Exercise and PVC's

Time to review PVC's!  As mentioned in my early blogs, I suffer from PVC's.  I could have had them my entire life, but my open heart surgery made me aware(and my doctors!) of them!  As a review on PVC's, take a look at the Cleveland Clinic Website:

Premature Ventricular Contractions

Remember, the Cleveland Clinic is the top heart hospital in the country!  As a review, this is how I discovered my PVC's:

1 - Had Quintuple Open Heart Surgery December 13, 2010.

2 - Began cardiac rehab, January 2011.  After second session was "kicked out" of rehab, because I was having PVC's during my exercise program.

3 - Had a second heart cath - all by-passes were working fine.

4 - Changed my beta-blocker Metoprolol from 25mg to 50mg to 100mg and continued to have PVC's.  And they seemed to occur at a lower heart rate.  First, the PVC's came at a heart rate of 95-100. Then, on 100mg, the PVC's came at 90-95.

5 - To make a long story, short, after experimenting with my metoprolol, we agreed on 25mg.  The more I used, the more lethargic I felt.  And the PVC's were not interfering with my exercise.  I just managing them and worked passed the PVC's.

After 3 and 1/2 years I still have the PVC's.  I wear a hear monitor - a Polar Watch with a band around my chest.  I know I have the PVC's, because the monitor goes crazy around 95 to 110 heart rate.  As I increase my pace, the monitor will read - 75 - 80 - 85 - 90 - 95 - 191!  If I back off my intensity to 90-95 heart rate, the PVC's stop!

So, I continue to exercise, but keep a watchful eye on my monitor.  I really do not "feel" the PVC's, but I get the strange reading on the heart monitor.

I continue to exercise and try to maintain a positive mental approach!  More on that later!