Newly ectopic

[CurlyPretzel]

Hi, I have been lurking here a few weeks. I was glad to find this community. 3.5 weeks ago woke at 4am feeling horrendous with my heart thudding in my chest. Ended up going to GP and to hospital, told by both that I had an ectopic beat. I felt like death warmed up - had no energy for two weeks. Gradually got better and the intensity of the ectopics has diminished but after a rapid improvement over the first two weeks I am still stuck with this 24hrs a day.

Had all the blood tests, all normal, echocardiogram normal, chest xray normal, Holter monitor showed normal sinus rhythm with 4000 PVCs over the 24hrs.

I am now waiting to see a cardiologist but have been told to just get on with life as normal but I don't feel normal. After the second week I had convinced myself it was going to gradually die off but I have felt rubbish the last couple of days. I am finding it hard to sleep because I can feel my heart doing dodgy things and it's really distracting.

I have completely stopped caffeine and alcohol. Have started eating bananas like they are going out of fashion. Taking magnesium citrate.... Haven't noticed any of that really helping. Slow breathing sometimes helps a bit, maybe

Not sure what I am asking really - I guess I just wanted a moan 😢. I am also suffering from things I believe to be related to perimenopause. I just want this to all go away.

[jeanjeannie50]

See if this talk can give you any answers:

youtube.com/watch?v=ZxDW0dD...(Not working as expected?)

[CurlyPretzel in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks Jeanjeannie, yes I had already seen that one. It's interesting but I left with the conclusion he thought it was mostly anxiety related and that "life factors" were likely involved in most women's increased anxiety around menopause. I had been hoping he would come out in favour of quite a strong link!

That said, I have been comparing notes with a family member a few years older than me who has been suffering heart issues for a while now... Anecdotally it makes sense but I am also now aware that all our heart issues are different and I feel most peri-menopausal women report more of the tachycardia type symptoms, which I don't have. Anyway, I have joined the menopause community on this site and I am sure I'll be posting over there soon!

[Niki_]

Hi I also have ectopic beats a in November I had 12.8% of all my beats being ectopics so roughly 12.8 thousand on my 24 hour holter monitor .. I started taking taurine and L arginine along with magnesium and I do 30 mins of cardio a day and now they are down to 4000 on a 24 hour monitor.. my doctor told me that 4000 / 4% is no big deal.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Niki_]

Thanks Niki, I have been reading your posts and I really feel for you. 4000 is vile so I can't imagine what 12000 felt like! Did you have any idea what set it off?

Do you have any tips on how to sleep through them? I currently have melatonin but it's pricey - I don't want to be taking that for the rest of my life. When I don't take it, I wake up in the night and can't get back to sleep. I also can't lie on my left side because I can feel it thudding.

Interesting that cardio helps. I have been nervous to get back to exercise as I can't believe it's a coincidence that I did am unusually long run (for me) the day before. But GP said I was good to do normal exercise. I was just hoping that as the rest seemed to have been helping maybe I should take it easy a bit longer, but I seem to have plateaued.

[Niki_ in reply to CurlyPretzel]

Hi, yes I feel I do know what set it off I was severely iron anemic.. my ferritin was 5 lol .. it should be between 10 and 150 .. that caused a slight heart murmur for me and these PVCs .. my Farrington is now up to 50 but I’m still left with these PVCs .. I had a completely normal echocardiogram and I’ve had the two halter monitors that only showed the PVCs no other heart issues.. so I started obsessively searching for a natural solution. I refused a beta blocker when it was at the 12 % .. I don’t like the idea of taking any pharmaceuticals.. I try to ton of different things and have wind it down to the magnesium Taurine And l- arginine.. my doctor feels it’s the magnesium that’s helping me the most but I really feel it is all three.. some people will try magnesium and it doesn’t work for them and it’s because they’re not taking enough I take about 800 mg a day of magnesium glycinate. Although my heart monitor said 4% I get really bad health anxiety so wearing the monitor did give me anxiety .. anxiety cN make PVCs worse..so my number is probably a little less than four if my guess I would say it’s 2-3% on most days. CatAnn on here helped me SOO much .. she has some wonderful detailed post if you can find her. She was getting ready to have an ablation her PVCs were above 13%.. she takes much of the same regimen and I do and she has hers down to almost 0 most days.. The supplements I take I get on Amazon and they’re fairly inexpensive.. The best part is they don’t really have any side effects at all all of the side effects are positive. Of course if you have anything wrong with your heart your situation may then be different than mine as I have a Structurally normal heart with no other known heart issues

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Niki_]

All the tests I have had so far were normal. Echo showed nothing. I haven't had a stress test. Holter also showed nothing except 4000 PVCs, 4 PAC and 15 PVC couplets. Normal sinus rhythm throughout.

