Ectopic heart beats linked to indigestion.

I too have noticed my ectopics occur with gas. I've had many today (PACS) and always need to pass wind. After passing wind they calm down a little.

Diet cola, spicy food, sugar, chocolate, coffee ... all triggers. I can't touch any of these (and more).

What I find helps is exercising. I'll jump some rope, or do some pullups. They go away. They seem to attack when I'm relaxing and doing nothing much. Once they start they're hard to stop.

Lying on my side is a trigger. Lying on my stomach is a no go (my mom says that helps hers, but not mine). Anything that causes my organs to be crushed is a no go position. Sitting up has started to become a problem. Only time I get rest is lying proped up on a pillow in bed but this is uncomfortable.

It sucks real bad.

Hi

I know this is an old post but I too have this problem, and have struggled to find any website with information. My own doc doesn't seem to take it seriously. I've had ectopics on and off for about 30 years. When they start, they're always followed by gnawing pain in left side under shoulder blade and round the ribs. It feels like trapped wind, a good burp helps which kind of confirms it! Although it's still a worry tht my heart triggered it! I've had echo, ecgs, treadmill, all negative, although a while ago. I'm on beta blockers for anxiety, which is made a million times worse when these little blighters start dancing! Anyway, wouldn't wish them on anyone, but in the same breath, nice to know I'm not alone! 

I’m 26 and I’ve suffered from ectopics since I was about 13. My family has a long history of heart failure and I have an enlarged right atrium. I’m overweight and they seem to think losing weight will get rid of them, except after I exercise they get so much worse. When I have my monthlies, they also get worse. 

Hi, following my post when I'd had an ECG confirming my palpitations are ectopic beats, I've had a 24 hr heart monitor and blood tests. I thought I'd share the results as it might help others.  They both came back as no action required. On the 24 hr monitor I had over 60 ectopic beats. This is an average day for me at the moment. I can have more and a lot less. It's good that it's not a health risk and that I don't need medication but because they're benign I'm left to my own devises to manage them.  So now is my plan is to focus on my health as I've been in a state of anxiety which unfortunately leads to insomnia, over-eating and no proper exercise.  I have been doing mindfulness for the last month which is helping me to recognising unhelpful thinking and I'm learning  to calm myself.  I'm convinced my palpitations are linked to digestion, IBS and anxiety but have yet to find a definitive trigger. 

My 24 hr holter test also showed c 60 Ectopics ...12 ventricular and 48  supaventricular. Seems to happen the test was run when I was in midst of a very settled period.  . No concern at all to the cardio team but  since have suffered a bad spell with c 1000+ ectopics daily. Am told cardio only really concerned if exceed 3000 a day! Seems a huge figure. Also fairly constant cost pain but difficult to identify if relates to these beats or stems from hiatal hernia also have.  Constant quandary..if is the Hernia then also effects the heart which further enforces the bagus nerve connection. 

I CAN TOTALLY EMPHASIZE WITH ALL OF THESE POSTS!...they are maddening

I AM GOING THROUGH AN EPISODE WITH THE DREADFUL SKIPS CURRENTLY....

It really is awful......scary, and what gets me is - they eventually go away and all is well for awhile....

then they return......I can relate to all of us here...and bless us all for sharing.

Just a little background on me. I am 37 years old and I have slight cardiomegaly. Its not bad but it came from unregulated high blood pressure. I must have had high blood pressure for years without knowing. Once I found that out, I always wonder whats goin on with my heart. I feel as though I have a develop some anxiety because of it. Maybe 4 years ago I started getting ectopic heartbeats. Very mild at first but then sometimes they would literally drive me crazy and scare me. Went to the ER a few times not knowing what else to do. After awhile I got used to them. I was prescribed Nexium but that didnt work for long. It was as if my body got immune to it. Then I got prescription Protonix. I also started increasing my potassium intake which seemed to work. Coconut water and bananas are good for it. It was a life saver......for awhile. I feel as though doctors have no clue about them. The beats are definitely affected by what you eat. Especially if you lay down flat after eating or eat lying in the bed like me. I woke up this morning tired of dealing with it and read these posts and looked for other info on Google. Then I found it and I realize we make things more complicated then they should be and the answers for things we worry about are usually the simplest ones. FIBER!!!! I dont eat any fiber ever unless by default when I eat some greens once in a blue moon. Fiber has a direct correlation to the amount of acid reflux you have. For the first time in my life it seems, I woke up and ate some oatmeal. When I tell you it gave me instant relief and a sense of well being. No more impending doom feeling. No more back to back beats. I didnt do anything but thank God for the relief. Even my esophogitis seems to be getting better my the minute. I thinknI have developed esophogitis of some sort and it seems to cause the ectopic beats for me. Its mild version, but I can tell it affects my throat and its irritated. Self diagnosis by the way but I know thats it or a severe irritation. I will be eating fiber all day everyday. Potassium and magnesium work for me as well but for short stents. Fiber is my new best friend. I will be eating this slimy bland oatmeal forever. I feel like it not only helps my digestion issues but also coats my esophagus. Hope this helps

I am a 39yo male and these darned things reared their ugly head in January and scared the hell out of me, it was the first time I'd ever experienced anything like it.

Anyway, after a battery of tests and a visit to a cardiologist it had been determined to be these pain the butt ectopics, I was told not to worry they're quite common. I was prescribed beta blockers and after a month or so the ectopics had disappeared, with quite a lot of relief from me.

Fast forward to early October and one day they came back out of now where with vengeance, to the point I was so light headed I couldn't drive to a medical centre. I got the ambulance out and off to hospital I went but by the time I arrived they had disappeared the darn things. Of course nothing interesting found and I was sent on my way, this happened again a week later, again reassuring me before I left they are no big deal.

Still not satisfied I went to my GP, for a few weeks we were at a loss what had suddenly triggered them, to cover all bases I was sent for X-rays, turns out a change in my diet to drop a few pounds had an effect I hadn't paid much attention to, constipation, it surprised us both. Treatment for that has improved the ectopic situation but I am still getting them from time to time when eating or not long after. I do quite honestly believe there is a direct correlation with our digestive system and these ectopics.

My GP tends to agree but as for treatments he's at a loss except the usual doctor lectures, I have found the total elimination of caffeine has helped it's rare now for me to have it, increased fibre for more regular bowel movements is playing a part I believe, time will tell if there is any dramatic improvement. Cutting down alcohol I don't believe made a great difference, without realising it at a birthday party a few weeks back I drank quite a lot more than I usually would and not a single beat out of place.

Smaller food portions more often is something I am going to trial and see what happens.

The only other time I notice an increase in their occurrence is after a stressful situation, they arise after, hang around for a bit then go away.

I guess it's trial and error finding each persons triggers, but definitely mine is stress and digestive issues.