Was diagnosed with arrhythmia last autumn, currently on edoxaban, flecanide and bisoprolol.
About 20 hours ago my heart started beating irregularly, it is still slow (about 50 bpm) and seems to be missing a beat every 3/4 beats.
NHS111 yesterday advised going to A&E where they did ECG and blood tests but said that they would only be concerned if my pulse rate was very fast.
Wondered if anyone on this very helpful forum has had a similar slow missed beats issue?
Best, Sarah
If my rate drops below 60 I used to get gaps and some presyncope, hence my pacemaker.
I would forward the ekg as well as your symptons to the ep who prescribed the flecainide. Someone should be monitoring that drug and I assume it's your ep. They may not be concerned at all, or they may want to stop or modify some of your meds.
Jim
More useful info, thanks.
Yes i get this most days. I have moderate impairment of LV function. ef rate 40%. I get skipped beats like you say most days. Sometimes as often as maybe 10 per minute. Literally as often as every breath i take, at times. A little skip. heart hiccup. On rare occasions i get a cluster of these and its not nice. Feels like my heart stops for a good few seconds then jitters and races to get back in beat. Flushed sinking feeling hits me and i jump out of my body. Not nice. For these i have found full on meditation to help settle them if its happening often. Some deep breathing techniques and the 'Ommm' sound as you breath out. Or go for a walk. Usually dont notice them then
Anyways heart rate is also slow at around 60-80 but dips to 50 sometimes. It has been average at 35bpm when things were real bad. They werent even worried about it then.
So 50bpm is probably a good thing from a cardios perspective as the heart isnt being overworked. As long as your not getting symptoms like dizziness then its probably ok. The heart is working to suit the bodys needs. Thats what they tell me anyways.
Yes even in AF my heart rate was much lower than 'traditional' AF. I average 50 to 55 now,been lower at times.When I had Flutter,felt awful as heart rate,for me,was wild! ( 120 ish)
So you are not alone,or weird!
Keep an eye on it if it droops towards 40s let someone know.
Beaware of possible dizziness too.
Try not to leap out of bed too quickly etc ( not often a problem for me lol!)
Best wishes
Morning from the old lady 4am wee club!I have a slow heart rate. Recently had a diagnosis of paroxysmal AF from a 24hr holter.
My rate ranges from 38 to 125 +. My general resting is anywhere from 48 to 52.
ECG at A and E always shows as normal.sinus.
Waiting for a cardiology appointment.
Still waiting for some treatment for the AF. Meanwhile I continue to be symptomatic every day. Short of breath with increased heart rate , in movement, palpitations, light headed, fatigued every flipping day after " exerting " myself the day before.
I'm currently on amended duties from work, as I'm not allowed to drive works vehicles.
I am so fed up, I used to work full time and do all the grown up shizzle...cos ya know...I married a boy!
And now I can't go from sitting and relaxing to moving, or my HR goes through the roof!
I had exactly this all thru covid so I got 3 yes 3 private cardio and ep consultants and 8 months later ablation at St Thomas's. All caused by atrial flutter and bigeminy ectopics for months
Feel for you big hug.
Your symptoms sound just like mine. Ectopic beats but a resting heat rate of 47 to 55bpm. I’ve had this for many years but only really discovered it around 2.5 years ago. I’ve had every conceivable test done. The cardiologist who monitored my testing said as long as my heart was structurally sound, the ectopic beats were no issue. He himself had the same condition as mine. The difference between the 2 of us was I could feel mine and he couldn’t.
I’ve had a pacemaker since 2008 and I’ve still had occasional episodes of slow irregular pulse but I don’t worry too much as they’re nowhere near as unpleasant as the strong PAF episodes I’ve had which are very rare thank goodness.
The slow and irregular episodes manifest themselves when I am exceptionally tired through poor sleep and after heavy manual labour so I top up with fluids and lie down and practice deep breathing and do various stretches or even go for a slow walk until everything settles down. The bpm never go much below 50 - my daytime setting on the pacemaker and I’ve never experienced syncope or presyncope just discomfort.
I’ve got a pacemaker check in 2 weeks and they’ll tell me all about it then.
My mother had slow AF ..and occasional fast AF so I take it as a gift from her …
Worry about pacemaker affect if I get it as told I should.not sure why except for one near faint episode after booster.mheart pause 6 sec..told other times had pausesDon't know how long..
