Skipped heartbeats
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi all I'm new here,
Im 33 years old and have been experiencing a sensation of skipped heartbeats for a few weeks, they came on suddenly out of the blue. Went to my GP who carried out blood tests and an ECG. I was then referred to the hospital as the ECG readings were of concern. To cut a very long story short, my ECG was later conformed by a consultant that it was normal (my GP initially thought I had a heart attack!!!) she said that my Twaves were inverted which can sometimes indicate a heart attack but my traponian levels, x ray and echocardiogram were all completely normal. The consultant said that some people's TWaves look like mine and I should not be concerned and was discharged. The ECG didn't show a rhythm problem at that time but I am still feeling sensations of a skipped heartbeat and they happen everyday intermittently. I've asked my GP for a monitor to record these over a longer period so he can see what I mean, but he said because my echocardiogram was normal that there is no use for a monitor. He has advised me to work on managing my anxiety and to basically carry on as normal. The thing is I've had anxiety for years and never have i expereinced this before, I'm reassured that my heart scan was normal and showed no abnormalities but this doesn't explain why I keep getting skipped beats. I've now cut out caffeine, drinking more water and being more mindful of what I'm eating, but so far I'm still getting them. I've looked at this page and think I may have PVC's/PACs as I have the exact symptoms, but my GP won't do anything because of my normal Echocardiagram. It surely can't be healthy to have skipped beats all day? please can someone advise on what I can do to limit/stop them and if i should push for a holter monitor to confirm diagnosis? thank you
0 likes, 1 reply
JenRev aimee37909
Posted
Hi Aimee,
As you see by reading through this forum, PVCs and PACs (which are hard to distinguish) are very common. Most people here have very similar stories. And one of the themes is that we are all told that they are benign, and to just learn to cope with it. Sometimes that is exceedingly hard to do.
I have had arrhythmias for 27 years, have had several ablations procedures to help reduce atrial fibrillation; but ectopic beats (PVCs) come from a different source. In the same family, but different! And those have gotten much worse as I have aged (I am 61).
Please do request a Holter monitor test. You are entitled to an evaluation of these symptoms. If your GP won't order it, make an appointment with a cardiologist, preferably one with an expertise in heart rhythm (electrophysiologist.)
It's hard to give advice about what to do to stop or diminish PVCs. Different tactics work for different people, and you can read through this forum to see some of the things that people have tried. I believe it's very hard to influence your heart's electrophysiology through any external factors that you have control over. Your heart cells are gonna do what they are gonna do! That said, I have been on multiple medications over the years, and am now trying an alcohol-free, sugar-free, gluten free diet with increased exercise, increased protein, increased magnesium, and more sleep. Can't say whether this has helped but I feel very virtuous!
Good luck to you and to all of us. This is a very difficult malady to deal with.
Jen