Ectopic Beats and a few questions

[Ragna]

Hello :yesyes:

Oh joys here I am at 4.45am, can't sleep again of these god damn ectopic beats. So I get up to try and do something where I am not thinking about them. Out comes the laptop !

Had them for several years, had a couple of ecg, and they not concerned. :shrug: However, sometimes I have them every other beat, ever three to four beats, and it drives me round the bend. Do you think I should return to the doctor and ask for further investigation? As the other night I had some bad panics whilst in bed, where my heart was speeding up like mad, and apart from convincing myself I must have something like sleep apnea, and I must have stopped breathing, I'm now thinking perhaps I should checked out for Arythmia (my sister suffers from this - does it run in familes) Proof I guess, that I'm a Health Anxiety Sufferer :wacko:

Question to women out there ... do you find that you have more ectopic beats around the time of your period. Im 44, and I guess heading towards the menopause. I normally find I can pretty well now tell when I am going to start as the day before it's a bad day. If so, does anyone know WHY this happens?

Has anybody found a way to stop them in their tracks. I've tried putting my hands in ice cold water, drinking ice cold water (which seems to help now and again) holding my breath. I'm up for trying anything. :huh:

I noticed after goggling, (what did we do before google?)someone somewhere mentioned they took supplements and the beats near enough disappeared. Does anyone know what supplements they are refering to?

Thanks in advance Guys :0)

Ragna :D

[cruisecraft]

Hi Ragna,
Sorry to hear about your ectopics,you are not alone.It amazes me how many people worry themselves about them,I do.I have suffered with them for years and driven the cardiologist and many doctors nuts asking for reassurance that they are not dandgerous.
I always get the same answer,stop worrying no one ever died from them and they are benign.
I wish I new how to stop them but hang in there you will be ok.I have recorded over 3000 in 24 hours without any problems .
Good luck.

[LeeBee]

As cruisecraft says, the ectopics can't hurt you. It is only if you have an underlying heart problem that ectopics can cause a problem. Before using this forum I had no idea how common they were. People don't normally talk about them!

The supplements that you heard about might be potassium and/or magnesium. Deficiency in either or both of these minerals can increase the incidence of ectopic or irregular beats. You might want to check with your doctor before starting on a course of supplements. You can try eating more foods that contain lots of potassium and magnesium. For potassium, avocados, bananas, tomatoes and broccoli are good; for magnesium green leafy veg and nuts are good.

I've still not been able to work out what increases the incidence of my ectopics. I don't think that for me it's influenced by my period but it could be hormonal. I'm more likely to get them after eating. I sometimes find that coughing helps to stop them.

[Ragna]

Thank you both for your kindness and reasurrance.

Wow @ 3000, yes I think some days I must have a simliar amount. I had them that day for over 12 hours, and they were at some times every 3/4 beats...I was very close to going to A & E. Had it not been a Saturday, I think I would have gone.

I shall def look out for potassium based foods. Funny you should mention coughing, because I have a cough whenever I have them ! Amazing how your body seems to know. Been much better Sunday and today.

Thanks again :0)