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Thread: How do you deal with ectopics without panicking?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
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    How do you deal with ectopics without panicking?

    I had these for a few seconds yesterday and couldn't cope. I got so frightened (even though I know they are not dangerous). What can I say to myself fwhen they are happening. usually I have to take a Xanax to calm down, but they tend to still hang around for a day or two afterwards.

    My therapist says I need to find out what is precipitating them. For example, yesterday I got up from my desk an got one out of no where. I walked to my car and got a few more. They went away as soon as i started breathing slowly.

    I then got a run of them when getting up to go help a co worker who was dealing with a difficult co worker on the phone. Any good tips to stop these things. They always scare the crap out of me, and always make me feel like i'm going to die. I'd like to hear from others who are going through this. Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2013
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    Re: How do you deal with ectopics without panicking?

    My fear of them stopped when I started to accept that I wasn't going to die because of them, and the longer ive had them the less fear I have, because they started to happen in my 20s and i'll be 64 in August, so obviously after over 40 years of them happening at some point every day for all of those years, it's not really surprising that ive accepted them and live with them....to say happily would be stretching it, but they don't bother me nowadays and I just let my heart do its thing. I do take a beta blocker called Bisoprolol though, which has lessened the impact of them so obviously this also helps, but losing the fear of them helps the most.

    It's just a shame that some of us are more sensitive to changes in our breathing which can alter heart rhythm as with different movements, standing, sitting, running etc, or with extreme heat or cold or adrenaline rushes etc, or when the vagus nerve is compressed if we bend down is another example. The list of reasons can be long and each of us has our own triggers, but the important thing to remember always is that ectopics that have been diagnosed as benign are exactly that, and when you accept that, the fear will slip away and you'll cope better when they happen.

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  3. #3
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    Re: How do you deal with ectopics without panicking?

    Thank you so much Catherine. I really appreciate it. I need to stop fearing them! I think that is key. I do notice that I sometimes hold my breath when i'm working. I think I need to start going back to my 4-7-8 breathing. Sometimes i'll get ectopics on and off the whole day and then won't get any for a week or two. I've an a 30 day holtor monitor and everything turned out fine. It's just really scary when it happens.

  4. #4
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    Re: How do you deal with ectopics without panicking?

    They are scary for many people yes, I can remember being terrified of them and didn't believe they weren't going to lead to true heart disease. Also, remember they can be aggravated by hormones too, so at certain times such as with pmt, pregnancy and menopause they can happen more often.

    I've mentioned before...under previous username of ISB... that my doc suffers with them too and takes the same beta blocker as me. He recomended it to me, so it helps to know that he's not concerned about these ectopics and flutters either.

    Last edited by Catherine S; 23-06-17 at 18:23.
    __________________
    Without fear there cannot be courage - Christopher Paolini

  5. #5

    Re: How do you deal with ectopics without panicking?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ethansmom View Post
    I had these for a few seconds yesterday and couldn't cope. I got so frightened (even though I know they are not dangerous). What can I say to myself fwhen they are happening. usually I have to take a Xanax to calm down, but they tend to still hang around for a day or two afterwards.

    My therapist says I need to find out what is precipitating them. For example, yesterday I got up from my desk an got one out of no where. I walked to my car and got a few more. They went away as soon as i started breathing slowly.

    I then got a run of them when getting up to go help a co worker who was dealing with a difficult co worker on the phone. Any good tips to stop these things. They always scare the crap out of me, and always make me feel like i'm going to die. I'd like to hear from others who are going through this. Thanks!
    Reasons my palps start (after 13 years of putting 2 and 2 together)....
    -Confrontation
    -Anticipated Confrontation
    -Fatty, sugary, spicy foods or eating super fast or overeating
    -Being stressed for weeks on end or days on end
    -Being dehydrated or overtired or both
    -Can come out of nowhere without rhyme or reason (this bugs me the most because I need to know why it's happening so I feel reassured nothing is really wrong with me).

    I never get palps....
    -When calm
    -When very preoccupied and/or very relaxed
    -During or after exercising (I highly suggest exercising (if your dr hasn't ever advised against of course) because it can calm your anxiety and after exercising you'll realize your heart had to pump and work during that and you were fine, so no way a heart palpitation is harmful - if there were something wrong with your heart how would you have exercised, climbed stairs, done errands etc etc - my fiance gives me this helpful advice and reassurance a lot of times - it is definitely so true - and calming).
    -Ironically I've had EKGs in the past during ER visits and of course they stopped when they went to monitor me but were crazy before and after.

    Xanax or deep breathing helped me over the years. After 13 years, I sit today having bad palps on and off that are really frightening me - why I came on the site today actually! And deep breathing still helps. And 2 hours ago, convinced I was dying - still sitting here. Makes me feel silly even though I know I shouldn't feel that way. It is scary - it's scary thinking anything can be wrong with you - best I say you can do is what I'm doing today which helps on and off - deep breathing, avoiding caffeine today, will eat slowly today, drinking lots of water, will be listening to music all day (music always helps me actually no matter the tempo or genre - but I find metal music most calming because the chaos in the song makes my environment feel calmer - not sure if it makes sense lol). Just try to remember that palps can't harm you - so normal - hormones in women can even cause them - or certain foods in anyone - or caffeine - or alcohol - and everyone is fine. I can sit here and tell you all of this good advice but it's hard to believe it myself even though I know it to be true and accurate. Best of luck. Feel better.
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