Ectopics when heart rate is elevated, consistently. (115 to 130 bpm)

[shooterplatinum]

Hey guys,

I've got an issue when dealing with my ectopic beats during exercise. just to give you a little bit of background information. I get about 50 ectopic beats a day to show on my 24hr holter monitor, has a successful stress (no issues even though I had 3 during the test), blood work normal, and about a 100 ECG's that have shown no signs of faulty heart......it took me two years to get a doctor to schedule me in for these test, he said I'm too young and healthy to have any issues. 27/m anyways..... I get heart thuds, flutters, skipped, missed beats whatever you want to call em I get em. From weak ones to hard ones, ones that I can shake off and others that kick me back like I got booted in the chest by a horse. I get maybe 1 randomly noticeable one everyday or every few days. EXCEPT if.....and I mean IF....they are exercise induced or elevated heart rate induced. doesn't matter what I do, if im shoveling snow off my driveway, hiking a vigorous trail, having sex, running, turning a stiff valve at work, taking the laundry from the basement to my bedroom upstairs....BOOOOM! I get em. I can almost feel exactly when its going to strike when I'm doing any type of exertion. its consistent, meaning every time!

With all this said, I ve quit my job when I had no idea what was going on, I quit sports, I quit gym, I stop getting excited during football games, I don't rush to get anywhere, instead I make excuses to keep my heartrate low (resting heart rate 72) and avoid all exertion at all costs. its ruined my life, lost my job, its put strain on my relationships wit family and girlfriend. Doctors tell me to get lost pretty much and to get over it. and I Just can't get over it. the harder I try the more scared I become.

any advice on this matter from people who suffer from exercise induced ectopics, am I the only one? I read everyone that say exercise makes them go away where as for me exercise provokes them. after I get them I freak out go into panic, chest hurts rest of the day, left arm feels weird, and I'm left the rest of the day in disappointment. Any advice is appreciated. for now I will continue to avoid all exertion to avoid this terrible feeling.

[srinux27]

I feel the pain and am having a miserable time too. I wish there was cure for these.

It feels like the palps are slowly taking over my life. I have become hyper aware of every small change in my body and am really surprised since I never bothered with any of this before the palps started. I now get constantly distracted when I have ectopics and they are so terrifying that I just want to drop everything, get home and get to bed. :weep:

Anyways - more to your point - I never used to get ectopics during exercise., but the more I stressed about the worse they got. Now - I get a few during exercise and a lot during the recovery.

I just push through with my workouts - I listen to my body and do not over exert myself. Sometimes it is difficult and I want to stop - but then push through. I try to think about something else, increase the volume on my music, try to cook up stories about other people running etc. - just anything to get my mind off.

I always feel better after the workout and it gives me "momentary" happiness that I can overcome this - sometime the exercise gets rid of palpitations for some time and that is always welcome.

So my suggestions is maybe just push through. Start slow and gradually ramp up? I find considerable comfort in reading stories about other people who suffer from ectopics and the measures they take to get relief. It always pains me to see or read anyone in misery since I know exactly how it feels.

All the best and hope you can overcome this.

[shooterplatinum]

Thanks a lot for your response. I've never spoken to anyone who has gone through the same thing so I reached out for advice. Knowing that you get these while running is a huge relief. I am a strong person but this issue has put doubt in my mind. I will push through this and will be posting my success on here in a few months. So if there is anyone else out there that needs some advice they will find it here. Cheers!

[wyarip]

Hi , I have similar issue. every time I go to the gym (treadmill,bike) and my heart rate goes above 130 I get the flutters palps and start to feel terrible. So I have stopped exercising even though I know I shouldn't. I then started doing Yoga off youtube but whenever i got to around 15 minutes in the palps/flutters would start (when my HR started to rise). Now all that i do is walk but keep the heart rate down. I know that it's wrong and I am determined to get back to the gym but I feel so bad afterwards for days that it doesn't seem worth it. I have had palpitations/fluttering /chest pains for +20 years and I am now 45. Several ECG's and stress tests over that time and all OK. I used to play golf 3-4 times a week but all of that stopped 10 years ago as constant palps while on the golf course.
I can understand what you are going through it's not easy to live with.

[Angiebela]

Sorry to hear you are having such issues with the dreaded ectopic beats !They are so debilitating. Just a thought if you are having them constantly you might want to check out Dr Gupta on you tube.I found his videos on the subject very comforting and have ordered the magnesium supplement he recommended on his website York cardiology. You can also contact him via his website or Facebook if you’re really struggling .just a thought
Angie x

[John87]

I have had similar things, finally got my doctor to get me to see a cardioligst and it turns out I have a lower than normal ejection fraction which caused my skips / thuds, they have me on some low level heart medication and they went within 2 days! I am on the medicine for a long time I think, with regular check ups.

They did the normal, holter, Echo, several ECG's, blood work etc and nothing really showed up, some slightly elevated levels but nothing they were concerned about. It was not until my MRI of the heart that it showed the problem. Perhaps push the docs to get to have an MRI? Maybe there is nothing wrong and you just need that peace of mind? I am so much happier knowing it was not in my head and there is a little problem but it can't be controlled / fixed with medication. I am only 30 years old, so it took some persuading to get them to do the tests!

[DivineAngle]

Hey John just wondered what was your EF from the MRI?

[John87]

Sorry for the delayed reply, been away from here for a few days! My ejection fraction was about 52% which is only just under what they consider normal (55 or higher is norm) so I am only only a low dose medicine to help me, got another appointment in a few days and will find out more!

[DivineAngle]

John, very interesting information. I recently had an MRI and they found the same. Mine is 54/56. The echo showed higher but the MRI is best for gauging the EF. I an 28.

My docs did not offer medication and I did not find out until I read the report but they seem not to be concerned.

Thanks for sharing the info. Very helpful as I am also getting random thuds too.

[John87]

I am on Enalapril 5mg twice a day, has basically stopped all the thuds and extra pressure I was feeling!

However I am still not sure of the full story, looking forward to my appointment to ask questions and hopefully get answers after all these years! Thank you Enalaprol though, it has really changed my life!!!!

[Careful1]

I have 2 different heart arrythmias and I also get PVCS and PACS.. My last holter showed 12,009 PVCS in 24 hours. I tend to get more when my heart rate drops but I do get them from exercise as well.

If your echo shows your heart is structally normal then ectopic's are benign. They sure don't feel so benign do they? Ask your doctor for a low dose beta blocker. Since yours seem to happen more when your heart rate increases you may find a low dose beta blocker beneficial.

[Careful1]

My EF is 50/55. I am going to ask my cardio about that when I see her on Thursday..

[DivineAngle]

Let us know how it goes! I am going to ask mine too.

[John87]

Saw the doc and I am on the tablets for life, but he said I only have a very very mild problem. One of the blood tests has a marker that should be under 50 mine is only 68, he said it’s so so mild and could not stress that enough, he said if it was anything to be concerned about that marker would be in the thousands. I have a very very slight stiffness in my heart which causes the low ejection fraction. Tablets sort the problem so all good.

[Careful1]

I saw my cardio yesterday and I asked her about my EF being 50/55. She said it was normal... I though 55/55 was normal but I don't know... She also wants me to start taking beta blockers daily for my SVT...