think im on my way out for sure this time

[amandaj]

is it normal to have missed beats funny feelings in you chest day in day out, i really wanted to enjoy today as its my 40th no bloody chance of that happening im in a right state, had missed beats etc all night and there every seconed im so scared i dont wanna die on my birthday

[sarah jayne]

Hi Amanda, Happy birthday ! Ive been through what you describe and its awful. I went to doctors about it and he said that because i was anxious about it i was making myself worse, of course my reply was that i couldnt stop being anxious with horrid feelings in my chest ! He said that i was 'tuning' into my heart too much and noticing things that i normally wouldnt. I went on like this for months and i was convinced that i was dying. That was 2 years ago and im still here. I still suffer from anxiety, to be honest i think i always will, there always seems to be something wrong with me ! Anyway i'll stop going on and let you get on with your special day, hope you have a lovely birthday...x

[WorriedBloke]

I have suffered from those feelings for years now. I had it investigated with a 24hr heart trace and I have what the doctor suspected - Ectopic beats.
Ectopic heartbeats are small variations in an otherwise normal heartbeat that causes an irregular pulse. They may occur without an obvious cause and are usually harmless.


I was told to ignore them and that most people get them but can't feel them. I REALLY feel them though. But, because I no longer worry about them they don't happen anywhere near as frequently as they did.


Biggest help though was stopping caffeine. That reduced the amount of Ectopic episodes immediately.


If you haven't already, it's worth mentioning to your GP to check that it is just Ectopics (nearly always is).

[anxious elephant999]

Hi amanda happy birthday , if it makes you feel better i feel crap again today, really low and really scared of everything , icant see properly which is freaking me out , ican hear all the mums walking past taking kids yo school and i get real upset about the fact that im too ill and to scared to do it , i really dont know what to do anymore , im sure ur heart is ok and that you will still be around later on xx

[pammy1944]

Happy Birthday To Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu Xxxxxxxxxx

[bashley]

Hi Amanda happy birtjhday, i'm the same as u had chest flutterings most of time doc told me anixiety. I have to try to relax but thats hard but i'm trying a good massage helps! treat yourself to one for your birthday.

[Blot]

Happy Birthday Amanda, Try To Enjoy Your 40th Despite The Ectopic Heartbeats.i Too Suffer From Them, I Go Through Periods Where I Have Them Several Times A Day, 7 Then They Seem To Decrease.i Have Been Told That They Are Harmless But Like You They Tend To Freak Me Out So I Get Even More Anxious Which Worsens The Feeling In My Chest.i Have Received Such Good Advice From Fellow Nmp Folk Who Say That We Should Just Ignore Them.the 40's Are A Wonderful Age To Be!! I Am 45 So In Know! Xxxxx

[luke1982]

Im the same as Worriedbloke I reduced my caffeine i was on 20 cups of strong coffee a day aswell as heavy smoking. Cutting down and switching to decaffe really helped with mine

[ashlynyoyohelp]

get a blood test or visit your doctor. this may be part of anxiety because my heart flutters too. if you can, stop drinking coffee, smoking, sugar, alcohol, eat healthy (no fast foods) and perhaps a little more excersise and yoga. helped me...

[janni]

Happy 40th Amanda. For the last four or so weeks my chest symptoms have worsened and I have symptoms every day. I've been from G.P. to G.P. they are all agreed it is anxiety, I know that I suffer from anxiety and I look at somatising symptoms and they all fit but it doesn't take away the fear when we experience these things. I have came to my wits end and I think to reassure me more than any other thing the G.P. has given me appointment for ECG. I'm going tomorrow and even though I know I am anxious and the likelihood is it will show no cardiac abnormalites I know that when I experience these chest symptoms I will still question my heart. One thing I noticed that helps a little bit is stroking another part of the body like the wrist, focusing on that. Takes your mind that little bit of the other. This is your birthday hun, try enjoy some of it, and congratulate yourself on living with what is really frightening and not understood by many except us sufferers. Anxiety plays havoc with my mind and have been near to phoning 999 so many times recently but nothing has happened. Best wishes today and always.x

[barbn]

First "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" - 40 is such a great age (I'm 41 this year)....now I know what you are feeling is making you crazy with worry :shrug: and scared as well. Personally, I am amazed at what anxiety can do to one's body - how many different areas it can effect! It sounds to me like you are in a cycle of anxiety - you feel your heart miss beats, which makes you anxious, which makes you miss more beats or beat faster...which makes you more anxious :scared15: . Our anxiety makes us sick - now we all more than likely have irregular heart beats from time to time for various reasons and most of us don't even notice. You are more aware of this so you feel ever little movement from your heart....if your Dr thought you were in any danger you'd be in the hospital right now. Tell yourself over and over again "I am fine" until you actually believe it!!!

