I’ve seen a Cardiologist and have had a 7 day monitor fitted. I had a clinic letter back basically saying “ventricular ectopics that make up from 6% of total heartbeats” “Episodes of bigeminy as well as trigeminy and supraventrocular ectopics but frequency is less than 1%” Normal sinus rhythm on ECG as well. I was started on bisoprolol prior to this and the cardiologist has said this can be increased depending on symptoms. I ended up in A&E after this clinic letter (just before xmas) and was told that my ECG in A&E showed sinus arrhythmia. The doctor basically said everything seems normal and everyone has these extra beats but some people feel them more than others. Despite test I’m struggling to feel reassured and find myself in a constant state of anxiety over this. I have chest twinges that come and go, would t describe them as painful and they literally come and go within seconds. I’m constantly worried i’m going to have a massive heart attack at some point. I know anxiety isn’t helping and I find myself in a vicious cycle of “Is this anxiety causing it or are my symptoms causing the anxiety” of that makes sense. I find that some days I feel absolutely fine and then the next day I can feel really lethargic, weak and just like I have no energy to do anything. I just want to feel healthy and back to my normal self without constantly worrying and focusing on my heart. I am going to go back to my GP but just wanted to see if anyone else can relate? If so did you find anything that helped?
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Hi there, thankyou for posting your post. There is seem to be alot going on for you especially with anxiety and issues with your heart ❤️ iam basically at the same place as you, I have been waking up with leftside chest pains which has been comming on for a few secs then going off, also geting central chest tightness and sensation in the heart area, been going on for awhile, it's hard to say weather you are experiencing heart palpitations then geting anxiety or anxiety causes heart palpitations, best thing you can do, is to note all this down in a diary, when it happens, what you where doing at the time and what kind of sensation you are experiencing in your chest area and what kind of emotions you are experiencing. Take your finds to your doctors after 7days..Iam waiting for the test myself ecg monitor 24/7 to find out what's going on with my heart. I know how horrible the feeling is when it happens, I have a video recording of myself when this unsettled feeling comes on inside my chest 😢 iam seeing the doctor on Wednesday to explain what's been going on and I will show him the video I have too. You need a refural to the cardiology consultant from your doctors so you can tell them what's been going on. I know how difficult life can be for someone to have heart issues. Anxiety is just the worst.keep us posted how you are getting on.
Hi, everyone is different but in my case my symptoms gave me anxiety not the other way round. I knew something was wrong but kept being told I was ok and anxiety was causing the symptoms! If you click on my name you can read about what happened to me. I also had Bigeminy ectopics and eventually an echocardiogram showed heart failure. If you really think you are suffering from heart problems insist on more tests and don’t give up - you know your own body! Good luck x
There’s never a trigger that I can pinpoint and think Oh that’s what’s causing them! They can be relentless one day and then I feel absolutely fine the next
Hi there. I totally understand how you feel. And the anxiety surrounding it. I was in the same position as you 15 years ago and ever since so please don't feel bad. And don't give up trying to get to the bottom of it. Perhaps everything they say is right and you understandably feel anxious now. Or perhaps you do have something like SVT which they haven't managed to see on a holter or ecg yet.
That's the thing with certain arrhythmias, you can't diagnose it until you see it. And you can't always see it. But if it's there, then you will have it captured on tape at some point.
You can always ask for a CT angiogram/echo to check your heart structure is sound to reassure you....no doubt it is. And you can have an EP study (electrophysiology study) to pinpoint a specific arrhythmia.
It has taken 15 years of not giving up and I finally had my EP study on Friday and ablation....years of being told nothing was wrong etc, driving myself and others mad with my constant anxiety and symptom scrolling ...and just as I knew, I had ANVRT which is a common type of SVT.
How old are you if you don't mind me asking? It's especially common in women and usually begins in 20s/30s with ectopics as a starting point.
