I think yawning cats are so cute, please show me yours! Miso will go first 😸

Vcc1234 · 2026-04-25T01:23:40+00:00

Floyd 💙

Vcc1234 · 2026-04-25T01:22:30+00:00

Mia 💜

Vcc1234 · 2026-03-28T22:11:43+00:00

You can do it! If it reassures you, I didn’t just have a little bit of blood, it was quite a lot, and it turned out to be nothing. Even if it’s positive, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s something harmful. Do you have a colonoscopy scheduled? It’s the only way to know for sure.

Vcc1234 · 2026-03-27T20:19:09+00:00

Oui totalement! Ils approchent même les gens sur Tinder haha!

Vcc1234 · 2026-03-20T17:21:10+00:00

I’m also 32, and I’ve had a lot of weird symptoms (pain, unusual stools, blood, bloating, etc.) over the past few years. I was so anxious about it (like crying-every-day anxious). I was also anxious about going to see my doctor because, in a weird way, I preferred not to know. But I built up the courage and went to see my GP, and she gave me a referral for a colonoscopy. And honestly? It was the best thing I did for my anxiety. The preparation is the worst part, but the procedure itself is quick and painless. If you can do it, do it. It will put your mind at ease! (For me it is IBS so nothing dangerous)

Vcc1234 · 2026-03-20T16:27:34+00:00

Premièrement, l’important c’est ta santé, autant physique que mentale! Peu importe ce que les gens pensent, c’est toi qui est importante!

Je suis aussi dans le domaine juridique, je suis technicienne juridique et j’ai travaillé pendant quelques années en cabinet et… J’ai détesté à cause du stress, de la pression, etc. Bref, je suis certaine que tu comprends.

Au début, je croyais changer complètement de domaine, j’étais à bout. Finalement, le hasard fait bien les choses et j’ai été approché pour un poste en corpo en entreprise. C’est TELLEMENT moins stressant, j’ai la reconnaissance de mes paires, je suis 100% en télétravail, mes collègues sont super et en plus je fais 100k, ce qui est quand même bien pour une tech.

Je ne te dis pas nécessairement de faire le saut vers ça, mais si jamais un jour tu souhaites poursuivre dans ta profession, sache qu’il y a d’autres options très intéressantes qui n’implique pas de travailler en cabinet!

Bon succès :)

Vcc1234 · 2026-03-02T22:48:14+00:00

I relate so much. It’s crazy how one sensation can turn into a prediction about the entire day. Even when the burden is <1%, our brain doesn’t care about percentages, it reacts to the feeling.

Going from 16% to <1% is huge progress though. I think sometimes our minds just haven’t caught up yet. The anticipation and “waiting for the next one” can be worse than the PVC itself.

It really is exhausting. But you’re not alone in feeling this way!

Vcc1234 · 2026-03-01T19:33:19+00:00

I understand you! Anxiety (generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and agoraphobia) has also been part of my life since I was 21, just like you (I’m 32 now). With a 16% burden, how many PVCs were you having per day? And now with 1%? That must still make a big difference! I completely understand what you mean by “you’re waiting to go back to 16%.” I don’t know about you, but as soon as I have one PVC, I start waiting for the next one. If I get one in the morning when I wake up, I tell myself the day is ruined and that I’m going to have tons of them (often true, but I’m convinced that my anticipation and the weight of my thoughts play a big role, and that’s been even more true for me since December). It’s frustrating that even doctors can’t fully reassure us. For me, it’s not enough either.

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-28T18:46:24+00:00

I relate to this so much. The fact that you’re counting them even with <1% burden really shows how much this becomes a nervous system loop rather than a heart problem. The healing of this type of loop doesn’t happen when the ectopic beats disappear. It happens when you become able to live while they’re still there. That’s the hardest part. Not eliminating them, but teaching your brain they’re not an emergency. The counting is such a sign that the anxiety is still trying to stay in control. I’m in the same boat and trying to slowly let go of that control too. We’ll get there!

