Coffee causing ectopic heartbeats?

[ineedtospeakup]

Long history of health anxiety/OCD since I was a child. Since age 16 it's focused on heart problems.

When I get anxious, or do anything that raises my heart rate, I get ectopic beats. I've had lots of tests - only thing I've not had is an MRI but have had everything else. Had a normal echo last night and a normal 3 day monitor about six weeks ago.

Stupidly I went out earlier and had an iced coffee. Normally I wouldn't touch coffee with a bargepole, but was feeling confident after last night - and now I'm in skipped beat central and struggling not to panic.

I'm trying to remember what I've been told in therapy, to check once and once only and then move on, but struggling - my brain's shouting at me to go to A&E, I need to stay rational over this but struggling. It's normal for coffee to do this isn't it?

Yes I was told it was normal

If you've had a normal echo and normal monitor it's likely just palpitations. I get them from time to time, often after coffee or wine. They aren't dangerous.

Caffiene can cause palpitations as can anxiety, but palpitations and ectopics are NOT dangerous. You have had the tests and reassurance that nothing is amiss so just ignore them.

Thank you. It's driving me mad trying to sit with it and not react as my anxiety wants me to (ie not going straight to A&E). I haven't had them like this in months, the last time the cause was alcohol.

Get busy and I guarantee you'll forget about it. Exercise, sport, walking all good for you and for anxiety.

My adult DS gets palpitations. Worse when anxious but also triggered by adrenaline, caffiene and alcohol. He had all the tests including electrophysiology and the cardiologist told him to just learn to live with it. I myself have an arythmia so I do know what it feels like.