Ectopic beats and palpitations

[WhiteDwarf]

Hi All

Feeling a bit desperate and want to talk to others who've been there...

Basically I have had issues for over ten years but used to think it was gullet spasms as I had bad oesophagitis 20 years ago

However earlier this year I noticed that my heart was skipping beats when I was lying down with my head on pillow and it coincided with the same flopping sensation in my chest

I've had 24 hr holter test and GP noticed a number of missed beats

This was also at a time when I was hugely stressed with work and really noticed my heart beating in my neck etc at night

I got put on beta blockers....a low dose as my resting heart rate is in low 50s.

These did seem to calm me a bit but more recently I've noticed the skipped beats are coming more 'in packs' now, especially when resting, less so when I exercise etc. or when moving around although I do notice the odd one .

I can't really tell what they are linked to either. Evenings seem worst so not sure if it's post meal related but currently I've had about 10 in last 15 mins.

I'm waiting to go for a week long holter test now but it feels like things are escalating from the odd one I used to notice

Really just looking for some friendly advice and support

Thanks folks

[Yumz199725]

Hi whiteDwarf and welcome to this amazing forum you will find so much support and helpful advice on here! So many of us can relate to you so your definitely not alone. I first noticed mine really playing up bout 2 years ago I had just been shopping and then came home and had chest pain and soooo many palpitations so I tried to ignore it thinking maybe I had done too much! But it wouldn't stop so I did 111 online and was adviced to go to A&E so I was seen really quickly had bloods done, ecg, and chest Xray but everything came back ok. So I informed my heart team and they said I did the right thing going to A&E so I had so many tests including exercise tests, ecgs, and then 7 day holters and then finally just as I was beginning to think I was imagining it, the last one I had picked up ventricular Tachycardia! The amount I was having wasn't a cause for concern but because I was getting lightheaded at the same time they put me on a low dose of verapamil 40mg x2 a day! Noticed the difference so quickly. I find that stress is a major trigger so knowing what's causing it can really give you peace of mind so I really hope you can get some answers with the 7 day holter! Take care and keep us upto date with how your feeling and how the holter test goes! 👍☺️

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Yumz199725]

Thanks so much for your quick postReading it has immediately calmed me down which is half the battle I think!

I have been really stressed lately so I suspect that may be a culprit but as I note in my post below. I have no other idea what could be the cause...let's hope its found when they test or at least sets me in the right direction

Thanks so much again

[Yumz199725 in reply to WhiteDwarf]

Yeah definitely staying calm helps, I know easier said then done these days! I found that lying on my left side triggered it aswell literally would wake me up felt like my heart was dancing around in my chest! 💃❤️🤣😭.

[MummaSoap]

Hi WhiteDwarf

Sorry to hear that you’re having a difficult time at the moment; I just wanted to pop on and let you know that you’re not alone.

I definitely don’t want to invalidate your experience but it’s possible that the reason you feel them more predominantly at rest than during exercise is simple because you’re still and more aware of your body and it’s workings.

Take comfort in the fact that you’re going to have a 7 day holter monitor and hopefully that will help to shed some light on the underlying cause for you.

Also, the NHS advises to minimise/avoid the following:

- caffeine

- alcohol

- smoking

- stress

I don’t know if any of the above are applicable to you but thought I would include it just in case.

I know I’m really sensitive to caffeine and more than one cup of tea/coffee a day and my palpitations become much worse and can continue for a day or so when really bad.

Also, I’m my own worst nightmare for stress; especially recently - I’m trying to make a conscious effort to relax and meditate before bed every evening.

Additionally lack of sleep exacerbates my symptoms significantly (across the board for my heart condition, not just palpitations). I’m struggling to sleep lately but I’m actively taking myself to bed earlier, even if I don’t sleep my body is resting - worth a shot 😂

The majority of the time, palpitations (although unpleasant to experience) are harmless and I know it’s hard when you’re the one living it but try not to give your palpitations too much attention - I found that mine improved once I stopped watching out for them. With that or I just stopped noticing their effects quite so much.

I really hope that you get some answers soon 🤞🏼

Keep us updated please, sending best wishes.

Soap 🧼

[WhiteDwarf in reply to MummaSoap]

Thanks so much for the lovely postAs with many folks, I'm quite mystified about cause

I don't drink alcohol or smoke and have one coffee a day!

