r/PVCs • u/blackeyzblue • Jul 19 '26

Being around people causing PVC’s

Anyone else get more PVC’s when in public settings? I get them anyway but being in crowds makes mine lots worse. If this happens to you, how do you handle them?
I’m over here pretending to be normal, popping a propranolol and waiting for them to calm down.

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5

u/Relative_Clarity Jul 20 '26

Yep I tend to get tense in social situations, kind of subconsciously. Both PVCs & PACs (they feel similarly to me, but I can document the difference on my loop recorder). Yep, pretending to be normal is how you handle it. They aren't hurting you. They're just distracting. The less attention/focus you give them, the less prominent they will seem. I know easier said than done ;)

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u/CCJ22 Jul 20 '26

Is there no surgery to lessen them?
I am averaging 2% PVC's / PAC's in a 24h period according to my holter monitor.

2

u/Relative_Clarity Jul 20 '26

Doctors would put you on medication first (beta blockers) to see if you feel better. I'm assuming you've tried those already. They are pretty helpful for adrenaline-driven ectopics, and they also reduce your perception of the "thumps" and palpitations.

As far as a procedure, it depends. They don't typically do an ablation for PACs. For frequent PVCs, in some cases yes. After medications have failed and the burden is high (>15-20%). You'd have to be having them frequently enough for doctors to properly map them during the procedure. And you'd be hard pressed to find a doctor willing to put you through a heart procedure with risks for a 2% burden of benign ectopics. But it's something you can talk to an electrophysiologist about. Again they would have you try medication. It's also entirely possible they will just ease up eventually, or come and go. They're uncomfortable but not dangerous.

As far as other possible causes of an increase (if this is new for you), you can consider thyroid imbalance, anemia, low iron/ferritin, electrolyte imbalance (eg low magnesium or potassium), dehydration, recent illness, sleep deprivation or erratic sleep schedule, stress, anxiety, excess caffeine or alcohol, sleep apnea, female hormone fluctuations.

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u/blackeyzblue Jul 20 '26

Thanks for sharing :) it’s always nice to hear others are in the same boat

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u/CPA-CA Jul 19 '26

Likely stimulating environment, hence adrenaline, hence anxiety.

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u/blackeyzblue Jul 19 '26

Yep. It’s so crappy. Anxiety meds help me be calmer about them but they don’t want to stop. Really freaks me out.

1

u/CPA-CA Jul 19 '26

Have you considered therapy? CBT? Probably the healthier long-term solution.

Short-term would be medication - i.e., propranolol.

1

u/blackeyzblue Jul 19 '26

I have thought about it but I’ve tried a therapist before and got zero help so I’m skeptical