Will I ever get better??

Well, you just never know. I probably walked around with some minor congenital arrhythmias most of my life, undiagnosed, until well after age 50, and now even more than ten years later they're still not diagnosed. They do change a bit over time. The diagnosis and treatments change over time, as the technology improves. But it's still a big, gray area, it seems to me.

I gather you are not taking any drugs for them? Probably prefer not to use drugs on someone your age, but if the conditions do not improve, at some point there are a couple of things to try.

Meanwhile do what you can, just live with them as best you can, and see if you're lucky enough to have it just go away at some point.

Dear Micaela,

Firstly I want to say how much I relate to this, although I have had different symptoms. I'm a worrier and when I have had long ish terms bouts of palpitations they can get me down.

For me it's ectopics and although they said they were benign, having 1600 to 2000 a day wasn't fun. I have had them maybe 4 times in a ten year period where they can last months..

For me, once I have had the reassurance after some tests each time it helps, also I try and make some very positive lifestyle changes and stop freaking out as I do when I get them. Easier said than done always but I try my best and just lean into and trust God.

Plus I have met sooooo many lovely people on forums that have had them for years and are absolutely fine! Often decades lol so this helps encourage me to chill. Talking about it as you are with others that know and understand what your going through is very positive, so well done for reaching out!

I also have had this thing that started maybe 7 or 8 years ago. Where my heart beats harder all the time that an average person. Ie you can see it beat in my chest, though a t-shirt if you look closely etc. My heart Dr said he had only ever seen that in someone with an enlarged heart,. but guess what? They checked and rechecked on echos and it was not and has never been enlarged or on echos in subsequent years, but I still have and I'm fine. He said don't worry, but like you I wanted and needed answers so looked on line and found that just like me there are people all round the world that have these constant more powerful heartbeats and they are all fine too, many who have had them over 10 years, so although my consultant never got to the bottom of it he is happy as im ok. It was very encouraging to hear from others who had it and were fine too. Also my ecg has a slight shape to it that you tend to see in people that have had heart attacks, they checked me over and said basically that's its just my normal heart beat, ie normal for me. A bit like if someone is very tall, they check to see if they are just "very tall" or they have a condition causing it. For me its just how my heart beats they said and so it's "my Normal" . I'm used to it now and so I'm fine. My last bout of very regular atrial ectopics palpitations came a few months back, being honest some nice loving lifestyle changes helped me over time, that and a 24 ecg machine and echo scan reassured me. It was all normal and OK. for me it was a very stressful time with lots of pressures at work and home, I'm 45 I was 3 stone over weight, was smoking again and no gym etc. Lots of takeaways and sugar and choc (not my freinds) out of fear I started some gentle excercise again, better diet stopped smoking and worked as best I could on acceptance of the palpitations and relaxing with them, not always easy things to do for me as I can suffer from anxiety and ocd.

But, I'm sat here now, and for the last few weeks they have gone again pretty much, but they had lasted a few months, and really got me down at the time. This is why I was keen to write, I think it's good to have tests and listen to the reassurance, it's important and comforting, I held onto that, if under your docs guidence you can gentle excercise , swim etc I cross trainer for 30 mins few times a week, it just seems to help, or walking and listening to nice music. Always check with your doc first that it's cool to excercise. I guess like me with my unexplained palps etc it was always nice to hear from someone else that has had things for years and is still fine, I take great comfort in this and you should too. I do think that our bodies can have "quirks" and yes indeed can change and just resolve on their own over time. I really feel for you, but it's great you reached out for chats, just talk to more people as you are, I'm sure that like me you will find lots of people who have had them for years and they stopped or calmed down or even carried on for decades and they are absolutely completely fine. I think with my forceful heart beat that is with me all the time, I could only be scarred for so long, litteraly, you have these things for so long, nothing really bad ever happens, and your brain goes "I'm fine, they don't do anything to me so whatever!lol. Now I'm usually not even aware of it. The ectopics may return in full force again and I will have a whole more checks etc. But at the end of the day, I remind myself now that I have been here before, and have always been OK, so I just try and chill, trust my lovely Dr and accept the palpd, and try love and look after myself with excercise, better diet, no choc and caffeine. And share with others, it all takes the edge off a bit M.

I hope you feel a lot better soon, and have said a little prayer for you to not be stressed. Hope this is ok.

Blessings

Mark 😃