I've also run regularly for over 20 years so it's all a bit strange

But despite that is is lovely to have the reassurances from such lovely people

I will post how I go

Thank you again

[Shonnaseddon in reply to MummaSoap]

I discovered that about caffeine, it makes my heart palputate so taking water more regular

[Doglover70]

I've been there as well, palpitations at rest, missing beats and then a heavy feeling one and in my neck when I was just sitting watching TV. Was having major stress looking after my mother, I was put on beta blockers but they lowered my blood pressure too much and was taken off them. I was told they were ectopic heartbeats. Very frightening feeling.. I was roughly 68/69 at the time, it has all escalated and now (72) I have pains in my chest at rest (unstable Angina) . I am awaiting scans etc and will probably have stents fitted. I had to put my mother (98 with alzheimers) in a care home last year as advised by my doctor as it was severely affecting my health. I have told you all this to just make you aware of what STRESS can do to you. You have to somehow look after NO 1 and keep away from stress....very difficult if you are in a stressful job of any kind. Good luck but any chest pain, go straight to A and E even if you have to sit in a corridor for 15 hours! Our poor NHS

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Doglover70]

So sorry to hear what you've been throughI have no doubt a lot of it is stress and even though I can't often out my finger on it, it feels like there is a background tension in me all the time

Deep and slow breathing does help but then when you feel these your stress leaps again

I do hope all goes well for you with the operation....you deserve a resolution

Thanks again for your help

[Doglover70 in reply to WhiteDwarf]

Good luck to you too. Very difficult because when you have these ectopic, you stress over them. . Vicious circle. I wish you all the very best.

[Stuartc100]

This sounds like exactly what im currently going through for the last 2 years, tbh i think you were right with your 1st guess and its actually gastro related and not your heart, per chance do you have a hiatial hernia and/or suffer with acid reflux? if not get checked out as you might have what we call silent reflux. I'm currently waiting results on a CT angiogram after which i think i can be ref to a gastro doc as there clearly isnt an issue with my heart, if you look online at some facebook groups or redit groups you will find loads of us with these same issues, i had the salvos on two occasions (great thundering thuds 4 on the bounce) which sent me into a tail spin (they said it was anxiety! im not surprised try having your heart flip flop about and see if you dont feel anxious/scared! and im on citalopram 15mg) more recently ive had the "hicup" ones you mentioned while going to sleep and during the day these are less forceful but with a higher does of PPI's (im on esomeprozale for my GERD) after about a week they stop. I'm not saying its not your heart and i would 100% insist on all the tests but also push to get your gut checked out too, as it could be your vagus nerve being over stimulated, if you have a HH or oesophagus spasms.

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Stuartc100]

Very interesting you say that...I had oesophagitus 20 years ago and had a fundoplication in 2002 where they wrap your stomach round the base of the gullet to stop reflux

I haven't really had any issues since but thought the flopping feeling I got were gullet spasms

Sometimes I'd get then for a few weeks then nothing fir a while

It was only when I noticed it coincided with a skipped heart beat that I twigged it was a palpitation and went to doc

I think the op I had on the gullet isn't really done nowadays as it causes more issues than it solves....the vagus nerve is in that area and if that is impacted or damaged it can cause all sorts of issues....

Currently I'm still on omeprazole but generally don't have reflux at all, but the fact this may be linked to my previous condition or the op may well be right

I hope you get some answers to your condition and thank you for sharing

[Stuartc100 in reply to WhiteDwarf]

Yep im the same with the meds i dont get any reflux, but thats not to say "stuff" isnt going in the gut thats causing irritation etc, when i have an "attack" i get bloated/dissented stomach, belching/burping its usually triggered by some form of manual labour, bending over lifting, carrying etc

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Stuartc100]

Yes I agreeLot of gas at same time as some of these incidents....doctor was not very open to acknowledging a link when I mentioned my medical history!

[Qualipop]

It took just over a year for them to manage to "catch" my ectopics.They just never happened when I was having a test or a holter monitor. Finally after I'd had a stress test,they sat me down to re cover but left the electrodes attached and lo and behold I had multiple ectopics while still attached to the machine and they could see which part of the heart they came from. They were completely harmless and most likely caused by stress and anxiety. They stopped completely after about a year b ut would come back if I got seriously stressed and the more I worried about hen,the worse they were. That doesn't of course mean that yours don't have a physical cause so you need to persist with repeated tests until they show up.

