I've noticed it increasingly recently. I'm having breathing issues over the past 12 months which are - as yet - unidentifiable and so I find myself having to take deep inhales often.
As I'm already totally aware of my heart (and now my breathing) I've come to notice that, quite often, during an inhale my heart will 'pause' briefly and then pound a little when I exhale. It's almost like an ectopic but is clearly being caused by the process of inhaling too.
Anybody else have this and, if so, what does it 'mean'?
Written by
DaveT81
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
How long have you notice this? when you inhale the heart should beat a beat faster than fewer beats when you exhale i believe, i'm on Beta Blockers and when i exhale it can beat very slowly in between beats
It's been something I noticed over the past couple of months. Don't know if it's happening more at the moment or I'm just more aware of it.
I'm not on beta blockers, only meds I'm on is omeprazole and ramipril. I also take magnesium, taurine and l-arginine which are meant to help with ectopics.
I was on 20mg, the Doc said try 10mg and that worked just as well, now on 10mg every third day, its been 8 months and hoping to ween off completely by 12 months.
I was told that it’s not unusual. I find an ectopic beat can sometimes arise at the bottom of an exhalation. The pulmonary veins are a common source of ectopics, I was also told, and these are physically right next to other organs that are moved around a little while breathing - the trachea, gullet, diaphragm, vagus and stomach.
I find that I often have to take deep breaths, and I wonder whether having a hiatus hernia isn’t upsetting the diaphragm and pressing the vagus. I’m trying to get my GP to look into this.
I do find that anxiety is likely the worst part of all this, though.
Yes, I'm currently having issues with stomach and diaphragm as well. I have found that my ectopics and afib are very much vagally stimulated too which probably isn't helping.
What has had be a little more concerned recently though is that those brief ectopics (or pauses) have almost felt more like my heart has temporarily stopped, as I feel my breath catch when they occur in the past couple of days. It's absolutely ruining bed time for me too.
That must be worrying and I’m not sure if mine aren’t similar. I have read that in general it’s harmless, though. Maybe ask for a cardiac stress MRI instead of an echo? That would be far more precise and revealing and could also look at the top of the stomach and diaphragm.
Hi Steve. Thanks for asking. After a cardiac stress MRI last week, it seems my heart is normal, so what caused the flutter and fibrillation might yet prove to be the hiatus hernia. Knowing that has reduced my anxiety levels a good deal! I do wish cardiologists were more holistic instead of focusing entirely on the heart. It’s a failure of our medical system as I see it. I hope you’re well.
Yes thank you I am recovering well. I really do believe there is much more at play with our conditions. I have read a number of times that a hiatus hernia is one such problem that can make things worst. The holistic view is the way ahead for us, unfortunately not everyone agrees.
I had a similar problem years ago and doctors thought it was heart related. After one particularly scary episode, I had an angiogram and was told by my heart doctor that my arteries were clear, but the hiatus hernia was large and pushing into my chest cavity. I was advised to get it repaired. The symptoms were gone after the surgery. The hernia came back 10 years later along with the same symptoms. I had another more permanent hernia repair and symptoms are gone again. So there may be a connection between your symptoms and the hiatus hernia. I was told some people never get symptoms from hiatus hernias and others, like me, do.
It's crazy because a lot of the problems I'm having right now would be explained by a hiatus hernia but I don't have one.
Were the three of you found to have a hernia pretty easily or did it take a lot of investigation? I can't imagine it did, but I am clutching at straws currently.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Heart Failure 
Exercising Struggles & Heart Tests
Bradycardia with Pauses
Presistent atrial fibrilation
