Ectopic Heartbeats...Coping Strategies anyone???

[willtheconk1998]

Hi Everyone,

Well I am still suffering and worrying loads about my "benign" ectopics!!!
Have been getting them constantly now since new year.
When I say constantly I mean every day....sometimes all day sometimes part of the day.
They are worse after eating and especially bad when i lie down in bed at night.
The main relief is when I am exercising but when my heart slows back down to normal it kicks back in after a couple of hours.
I am sometimes getting them every 5 or 6 beats or so but in the main about 1 a minute and then sometimes none for a while but they always get worse as the day goes on.
Been to 2 different GP's already this year and both saying I don't need another 24hr monitor etc as these are the same problem I had when I had the test 18 months ago and they are "benign" and nothing to worry about.
Have had all the tests and was kept in over night at hospital 18 months ago after a bad run of them and the cardiologists said it is a "benign ectopic arrythmia" I am just so aware of these and they are getting me down.
Anyone got any coping strategies???
Have been to Er a few times over the last couple of years with racing heart and told that it is "sinus tachycardia" and even when the ectopics show on ecg they say they are nothing to worry about. I know that should be reassuring but when they hit all the time it gets really annoying.
I just can't see how when you get thousands in a day it can't do damage to the heart...and with so many people worldwide bothered by this condition how come they haven't found a cure??
It is taking over my life again and i promised myself when this started 9 years ago I wouldn't let it. But it is the frequency that worries me sometimes and I know worrying and stress make them worse so it is a vicious circle.
Sorry for going on but I am so frustrated. I feel every one of them and am struggling to cope if I am being honest. So much for not letting my health anxiety get me down in 2009
How do you all cope???

Will.

[missmandy]

I feel for you! I have PVCs and when I'm not anxious, they can pass without me thinking about them - but when I'm already panicky they can trigger a full blown attack which lasts for hours. Eliminating caffeine really helps, as does regular exercise - so you're doing the right thing! Alcohol REALLY causes them for me. When I was in nursing school they said that some abnormal heart beats actually make your heart stronger - it has to cope somehow!! If you're really bugged I'd look into beta-blockers and see if they'll do anything for you - they help with PVCs but I'm not bugged enough to take them. Good luck!!

[kawasaki kid]

hows it going mark.........hope your hanging in there........
i no exactly how your feeling at the moment bud, my ectopics have started again and been with me for three days now and im really gettin brassed off with them.......non stop all day on and off.

i find when there really bad just drinking water helps, cutting down on my cigs and taking co-codamol tends to space them out a bit but doesnt cure them. maybe try the co-codamol and water thing and see how it affects you.

im at the docs tomorrow, so am gonna see about the connection between the gut and ectopics......i have a small hietus hernia which has never really bothered me but whenever i get the ectopics i always have wind and a little acid......so......im gonna ask for some omapersole (losec) to help my gutt and see if it helps the ectopics....will keep you posted on that.....

ive seen two cardiologists......the nhs one suggested a type 2 beta blocker....all he needs to do is find out which ventricle the ectopics are originating from and he would perscribe appropriatly............beta blockers im affraid of......i tried attenolol 25mg once a day for a few weeks last year and it made them ten times worse for me.....violent....................the private cardiololgist suggested a medication they use for people with arrythmias....this medication he says can only be givin to a select few people and id need to be examined under a stress test for him to decide........if i decide i wanna take this route he assures me that if i am suitable for it, the meds will totally eradicate the ectopics....

so my plan is to try the stomach relation first.......if no joy.....then maybe go get stress tested for this other drug and see what happens.......will keep ya posted .....hope things settle down for you.....chris