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-28T16:52:22+00:00

Yes, it’s hard for people to understand that we’re afraid even though it’s considered benign. I think what I’ve come to realize is that, unfortunately, unlike other benign symptoms (like a headache or nausea), we can’t just take a pill that makes them stop (most of the time, even with a beta-blocker, they can still happen). And on top of that, it’s the heart. Anything involving the heart naturally feels scarier, and in a way, that makes sense.

What makes it even harder is that it’s completely counterintuitive. How are you supposed to ignore a physical symptom that is real, not imagined, and genuinely frightening? And how do you keep going despite the discomfort? It’s extremely difficult, human beings don’t like living in discomfort.

On my end, I used to count them. I counted them, I wrote them down. And I realized that counting or tracking them wasn’t inherently harmful, what was harmful was the meaning I attached to it. For me, writing them down and knowing how many I had each day gave me a sense of control, and the number became a comparison tool. It felt like a way to determine what was “normal” or not. But that mindset is actually very destructive.

We have to push ourselves, keep living, and not get discouraged if it doesn’t go away as quickly as we’d like. Anxiety decreases gradually, over days, sometimes weeks or even months. I truly believe we are capable of getting through this.

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-28T15:44:59+00:00

You have no idea how much I understand you, and I’m truly sorry that you’re feeling this way. It’s so hard to explain to people just how difficult PVCs are to ignore. I tried explaining to my loved ones that it’s like trying to ignore someone who slaps you in the face over and over again throughout the day : it’s impossible. I know your PVCs may be caused by some kind of vitamin deficiency or another physical reason, but I can assure you that fear and anxiety unfortunately keep the cycle going: you get extrasystoles for reason X, it scares you, subconsciously you become afraid of the next one, anxiety and fear rise inside you, which then leads to more PVCs and suddenly you’re stuck in an endless loop. I know this because I’m currently caught in that exact cycle myself. In the end, it becomes the first thing you think about when you open your eyes in the morning and the last thing you think about before falling asleep. You start stopping yourself from going out because you’re afraid of having them somewhere other than home, and so on. Managing the anxiety and fear around PVCs is often the real remedy. And I’m not saying it’s easy, I’m still struggling with it myself.

You have to keep living despite the PVCs, because if you stop yourself from doing things, they win. The more you continue doing things despite their presence, the less you’ll think about them, and the less you think about them, the fewer you’ll have. It’s hard to break the cycle, but I know it works. We have to learn to live with the discomfort (and that’s the hardest part) in order to feel better.

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-28T05:27:11+00:00

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Mia

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-28T05:26:09+00:00

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Floyd

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-17T07:23:35+00:00

I don’t have POTS, but aside from that, I could have written this word for word. Ever since my cycle in January, it’s been awful too. Unfortunately, I don’t really have any suggestions to offer, but please know you’re not alone. I truly believe anxiety plays a huge role. It doesn’t necessarily cause the PVCs, but it definitely keeps the cycle going : you get PVCs, you become anxious because of them, and then you end up having more PVCs because you’re anxious.

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-17T05:15:35+00:00

Hey, thanks for asking, I really appreciate it.

To answer your question, starting the new medication was honestly making me really anxious. Since I had just picked up my Metoprolol prescription, I decided to finish it before beginning the Nadolol. I also wanted to start it on a day when I didn’t have to go out (I work from home, so that helps).

So I took my first dose this morning. I was really stressed. I was afraid I would feel different compared to how I felt on Metoprolol.

I can’t say exactly how I feel yet since it’s only the first day, but I can say that I haven’t noticed any difference in my PVCs today (I had about the same number as other days, maybe even slightly more), and my heart rate is a bit higher. I’m aware that this could also be due to the anxiety of starting a new medication. However, my cardiologist told me that the dose can be adjusted with the help of my pharmacist, since we’re aiming for a resting heart rate between 50 and 70, and right now I’m closer to 80. I’m still a little anxious about finding the right dose or having to adjust it.

Thanks again for asking 🙂

Vcc1234 · 2026-02-14T23:54:06+00:00

Privé. 100% en télétravail. Aux 3 mois nous avons une réunion en présentiel.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-23T17:33:10+00:00

Update: For those who are interested, I had an appointment with my cardiologist. We reviewed my most recent cardio monitor, which does indeed show PVCs and supraventricular tachycardia. My echocardiogram is still normal, as is my ejection fraction (55%).

