Ectopic beats everyday

They are horrible and scary and can really affect your life.

I had a one to one meeting at work on friday and had to stop it for a bit as was getting loads literally every 2nd or 3rd beat which lasted for a couple of minutes. I wondered if it was because i was a little anxious!?? But can get them anytime even when im totally relaxed in bed.

I do find they come on worse though if im stressed and feeling anxious.

I did start with the magnesium but have stopped this now...and thinking about it now....they have got worse.

I guess the only reassuring thing is that you've had all the tests etc and all is ok so that should being some piece of mind.

Nice to hear from you Gap!

I too get lots of these wretched things together.

The irregularity of them really scares me.

Unless you get them I don't think you can understand what it feels like.

Its also annoying when they dont show up on ecgs. You just want someone to see what is happening.

I'm glad you had a couple of weeks free of them. Make the most of any time. I get them most days.

If you have any way of relieving them try it. Or try and do something relaxing to try and take your mind off them.....hard I know.

The one thing specialists seem to say is that as long as its beating someway these ectopics dont actually do your heart any damage. So as long as you are ok after an episode try not to worry too much. Again I know its hard.

Keep happy and everyones thinking of you.

Gap

Its reassuring to hear from you and sorry that you get them every day.

I normally get a few every day which is fine but seems when a bad spell comes in just goes on for ages. Luckily i dont feel poorly with them just anxious and bothersom.

I do sometimes think surely these beats put pressure on the heart and will cause some kind of problem in the long run?

So how many on average do you think you suffer from a day? I just counted 27 ectopics in the last hour. This is how sad i am. I just downloaded a contraction timer for labour and hit the contraction timer everytime i felt one. So yeh 27 and i had 8 mins with none. This seems to be taking over my life at the mo.

Thanks you for your words it has made me feel a bit better ☺☺

I can get an ectopic every 4th or 5th beat of my heart sometimes so can get 27 in under 5 minutes. They're not always like that but it does happen. Then sometimes I can get a fluttering where it feels every beat is not right. The most I've had of those is 12 one after another. When this happens I do feel unwell for a while.

I dont know if all irregular heartbeats are ectopics or arrythmias.

I have tried to locate help groups where its possible to meet people and see what their hearts feel like but have no luck. I am in England .... are you and do you know of any such groups?

I have only been getting these for the past 3 or 4 years and dont know what triggers them....but it seems alot of people have had them for many more years and a lot of the ladies say they started in pregnancy...but as a man thats one thing I cant blame.

Keep positive.

Best wishes

Gap

Well mine did start in pregnancy and have had them now for over 3 yrs. They seem to get worse the older i get.

I do not know of any groups but sure would find one helpful. I am in England but think there are a couple on this group from the states.

Its so strange how they just appear out of nowhere.

I find on days when i get a bad run of them i am moody and loose my patience. I find i am less tolerent too.

Do you ever get days where you only have a few?

Define a few...

I'm relieved if I get hours where I only get a few.

Before this year I could go a while without getting any but unfortunately my wife passed away just before xmas with motor neurone aged only 48 and they have been pretty constant since then. My doctor is not surprised at this saying stress and grief could easily be making them worse but still can do nothing to alleviate them.

I dont feel they affect my mood as in making me short tempered but they certainly affect my mood making me feel down...which this post has probably done to you...sorry.

Try and keep smiling and if you were pregnant three years ago hopefully that means you have a little toddler now and they will just make everything seem better.

Take care.

Gap

Hopefully in time the ectopics will become less for you. You sound like a very brave man indeed with all that you've been through and can only assume that they have increased due to your loss last year.

Yes i do have a nearly 3 year old. And she is amazing and makes me laugh every day. However when she decides to throw a paddy in the middle of the street or in the middle of the night i definetly notice an increase in beats then.

Interesting point Penropennies about artificial sweetners. I swapped to sweeners in tea and coffee about 6 weeks ago as trying to be good. I only have about 3 or 4 cups a day but maybe that could be a contributing factor.

@emily1982 Hey Emily just wanted to see how you are doing now?

hi, new to this forum, so glad it exists. and i can tell you that i was feeling like i mustn't be a very strong person because of the regular statements from doctors that these aren't anything to worry about... they may be nothing to worry about, but they knock me down pretty much every time, and render me useless. i have to find a place to sit down or lay down right away if one comes on. i have had afib for 4-5 years, those took me out as well, pretty much every day, and the after effects would keep me exhausted for the rest of the day... i have had 2 ablations for the afib, with the second one being the one to solve the issue. i went afib free for a year, and for the first time in years, felt like my regular self (thought i'd never feel normal again)... recently started having them again, periodically and not as severe, they felt a little different this time around also. that was a month or 2 ago, and now i can say that they're happening every day, and most of them take me out now. But they still seem to feel a little bit different, still as intense, and still the same result, lasting hours.... but after my umpteenth time with a 2 week holter monitor, it was discovered that it's not afib this time, now it's these ectopic beats... no fun at all, and so hard to explain to people what you're going through. having a whole bunch of folks out there who know exactly what it feels like, is kinda sadly reassuring, at least i know i'm not crazy..... i feel for everyone here, maybe these are not serious, but they can be debilitating nonetheless, it's no way to live... take magnesium as well, not a huge difference... i have a couple of issues that don't help things, i don't sleep well, and i'm quite stressed at the moment, and tend to be anxious to begin with. hard to quite the brain, meditation helps, at least in 4 second chunks lol (i think i'm getting better at it now, but maybe not).. thanks for being here, my brothers and sisters , like someone above said, we're all in this together.. peace, love, and togetherness

doug

What worries me about these blasted beats is that one day they might just keep coming one after the other with no normal beats inbetween...and would that then not be really serious and potentially turn in to AF?

I too worry that they could worsen into something else. I don't know if AFs are a condition themselves or result from other things like ectopics.

I just wonder if everybodys ectopics are the same or are individual to each person as it seems there is no cure just different reliefs for different people.

Just keep loving your daughter and anyone else close to you and try and be positive during any good days.

Best wishes

Gap .

Im lucky as i have a friend who is a paramedic and often ring her when i get worried. She tells me that as long as they arent one after the other then not to worry. Easier said than done. I find them worse whilst sitting down. So again im counting them this evening and having about 4 a minute. Trying to read my book but they are just interfering.

Thank you for your words it does make so much difference to know other people experience the same.

Mine feel like pauses and then a massive thud felt in my chest and throat. All i can liken them too is hiccups of the heart or heart thuds. Do yours sound similar to that? And do you take any medication like beta blockers?

The feeling I get is of irregularity and rapid beats over a few seconds.

My daughter felt my pulse the other day for the first time (she is 25) and her words were 'dad thats all over the place'

When its not happening my rate is quite slow so when I tried beta blockers they just slowed it more and didnt stop the ectopics so I came off them.

Hope you find comfort soon along with everyone else

Sleep well.... its the only time we don't notice them

Gap

Recent tests I have had have shown everything's structurally normal as was the same 7years ago too, when scans etc etc were done.

The vagus nerve is involved I believe this, it aggrieves me that cardiologists don't look further into this - the not life threatening comments are not enough when your daily routine is halted because of the effects of ectopics and their frequency and unexpected interruptions.

I bought a heart monitor recently so I could check myself - it hooks up to my pc for print outs - I need to set it up and when I do I will be taking the readings to my doctor.

In the interim I have been staying off sugar as much as is possible and I feel a decrease in the ectopics but can't be sure it's not just a calm spell.

I have had massages done on my left shoulder, arm and back to see if this helps as feel tightenings in that shoulder area when the ectopic last are happening.

At a loss but hanging on!