Extra heart beats and feeling faint

[Hazel1010]

Morning all , I’ve been getting lots of spells of extra heart beats , got appointments at cardiology etc but for the last few days I’ve felt really woozy , light headed and unsteady anyone else had this , all the doctors I’ve seen are not phased by my hours long episodes and have lots of different opinions as to what’s going on but at the moment and to be honest this is getting scary , any thoughts

[BobD Volunteer]

Just try the slow deep breathing exercise which is known to help control ectopic such as this. Breath from your diaphragm not your shoudlers and slow things down to six or less breaths per minute for at least five minutes, longer if possible. (With practise you can get much slower.)

[Buffafly]

If you are feeling like that when relaxed and after trying controlled breathing to rule out hyperventilation I should get medical advice - 111 if necessary 💜

[Hazel1010 in reply to Buffafly]

Believe me I’ve tried , I’m hanging in there I’ve got a cardiology appointment tue morning I am like the weakest link compared to a month or so ago

[doodle68]

Hi Hazel I have something similar.Following a long episode of P-AF on Monday I have just had 2 days of ectopics/hot flushes/breathlessness and feeling generally unwell. My saving grace is I know these episodes usually go away and I attribute mine to my heart being ' irritable ' after the P-AF and a low heart rate due to beta blockers. Thankfully I feel better today.

I have tried so many things to to terminate these episodes without success. The EP I spoke to about it seemed unconcerned and as usual suggested an ablation . The arrhythmia nurse said take magnesium which I do.

I think the best I can do at these times is to help my heart by not working it too hard so as with P-AF episode I do slow measured breathing and use relaxation techniques.

If you find a solution please tell me

I won't ring 111, I am pretty sure they will suggest A&E and I know where I live there is little help to be had there these days.

[Hazel1010 in reply to doodle68]

A&E were brilliant a few days ago although I got an über rather than wait hours for an ambulance, they reassured me and got me appointments moved up to this coming Tuesday rather than 6 weeks on .I’m either racing heart beat , low heart beat or double heart beats for ages not a few min and dizzy on and off all the time ….

I do all the breathing types try mind over matter etc etc and it’s driving me nuts , I’ll let you know what happens with the next appointment

[Maggimunro in reply to Hazel1010]

Hi HazelYes I understand your worry. Your symptoms sound very like mine when I had SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) or rapid but steady heartbeat. I would go dizzy and faint when sitting down and relaxed. I came around once with my head in the lap of a friend sitting next to me. A bit embarrassing really!

I had a right atrial ablation, quick fix, and not had a single episode since.

Sounds like you need a 7 day Holter to capture these odd and unpredictable events.

[Hazel1010 in reply to Maggimunro]

I’ve done the 7 day and true to form nothing showed up , I’ve caught episodes on my cardio ecg at home and the hospital recorded loads when I was in hospital, it either on and off for a week or disappears for two weeks , no common denominator

[AussieHeart in reply to Hazel1010]

Reckon you have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. They had to insert a loop monitor to pick up mine as Murphy’s law it never happened on the two occasions I wore a holter monitor. It’s a small procedure requiring local anesthetic that a dentist would use extracting a tooth so not invasive. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Ask your cardiologist to refer you to a cardiac electrophysiologist. It could be vagal or adrenergic driven. So bloods/urine should be checked too. Just my two cents. Mine is driven by both factors so I can massage the vagus nerve to help but with the hormone dump it’s often caused by foods. That’s harder to work out but aged cheese, spicy food, alcohol, too much coffee and some chocolates set off irregular heartbeats, fast heart rate, etc. worth a chat and investigating cause for best treatment.

[Hazel1010 in reply to AussieHeart]

I have no idea had a message at half six tonight from my doctors to say GTN spray at chemist , please use it if you have pain for more than 5 mins , if pain doesn’t subside call 999 , great considering chemist closed and our ambulance response times are something like 6 hours at the moment and that’s not a knock at the NHS , I’ll bear your comments in mind for Tuesday appointment 😊

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

My doctors never require a urine test for some reason; what information does this test show that relates to the heart? I have continuous ectopics as well.

[AussieHeart in reply to MonarchsAB]

It’s not routinely done. Yet amazingly It was mentioned in the afib cure book. Serotonin [5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT)] causes increase in heart rate, increase in force of contraction, fibrosis of cardiac valves, coronary constriction, arrhythmias and thrombosis. Catecholamines are checked via urine or blood. My aFIB is paroxysmal so the EP wouldn’t order the tests yet he said as you have to suspect aFIB cause is by hormonal dumping of serotonin/catecholamines. My symptoms mimic dysautonomia so the neurologist says will check it. It’s for those of us whose aFIB isn’t easily explained and we’re being investigated. I suspect we all should be investigated. Being told they can’t cure or know why you get aFIB is medical negligence .