I have not had AF with slow heart rate but the following may help.
I have found as a general I can have more ectopics if my heart rate slows too quickly or increases too quickly this isn't always the case. I think it also depends a bit on how active I have been during the day.
This week I spoke to my cardiologist about slower 50 ish heart rates and ectopics and feeling uncomfortable tired slow to get going breathless. He said it was a case of getting tablets correct I take Diltiazem. I have in the last 2 weeks made such I don't have any days with not much exercise which I have found helps
The Bisoprolol may be slowing your heart too much, discuss with your cardiologist; if necessary make a private appointment.
I have always had low BP & HR and when I was put on 200mgs Flecainide my cardiologist said the usual accompanying BB or CB 'would make me feel unwell'. This approach is not unique on this Forum but is unusual so you must check with your medics first. I have had no problems over 9 years.
I get them very regularly, just as you describe.
I gather that they aren't often actually "missed" beats, but they certainly do feel like that. Apparently they are more often "premature" beats or "PVC"s (premature ventricular complexes). These are a generally safe kind of aberrant heartbeat, one that has been set off too early by a misbehaving cell somewhere other than in the heart's pacemaker. The next proper beat is then held back slightly creating what is called a "compensatory pause", which makes it feel like a missed beat.
I find them hard going at times, especially when they are frequent and prolonged, as has been happening of late.
Genuine pauses are possible and are caused by various kinds of heart block, and there are several kinds or stages of these, mostly, I gather, safe - but definitely something for a doctor to know about.
Steve
Never heard of compensatory pause..
You might not have heard of them, but you will have felt them. 😉
Contact the consultant who is supervising your current treatment and get an appointment to discuss this.
yes all the time snd my heart rate during the day is about 45 so don’t know what it drops to during the night
All the hospital say when they take readings is “your heart rate a bit slow” and that’s it
I do have bouts of tachycardia with my afib
Try not to worry
Which arrhythmia were you diagnosed with? There must be at least a dozen, if not more. Some are quite benign and don't need treatment, others do. Good idea for you to find out name of yours and what to do when you experience it and if immediate treatment is needed. Talk with your cardiologist about this. A pacemaker may be a good idea.
hi I used to have pulse of about 55 which I thought was cos I was relatively fit and occasional missed beats and occasional flutters, due AF etc. However, low rate was as a result of leaking heart valves and low ejection fraction. Had valves repaired and now have pacemaker. So have you had your heart scanned recently?
Have had ectopics for years but had a phase last summer just like you, misbeats every 3 or 4 or 6 or 7. Quite a different pattern to all previous experience. Went for the usual ecg/ctscan and reassuring words from cardio who put me on bisoprolol 2.5mg and doubled my statin intake to deal with previously unknown CAD. Pretty calm again although ectopics still happen daily. C'est la vie. Best wishes .
Hi
You need a 24hr monitor to show a 24hr printout at what your heart it is doing. If it misses a beat for every 3-4 for how long ? it shows you have a heart murmur.
Below 50 at rest Day needs checking do you get dizzy or disorientated
At night mine goes down to 47 at rest. That's OK.
Athletics have a lower H/R.
Does it worry you?
It needs investigating. What are your Systollic and Diastollic rates at rest?
Hope you are on a anti.co.agulant.?
cheers JOY. 74. (NZ)
What do u mean by long pauseshow long .I had a 6 sec pause and told to get a pacemaker..
Hello Sarah, I've had HR in the low 50s for about five years now since I was put on Amiodarone and yes I do feel the extra beats now and then, and like you went to the Emergency Room a couple times while heart rate was in the 50s and the Drs. response was just what your Dr. told you, "rather see it low than high", so I just live with it now. Have a Great Day and GOD Bless!
Feel so confused Meds can slow heart.how so I know not that.atenolol.?
So does a slow rate cause a pause in some way?
Hi I have Atrial Flutter, and Bratticarda, slow heart beat about 45 most times, sound similar to your situation, I'm waiting for an Ablation, hope you solve yours
Maybe a little bit late. But I do take Bisoprolol 5 mg and my heart rate goes down to 49 bpm some times. Without bisoprolol I am in the 90s bpm while at rest.
Irregular Heartbeat
Irregular Heartbeat
Irregular heart rhythms/beats undiagnosed . AF? 