Thanks I will look for those posts. Dr told me he would support magnesium up to 500mg per day. I will discuss other supplements with them - I don't want to just go it alone with supplements either just so it goes on a record what I am taking. But I will look those up on Amazon. I am in Australia but hopefully I can find similar. It's worth a try! I also so far don't want beta blockers - I am suffering from fatigue already.

[PaulMichaels in reply to CurlyPretzel]

Hi, I think your obvious and understandable anxiety is making it worse. I have very similar issues for the last few years. I've recently had a stress test and the ectopics disappear at peak exercise. My cardiologist is happy to leave well alone and not start unnecessary medication. I don't worry now and feel much better. My tip is to try and manage your stress levels.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to PaulMichaels]

Thanks Paul, very sound advice which I am definitely trying to do. I had two completely different health issues last year, the first of which was obviously stress and the second (three months of awful abdominal pain, indigestion and bloating) never had a cause and the gastroenterologist thought likely stress related. It's easier said than done though isn't it? Not like you can just change your life overnight. But maybe just spending some time each day on things I enjoy and upping the yoga might help!

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Niki_]

Hi Niki I just wanted to say thanks for giving me the confidence to do some cardio. I did my online zumba class last night (I live in Melbourne, we're back in lockdown 😩) and not only did I feel fine doing the class, but I felt a lot better in the evening too.

[Niki_ in reply to CurlyPretzel]

Awesome! I have been helped a lot on here by kind people who have taken the time to respond to me so i try to do the same💛 I hope you continue feeling better!

[ETHEL103]

Everyone on here mentions slow breathing, believe me I've tried and tried. Along with no caffeine, alcohol and lost a bit of weight. Nothing stops them. So miserable aren't they. Your not alone on here.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to ETHEL103]

I am sorry it's grinding you down too 😞. I feel there is a really good community solidarity on here. Nice to meet you!

[ETHEL103 in reply to CurlyPretzel]

My daughter lives in Melbourne too. They have it sussed where lock downs concerned but not the jabs. Yes it's good to know we're nt alone. I don't know anyone else that's even heard of ectopics.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to ETHEL103]

You're so right. I get a lot of people telling me "Oh, I have that, sometimes my heart just starts beating really fast" and I have to explain that's not at all what I have. Though I am sure they feel crap too! Interestingly my husband had had them for years, but he doesn't have them all day and all night....

[TracyAdmin Partner ArrhythmiaAlliance]

Hello there and welcome to the Forum! Please do not hesitate to contact the Patient Services team for support and advice [e-mail] any time, or alternatively, please visit our online patient resources heartrhythmalliance.org/aa/.... Take care, Tracy

[Oldladyw]

Anxiety can definitely increase ectopics and so can perimenopause. Your hormones are all over the place and affecting your heart rhythm. In addition to what you are already doing, try progesterone cream, which you should be able to buy at any natural food store. I believe it is made from wild yams and helps with menopause symptoms. Also make sure to stay hydrated! Dehydration messes with your heart rhythm.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Oldladyw]

Excellent, both good tips to try!

[Niki_ in reply to CurlyPretzel]

Yea I will add I totally think I’m pre- menopause

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Niki_]

Sucks, doesn't it. I just found a new menopause board on health unlocked... Hoping it can become as good a community as this one.

[Deary63]

Hi , so many of us on here have the same things going on , but I do believe that hormones play there part plus anxiety, after 30 odd years I get it now 😊 I’ve been taking magnesium taurate for 3 months now and I can’t believe how much they have helped especially when I go to bed . You say you can’t sleep on left side because of all the missing beats , that was me .. it’s awful , as you can’t help tuning in on it 😫 I hope you get some peace soon .. your not alone . Good luck Sue

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Deary63]

Thanks Sue! I was going to try adding taurine as suggested by Niki, otherwise I will try magnesium taurate if I can find it. I have just bought myself an under the pillow speaker to see if I can play some "sleep sounds" for me to concentrate on instead.

[Deary63 in reply to CurlyPretzel]

You try anything don’t you bless you .. my daughter told me to listen to Calm App on my iPad when I went to bed , that helped also .. Also breathing ,inhaling in and holding for 5 seconds calmed my racing heart too .. we are all different but you will find your things that help .. I’ve just had 24hr tape, plus I was having another echogram , I had appointment with this cardiologist, after looking at my echogram I had 3 years ago he said I didn’t need one , as everything looked very good , he explained to me everything that I’ve ever experienced, he had all my medical records , he told me if your missed beats are coming from top of your heart they are not dangerous, which mine are .. I was in with him for an hour , never in 30 odd years have I ever had my heart problems ever explained like he did ! He was fantastic! Iam feeling more positive and not so scared now !

