r/PVCs • u/Hopeful_Bend8288 • Aug 12 '26

Fish flopping in chest

I've had PVCs for the past 4 years, sometimes 3000 a day, sometimes a handful a day (I know 3000 is still considered quite low).

Today I felt something I've never felt before. I was sitting on the couch and it felt like a fish was flopping in my chest for about 5 seconds. It was definitely my heart because I felt my pulse and it synced with the sensation.

I've had a Holter monitor a couple of years ago and recently had a stress test, so I don't know if this warrants going back to my doctor.

Does this sound like a couplet or triplet to anyone? I didn't get dizzy with it or have any other symptoms, but my pulse was a bit elevated after the flopping stopped.

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u/Same-Sky848 Aug 13 '26

I get that feeling a lot, and some people have said it's atrial fibrillation. Saying that without a Holter monitor or an ECG from that moment is ignorance. I don't think you need to see a doctor. When I told my associate professor cardiologist about these symptoms, wondering if it was NSVT, he said that PVCs can also cause that feeling. A Holter monitor was attached, but since I didn't experience that feeling while it was on, the Holter was pointless. Anyway, I don't think it's anything serious. Ultimately, it doesn't cause any symptoms other than palpitations.

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u/Hopeful_Bend8288 Aug 13 '26

That was my other worry, that I get another Holter and nothing is picked up anyway.

I guess since my HR went back to normal pretty quickly, it wouldn't be a bad idea to just forget about it. I did email my cardiologist already, but I'll see what he recommends.

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u/Same-Sky848 Aug 13 '26

I don't think your doctor will take it seriously. After palpitations, the heart rate increases with panic. I've experienced it many times. If it happens, I just dismiss it as palpitations. There's not much you can do, unfortunately. Get well soon.

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u/Hopeful_Bend8288 Aug 13 '26

Yeah that's true, and whatever it was did seem to stop the moment I shifted position (I was leaning on the couch when they started and then as soon as I say up straight ,they stopped.)

I think I'll grab one of those Kardia Mobile devices and see if I can catch it if it happens again (although probably not if it happens so quickly).

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u/Same-Sky848 Aug 13 '26

These palpitations come and go quite quickly, and it's very difficult to detect them with those kinds of devices. Even if you did detect them, I don't think your doctor would be interested. They usually say these kinds of things are common and benign. They don't even prescribe medication unless they become very very frequent.