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

Thank you! That information is very helpful. I find that I have continuous PACs after eating, and the Metropolol doesn’t seem to help much.

[AussieHeart in reply to MonarchsAB]

They put me on Sotalol first but switched to Bisoprolol as I understand these two BetaBlockers inhibit catecholamine stimulation! It’s hard to understand but find a soecialist with an interest in dysautonomia as it affects millions… in USA over 70 million have it

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

This could very well be my problem. Does the Bisoprolol help you? And what changes have you had to make in your daily diet?

[AussieHeart in reply to MonarchsAB]

Yes lowest dose 1.25mg at about 8pm at night helps me sleep better and my diet changes are to follow pretty much a Mediterranean diet but minus alcohol with low FODMAP elements thrown in. Sweets are out and a rare treat a few times a year. This works for me. You have to track your symptoms and what you eat for about 3 months and take it to an EP or gastroenterologist or dietician who understands / has an interest in dysautonomia

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

Thanks, you’ve been really helpful!

[AussieHeart in reply to MonarchsAB]

Also try to drink 2 litres (8-12 glasse) of water per day and include a hydrolite if like me suffer from overheating easily, dehydration and knock-on symptom of constipation. I get migraines too. Bloody horrible at times as I feel every vibration (almost vertigo and dreaded noise and light sensitivity when having what I call a “flare”. I never know if it’s dysautonomia or morphed from irregular heart into aFIB so I throw everything at it hoping one or all measures help.

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

Yes I’ve been trying harder to stay hydrated. Do you recommend any supplements? I already take magnesium and taurine.

[AussieHeart in reply to MonarchsAB]

Yes vit D (but get your levels checked as mine were really low). Ditto for thiamine, b1, B6 and B12. We looked for any “low” readings and supplemented it if I couldn’t raise it via diet. All the above for me were on or just above the bottom range. I’m trying to talk my GP into allowing me to have a B12 injection for fatigue but she fobs me off even though it cones back on the baseline every time. I’m only allowed to be tested annually for B12. So I plan to ask the gastroenterologist next week what he thinks about that as he put me on magnesium when my GP and EP were undecided. I think it’s helping. So now I take 1g magnesium daily but haven’t added taurine which is listed in The AFIB Cure book. I’m sure there’s many more things we can be doing but it’s time that tells what works and in the meantime we feel lousy

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

Yes, it’s hard to tell sometimes what’s helping and what isn’t. I think magnesium definitely helps though. I’ll have to discuss with my cardiologist perhaps switching from Metropolol to Bisoprolol.

[AussieHeart in reply to MonarchsAB]

Both are adrenergic so I don’t think one is better than the other unless your cardiologist agrees your symptoms may improve. So much to know and learn and you need a really good cardiologist or cardiac electrophysiologist to help you and most won’t or don’t have time rxlist.com/how_do_adrenergi...

[MonarchsAB in reply to AussieHeart]

Thanks for the link to the article. Metropolol used to work very well for me, but lately for some reason not as well. I’ll have to discuss it with my cardiologist. I’ve never been to an electrophysiologist so that’s something to consider. So far I don’t have Afib but with these continuous PACs I worry that they could turn into Afib.

[Cos56 in reply to AussieHeart]

Massage the vagus? Please tell me how.

[Hazel1010 in reply to Cos56]

Hi, I looked on you tube, I watch Sukie Baxter ( there are lots of others) and she shows some simple massage techniques 😊

[AussieHeart in reply to Cos56]

See Hazel1010’s reply. For me putting my legs up high, rubbing left and right neck help.

[Hazel1010 in reply to AussieHeart]

Good idea I’ll give it a go but most of mine happens when I’m out and my kids think I’m embarrassing enough as it is 😂😂 you’ve got to laugh or sit bloody crying 😂

[AussieHeart in reply to Hazel1010]

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[Hazel1010 in reply to AussieHeart]

😂😂😂😂

[doodle68 in reply to Hazel1010]

Hi Hazel I guess it depends on where you live . I was advised not to try the local A&E at the moment by someone who works there. With 15 ambulances queuing most of the time, no beds and a recent cardiac arrest of someone after a long wait to be seen, at 72 yo I stick it out at home. If the worst happens better in my own home in lavender scented Egyptian cotton sheets with dignity than in an ambulance or on a trolley . 😀

[Hazel1010 in reply to doodle68]

That’s very true 😊

[JohnEagel]

Hi mate,

Yeah, our beloved ectopic. I had my ablation in 2017 and PAfib is solved but the ectopic I developed over time, at the beginning more scary then Afib. It took me years to come to terms with them. Some days they are all over and many. Some times just a few and sometimes they are gone altogether but they come back again and again.

