I have heart palpitations daily that involve a pause in my regular rhythm and then a very hard beat that takes my breath away and shakes my chest. normal echo, i have pvcs and wenckebach. is having such extreme symptoms normal? can anything be done?

Yours r very common: symptoms of PVCs and the physiology producing these sensations are quite normal. The post PVC beat will be harder because the heart has more filling time and stretches. A stretched heart muscle will contract more forcefully resulting in your symptoms. There are MANY things that can be done to help alleviate your symptoms but this is not a sufficient space to explain further. See a cardiologist.

PVC's: I recommend that you be fully evaluated by a cardiologist who specializes in electrophysiology. It's important to know how many PVC's you have per 24 hours, whether they are multifocal,single or occur in couplets or runs,or occur with exercise. You have Wenckebach first degree AV block which is a conduction abnormality and affects choice of antiarryhthmic medications. Your Pvc's are symptomatic.

Conduction Disorder: Dr Friedlander explained why the beat following a pause is stronger; in addition, Wenckebach phenomenon refers to a conduction delay which can cause heart rhythm pauses. If the pauses are too long, one can experience dizziness or fainting; if symptoms persist, a pacemaker might be required. Dr Friedlander's recommendation to seek the opinion of a cardiologist is sound advice.

EP evaluation : Since you have symptomatic cardiac arrhythmia, I recommend evaluation by a Cardiologist specializes in Electrophysiology..I am glad that your echocardiogram is normal. By taking care of early, we can prevent future complications. Thanks