Questions going forward...

[desertkelp]

I have another thread here about ectopic beats I've been experiencing for a few months. I saw the cardiologist earlier this week and he gave me an EKG. It was normal. He listened to my heart in various positions and said everything sounded fine. He checked some recent bloodwork and was unconcerned. He was ready to send me home, but then offered to give me a two-week Holter monitor when I return from an upcoming trip, just for peace of mind. He did not see a need for any other tests and said it's probably stress and anxiety. Should I push for more testing, or just accept that he is correct that it's likely stress?

I am flying tomorrow and anxious about this, and I've had an increase in ectopics today and occasionally feel them faintly in my neck or throat, which I mentioned to the doctor. I have no other symptoms except that my stomach seems to influence the ectopics when I am having reflux or I overeat. It's a frustrating problem because it's so sporadic and it's impossible to relax with this feeling.

[IanMK]

Accept his offer of the Holter monitor and try to take your mind off it. If you feel ectopics coming on then try some deep breathing exercises. I found that I was unable to differentiate between anxiety and arrhythmia so I concentrated on avoiding stress and trying to separate my mental state from my physical state. I hope this makes sense to you.

[desertkelp in reply to IanMK]

Yes, it makes sense. I notice that anxiety and worry affect the ectopics. I get obsessed with trying to feel ectopics or some other related sensation and then it becomes a vicious cycle of dreading them and noticing them and then wishing they'd stop. Caffeine and sugar also affect my heart, and I have cut back on coffee.

I am a little worried about the sensations I sometimes notice in my neck. I told the cardiologist about that, and he didn't seem concerned. He listened to my neck arteries and said they sounded fine. But I don't understand why I sometimes feel sensations there if everything is normal. Anyway, I am on a trip this week and scheduled to get my Holter when I return home. I suppose I will get more answers after that.