Ectopic beats.

[pinkadventure]

Hello, This is my first time posting so I will try and give a brief overview of symptoms....

In 2016 I was referred to cardiology for episodes relating to Loss of consciousness. I underwent ECGs echos 24 hour ECG’s and was due to go for stress tests etc... Not all of these happened as I didn’t attend all of my appointments. Silly I know. But it was due to not knowing about them and then they discharged me. On the discharge letter they said I had an abnormal ECG. But that was it. No mention of what the abnormality was.

I got another referral back and went to the appointment today. During this time I had an echocardiogram, ECG and stress ECG.

My symptoms currently and no longer loss of consciousness but mainly.

- palpitations

- occasional chest pain radiating to back /shoulder blade

- dizziness

Results:

General observations.

- good BP (128/87)

- slightly raised resting pulse (112)

- sp02 97%

Echocardiogram.

- normal heart structure

- visible ectopic beats by sonographer

ECG.

- normal

Stress ECG

- inverted T waves but unsure which lead they said.

- stopped treadmill early due to myself going extremely dizzy

Consultant:

ECG normal, stress ECG normal, (didn’t mention anything about the inverted t waves.) Echocardiogram normal - recognised there were ectopic beats but as the ECG’s were normal, didn’t see this as anything.

Now for my question;

Has anyone had this sort of thing before where ectopic beats are seen on the echocardiogram but not picked up on an ECG, and if so what was the outcome? What was the diagnosis and how did you manage it? Should it be anything to worry about?

[Prada47]

Hello Nice to meet you.

So the consultants not concerned that should give you confidence.

To the best of my knowledge Ectopic Beats will always be clearly seen on an ECG if you are having them at the time of the ECG !!! I have experienced them every other beat every 2nd every3rd etc and they have always been clearly seen on the chart. Maybe you had some during the echocardiogram so the technician thought it worth recording them.. Ectopic beats are very rarely dangerous I personally have had them for years and I am still here to discuss them!!

Have you a follow up with GP or consultant and are you on any medication ??

Stay Well and Stay Safe

[Kristy75 in reply to Prada47]

Thank you for your comment. I’m currently in the same boat high load PVCs. My anxiety about them is very high. Just last night started metroprolol sp??? Don’t think it’s helped. Reading posts like yours gives me some encouragement. Thanks again.

[bantam12]

It took 6 years and many tests before I was taken seriously ! While they keep spouting the same thing about ectopics being normal and nothing to worry about it doesn't sort the problem. A change of Cardiologist and a 14 day monitor is what worked for me, that clearly showed there was a problem, well several problems !

So if you believe you have an issue that needs treating you have to be persistent until one of them listens.

Good luck 😉

[Mgs333]

Join the club !.. I have been getting ectopic beats for over 4 yrs now but only at nightime, and I mean EVERY night for 4 yrs. I have had every test under the sun including angiograms and calcium scoring but they can't find anything wrong...the latest theory from my (4th) consultant is that there may be something wrong with my electrics in the heart which is causing my ectopics but also giving incorrect readings on my ecg! ........ So it goes on.

[Ally2019]

I had ectopic beats that were mainly related to stress. They are no a symptom of heart disease and you should take comfort on that. Trying not to focus too much on them.

[hf54 in reply to Ally2019]

Politely to reply to Ally They can be a symptom of heart disease but they do not have to be.

[Dicky-ticker]

Hiya and welcome - I too experience ectopic beats average 13 per minute currently. I had them for a year continuously. Seen cardiologist and had numerous tests, they say most people have them, don't worry they are "faulty electrical impulses, but too many to treat with an ablation, so we'll monitor them" Taking Bisoporol 2.5mg, haven't made a scrap of difference. Waiting on having an implantable loop recorder fitted, but Covid19 is delaying this.

If you are losing conscious I would ask to be referred to black out clinic.

The difference in cardiologist responses is sometimes really ridiculous, but you are in charge of your own health so ask questions. Good luck on your journey

[Rosei]

I had a HA four years ago, I was told I had AF, I haven't given them another thought until I red a post on here that mentions them or the nurse at my 6 monthly Well Woman app.

[MEW123]

Hello, my story is not that disimilar to the start of your, my first Echo said all was normal as did an ECG at the GP, a MRI 6 months later showed things were clearly not and they went down the suspected ARVC route, this was in 2011. My word of advice would be don't always accept the first opinion and keep a close eye on yourself and and maintain a very healthy lifestyle. Take care.

[Astronomyrules]

Hi, thanks for your post as I was thinking about posting on this topic. I've suddendly started to have ectopic beats and palpitations after having my last two stents fitted. I'm not aware of them at all during the day, but have had palpitions , and repeated ectopics on four random nights accompanied by angina. Very scary. I saw my GP after the fourth occassion and just one ectopic beat showed when I had the ecg. He said its nothing to worry about, with the usual dial 999 etc caveats. He did say tablets were available to try if the problem persisted and that I could be fitted with a 7 day portable heart monitor to get a better idea of what was going on. I'm wondering if yours are also too intermittent to be picked up and hence not showing up on the ecg and maybe you could ask for a seven day monitor if you are still worried.

[hf54]

The ectopic beats in themselves are certainly not on the high worry list, however they may be part of something that’s not being picked up. Your blood pressure is veering towards the upper range and I think your resting heartbeat is 114 is actually rather high, but obviously I’m not a cardiologist. To give some perspective 120 bpm is what most dance music is and that’s why people try to go to nightclubs and dance and to the music you would certainly feel energetic when doing this. One of the other posters suggested a much longer ECG. My advice to you would be if you have money in the bank and you want to get these things sorted out quickly then go and see a top private heart consultant (not just any old heart consultant) and see what they can recommend to you to “micro examine“ your condition.. I realise that you can probably do this on the NHS eventually but if you are not a priority and they think that you’re basically okay then combined with the Covid virus you could be waiting till 2021 or beyond to get to the bottom of it. To give some perspective, I just bought a car it cost £450 as long as it works okay it doesn’t matter. My heart package at the hospital cost £1000 well worth more than the car I would say. I wish you the very best

[mitchell48]

Good morning, I am a member because my hubby has heart failure, But I used to suffer with ectopic beats myself, I used to suffer them only when i was relaxed, I would feel giddy and light headed, i would feel quite sweating and sicky and hear a wooshing in my ear's and all the time my chest felt as if there was a set of bongo drums in there, So it didn't happen for just secs it would go on for mins, i could be sat watching tv or in bed reading when it happened and it would take my breath away, One day it started to happen when i got out of the car and was walking away to go shopping, i had to sit down on the curb or i would have fallen, I just throught it was my age and i was starting to have "funny turns" i was going through the change at the time, It was when it happened when i was driving and had to pull over that at last i went to the GP,

It was found that my heart was beating way too fast, I was found to have a BP that was through the roof, I was of good healthy weight a non smoker or drinker,I was given a monitor to wear for a week, i was seen by a heart consultant who explained what is happening when i could feel these "bongo drums" He told me that some people could feel the heart valve open to let the blood in and others could feel the open to let the blood out, and some people could feel both and that its quite normal that these do a little flutter now and again, i happened to be one of the people who cold feel both and that i was not to worry about it,

I was also ref to ENT, This took a very long time and a lot of apps but i was found to be suffering from Vertigo,

So i was given

Bisoprolol 5mg daily for the fast heart beat and the side effect of this drug also dropped my BP, so 1 drug sorted out both the problems

Betahistine 16 mgs, This drug sorted out the vetigo

That must have been a good 10 yrs ago, I have never felt those bongo drums again, My BP is always good, And i go and have my check up once a yr,