PVC's

Would like to know what anyone in the group is doing for their PVC's. Mine have become more concentrated in the last month, but have not previously had issues so I don't know much about them. Interested in what drugs help PVC's and also natural alternatives. I do keep my electrolytes in balance, using all the info here.

Thanks!

Lois

I have to take about 1500 mg of potassium gluconate a day to keep mine relatively calm. I take some slowly throughout the day in my water, then some more at night before bed. I also usually have on Low sodium v8, and try to eat high potassium foods. But the food wont do it alone, I need the potassium directly, and it works best on an empty stomach. I'm going to look into food sensitivities and possibly some spinal alignments to see if that helps. Really going off gluten seems to help also, although I've only been totally off it for about 4 days, but I've had less PVCs and have a lot more energy.

John

Good for you, John. I am as gluten free as I can get. Took an Amtrak trip recently and I had heavy PAC's and maybe PVC's after eating.
I even carried my own food as much as possible. It's a challenge. But I feel being GF is really important to staying in NSR for me.

While I supplement with MAG daily, I don't think I have paid enough attention to POT. I appreciate your suggestions and will try to take it particularly in the evening when I seem to have the most activity.

Here's to NSR!

Lois

John the amount of Potassium you are taking by supplement seems to be quite aggressive. Not to say that it is not warranted in your case, but I am wondering if you are testing before consuming that much. It is possible to take too much potassium and it can be dangerous. I understand it is actually used in some medical proceedures to stop the heart.

From my own experience with it, I had to supplement with a similar amount to what you are using at one time in the healing process. On a number of occassions my levels went too high and resulted in an uncomfortable hard heart beat. We are fortunate that George discovered the Cardy meter, which is used in the agricultural field, and can be bought on Amazon for a few hundred dollars. Testing regularily and often really helped a lot.

I don't know if my case would be typical, but I found that gradually over time I needed less and less potassium and today I don't take any.

The food sensativity test from ALCAT really helped me as did eliminating gluten.

Ron

I've taken up to 10g/day of potassium in bicarbonate and citrate forms without issue. My serum K levels are always normal. I'm not suggesting others do this, but if your kidneys function well, they will excrete excess potassium. My dose of potassium usually ranges in the 1-4g/day. I've had many years taking 4 g/day. Potassium can be deleterious if it builds up in your system.

For me, magnesium is more important than potassium. Keeping mag at bowel tolerance is more effective, for me, than potassium.

Dr. Moore, in his book The High Blood Pressure Solution: <[www.amazon.com] addresses potassium fears starting on p 316 (you can click on "look inside" and search on "extrarenal." He also notes it can take the body a few days to adjust to increased potassium intake using both renal and extrarenal mechanisms.

Testing with a Cardymeter, as Ron suggests, is the most precise way to go about it. You can also slowly increase your potassium intake and note whether your PVC's improve.

George

As George comments about Richard Moore's book... be sure to also check CR 72 about the importance of potassium in the sodium/potassium ion pump mechanism as it pertains to heart function and preventing atrial fibrillation.[www.afibbers.org]

1500 mg a day of potassium gluconate is a common dosage.
And definitely... healthy kidney function must be present for both potassium and magnesium supplementation to be safe.

The RDA for potassium is set at 4700 mg which is a very low number (yet certainly safe; albiet, conservative)... Vegetarians consume closer to 10,000 mg a day and typically, much more.

Also, as George mentions... you must have optimized your magnesium intracellularly before loading up on potassium because without abundant magnesium inside the cells, adding too much potassium can make arrhythmias or PVCs worse.

The Cardymeter is definitely useful but optimizing IC magnesium levels first is a priority.

Jackie

I had a PVC ablation with Dr Natale back in 2001. It took 11 hrs to find the source but he did and I am grateful. I could not live with them