I take metoprolol, diovan and Pradaxa.

We all know it can be difficult to ignore the extra beats and it is easier said than done. But with time you will be able to control your reaction to them.

Fingers crossex and may the force be with you

J

[Hazel1010 in reply to JohnEagel]

😂😂😂 and with you , thank you for your reply 😊

[ruskin10]

Hi, I had a similar time on a plane to Malaga 2 years ago. Feet the ectopic for ages, light head, I fainted onto my husbands lap, not unconscious but couldn't sit up any longer. Was so worried what would happen. On landing medic came on board, lay me flat, legs up in the air and I came round and passengers could leave plane. They took up to medical room at airport, did lots checks, I felt fine by then. We got taxi to apartment for hols. Its happened 5/6 times since, the EP and gp don't seem worried at all. Just glad hubby is with me when it happens. I have ectopic all the time on an off. Best wishes. Pat

[Hazel1010 in reply to ruskin10]

Thanks Pat x I’m normally Wonder Woman and not used to this stuff yet 🙂

[Shcldavies]

I don't think anyone can fully convince you that these are almost certainly benign, that nearly everyone gets them, some feel them others don't notice. but that is why the doctors are not concerned. The cause and treatment may take years to establish but you can try self help and some advice in the replies you have may seem strange and you cannot rationalise why things like breathing in a particular way can work, but it can!

Also simple things like reducing stress, getting enough sleep, keeping hydrated by drinking around 1.5 to 2 ltrs of water a day and eating the right foods (bananas and avocado are good), or taking supplements like magnesium or Vitamin D (amongst others), can improve your condition significantly. When your symptoms get too bad, lie down for 30 minutes to reduce the strain from your heart.

[Hazel1010 in reply to Shcldavies]

Thank you for your reply, yeah I’ve started to get a handle on this and try not to overreact as hard as it is 😊

[Dee5165 in reply to Hazel1010]

I agree. Magnesium and Vitamin D should help.

[Ppiman]

Poor you. These things are worrying and sent to try us!

If you have had a heart scan and, from that, your cardiologist worked out that your heart is structurally fine and with a good blood supply, then these are, like mine, runs of ectopic beats. Mine can go on for hours on occasions, and make me feel rather weak and slightly breathless; on other occasions they have "turned into" AF.

Slow breathing or whatever does nothing for mine, sadly. Although my cardiologist told me that they weren't the same as AF, I have to say that they feel identical. How they make you feel, in my view, depends upon how fast they make your heart beat - mine is not too bad, at 85-125 or so. I wouldn't want higher, though.

Steve

[Hazel1010 in reply to Ppiman]

Mine seems to be very erratic I’ve had periods of 6 hours where it stuck at 130 beats a min or as low as 55 , periods in hospital etc but I’ve seen so many doctors etc who all say your sonogram is fine wait for the next appointment I’m kind of getting used to it now ….

[Ppiman in reply to Hazel1010]

Oh my. Luckily, I haven't been into hospital about mine but otherwise have a similar experience of being told all is well. Perhaps you could push for a stress MRI since they are said to be the current gold standard of scans?

Steve

[Jock68]

As Maggimunro said, 7 Day Holter Tape. You may be missing heart beats and that is causing the dizzy events.

[Jetcat]

Hi hazel, and I hope your feeling better soon. If it’s any comfort to you at all I can tell you when I get the ectopics I absolutely dread it. And for me It’s worse than a episode of afib.? I get a week+ of constant ectopics every 10 beats +and it grinds me down sometimes .? I can’t concentrate on anything apart from my heart beat and how crap I feel. . It makes me feel awful same as you.

But everyone Iv seen including EP, cardiologist, doctors, arrhythmia nurses etc plus tests have all said they are nothing to worry about EVEN THOUGH I DO BECAUSE I CANT HELP NOT DOING SO.? im sure they will disappear on their own in time. so take it easy until they disappear.👍👍 best wishes hazel. Ron.x

[Hazel1010 in reply to Jetcat]

Thank you x got to be honest don’t know if I’m coming or going at the mo and it is driving me round the bend , I’m normally the one the deals with everything not the blooming weakest link 😂 fingers crossed for my Tuesday appointment 😊

[Jetcat in reply to Hazel1010]

You’ll get there hazel. It’s Tiring and draining is the ectopics and missed beats thing. You’ll be ok.👍x

[Hazel1010 in reply to Jetcat]

Thanks love x