I’m feeling so disheartened and deflated recently.
I starting suffering from shortness of breath at the beginning of the year which I believed may have been anxiety induced, I also had chest pain upon exertion eg. Putting up my Christmas decorations. I should mention that for the last 5 years since being pregnant with my daughter I have had the sensation of a skipped heart beat every now and then but largely these were being kept at bay - god knows how.
With my chest pain I wanted to be sure I wasn’t missing anything. I actually believed it to be muscular but thought it best to get other things ruled out given my history of pvc’s so I pushed my gp to get my an ecg. She called me with my results to tell me I was in atrial fibrillation and to go to a&e. I got to a&e and had s repeat ecg, bloods and blood pressure check - all of which were fine. I was told that I should be reassured now that I am okay and was referred for an echocardiogram and a holter minor. My echo came back fine and my holter came back with a junctional rhythm, also mostly NSR, despite having pvc’s and strings of pvc’s during the monitoring none some to have been noted, I was also told I had pauses 1.5 long during my sleep. None of these things worrying my cardiologist I was told I was absolutely fine however I then started to get more pvc’s and then went onto get a few in a row atleast once a day. I sent my Apple Watch ecg to a company who confirmed I had pvc’s and ventricular bigeminy which I’m worried was never mentioned on my holter but really is my most concerning symptom. The cardiologist told me none of these things were anything to worry about and but me on bisopropol 1.5. For the first 3 days I felt incredible until I had another run of pvc’s in a row and since then and knowing I can’t seem to find relief from these things I’ve been feeling awful. Hot sweats, chest pain, nausea, uncertainty and shortness of breath. These things are interrupting my sleep regularly and now my quality of life - I just want to cry I feel so helpless and hopeless.
I trust the doctors when they say I’m okay but I really feel like I’m dying or falling apart whenever these things happen and it ruins my day - my anxiety feels like it’s through the roof and I just feel alone in all of this, my family just tell me to breathe and stay calm but I feel so lost.
I love the community here and just want to say thank you if you have read this far, I’m not expecting a miracle cure or loads of words of advice but sometimes it feels less like a huge problem if you can share the burden of it with others and in truth I just want people I can talk too who understand how this can flare up your anxieties so bad.
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Kellylou1712
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I'm sorry to hear it. I totally feel you and you are not alone. By the end of last year I've had frequent episodes of sudden sinus tachycardia with occasional PVC and PAC for about 3 months. I have a history of palpitations and currently on Bisoprolol, but last year was particularly bad and my anxiety exploded. Ventricular bigeminy and AFib were detected by my portable EKG but since the measuring time is short and measured by myself, my cardiologist didn't think the measurement is reliable enough to interpret. I went through Holter monitoring, treadmill test, echocardiogram, blood tests, and everything shows normal too. I've been informed that occasional PVC, PAC, etc. is OK as long as they are below certain percentages. Did you do the echocardiogram or the treadmill tests? If not yet, maybe you can suggest those to your doctor to rule out all possibilities.
I still have palpitations now, but much better since Feb. this year. Here are some methods that I used to reduce my palpitations:
1. Ensure a good work life balance as I find stress play a part for my condition;
2. Listen to ASMR everyday before going to sleep to relax my nerve;
3. Spray lavender mist on my pillow and use essential oil diffuser to stay relaxed;
4. Take magnesium when I feel unwell (this is suggested by my doctor);
5. Stay hydrated and cool- I drink coconut water often as it contains Potassium, Calcium, and other important electrolytes to regulate heart rate;
6. Ensure enough sleep - I always get palpitations the next day if I don't sleep enough the previous day.
Thank you so much for your reply Ash. I had an echocardiogram but I have not had a stress test - which I suppose I could push for next although since when I actually have the PVC's/bigeminy I am asymptomatic I don't imagine they will want too. I am exactly the same as you when it comes to sleep, and sometimes these things wake me from sleep so it's a really vicious cycle because I know I will get them the next day too from lack of quality sleep!
Would you mind telling me what magnesium you take? I have been scrolling the internet for days trying to find one with everything I need and it's taxing to sit and read the reviews and see who recommends for the heart.
Currently I'm taking Magnesium Citrate (I'm taking the natural vitality magnesium supplement gummies since I don't like swallowing pills or tablets) and I personally felt better after taking it. Also, I haven't tried myself, but I've researched that Magnesium Glycinate can improve sleep. Both forms of magnesium are relatively easy to absorb.
