Random ectopics

[mbw240159]

Why do I still panic when having a run of weird beats and flutters have suffered for over 30 years and still cannot accept them

[Siforce71]

Hi there,

Sorry to hear your suffering from ectopic beats,

I’ve suffered them most of my life along side Health Anxiety I’m now 50,

I recently had a really bad run of PVCs all I could do is focus on them all day and most of the night.

They got worse so I made an appointment with my GP, had blood work and blood done pressure and 2 ECGs all ok.

Of course did any PVCs show up on the ECG? No!

I said to my GP that they are random at times but when they do happen it really stresses me out, Beat,Beat,Beat, pause Beat Beat or

A flutter of beats in a row which catch my breath.

I said to my GP do I need an appointment with a cardiologist? he wasn’t really concerned and said no but put me Antenolol 25mg a day, which at first really helped, I felt more relaxed. PVCs where still there but less frequent also less forceful.

Unfortunately I started getting really bad heartburn which I could only link at the time to the Antenolol,

I reduced my dosage then stopped unfortunately the heartburn is still here now I’m worried it might be something more serious! Unfortunately this is how health anxiety can affect us,, strange thing is is that my PVCs I haven’t had or really noticed! Because like when I was suffering from PVCs like my heartburn all I can do now is focus on my symptoms obsessively which makes my symptoms worse.

I know this doesn’t really help but thought I’d share how our minds can really have a negative impact on the way we feel and how the stress affects our mental and physical well-being.

[ETHEL103 in reply to Siforce71]

Hi I can absolutely identify with you re ectopics it's impossible for me to ignore them.Im in a lovely cottage in the Cotswolds with best friends and still last night whilst playing cards and having a great time the ectopics played up for hours.Mean little blighters.

[Siforce71 in reply to ETHEL103]

They sure are,

It’s like once you notice them you can’t fully focus on anything else!

Trouble is the more you focus on them the more noticeable they are which makes you more anxious which then can trigger more, it becomes a vicious cycle.

I hate them especially the ones at night,

What I usually do if they become too bothersome at night I tap my hand on my chest to the normal rhythm of my heart and focus on that rhythm instead until I fall asleep.

Daytime episodes I usually swallow hard especially if I feel them in my throat,

Haven’t yet mastered the ones that take my breath away, working on those ones.

I know doctors say skipped beats are nothing to worry about physically! It’s the physiological impact that affects us the most, wondering when they are going to happen again next, what damage are they causing, will my heart stop, or beat so erratically that I’ll die?

I’m 50 now and had them most of my life and I’m still here, absolutely hate them with a passion,I’m just trying different coping mechanism to make my days/nights a little more bearable.