Trying to deal with my ectopics

[Benno2k24]

I’ve been experiencing an increased awareness of my diagnosed ectopic heartbeats (not necessarily more) and am struggling to try to deal with them. I’m especially aware of them when I’m more active (walking). They are causing me some angst and, because how my body seems to be over reacting (teeter on the feeling of a panic attack) I’m finding I am no longer doing things I used to enjoy (like riding my bike). I am on ramipril and bisoprolol (2.5 and 3.75 respectively). What approaches have others used to help get on top of things? Really keen to find out some ‘left field’ approaches, as meditation or breathing exercises don’t seem to be doing it for me right now. Thanks.

[Trainspotter56]

Hi Benno, I have had ectopic heartbeats on and off all of my adult life (male, 68), with no obvious trigger. It's hard to quantify but it seems like they would come in phases, say I would be very aware of them for some weeks then it would calm down. When I notice them they may be every few minutes, a few fast light beats then end with a heavier beat. I am sure many others have them, probably it's a slight electrical problem in the heart from what I've read. I also know that there are a lot of other people out there for whom it is causing anxiety. I have got an age-related problem with my heart and have worn a holter monitor a few times, but the cardiologist was unconcerned about the ectopic beats (they were looking for bursts of atrial fibrillation).

You mentioned panic attacks, my personal experience with these (unconnected with the ectopic beats though I was very anxious about the effect of anxiety on my heart) is that I had very few full blown panic attacks but the fear of one was frequently there, teetering. My GP prescribed valium and propranolol to take as required, neither regularly. I rarely took them but used to find it reassuring that there was something to fall back on. I also found it very helpful to educate myself about the mental health problem through reading, books rather than on-line, and engaging with a mutual-help group.

More recently I've been on long-term paroxetine which is another story, but I don't get the panic any more. Maybe it's the paroxetine, or just because I've felt less anxiety as I've aged.

In summary, it was the mental health issue that greatly affected me, and the physical issue didn't really exist.

[PadThaiNoodles]

I take an SSRI (escitalopram) mainly for depression, but it also markedly reduces my anxiety. I also found CBT helpful (and it was reasonably short -- only 8 sessions or something?).

More recently I had double-valve-surgery, and my ectopics are now far less noticeable. But I don't know if that's due to the less-leaky plumbing or just because I was put on bisoprolol (1.25mg) after the surgery.

[Trainspotter56 in reply to PadThaiNoodles]

Yes anxiety and depression, and their treatment, seem to go hand-in-hand don't they. In my case I think it was anxiety that came first, and depression would follow because anxiety was restricting my life e.g. three times I've changed jobs I liked because I found them too stressful (usually related to travelling).

I know this forum is about cardiac issues but a lot of it seems to involve anxiety.

[PadThaiNoodles in reply to Trainspotter56]

Yep, I had to tell my employer that travel could be requested but that the answer was pretty much always going to be "no".