Palpitations, ectopic beats anyone?

[WilsonMilson]

I’ve had palpitations here and there over the years, but nothing like this.

For the past 2.5 weeks I’ve been having daily flutters, thuds, flutters and then thuds, fluttery feeling in throat, feel like heart stops at times and finally beats again.

It wouldn’t be so bad if it was just a few times a day, but it’s happening on and off ALL day. I get maybe half an an hours peace from it here and there and then it starts off again. It’s most disconcerting and came out of the blue with no rhyme nor reason.

Managed to see my GP today. He took my pulse which was a bit high but I am always that way at the doctor as I’m anxious, and blood pressure (it was ok) and said to come back on Monday for an ECG, blood tests and then he will arrange for me to have a 24 hour holter monitor test.

He thinks it’s ectopic beats and probably nothing serious, hopefully he’s right but it’s quite a worrying feeling and half convinced I’m going to keel over at any moment.

Wondering if anyone had any experience of this and if so, any advice. I’m in my mid forties so I’m wondering if it could be hormone related.

Yes, it's horrible isn't it. My ectopics got worse at start of perimenopause, so it could be hormonal. But I find some foods set it off, or just having indigestion in general (called gastro-cardiac syndrome). You must get it checked out but if it is begnign ectopics, try not to worry, as stress makes it worse. I find magnesium helps. (For me, mag lotion/oil is the only option as the aforementioned indigestion rules out oral supplementation). Dr Gupta, an NHS consultatant in York has many useful videos on YouTube about ectopics.

Thanks, it’s been particularly awful the last few days, it’s been practically all the time, every few beats, and its making me very anxious which I’m sure isn’t helping. Have an ECG and bloods on Monday.
Trying to drink lots of water, am spraying on magnesium oil and avoiding heavy meals. Have cut down caffeine to one coffee a day which is making me rather grumpy, but I would do anything not to feel like this.

Your Gp has suggested all the right things.
I'd also suggest trying some mindfulness or meditation to try and help you relax. The Headspace app is a good place to start.
Sending sympathy as I have my own cardiac issues RN so I know it's very worrying

I have ectopic beats and mine are stress related.

I try to work less (I work for myself so can choose my hours). I have stopped shouting at cars and watching any tv that got me annoyed or stressed (mainly political stuff). Basically avoid anything that gets in your nerves. If people annoy you by what they say just let it go.

Exercise is good because of the endorphins.

Getting anxious makes it worse so when it happens tell yourself that they are just extra beats and not a heart attack.

Good luck. You can manage them and learn to cope with them.

Thanks, I have been quite stressed lately and have a very short fuse these days. I’ve also been too busy at work and a few ongoing stresses. Need to manage that better and try to relax more.

Horrible feeling, hope it eases soon, but hope it’s bad during the ECG so they pick it up, will be just my luck for it to be fine when they do it. At least my GP wants a 24 hour monitor too, but not sure what the wait time for that will be. If I know it’s not a serious problem then hopefully just the knowledge that I’m not about to drop dead will help!

@WilsonMilson
Hi 👋
This is an old thread, just wanted to know how u are doing now. How were your results from the 24hr ecg and other tests?

I am going through daily palpitations for the past 4 weeks they happen after 2 to 3 hours like a flutter in my chest. However, I am able to sleep at night they are not prominent at that time. I am getting the 24hr ecg monitor this Friday and have been referred to a cardiologist. I have been to A&E quite a few times but they ruled out any acute heart related issue based on chest x ray, ecg and blood tests to check troponin.

@Bighugs88 hi, it’s funny revisiting and old thread and reading again how worried I was about this last year. The good news is that I’m doing fine and things are much improved! I also now know lots about heart issues and have had a bunch of tests.

So, my 24 hour holter monitor showed that I was experiencing both PACs and PVCs. These are ectopic beats, the PACs are premature atrial beats, and the PVCs are premature ventricular beats - basically they are both premature beats that originate in different parts of the heart. They are completely benign in most cases and very common. They cause feelings of fluttering, or a skip and a thud, actually pretty horrible sensations that can be alarming but in most cases are totally safe and just one of those things.

In my case they also discovered that I had a type of heart block, which sounds dramatic, but doesn’t mean a blockage, rather it is an electrical misfiring which causes pauses between beats - it was happening independently of the ectopic beats. It’s also quite common, and unless you have third degree block (which I do not) then they don’t do anything about it and it’s nothing to worry about. Many young athletes have heart block, also lots of people have it but don’t know about it. I’d probably had it all my life.

My cardiologist also ordered an echo which was totally normal and he was totally disinterested in the palpitations, said they were fine and nothing to be concerned about. There is a type of magnesium which seems to help me - Magnesium Taurate which can help ease skipped beats, although I don’t take it all the time. Dr Gupta from York Cardiology on YouTube is a good resource for learning more about that. Another thing to try is make a fist and to blow hard into it, feeling the resistance as you try to blow - seems to help any Vagus nerve issues causing palps. Splashing cold water on your face is also another trick.

I’m much better now, still get palps here and there but nothing like they were. I find I go through periods when they are a bit worse and then they just go again, so not getting stressed about it is key, keeping calm and not focusing on it is easier said than done but really is vital. Knowing that they are benign and nothing to worry about has also helped a lot. I’m mid forties and I think my age has a lot to do with the increase in the irregular beats, it’s just one of those things we have to cope with.

Wishing you well, I’m sure you will be fine! It’s not a nice sensation but it’s rarely ever anything to worry about.