I will LIVE to see ANOTHER day.....

Dr. Parkih's Diagnosis: Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)

Your heart is made up of four chambers — two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles). The rhythm of your heart is normally controlled by the (SA node) — or sinus node — an area of specialized cells located in the right atrium. This natural pacemaker produces the electrical impulses that trigger the normal heartbeat. From the sinus node, electrical impulses travel across the atria to the ventricles, causing them to contract and pump blood out to your lungs and body.

Premature ventricular contractions are abnormal contractions that begin in the ventricles. These extra contractions usually beat sooner than the next regular heartbeat. And they often interrupt the normal order of pumping, which is atria first then ventricles. As a result, the extra, out-of-sync beats are usually less effective in pumping blood throughout the body.

Why do extra beats occur? The reasons aren't always clear. Certain triggers, heart diseases or changes in the body can make cells in the ventricles electrically unstable. Underlying heart disease or scarring may also cause electrical impulses to be mis-routed.

Risk factors
The following stimulants, conditions and triggers may increase your risk of premature ventricular contractions:
Caffeine: CHECK
Alcohol: CHECK
Tobacco: NEGATIVE
High blood pressure (hypertension): NEGATIVE
Anxiety: CHECK
Underlying heart disease, including congenital heart disease, coronary artery disease, heart attack, myocarditis and cardiomyopathy CHECK

So, all in all, I'm fine. These are normal for me to have, but not for the extended period I was having them. Dr. Parikh believes that the scar on my heart is electrically charging extra heart beats, so there are a few options. Let it go and see what happens, if it continues to happen on a regular basis, then we medicate or go in and freeze the scar more so that it can't do it anymore, or finally the replacement valve surgery. Option 3 is not an option at this point. My heart funcation hasn't changed in a few years and I'm still feeling good enough, so therefore the surgery isn't warranted. The first step would obviously be to medicate, but we're not to that point yet. I do however, get to wear a very sexy heart monitor for the next month. Which means, I can't shower..........................gross!!! haaa, JK, don't worry I can take it off to shower, but not to sleep. BOOH!!