I was going to write a lot of what Ash05 has written and would agree with what they’ve said - especially about taking your medication at the correct times and being consistent. I am on Bisoprolol and Flecainide for Afib. Flecainide has to be taken on an empty stomach and at least an hour before food. If I get that wrong, my Afib will kick in for a while, until the Bisoprolol starts working too.
The other advice I would give, is if you’re carrying any extra weight, try and lose it. I was diagnosed with Afib February 2020 and losing 5 stone made my episodes far shorter but also far more mild.
You just have to keep on at the docs until they take you seriously.
I was fobbed off for 6 years with " everything normal, nothing to worry about" then I saw a different Cardio who re ran all the tests and found angina, constant ectopics, SVT, Afib and heart block with long pauses, I was offered an ablation which I didn't want so had a pacemaker and meds.
I've been well for a year but debilitating ectopics are back so I'm back to pester my consultant next week.
Unfortunately women are not treated well when it comes to the heart, we are fobbed off with "its anxiety" and sent on our way, it can be very hard work but you have to be persistent and if one doc is dismissive then move on to another !
Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me - I'm so sorry you have been through this - It's so difficult for me to know what is anxiety and what isn't, I don't want to have to seek constant reassurance from tests or have the same test over and over until I get the end result I want but these sensations are so awful it can push you to that point sometimes. I hope you get some relief from these ectopics - I wouldn't wish them on my worst enemy.
I am so sorry for your unhappiness Kellylou. All I can say is that if my PVCs Bigeminys which were very frequent, currently controlled by 1.5mg Bisoprolol, come back it is due to anxiety/stress. Like me, it does not seem that you have structural heart defects. We live in a time of enhanced anxiety partly due to the pandemic. Maybe the way to approach it is relaxation techniques. I find yoga breathing helps. I think you need to break that circle of anxiety and stress.
Thank you for replying to me Meeshell1, I can definitely relate to what you are saying and I do like to practice yoga when my 2 young children give me the space to do so! Can I ask if you experienced any side effects when you first began the bisoprolol?
I do not think I have any side effects from taking Bisoprolol. I feel very flat in the morning after waking up, but that is probably due to other factors. The drug had little effect initially but gradually my ectopic free period increased to all day and every day. I use an Emay handheld monitor. I never felt the ectopics and they only came to light following a motorbike accident. But they were very frequent and made for interesting viewing. I remember my two young ones and free time, well that was hard to find!
Having any unusual sensation in the region of the heart is terrifying and I know ectopics are awful, believe me. I take ordinary magnesium oxide and it does seem to have helped. I’m also on a low dose of propranolol twice a day (I’m very sensitive to medication) and the worst side effect is tiredness, which with two young ones you will have anyway.
Please try the York Cardiology website and listen to Dr Sanja Gupta. His empathy and advice is amazing and reassuring. Dr Gupta explains techniques which may help control an attack and also what the best sort of magnesium is for heart function.
I know this is tough to hear as I hated being told that I was making myself worse with anxiety, but unfortunately anxiety begets anxiety and can give you more ectopics which then increase the anxiety. You must ask your family to give you time to do relaxation sessions and learn to do yogic breathing (but not too much or you will go dizzy!) Also do some walking which helps with both physical and mental well being.
I hope this helps a bit. You’re not alone in this as lots of us know just what you’re going through.
Another great response on this thread thank you! I used to watch Dr Sunday Gupta a lot when I was told I had anxiety and nothing else wrong I think I’ll familiarise myself with his talks! I did manage a 10k fast paced walk yesterday and felt amazing the whole time which gave me reassurance of my symptoms - you’re right that I need to ensure I get time to do this regularly.
this dr sanja gupta is only in it for money like anyone after money his advice costs you a fortune we have a NHS if this man wants to line his pockets he should be banned in the UK full stop
Hello Kelly, I really feel for you. I have had all that you mention I was told I had atrial flutter and then A-fib and then was told that I didn’t when the cardiologist looked at it all. They said it was runs of ectopics, I have had sinus tachycardia, bigeminy and something else that I can’t remember. I have had a couple of short runs of SVT. After the Atrial flutter they put in an implantable monitor to track what was going off and it has revealed just multiple ectopics. This all started for me in the menopause and the more I stressed over it the worse they got. I have had the monitor in for three years now and this is all its found and frankly I have learnt to ignore it all and in the main I don’t notice anything now at all only if I’m stressed. None of what they have found is dangerous apparently. I hope it helps!
I am sorry to read your post and I'm sorry that you have been feel so anxious. If you feel you would like any specific support, do not hesitate to contact the Patient Services Team info@heartrhythmalliance.org anytime. Take care, Tracy
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