This is my first post and I'd like to say this site is a great way to share these scary experiences. I've read many of the older posts and felt I had to post to share my experience and ask for some advice...

I'm 28 years old and have had ectopic beats (ventricular) for 6 years. It runs in my family. I've had 24/48 hour ecgs, treadmill test, bloodtest, cbt sessions, and am currently on a small daily dose of propranolol which can help - like most people on here I've been reassured by GP and NHS/private cardiologists that they are entirely benign. I suffer health anxiety though, so I still think stressful times with it.

The ectopics have always frightened me, though they come and go. I've had 3-6 month periods without experiencing the emptiness, then dizzy flutter, then thud, then panic cycle. But recently I've been getting them regularly everyday.

My worst culprits seem to be: Exercise, day after alcohol and daily patterns.

I had 4 big thuds while swimming - which freaked me out as it's bad enough imagining collapsing on land let alone in water! I need to exeercise more for my fitness, but I can't because I always get the beats. Especially as I'm slowing down. Does anyone know the cause of this? I hear it's adrenaline, but I don't quite get the science behind it.

After alcohol I'm prone to them - especially if I have things to do the following day. I'll get anxious and this will bring on the beats.

Currently I'm experiencing ectopics around 10 big thuds during my 10 minute walk from the train station to my work! Every day. I'll not get them when I'm at work, or walking home. I'm not currently in a new job, or particularly stressed at work. And I've done the walk for 2 years and never before had this pattern. I can predict and would put substantial money on having these beats 5 times tomorrow morning walking to work. Wierd! Makes me think it's definitely in the head - yet it's still really unnerving.

One outstanding issue that does worry me - and I wonder if anyone's had this answered by a health professional. But I've read studies on the internet on doctor sites and on medical journal research that do suggest that ectopic's are not deadly in themselves (in fact the thud you feel is the sign of a heart doing what it should - if had the premature beat at not the compensatory pause and thud, then you'd need to worry) but that people who have them are slightly more susceptable to ventricular tachycardia in the future. This does worry me a bit. So when a diagnosis is "benign ectopic beats" is that benign at the moment but not necessarily in the future?

Anyway, one cardiologist told me that they don't even consider medication in healthy hearts regarding ectopics unless there's more than 1,000 extra beats per day.

Anyway, really sorry to go on, thanks to those that have read this far, any feedback would be much appreciated.

Plus, be positive everyone and don't be afraid to keep going back to the doctor - CBT didn't work for me unfortunately. I take comfort in knowing my mum had these, as well as prolapse valve, and she's still doing well. So I'll be alright.