started getting the same symptoms when she was around my age as well.   What's your view on this and do you think there is anything I can do to heal myself?

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Posted 3/5/2012 8:33:09 AM

hormonesoup

Posts: 1

Shawna I realize your post is older but I had a very similar situation to yours. It was very scary for me at the time and created a lot of anxiety, I simultaneously suffered postpartum anxiety! I was eventually able to get answers and learned that PVC's can be triggered by hormonal changes in women - pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, etc. Fortunately, I was already seeing an ob/gyn that prescribes bio-identical hormones and we balanced my hormones and they stopped instantly. Good luck to you! Sonya

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Posted 8/24/2012 5:28:14 PM

Shawna

Posts: 2

Thanks Sonya,

I have been checking for answers here periodically and I appreciate your post. I suspected the PVC's were hormone/stress related. I suppose, for me, they would be perimenopausal given my age (39). I'm apprehensive about hormone replacement therapy as I feel kind of young for this, but... Perhaps I should consider a referral to an ob/gyn doctor. I have recently tried magnesium supplements, iron supplements, and increasing my vitamin B12 supplements but nothing has helped. I wonder about an estrogen detox of some sort. Not sure what I'll do. I do appreciate the post though as it reaffirms my original suspicion and gives me another route to consider.

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Posted 9/3/2012 1:58:27 PM

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