Horrible way to start 2024

[DoveofPeace]

😞I was picking up something from the floor and as I turned around to put it back down, I felt a weird, constricted (knot) feeling in my upper tummy and chest. It felt strange in my throat too. I placed my fingers on the carotid artery and this is what I felt: beat, beat, beat, two quick beats, then beat, beat, beat, two quick beats, then beat, beat, beat, two quick beats, then normal beats from then on. I don't think the heart rate went over 80 the entire episode. I was so shook up, I was shaking and crying. I had told Steve I would make us Chef salads, I did, but I was so befuddled I had a difficult time making them. I tried to eat, but I couldn't finish because I felt full and bloated, plus it was huge, I can't believe Steve ate all his and the little that was left of mine. I am calmer now, but my tummy feels fluttery and I am on the alert for more skipped heart beats. What a way to start 2024

I hate that weird "knot" feeling in my upper tummy when they start, and the shortness of breath. I feel that feeling the most when I am talking or twisting or bending a certain way.

I will also add that lately, if anything upsets me, even a little bit or I feel anxious, the skipped heart beats usually start, they weren't this "hair trigger" in the past.

Happy New Year anyway, I hope y'all have a better, skip free day. Hugs.

[KimG21]

hi

Sorry to hear you are having bother with these - you should watch dr Sanjay Gupta York cardiology on these I found he really explained things so well and out my mind at ease. I can’t seem to find a trigger for mine but I do notice when I am anxious , hungry, eaten too much or too little , they start kicking in and I hate them. Had them checked out and they said I had ectopics but my heart is fine. I just wish they woukd go away. I find better breathing helps as well but I do notice when I lean forward or twist I can feel them, probably putting pressure on my stomach which is near the heart. I have had them for nearly two years and I’m fine I am sure you will be too, they are just total pests! Sending love x

[DoveofPeace in reply to KimG21]

I love Sanjay Gupta, I have watched many of his videos. Unfortunately, however, I still am afraid of these skips, I wish I had a doctor like him I could talk to in person, that would be such a big help.

Your triggers for skipped beats are all similar to mine, do you have a hiatal hernia?

I have had these skips since I was in my 40's and I am now 66, you would think by now I would not be afraid, but sadly, I am more so than ever.

[KimG21 in reply to DoveofPeace]

Do you know I have often wondered if I have a hiatal hernia from reading others oriole experiences on this. I don’t feel I can go back to the doctor because th eh have done a holter and told me I am fine and they sort of made me feel like they weren’t going to harm me and to get on with it.

I think for me it’s changing the mind set as I definitely feel that triggers mine whenever I get anxious and I don’t have to be overly anxious. Also food, C poor sleep and inflammation from eating rubbish etc. please know you aren’t alone and I know that doesn’t always make you feel better but giving you have had them for years would tell me there isn’t anything seriously wrong with your heart. Always ask a doctor if h are unsure but I think if u realise they won’t harm you they might calm down. Mind also started last year just before I turned 40, after I had a hysterectomy- I am sure they are linked to hormones as well! x

[DoveofPeace]

Unfortunately, many doctors don't believe that hiatal hernias cause these issues, but they most certainly do, they can even mimic a heart attack.

I have been reassured by many doctors that they aren't serious, but for some reason I just don't believe it and I am still petrified, especially of the ones that I feel in my throat and the ones that feel like my tummy is dropping and in a knot before the actual skipping starts.

Hormones definitely contribute to these horrid beats, I know that some women use bioidentical progesterone cream and they say it helps.

[KimG21]

I totally know how you feel, I have had multiple ones in a row and the scared the life out me , I would sit up and grab my chest like a frantic actress in a movie 😂they aren’t funny at the time but they were a run of ectopics. I go through phases where they are worse than others and they have Ben bad recently but I find if I accept they are a part of me they go away. I didn’t believe this would ever happen but I think more anxiety leads to more ectopics it’s a viscous circle. Excercise helps as well x

[DoveofPeace]

I agree, the more anxious I get, the worse they become, it's such a vicious circle. I am trying to accept them, but those runs really scare me. I seem to go through phases too, I can sometimes go a few weeks without any, then they act up again, sometimes not as bad as other times.

I noticed a couple of days ago that when I was doing strenuous work, they stopped, but when I stopped, they returned.

[Malayabalaya in reply to DoveofPeace]

Hiya I think it’s a rare person who can ignore their ectopics. Mine started 3 years ago. I was put on betablockers but they didn’t help, then a calcium blocker which didn’t help then finally Flecainide which to all intents and purposes has cured them. From 22% evtopics to very occasioal ones if I’m late taking the medication or I’ve had too much alcohol. Some may think medication is a sledgehammer to crack a nut but unless someone has experienced lots of ectopics they can’t know how anxiety-provoking they are. But the fact that an anti-arrhythmic drug can stop them would indicate to me anyway they are largely a physical problem. There are very many people who suffer from anxiety who don’t have ectopics. Just to say also Flecainide is only appropriate if you don’t have structural heart disease. Hope things go better for you🤞

[DoveofPeace in reply to Malayabalaya]

I am fairly familiar with those drugs, but to be honest, I just refuse to take them. My normal heart rate is 65 to 75 and blood pressure 116/65. I very seldom have tachycardia, and when I do, it doesn't last long. I mainly have lots of pauses and skips (PACs and PVCs with short bouts of Atrial Runs, no known AFib)which scare me lots but the rate usually doesn't go abovev100. I have had them since my early 40's, I am now 66, a person would think by now I"d be used to them, but they still scare me so much. I do have a hiatal hernia, I think it is instrumental in causing them as well, especially after I eat, drink water, or bend in any direction. Anxiety isn't helping either.😢

[TracyAdmin Partner ArrhythmiaAlliance]

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