Ectopics in the night

[Latte22]

I wake early every morning and this time I had a couple of ectopics which sent me into a panic, which increased the ectopics. The usual fear of dying comes over me. I tried to calm down with camomile tea, slow breathing and finally diazepam, but it took 2 and a half hours before I felt more settled. I read Sanjay Gupta's posts but nothing helps when I get into a panic. I take magnesium at his suggestion online. Does anyone have this problem? I am 72 and have had anxiety off and on since I was 34. Usually triggered by stressful events happening in my life. Reading my post now it's just the same old that often happens but at the time it's so scary.

[meadfoot]

I so agree with you. The anxiety they bring is awful. I am convinced our nervous system goes into overdrive when arrhythmia in all its forms hit us. Its all part and parcel of it in my experience.

Yes we all knkw how it feels and all the things we should try when they hit but rational thought seems impeded at such times and no matter how firmly we talk to ourselves to calm down, slow breathing, relax, do something distracting etc etc they still knock us into a state. I guess accepting that fact in our experience rather than telling ourselves off for our reactions may help. Lets just accept that ectopics and all various arrhythmias, some more benign than others, are horrid and its ok to feel scared/anxious etc. Its a nasty nasty condition to have to deal with.

Currently I am having tons of ectopic beats, pauses and heart racing driven by circumstantial stress and it changes my psyche from someone rational and functioning to someone anxious and on edge. I feel your upset and wish you well,

[Latte22 in reply to meadfoot]

Thanks. I will read your reply when I feel anxious. Sorry you are troubled too. All the best.

[Cookie24 in reply to meadfoot]

They are awful. I have had them off and on for two days. I have been stressed and anxious and the funny beats bring on more anxiety and so on. Deep breathing helps.

[meadfoot in reply to Cookie24]

I hope these nasty little demons settle as your anxiety lessens and you get some peace from them.

[Padayn01]

anxiety is the massive trigger for me when it comes to ectopics, I found that exercise has helped, but I still get them for instance when I lie down and need to burp, or when anxiety kicks in, I found slow breathing helps out massive with ectopic

[stoneyrosed]

I feel exactly like you do when my heart plays up, in NSR I am fine but when I get an attack even if it only lasts a few secs I can feel severely depressed for days. Your not alone feeling the way you do. 😊

[Eric404]

For Ectopics you can try Magnesium Taurate by Cardiovascular Research Ltd. It works very well for this. You can get it on Amazon.

[DawnTX]

before you knew you had a fib you probably would’ve written off the feeling I know I did but now a palpitation or a thump makes me aware. They are going to happen whether from a bad dream or whatever. Some thing is giving me nightmares much too often and I wake up knowing my heart rate is going to be high because I can feel it in my chest. It is my atypical flutter that gets set off. I say be grateful if all you are getting are those. If you examine every little feeling you will make yourself crazy. That’s only going to increase your feelings of a fib etc. be thankful for the little things. I am waiting to have a cardioversion Tuesday again and if I can walk to the bathroom or to the car when I am allowed to leave I will be thankful. The last cardioversion made me feel amazing for 3 1/2 weeks I am praying for more of that feeling.

[Latte22 in reply to DawnTX]

See update today.

[Cookie24 in reply to DawnTX]

I have atypical flutter. I had ablation #3 in August with left atrial appendage isolation.

[DawnTX in reply to Cookie24]

how did it go cookie is it still holding strong? Because of the scarring my doctor is trying to avoid another although he will do one if needed. He just doesn’t want to add to the scarring if it cannot be mapped well enough to justify it. Having the VOM etc. in April was a rough one. Thank you for letting me know what they did with you. If I remember correctly mine is the right one. Thanks again

[Finlaysmum]

so sorry to hear you are suffering with the horrible ectopics. They truly are horrible and yes I think it’s only human to feel a sense of anxiety because they can be so forceful. And yes I do think anxiety goes hand in hand. Just know you are not alone in experiencing them and don’t berate yourself when they upset you. I have had them almost every day for 4 months - mine are in the afternoon for some reason. I have started magnesium at the suggestion of my cardiologist along with fleconaide - but I still get alarmed when they start. I really hope yours settle down soon. Bestest wishes

[Latte22 in reply to Finlaysmum]

See update today.