[Marilyn27]

i get those too. the palpitations or fluttering. sometimes it feels like there is cement running through it and its going to stop.

ive had the 24 hour monitor thing too, came back that there are a couple extra beat in there ,but its normal.

i was told to just ignore them too, but when it happens it hard to eh? i used to be constantly checking my pulse on with my fingers on my throat. its been goign on long enough now that i CAN infact just brush it off when it happens.

happy birthday by the way! just enjoy your day..if you can! lol

[TracyL]

Hi

I know how you feel. I get these flutterings etc virtually all the time also. I've had tests galore and all came back normal but did register ectopic beats. All the advice you've gotten here is so true, this is what my doctor said. Ignore them "embrace them" thats what she told me :blush: . Quite hard to do but i've had them for years and i'm still here so we just have to believe what we're told and know that we are fine.

Happy Birthday by the way :yesyes: and I hope you had a lovely day despite the ectopics.

Tracy

[teez]

happy birthday ,,although it doesnt sound like your having much fun,,,the problem was you set out to have this pefect day,,,,and this is we are talking about,,,in the back of your mind wether you like it or not,,is that little nagging voice ,,please let me have a good day,, just let today be ok,,,then before you know it,,its all going to pot,,the times ive said to someone but why today because i was calm and ok,,but in the depths of your mind its all going on hun,,had a good day right up till tea time then went the flutter ,,and as usual im saying why,,im not stressed,,but its always there to catch you out, trick is how you deal with it,,i made biscuits and forgot all about it ,,hope you have a better day tomorrow:hugs:

[hollygirl]

Happy birthday! I had this too for about five years. Funnily enough it was before I ever had anxiety or a panic attack. I was terrified by them at first. But I had an ecg and a holter monitor and had some when hooked up to a monitor in a and e. They told me they are 'just' eptopics - which made me laugh because you feel terrible with them.

But they did tell me they cannot harm you. I used to get them constantly for weeks at a time. I still do get them but not as much. I cut out all caffeine - and chocolate too as that affected them. I still drink wine though but never get drunk. A couple of glasses is my limit - in fact a couple of glasses really helps with that symptom for me and it relaxes me but anything more and it brings them on worse.

Ask for a holter monitor or an ecg. This should re assure you that all is well. I know of quite a few people who get these and we are all still here! So try not to let them get to you too much but also make sure your doctor does give you an ecg just to confirm for you that is what is going on.

[Macchiavelli]

Hi Amanda, Happy Birthday x

I am sorry to hear you are not having a good day. I agree with Ashlyn that you should try to cut out caffeine etc if you can, and this will go some way to help.

I still feel the same way as you a lot of the time and think I am going to die sometime in the very near future, but if you have been to the Doc and he has given the OK, then try to accept that you will be fine

It is hard to accept that this feeling is anx when you feel this bad, I think of this every day, but in moments when I feel better (never perfect) I tell myself I wont die and will be fine and it is same for you

Hope you feel better soon Amanda x

[Mander]

I have a wierd fluttery sensation all the time. It's usually what sparks my panic attacks, actually.

In the last few weeks I have cut back my caffeine to 2 cups of either coffee or tea a day (sometimes 3 if I am feeling adventurous), and started taking an army of herbal remedies, especially lemon balm. I'm not currently taking any other medication, so YMMV. It's possibly psychosomatic but I have felt a lot better. I was having multiple panic attacks every day for a few weeks there.

I also looked up cognitive behavioral therapy online and tried analyzing my own panic-y thoughts a few times. They are first steps, to be sure, but it did help.