Irregular heartbeat

I developed an extra heartbeat on the 17th of January this year, the 1 year anniversary of my brother's murder, they lasted 5 days constantly every 30 seconds, I ended up in hospital three times, I used to suffer bad panic attacks about 10 years ago so I'm very aware of my heartbeat, this was nothing like it this was even worse. after going to the doctor's several times during this period feeling like I was bothering them and wasting their time, they have told me its my heart having hiccups and I should just get used to it it's perfectly normal!!!!! May go away by themselves. They are very frightening I live alone and am so scared , I thought I was going to die, when they happen they take over my life I can't focus on anything else I can't sleep I can't eat I don't want to do anything I'm scared to move. They went away for a week and then came back for 3 days, Touchwood they've been gone for 4 weeks now until yesterday I've been feeling a pressure in my chest which makes me panic and last night I had palpitations for about 2 hours constantly whilst trying to sleep I was sweating so bad, I've been crying today because it's really getting me down. I'm trying herbalist medicine because I don't want to take medication from the doctors as I have been on amitriptyline and beta blockers in the past. I'm a courier I drive up to 500 miles a week, the beta blockers were making me feel terrible. it's really easy for the doctor's to say just ignore it and when they happen tell yourself you know what they are. I'm still so scared. I have had all the heart test done about 10 years ago because of my panic attacks, trying to convince myself I am ok. It's not working I'm terrified and depressed it has changed my life I've given up alcohol I'm scared to drink coffee I'm scared to do anything to set it off.

[bantam12]

Not much help to tell you but they are usually benign and providing nothing abnormal is found on tests you do have to live with it. I get a dropped beat every 3rd or 5th beat and sometimes it's 24/7, very tiring.

Have you watched Dr Sanjay Gupta on YouTube ? he does explain them very well.

[Hidden in reply to bantam12]

No I haven't but I will do thank you so much

[Hidden]

Hi Mon. Sorry to hear about your suffering. Read the rest of this post and see the possible good news at the end.

When I first started getting Ventricular Ectopic Beats (Palpitations to some) at age 17, it was 25 years before medicine even had a name for them, so the stress started to mount up. At first it was one every 6 months, then every 3 months, then 1 a week, a day, an hour and culminated in 23,000 ectopics on a single day a few years ago. My life has been hell. I even went for catheter ablation when I was having a serious run of them that the cardiologist actually observed in his office, so I thought a miracle was about to happen. But they put me in the prep room for 2 hours while they got the theatre ready then when they stuck the catheter into my heart I didn't get a single ectopic. Absolutely shattered I was.

But in the absence of a cure, as we all do, I search for an answer myself. I think I am getting closer with the Vagus nerve and Gaviscon theory.

I retired from the Police 4 years ago and now we are on a 12 month retirement trip in UK, Canada and the US. I thought being removed from all stresses at home would have been good tonic, but not so. The symptoms have been winding up again, with the accompanying anxiety. I have been wondering if the thyroxene pills I am taking and nexium to calm the stomach, and a statin called Lipitor could be overloading my system, as I have been feeling like shit (pardon the bad language.) Head feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool, slightly unsteady on my feet, experiencing shortness of breath etc.

Then I thought back to the last appointment I had with my cardiologist before I left. He said that I might be suffering from depression!

Now all of we sufferers I believe end up in a loop - we get really anxious which leads to depression which causes more anxiety and more depression etc. A self perpetuating illness.

I went to see a quack (slang for doctor in Australia) last week for some repeat prescriptions. I described my issues and asked if he would give me some antidepressants. He was reluctant at first but eventually put me on a "non-addictive" antidepressant called ESCITALOPRAM (5mg).

Take note that antidepressants don't work immediately. They can take up to several weeks so I got ready for the long haul.

Today I have been taking them for 8 days. Something has been happening. The fog is clearing from my head for the first time in years. My ectopics have reduced greatly. My stress levels are reducing. Instead of spending every spare minute tapping out my heart rhythm and feeling every heartbet every day and every ectopic, I am actually starting to relax and take my attention away from my problem. I just may be breaking this self-destructive cycle.

Something else I did was to take my 4 pills at night so that they do their stuff while I am asleep, rather than in the day. For the first time in a long time I feel......happier.

Feel free to email me if you like on [e-mail] if you feel down. Maybe all of the stress you are suffering could be the cause of your problem too?

Regards Cliff

[Spanaway]

Prayers for you!

[KiaE]

So sorry to hear about your brother. I will be praying for you. If you have gotten all your heart tests done & they have came back normal, then you may have to just deal with it. Maybe you should find different ways to relax your mind & take your mind off of your heart rate. Perhaps, meditation/yoga & deep breathing excercises will help. It is probably best to stay away from alcohol & caffeine, so maybe you can try herbal tea.

[Hidden in reply to KiaE]

It just worries me as I haven't had my heart checked out for 15 years I don't smoke or drink heavily I'm quite active but I still think maybe I should get checked by a cardiologist again my doctor seems to think it's just anxiety and stress