Anyway, I found this forum so supportive this past couple of weeks. I relied on my Fitbit to keep a track of my HR these past few years and each time I ended up in A&E, I noticed that the watch was as precise as the hospital monitor. I know it doesn't tell you an arrhythmia type but if your HR accelerates randomly then you will be able to see it even if you can't necessarily feel it.
This is your health and although worrying doesn't help, insisting on being seen when you do feel anxious about your heart is your right. Good luck with it all. I totally understand how you feel.
I definitely think hormones irritate the problem but probably don't cause it. I don't think anyone really knows. You fit the age and gender for SVT. If this is so, many people live with it. I did for years until anxiety ever me. Good luck with it all. Make sure you have a list of questions/requests when you see a cardiologist!
I also have episodes of eptopic beats where the heart seems to stop. Those are totally benign. I understand the anxiety they can cause but they are not something to worry about
Push for an angiogram or pay for one. All my tests were fine then I had an angiogram and ended up in coronary intensive care followed by a quad GABG. Miracle to be alive.
Hi, I’m sorry you’re struggling at the moment. I’ve certainly felt the same as you and i’m sure a lot of people here have as well. Worrying and stressing can make ectopics so much worse. The more you stress the more you seem to get them….seems the case for me anyway. After a particularly horrendous weekend of non stop ectopics and having to go to A & E as I was convinced my heart was going to give up I came across Dr Sanjay Gupta from York Cardiology. He’s on YouTube and he covers so many different heart topics. If you haven’t already seen it I’d highly recommend you watch the one on ectopics…..it’s hugely reassuring. I learnt a lot from him and now when I have ectopics they don’t cause the stress they did previously. It made a huge difference for me. The anxiety can be overwhelming sometimes when we are so worried about our hearts……. I hope you feel better soon x
Although this is not a cure many people find that breathing techniques like "box breathing" can help them cope with irregular heart beats - this is probably because of the effect this can have in you vague nerve and the unconscious way your body controls your heartbeat
I very much resonate with what you are going through. This question of which is causing which is a conundrum. I have recently started to feel a bit better and ectopics less disturbing and I am so happy to feel some sense of hope. I think meditation, breathing techniques and Sanjay Gupta which others have suggested have contributed. The other thing that seems to calm my ectopics is exercise . Somehow getting my heart rate up for a while seems to get it back into order. It does seem that coping, learning to live with them is the way forward. Ah - and patience! Although I also echo others encouraging you to keep pushing for tests.
Hello, I too have experienced anxiety related to ectopic beats. I tend to have bouts of these. Like you any time I have a monitor it has never picked up the heart irregularities I feel. Ectopics have only made up 1% of heart beats and I haven't felt them with the monitor on. I too get that sudden sensation in the chest that's sort of painful but gone almost immediately. This has been on going for about 3+ years. I've learned to live with it but when I get a bad bout I do find I start to feel a little anxious again. Sorry this is probably of no help to you but you're not alone. Xxx
Hi, I’m in the same position as you I’ve had these for a long time and been told on more than one occasion that they are normal and everyone gets them. I used to only get them once in a while but now I get them everyday I’ve had every test possible including a recent angiogram that showed no blockages to major arteries yet in Dec I was taken by ambulance to a&e where they said my troponin levels were that of a mild heart attack so some of the tests were repeated and still everything showing as clear. I’ve been told high blood pressure and also type 2 diabetes can cause these as well. I did have high bp but it’s mainly under control now but still get ectopics every day. I’m back to gp tomorrow after my angiogram last Fri. I would just keep going back. I have anxiety and I know that and stress do make them worse. I had bisoprolol added to my medications in Dec to help with them but still get them but maybe not as many.
Anxiety is our enemy! I have had 2 HA's and 5 stents and if I get the slightest hint of stress I get heart palpitations and chest pain. I am learninh to breathe and meditate.
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AFib warning on Apple watch and Kardia mobile.
