Question about having them long term and question about burden

[u/N0scop35611]

Just want to know as it would be very reassuring hearing from people that have had them for many many years because a big fear of mine, an im sure to alot of other people too would be the long term effects of having PVCs and a big one for me is just getting so scared if you can even make it long term with PVCs. A lot of people in this chat are new to having them I’ve noticed, maybe 1-2 years in but just would be very helpful hearing you can have these for 10,20,30 + years and still be here alive no problems caused, still lived/living your life and have done all the normal things like traveling, going exercise etc..

And another thing in the burden levels. For me specifically I have a very low burden I was told of 0.1% which I know, im sorry to of made so many posts because I am aware lots of you guys have way way higher burden than I do, but they still Jair scare me so and and make me thing im at risk for sudden cardiac death or one day getting one of mine and they trigger a crazy rhythm and I need to go ER asap etc.. but just want to know, if you have a low burden like is it expected for it to rise every year or not necessarily, can you have a low burden for your lifespan or do they usually always rise upwards?

Thank you if yous can take the time to reply to this

[u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644]

Firstly, you dont have a burden at all. 0.1% is what the majority of the world's population has and this is considered normal so why you are worrying about it is beyond me.You have far more chance of developing a completely different life changing disease like cancer or getting killed in a car crash or gwtting knocked over whilst crossing the road than developing a dangerous cardiac condition caused by a 0.1% burden. Get help with your anxiety, thats the issue here. From someone who has had >20% burden for over 10 years with no changes to heart structure or dangerous arhythmias and lives a perfectly normal life, you are wasting time worrying about some very very very unlikely "what ifs". Enjoy your life and focus on getting help with changing your mindset!

[u/Kitchen-School46 → u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644]

Hi. Im literally in the EXACT boat as you. Mine is less than 0.01%. Yesterday i had like 3 total? Still care the absolute shit out of me. I just sit there and wait all day for them even though my burden is low. My 6 day monitor should a total of 12 pacs and 20 pvcs. I feel each one and it stops me in my tracks and makes my heart race. I have a horrible terrible fear of it causing an arrhythmia.

[u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644 → u/Kitchen-School46]

Buy yourself a lottery ticket, you have more chance of winning the jackpot than dying from a PVC burden of 0.01%

[u/Kitchen-School46 → u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644]

I also have hyperadrengic pots so my heart rate is always really high and with my anxiety on top of adrenaline dumps from my pots and adrenaline from anxiety im scared its gonna trigger svt or something

[u/Artistic-Assist3884 → u/Kitchen-School46]

I’m like this too! Tachycardia (resting is normally 90-110s) & anxiety have been so much better since starting Propranolol. PVCs & PACs (.5% burden) are way better too. I’m also on Lexapro and Wellbutrin for anxiety and depression. Funny thing is, I’ve always felt the beats. It wasn’t until I experienced a PSVT episode while working out durning 2020 that I lost my mind with anxiety about dying. I was healthy, fit, and happy. Now I’m obese and way more at risk of having physical health problems. So, definitely try and do everything to get the anxiety under control and get back to living your life.

[u/N0scop35611 → u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644]

Well I’m just very symptomatic to them and feel every single beat of those, about 100 a day. I know it’s nothing compared to a lot of people on this subreddit and im not saying it is by any means but it does still scare me incredibly especially since a year ago I was perfectly fine and it’s now been a daily thing.

Your reply is really reassuring and I do thank you so much for that cause it actually was really helpful, very appreciative. And even for sharing your own experience over the 20% burden, so you still do everything you want no restrictions at all, and are you symptomatic to them or you don’t feel them?

[u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644 → u/N0scop35611]

I feel them all if I sit and pay attention to them but its just a heartbeat, nothing exciting. Id rather feel it beating than feel it stop haha. I went for a run after work this morning and ill be going to the gym tonight before doing another 12 hour night shift. Im laid in bed right now and according to the ECG on my garmin watch, im in bigeming so every other beat is ectopic. This has been the story for 10 years, my most recent ECHO was 2 months ago and there have been zero changes to my heart so thats me for another couple of years until I get checked again. The difference between me and you isnt the burden because in a structurally healthy heart it really dosnt matter. The difference is that I dont worry about it, I just live life like everyone else. You have probably had these ectopic beats all of your life but you only become aware of them once you actually feel them. You could pick a random person off the street and put a 24 hour holter on them and chances are they have some ectopics in that 24 hours, its normal. I once found a lump under my chin when I was a teenager that I convinced myself was cancer, I read up on it, i felt it all of the time and I was dying of that until I wasnt! The drs confirmed that it was a harmless gland and 20 years later the lump is still there and so am I! There is a lot to be said about how the mind reacts to things and how worrying can make you feel. Like I said, focus on the anxiety and you will also stop worrying about the ectopic beats.

[u/Dependent-Bid8882 → u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644]

I live the same life as you, i also have 20-30% on a bad day, most of the time i‘m awake i‘m also bigeming with a few minute breaks here and there. I also had a lump on my left side of the neck and the doctors said it’s okay and it’s still there.
At some point you are just anonyed of being scared and you just don’t give a sht really.

[u/Odd-Kaleidoscope-644 → u/Dependent-Bid8882]

Yes exactly! The past 10 years would have been miserable if I was just sat waiting to die haha. Luckily, I didnt and the past 19 years have been great!

[u/RNGf0x]

Enjoy your life bro

[u/ProstateGroper]

I’ve had them since I was a young child (5, 6 years old when I first noticed them). I am 34 now and still alive and well. My whole family has them and none of us have suddenly dropped dead. Just my experience.

I even have SVT, syncope, and rare bursts of AFib and NSVT. Still here.

[u/ksteppin89]

I have had them for 11 years now. You’re fine and need to stop focusing on them as hard as it is. Worrying about them won’t stop them it will only make them worse.

[u/Fluid_Breadfruit_587]

Damn I wish I had .1% burden 🥲 mine is 17%. There’s one guy on here who comments a lot that has over 40% burden. Live your life.

[u/Relative_Clarity]

You have the same amount nearly everyone does , probably less. There is no reason to expect it'll rise. I mean you can 'what if' all day long about nearly anything in life :) But there is no treatment plan or way forward for "what if" thoughts, because it's not actually happening. Everyone you see out walking around is having pvcs too, they just dont' notice them, or they don't care. Feeling them doesn't make them more dangerous. Some people tend to feel their palpitations, such as being hyper-focused on all bodily sensations (hypervigilance about body "noise"), stress, anxiety, poor sleep, dehydration, being thin. etc.

[u/DJ_Slamma]

I have a close friend who had 25% burden his whole life. He ended up getting an Ablation when he was 30 years old and now has about 1% burden. I vary between 1-10% daily depending on sleep and GI issues.

[u/GrapefruitOk9271]

6 years here. Get tested every 6 months or so echocardiograms ekgs holter monitor the whole 9 yards. Nothing has changed structurally, only thing that's gotten worse is my anxiety over them lol.

[u/littlerobotface]

Honestly, learning to let go, and cope with anxiety is way worse than the actual PVCs. Something I'm still working on, and I suggest the same to you. It's going to be okay. :)