24hr ECG for palpitations

[chatty girl]

Hi everyone I'm so glad I've found this site....

In short I've suffered with anxiety for meny years and mostly have it under control with medication. I've suffered with heart palpitations in the past which my doctor put down to anxiety, eventually they went, however last week I noticed them back again and I actually took notice this time so began the worry. For two days they came regularly mostly when I was sitting thinking, by palpitations I mean the feeling my hearts skipped a beat or does a hard beat, I saw the doctor who said he thought it was anxiety but to be sure lets do a 24 hr ecg and blood tests. Its taken a week to get the ecg and I only had one spell of palpitations after drinking too much wine. Today is the day and so far I've had it on 9.5 hours. All day I've been on edge waiting for something to happen, nothing untill half an hour ago. My heart did a thud luckily I managed to look at the monitor in time and it read as high beat on the screen. Since then I've had about 5 other attacks. Im desperate to take the monitor off but my husband says I shouldn't.

Im absolutely petrified I have a heart problem and I'm going to die!

Anyone else ever experienced this?

Thanks for reading x

[PaulieC]

I had a three day ECG last year and felt palpitations the whole way through. I was given a little diary thing to note what I was doing, what time it happened etc. And my results came back as normal sinus rhythm all the way through. Not a single palpitation was recorded despite me feeling them.
Strange how the mind and body work. Don't panic. I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine.

[chatty girl]

Thanks for the reply did you see them on the screen? Im having them constantly again now that im panicking about it! x

[MrH]

I haven't done the 24hr ECG, but last year I ended up in A&E with both palps and chest pains. It got so bad at one point I went into the loos at work, and was convinced I was going to die there and then. That night I saw the doctor, he sent me straight to A&E, and six hours and many, many tests later (x-ray, two ECGs, two blood tests, several blood pressure tests, etc.) I was discharged.

It was terrifying and I was convinced there was something wrong, but I was fine. I've had more tests since and been given a full bill of health. The symptoms were terrifying, and dramatic, and as it turns out nothing to be worried about. I still get them sometimes, both palps and pain, but because I know they're nothing to worry about I don't panic, they run their course, and don't spiral out of control. I hope everything turns out OK with you - some people are just a bit jittery and have odd heartbeats, and it's nothing to worry about. You're doing the right thing getting checked out, but if it's anything like me it'll be nothing at all to worry about.

It's also worth remembering that even if the unlikely happens and the worst comes to the worst and you do have a heart problem of some kind, the chances are they'll find it, they'll find a way for you to manage it, and you'll also be fine.

[chatty girl]

Thanks for the reply MrH, I've made myself an appointment this afternoon to see the doctor, the ecg stopped working early hours of this morning but im hoping their have enough x