[HANDY1]

You answer you burning question in your opening statement. You have ectopic beats and you’re 72. They won’t kill you. You’ve probably had them a lifetime but didn’t know it. I’m 60 years old and discovered my ectopic beats a few years ago. Had every test known to man and met every specialist too. My hearts healthy, I have ectopic beats and am fine. Sometimes it POUNDS at night. Darnedest thing though. Wake up every morning. Relax, do your breathing exercises and calm yourself. You’ll be fine.

[Latte22 in reply to HANDY1]

New update. Had ECG this am. Shows paroxysmal A/F so it wasn't my usual panic. Started on Apixan and cardiologist appointment. So at least I know its not just anxiety, as I thought!

[Ppiman in reply to Latte22]

That’s good to know but… ectopics are the better to have.

Steve

[Ppiman]

I think it must be put down to the way some of us are built. In most people, magnesium does little or nothing - over the years a few people I know have failed to get any benefit; one friend does press on but agrees it does little. It is a safe supplement, though. I don't know what evidence the generally science-based Dr Gupta has but there's nothing meaningful to be found on Google Scholar, for example. There's plenty of evidence that quite a proportion of people (around a third) are susceptible to placebo effects, but for many, these tend to wear off after a month or two, also. Some are luckier and continue to get benefit by faith alone, as it were.

In terms of dealing with the anxiety, I would say keep reminding yourself that ectopics truly are harmless and simply cannot lead to anything vital for your heart such as ventricular fibrillation. If your heart is otherwise sound (i.e. its blood supply and structure), then, again, breathe easy. Controlled breathing and meditation can help, but again, only for that - sizeable - minority (the same third again, I suspect). Very occasional diazepam has some useful and unique anti-anxiety effects but it can (again in around a third of users), lead to reliance issues, rebound effects and to be a generally nasty drug that is hard to stop using.

In some ways, I feel, anxious people drew a genetic short straw, but it does have a positive side and make us very good at lots of other things!

Steve

[Latte22 in reply to Ppiman]

See update

[Outtheresinger]

I am also plagued by ectopics in the very early morning. My cardiologist reassured me by telling me it was a test that my ablation had worked. Before the ablation runs of ectopics might have lead to full AF but now the ectopics are unable to tip me into AF so the ablation was a success. So now I have a much more relaxed attitude to them and amazingly I don’t seem to be noticing them as much or if they wake me I just roll over and remind myself that the ablation has worked and the ectopics are just a test to check it out. I do hope you can learn to accept ectopics they wont hurt you and every time they happen and then stop they provide evidence that your existing medications etc are keeping the AF away. Good luck!

[Latte22 in reply to Outtheresinger]

See update.

[OzJames in reply to Outtheresinger]

I was interested to hear how the ablation helped with your ectopics, has it fixed AF I’m thinking about having one, I’ve also had my first episode of Atrial Flutter. How long ago was your last ablation. Sorry for all the questions!

[Outtheresinger in reply to OzJames]

I had my ablation in March 2020 and yes it has pretty much cured my AF. I have had a few episodes since but only mild and I naturally returned to Sinus rhythm. I still had ectopics at night which were waking me and causing me a lot of anxiety but when I discussed them with my Consultant he reassured me that they were harmless and did not mean I would automatically go into AF. This simple explanation put my mind at rest and the ectopics no longer disturb me.

[OzJames in reply to Outtheresinger]

that’s reassuring may your success continue… I guess mind control really helps. Sorry for maybe a silly question but how can you tell the difference between an ectopic and atrial flutter

[Outtheresinger in reply to OzJames]

I have a kardia device and it shows on the trace whether it is AF or AFL . If it’s not AF or AFL then it’s probably ectopics. To be honest I am very sensitive to the sensations and the anxiety that comes with it so I know instantly I am in AF .Ectopics tend to start slowly build up to a peak then subside.

[OzJames in reply to Outtheresinger]

ok then I might get a Kardia, my new Apple Watch said I was in AF initially then 48 hours later received no alerts I was in AF so when I did the ECG it showed Sinus then to be told that same day by cardiologist that I was in Atrial Flutter, interesting the Apple Watch indicated Sinus rhythm. I’d obviously gone from AF to Flutter probably after my morning run.

[kitttycat]

Hi, So sorry to hear this happened to you, I can only say to accept it, distract yourself and tell yourself to just stop. If you can go through a series of steps in your mind about what you are thinking and why, evidence against it, like it always worked out in the past, it can be a good idea. You can do some some meditation. You body does what your mind tells it to do. Best suggestion work with an anxiety therapist. Its tough to do and its a lot of work but you can do it. The very best to yo.