That’s all you need sometimes , time and someone to listen and explain properly xxxx

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Deary63]

See the problem is that I see a lot of times"if it's the upper chambers it's not dangerous"... All well and good but for many of us it is not the upper chambers! Still, they still don't seem unduly worried at 4000 a day...

[Jeff1943]

Magnesium Citrate takes 3 weeks to produce an effect, that's taking a 200mg tablet twice a day.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Jeff1943]

Good-o, should be about kicking in then 👌

[Sadiec07]

Hi,I started being plagued by it about 5 years ago, just out of the blue. It's been horrendous. Like you I've had tests and same as you a sinus rhythm. It's easy to say just ignore it, but you can't!

I was going to ask if you were menopausal age as hormones can play a big part. Falling estrogen can cause palpitations. More information coming out about it if late. Drs don't always tell you this. If you read up on menopause it shows a link in this. Although it doesn't help the symptoms it might help you know a little more about it.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Sadiec07]

Hi Sadie! Yes, definitely believe that part of the reason I feel like I am falling apart is hormones. Lucky my Dr did tell me I was likely to be entering peri a couple of years ago so I have been on the lookout for symptoms that could be related ever since.... There are many!

[Pigleywigley]

Hi Curly. Last year I hit perimenopause & started with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation I have lots of ectopic beats too. I have always had them as I was born with an atrial septal defect and it wasn’t found until I was 28 so already left sided enlargement. Things are calming down for me having tried lots of stuff recently but I do firmly believe adding hormones has helped progesterone (coil) & oestrogen patch. I did a post yesterday about lifestyle changes making a difference. I too take taurate big big help. I’m a hypnotherapist & meditation teacher in training so managing my anxiety takes daily practice (born worrier). Take care.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Pigleywigley]

Hi Pigley,Thanks! The more anecdotal evidence I find, the more determined I am. My cousin told me she has had heart issues too among all the other things for the last few years. I intend to go see my GP and ask about HRT of some kind. I have many other symptoms that on their own are nothing, but as a collection make life miserable. But not the classic hot flushes or night sweats.

[Contra21 in reply to CurlyPretzel]

How old is peri menopausal and how do we know if we are going through it. I’ve had ectopics for 5 years they are terrifying in melb too.. xx

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Contra21]

Hi Contra,

two years ago my doctor mentioned that I could be entering peri when I had a skipped period and an ovarian cyst. I am nearly 45. It's different for everyone and lasts different lengths, some women don't have any symptoms and most of the symptoms (apart from the menstrual cycle changes) could be a number of things... But I reckon if you are in your 40s or early 50s it is worth considering whether it could be a factor in any physical or mental health things that are happening in your life. I am not very far into the journey of trying to establish whether it's actually what's going on with me, but the one thing I know for sure is that my cycle has changed dramatically over the last year.

How have you managed your ectopics? I am finding it very hard to sleep.

Chin up, my lockdown comrade!

[Contra21 in reply to CurlyPretzel]

Another 7 days round 4! They have plagued me for 6 years but when the are bad Consistent they terrify me to my core. I'm seeing my dr today to redo holterb & echo after 2 years.

[Greenpeak]

I didn't have time to read ALL the posts but this may be helpful if no one else has mentioned it. I was also having palpitations and especially when trying to go to sleep. It is very distracting. My GP sent me to a cardiologist. However, my Vit D levels were quite low so I started taking a Vit D supplement (5,000 units daily. By the time I saw the cardiologist, my palpitations had completely gone away. I googled palpitations and Vit D and I learned that low Vit D can cause palpitations! I lowered my dose and they started up again... a year later. I am back on 5,000 a day and I am good again. Just a thought if you have never had that checked. I am post-menopausal.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Greenpeak]

Thanks. My vitD was marginally low a few months back. I am actually taking a supplement but 1000 a day... Pharmacist was like "too much vitD is bad what did GP say" - but she hadn't actually said anything just "should be higher" so I didn't want to push it. The round of blood tests for this cardio problem didn't seem to include vit D. I have a GP appt on Monday as I think they are getting worse So I will ask about VitD. Thanks!

[Pjxx]

Snap, I have the same thing! I delayed in getting my "palpitations" looked into because I thought it was caused by stress and because they seemed to get worse every 4 weeks thought it was linked to hormones and possibly being perimenopausal . As it turned out the docs ruled this out when the palpitations came pretty constant. Had echo ECG, 7 day monitor and stress test (which showed the ventricular ectopics) and now just waiting to see a cardiologist, been put on beta blockers and sertraline and had hellish side effects for a couple of weeks but now feel everything is more under control but I still believe that hormones are playing a part in this.

[CurlyPretzel in reply to Pjxx]

Interesting to hear! I find that mine are worse when my gut is playing up - even if it's not the cause I think it is exacerbating it. I have stress Echo on Friday. My cardiologist thinks beta blockers won't help me 😢