Cardiac Dysrrhythmias Archives

PVC's and calcium/magnesium

Since last May (almost a year now) I have been experiencing Pvcs. I have been tested with stress tests, holter monitors, echocardiograms, ekgs and loop monitor. The holter monitor has shown that I have up to 4,667 pvcs a day. This frightens me. I am one of these people that feels each and every one of the pvcs. Sometimes I am in bigeminy, trigeminy and this is tiring. My cardiologist does not think it is dangerous. I have it worse after eating meals as well. The diagnosis is called ventricular ectopy. I am scared and this irregular heart beat does scare me a lot. Sometimes my heart beats really fast like up to 140 beats per min. and then slowly comes back down. I am taking clonazepam for the anxiety this causes me. I have tried taking a cal/mag in citrate form 80 mg of calcium and 80 mg. of magnesium twice a day, but sometimes it felt like it made the pvcs worsen. So I stopped it. I do take a multi vitamin and calcium ascorbate (vit. c with elemental calcium). Please, can someone tell me how to stop this dreaded on-going irregular heart beat that even the cardiologist thinks is not dangerous. I am scared.

Follow Ups:

• Re: PVC's and calcium/magnesium (Archive in cardiac dysrrhythmias.) Walt Stoll 14:56:29 4/23/03 (0)
• Re: PVC's and calcium/magnesium Happygal 22:58:25 4/22/03 (0)
• Re: PVC's and calcium/magnesium Sharon 22:26:13 4/22/03 (0)
• Re: PVC's and calcium/magnesium Elisa 17:47:28 4/22/03 (0)

In Reply to: PVC's and calcium/magnesium posted by Maria on April 22, 2003 at 12:07:29:

The cal/mag will not make it worse, even if it seems like
it in the short term. Keep taking that morning and night
on an empty stomach.

Also consider taking a b-complex (150 or higher) every
day. I used to have pvc's before discovering wellness,
and taking the b-complex helped minimize it. Even now
if I don't take it for five days or more (which rarely
happens but I do forget occasionally) I start to get them
again a little bit. But if I take the b, and cal/.mag I am
pvc-free, except for a few minor ones a few days before
my period.

Aerobic exercise is also a big help. When I used to get
the pvc episodes I would often go jogging just to get my
mind off of it (I know that seems weird and unhealthy
when ones heart is flip flopping or pounding away), and
it always made them stop. It was hard at first and I took
it real easy, but by the end of a mile or two jog, they
were completely gone. Ask your doc if it is okay for you
to do this. My cardio said it was fine, but he did think it
was strange, because he never hear of someone trying
to increase their heartrate when it was acting funny.
Most people want to lie down or something.

Sometimes these things are self-limiting too. It will
seem like you will never feel normal again and the pvc's
are there for good, and then one day you will notice that
they are not occuring as much or they disappear. I
personally feel that in women they are often caused by
hormonal fluctuations and changes, and that once the
body has adjusted or rebalanced they go away on their
own.

In the meantime, try the b-complex. Take it for one
month religiuosly before you judge whether or not it is
working for you. My regimen started kicking in over the
course of three months of strict diet, exercise, SR,
supplements. At the end of three I could see things
were better but not perfect. It has just gotten better and
better from there. Keep faith.

Hope you feel better soon.

In Reply to: PVC's and calcium/magnesium posted by Maria on April 22, 2003 at 12:07:29:

Maria,

From what I understand, the citrate form of magnesium is one of the least absorbable (thus often used for constipation). Why don't you try Magnesium Glycinate in addition to doing a search on magnesium on this board? There you should find the correct dosages for your particular affliction. I use the brand KAL and am able to purchace it at the health food store. You want to make sure you are taking the correct amount of *elemental* magnesium and it can be tricky to find that information. I was told the KAL brand lists the amounts on the back which is supposed to be elemental.
Good luck to you as you wait other responses.

In Reply to: PVC's and calcium/magnesium posted by Maria on April 22, 2003 at 12:07:29:

Hi Maria,

I have PVCs too and they are a drag. What seems to help me the most is Skilled Relaxation. There's an article and a glossary entry on this website for more information about how to do SR.

If you have it worse after eating meals, have you looked into food allergies?

Best wishes,
Happygal

In Reply to: PVC's and calcium/magnesium posted by Maria on April 22, 2003 at 12:07:29:

Hi, Maria.

Have you ever thought that the anxiety might be a direct cause of he PVCs and not a result of them?

You need a lot more magnesium and a lot less calcium. Carefully read the magnesium and the cardiac dysrrhythmias archives.

Listen to Happygal< Sharon and Elisa.

Let us know how you do. Please share with us your doc's reaction when you suddenly get over this.

Walt

Walt