To medicate or not to medicate, that is the question 🤔

[IndieDot]

Following a recent 24 hour ECG I have been told today, by my GP, that I have ectopic heartbeats. She said they are nothing to be worried about and if they are not affecting my day to day life then no treatment is required but if I feel they are intrusive and affecting me she can provide medication. On that basis I am undecided. Some days I have very few palpitations, just occasional flutters, other days it can feel like they are pounding and going on most of the time. They don't actually "affect" me I'm just constantly aware of the beating in my chest so think that I will decline medication at this stage and only request it should they become more of a nuisance. Reason for the post is I'd just like to hear what other people in this situation have done, did you go straight down the medication route or do you just accept them for what they are? Grateful for any input.

[Ennasti]

Its a difficult decision. Perhaps these consideraitons will help. Ectopic beats are in themselves harmless. The issues should be looked at using 3 key points: how many do you have; do you have that many every day/consistently; and how much do they impact your lifestyle and mentall health?

If you have a high burden (15,000 + per day) and its consistent or at least very regularly occurring at that level, I would medicate as the constant high amount of ectopics can gradually do damage to the heart and you will obviously feel the impact of them on your health and activity levels.

At the other end of the scale, if you have a low burden (between 1 and a few thousand each day), then I wouldnt medicate.

Personally, I have anywhere from 2 or 3 to over 10,000 per day, every day and I also experience different arrythmias. I am medicated - this is largely due to the arrythmias though, not the ectopics. I really don't worry about the constant ectopics and, most people will not see a reduction in the number or frequency of ectopic beats when medicated anyway.

The most common medication prescribed I beleive is a beta blocker which may help, but they're designed to reduce the force of your beats and lower the beats per minute. This then helps prevent damage to the heart (as per my mention above if you have a high burden that is ongoing and very regular.

Be aware that beta blockers also have side affects such as fatigue and a sluggish metabolism, whihc can also result in weight gain which is obviously not good for the heart or your overall health.

[honeybubs]

I would suggest you ask to wear 24 hour monitor to record exactly how many ectopic beats you are having in a day and ask how many is ok and how many needs medication or other treatment. I had 35,000 extra beats a day discovered in hospital while wired up. Keep on top of it just incase something else is going on. Good luck.

[IndieDot in reply to honeybubs]

Thanks for your reply. As I've already had a 24 hour ECG I doubt they'll offer another but to be honest I don't think they are that prevalent and especially now the anxiety of not knowing what was going on with my heart has been taken away.

[banny66]

Hi

I had them a few months ago, they got worse until eventually lasting all day, Doc sent me to A&E.

ECG showed ectopic beats. They prescribed some beta blockers and blood pressure tablets as I was going away on holiday to Mexico 2 days later.

The side effects from the tablets weren't acceptable to me so I stopped the tablets, cut down caffeine, tried to improve my sleep, take magnesium, potassium tablets and turmeric powder.

Had a 72 hour monitor and no more ectopic beats!

I also had an echocardiogram and there were no ectopics during the examination.

They occasionally come back for a short time but it's usually because my sleep has been bad or my caffeine/alcohol has increased.

There are some good Youtube videos from York Cardiologist that explain what they are, what causes them and how to try and stop them.

Good luck.

[Dimelza66]

Hello, I have had the same ectopic beats for 15 years. When I was told it wasn't dangerous I just got on with things and didn't take any medication. I soon will have mytral valve replacement, but I'm very happy I've had fifteen active years without any medicine. I suppose it all depends on how "safe" you feel and how much it is affecting your life. For me the "weird beats" were preferable to medicine and possible side effects.

[IndieDot in reply to Dimelza66]

Thanks for your reply. I agree I'm sure I can put up with them as they don't interfere with life.

[readyabout]

I had some issues with irregular and missed heart beats etc, the ECG I had with GP proved to be not really correct (after further Cardio Consultant investigations), thro' Benenden Health I had a consultation with a Cardiologist an Echo Cardio gram, and a 7 day monitor (which is much better than a 1 day monitor) the results from all that investigation showed that I needed a Pacemaker for Arythmia etc. which I now have, and NO meds, I think the 'private' investigations are more thorough and quicker than NHS, and not that expensive.

[Yumz199725]

It's a tough decision actually. I suffer from palpitations and few years back got so bad went to A&E nothing was found so was told to tell my consultant and a lot of holter monitors later I was told I had ventricular Tachycardia which I take 40 mg of verapamil for. Sometimes even with the medication it feels like my heart is jumping up and down in my chest. Hopefully you won't need medication for your ectopic beats but if you do hopefully that should help improve how your feeling mentally aswell as physically x

[Choccie55]

I have suffered with ectopics since my 30s then diagnosed with SVT at 49. I’m on Bisoprolol for the SVT which also keeps the extra beats away. My ectopics were definitely linked to hormones and were always worse just before my period. They were horrendous during peri menopause.

[Qualipop]

I developed palpitations quite a few years a go which, like yours were said to be benign. I l earned to live with them. Why take medication when it's not necessary and the more I got used to them, the fewer I had until eventually they stopped. Anxiety most certainly makes them much worse. It did take about 3 years for them to stop completely. At the start I was having over 500 a day. Only about 5 now in the past 8 years.

[IndieDot in reply to Qualipop]

Thanks for your reply. This us very reassuring. I think since the ECG identified these as ectopics I have lost alot of the anxiety of not knowing what was going on with my heart so things are calming down.

[Qualipop in reply to IndieDot]

Exactly; it's the not knowing that causes the anxiety which makes them w orse.

[Alphakiwi]

Take no meds if you can. Learn to keep calm and watch your diet. Dont smoke or drink alcohol. Thats the best action. Find the triggers.

[IndieDot in reply to Alphakiwi]

Thanks for your reply. I'm finding now I don't notice them quite so much since the ECG confirmed it was just ectopics and nothing sinister so I'm more relaxed about it all. The anxiety of not knowing never helps. I don't smoke or drink anyway and have cut out caffeine. Chocolate seems to trigger them so unfortunately that's being cut out as well. Think the no meds route is my preferred one.

[marypw]

I’ve had ectopics for many years - sometimes fluttering and sometimes feel like I’ve been thumped in the chest. No obvious triggers and I only drink decaf tea. I take 2.5 mg bisoprolol and they have pretty much disappeared. No side effects from the bisoprolol either.

[Samazeuilh2]

Why not try a non-medical route first? Make sure you are getting adequate sleep, do relaxation exercises including breathing exercises and try a magnesium taurate supplement. I find that ectopics wax and wane. Sometimes stress is the underlying problem.

[kipper1958]

Hi, my partner has SVT and he takes a daily magnesium suppliment that keeps the palpitations under control.Also he has found that drinking caffine and eating chilli peppers can trigger an episode.Applying a cool pack to the carotid artery for several minutes also shocks the heart back into a normal rythym,hope this helps.