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Qualipop]

ThanksThat's really reassuring in any case as I do suffer a lot with anxiety and recently had a lot of problems to face

Makes me think with all the feedback today that it could be a combination of many things

Thanks again

[Qualipop in reply to WhiteDwarf]

Good luck; just keep pestering until you get answers.

[Choccie55]

My ectopics started in my early 30s and gradually got worse. By mid 40s they were very severe especially after eating lunch! They were also linked to my monthly cycle. I’d had many ECGs and they always came back fine. I then started to get flutters and finally had a full blown episode of SVT in 2017 which was captured on an ECG in A&E. I’m now on Bisoprolol 2.5mg a day but my SVT episodes are increasing so I’ve been referred back to cardiology. I hope they get to the bottom of your issue.

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Choccie55]

Sorry to hear that....I've initially found the beta blocker meds I'm on to be effective to a degree but they seem to be less so as time progresses

My Doctor suggested my 24 hr holter wasn't a concern despite many episodes of ectopic beats and somewhat reluctantly referred me for a week long one. He said the traces on the echo really didn't show any issues despite the timing clearly being out and He kept talking about managing things with me coming off meds which seems rather odd when it's got more frequent lately..I'm a bit confused by all that's happening tbh.... I wish you well with your ongoing treatment

[Choccie55 in reply to WhiteDwarf]

Thank you 😊. The beta blockers actually helped with my ectopics initially but they have started to return lately but are manageable. They can trigger SVT so might explain why I’ve had an increase lately. It seems that palpitations are so very difficult to capture or diagnose and unfortunately the NHS is overwhelmed and regular appointments and follow ups seem to be non existent for many. I’m sure the stress and anxiety of the episodes doesn’t help us either. All the best to you.

[Noodlesalad]

I notice the same thing with my in bed heart beat sometimes. I can hear and feel it pounding and the missed beat is evident. I sometimes count the beats to see if it's always the same one but it isn't.My cardiologist amongst other tests had me on a holter monitor for a month and whilst there is I think they called it a T wave problem I was still in sinus rhythm. Eventually after all the tests I was diagnosed with mild CAD and moderate LVH . I go for my yearly CHD checks this week and I will mention this anomaly at that appointment.

I hope you get some answers.

[WhiteDwarf]

That's really how I noticed mine...hearing missed beats along with the odd sensation in the chestI guess currently I'm getting about 40-50 occurrences a day? I can see for some folks it's a lot more that that so I'm am grateful but it's still unsettling

I'm hoping my 7 day holter test shows something up. The 24 hr one did but my doc said the electrical signals looked fine although clearly there were issues with irregularity

It did sound like he wanted to discharge me but when I told him the current amount I get he referred me so I do hope a cause can be found

I wish you all the best with your ongoing treatment

[Noodlesalad]

I've just been visiting with a friend and was telling her about my bed problem and that yesterday really felt as if my upper body was vibrating inside it's very unsettling. She reminded me that when she was in coronary care with uncontrollable high blood pressure she had a similar experience and the nurse's did an ECG and assured her everything was fine. Eventually she discovered it was one of her medications and got them changed and has been fine since.My yearly CHD check was cancelled in the last hour for another two weeks and I'm hoping I can last with this sensation till then. During the day I can cope but when I go to bed all I want to do is sleep but this sensation is driving me mad.

I'll let you know if I find the answers, take care.

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Noodlesalad]

That's really interesting as I get that vibration too For me I think its related to my left minor pec muscle twitching at high speed and it feels like vibration in my chest

If I stretch the muscle by reaching my left arm behind me it stops ....when I first got it it terrified me but it doesn't coincide with my ectopic beats either

..

The muscle doesn't seem strained in any way either....I really do suspect it's another symptom of stress or anxiety....

[Zanny1997]

It sounds like pots i have it too! It’s postural orthustatic tachycardia syndrome. Not serious, it’s just lifestyle management. Like Pilates and certain diets help they say and some medications can help too. Maybe ask your doctor about it?

[WhiteDwarf in reply to Zanny1997]

Many thanksAll of this is such great knowledge to have and discuss with my doc

Thanks again😀