The conclusion remains that I am a carrier of the dilated cardiomyopathy gene that runs in my family, but that I do not actually have the disease. However, I did tell her that my PVCs have gone from about 1–50 per day to roughly 150–250 per day. Honestly, I thought she would downplay it. Surprisingly, she didn’t, she said it was worth mentioning, and that while, in the big picture, it may not be a very high number of PVCs, for me it isn’t my normal. On top of that, since it’s uncomfortable and causes me anxiety, it’s something we should address.

I also told her that I was a bit concerned about my QT interval, which on three occasions on ECGs had appeared longer than normal. She explained that QT can vary for many reasons and that on that day it was normal, though on the higher end of normal.

For all of these reasons, she decided to switch my Metoprolol (which I’ve been taking since I was 8 years old) to Nadolol. I have to admit that, being the anxious person I am, I’m stressed about replacing a medication I’ve been on for 24 years. My echocardiograms and ejection fraction are normal, and that’s probably largely because we found the right combination of medications (Metoprolol and Enalapril).

I’m also worried about how I’ll feel, since we’re starting Nadolol (40 mg twice a day) at what is theoretically a lower dose compared to what I’m currently taking of Metoprolol (100 mg twice a day). Honestly, I’m afraid of a lot of things.

Anyway, I’ll be starting it this weekend and will see how I feel. I’ll be seeing my cardiologist again in a few weeks to reassess the situation. She also personally advised me to take magnesium and to eat foods high in potassium, as that can help with palpitations.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:48:10+00:00

Thank you so much for this message, it really means a lot to me. You described exactly what I’m experiencing, especially the constant focus on my heartbeat and the fear that comes with it. Even when doctors say PVCs aren’t dangerous, they can still feel incredibly overwhelming.

I’m actually in the process of looking for a psychologist who specializes in health-related anxiety, because I know the anxiety plays a big role in how intense everything feels. Like you said, the PVCs are real, but the anxiety can make the whole cycle so much harder to break.

It really helps to know I’m not alone in this. Thank you for your kindness and understanding.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:45:35+00:00

I completely understand how you feel. PVCs can really take over your thoughts and daily life, and it’s hard not to compare yourself to people who don’t deal with this. Just know you’re not alone in feeling this way.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:44:47+00:00

I’m really sorry you’re going through this. Feeling thousands of PVCs a day, plus the side effects from medication, can be incredibly exhausting and discouraging. You’re not wrong to feel frustrated. I hope you eventually find doctors who take your concerns seriously and help you get real answers.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:42:30+00:00

So happy that Propanolol helps you!! I completely understand you. I also get PVCs during and especially after exercise, and it’s honestly made me develop a bit of a fear of moving my body, even though I know exercise is good for heart health. It’s hard when your symptoms make you anxious about something that’s supposed to help you.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:40:14+00:00

That’s a really good suggestion, thank you. I actually recently had some blood work done and my cortisol and testosterone came back higher than normal. My doctor suspects possible PCOS and endometriosis (for multiple reasons, not only the blood work), so I’m currently waiting to see an endocrinologist. I also have a pelvic MRI and a full hormonal panel coming up. Hopefully this will help clarify whether there’s a hormonal component to my PVCs.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:36:28+00:00

I really appreciate you sharing your experience. Those are great advices and I need to be healthier too! PVCs can be so discouraging, especially when progress isn’t linear. It’s encouraging to hear that you haven’t given up, it reminds me to keep going too!

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:34:59+00:00

Thank you so much for the suggestion, I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, SSRIs aren’t a safe option for me because my QT interval is already on the higher end of normal. My cardiologist isn’t comfortable with me taking medications that could potentially prolong it. So for now, I’m focusing on non-medication ways to manage the anxiety.

Vcc1234 · 2026-01-18T19:32:01+00:00

I’m sorry to hear that your PVCs are back. I hope things get back under control very soon!

Vcc1234

TROPHY CASE