Ectopic Beats, Chest Pain, Heaviness in Heart Area

[crazyhayz]

Ok so i started bad extra beats today, never had them this bad and it worried me sick. phoned doc who said to come down. she listened with a stethascope and assured me my heart was fine. But i wasnt getting the ectopics when she was listening!!!!!! I only get them every now & then!! She thinks if i had something wrong with my heart, i would be getting them much more frequently, and she said my heart sounded fine. Ive had 5 ECG's in the last 3.5 months due to chest pains, all the ECG's were normal. BUT i wasnt getting ANY ectopics when i had these ECG's!!! So how can they spot something if im not actually having an ectopic beat at that precise moment?? Docs just think its alllllll down to anxiety (i have GAD and Depression), and i think they r kinda getting annoyed with me. But these chest pains and ectopics are so bad, i feel i cant take anymore :( Its ruining my life :( Im too scared to do anything too physical incase i overdo it and have a heart attack or something. Please help, i need some reassurance...Im 22.

[flumpy]

hi, read my post entitled 'ectopics and panic attacks-fight them'.
read all about ectopics and learn to ignore. if u had a problem with your heart, don't you think it may have been spotted? this is anxiety. classic case. good luck! :)

[Ella_Jayne]

I've had similar issues with my heart and like you I'be had numorous of ECG'S which all turned out to be normal (didn't have any ectopics on the ECG's either) My doctor said that if there was something wrong with my heart that the ECG would show some sort of irregularity regardless of whether you get the ectopics at the time of the ECG or not.

Ectopics and anxiety go hand in hand. Stress and deyhydration can cause ectopics too along with a lot of other things. People with normal healthy hearts get these every day.

Please don't worry, your heart is fine. I've spent far too much of my time worrying about my heart even after numerous of tests came back fine. It's just a case of acceptance and then treating the anxiety. Your only 22, heart problems very rarely develop in young people. If something was wrong with your heart it would have been found by now. Please try and relax :)

[DEBBZ]

my chest feels like a butterfly is loose inside it last a few mins maybe half hour very scary does this sound like anxiety xxx

[flumpy]

it does indeed! see a quack to put your mind at rest then start to fight the anxiety...don't worry, we're all in it together! x

[Macchiavelli]

I dont think it matters if you have the ectopics during the ECG, the ECG is there to check if there are any problems at all with your heart.
Otherwise you would be on it for hours, not just a few seconds

[crazyhayz]

Thanks for the responses guys :) and i have some GREAT NEWS !!!!

As im typing now, ive literally been in for 5 minutes from hospital. Called an ambulance topnight coz of severe crippling chest pains and heart palpitations, breathing difficulties... been in Major Cardiac Unit for the last 4 and a half hours!!! I was put on a 4 hour ECG... heart is PERFECT :) Then i was given a Chest X-Ray.... and thats was perfect too :) Im just soooooooo happy!!!!!!! The pains have all gone, its well strange!! Still getting the little tightenings and slight ectopics but they ARE NOT BOTHERING ME 1 BIT coz i know there is absolutley nothing wrong with me and its just ANXIETY :) I was having ectopics AS I WAS HAVING ECG DONE...AND NOTHING CAME UP...IT WAS ALL FINE :) All my bloods were done and thyroid tested, everything is 100% perfect :) They said the chest pains were either pulled muscle and anxiety, or my heart pounding sooooo hard that it was giving me the pains...and my heart rate was off the chart LOL. I was given 5mg Diazepam whilst i was there - (omg they r amazing for my anxiety/panic...lovely! lol!) I was treated wonderfully too. Im home now, all snuggled up in my pj's about to go to bed (still have all my sticky ECG tags all over me hahahhaha!!) Im just so happy that everything is ok, and i can now focus on my CBT sessions that started last week :) and hopefully get rid of this horrible anxiety disorder!! And trust me everyone, my pains and palpitations were EXTREMELY baddddd!! The ambulance crew looked very concerned about me and took me to hosp without hesitation so u can imagine how bad i was!! I was also having all the classic panic attack symptoms (dizzy, blurred vision, tingly hands and feet, numbness in face, dots in vision, pain in neck and shoulders... etc etc etc) but i knew that wasnt linked coz i knew it was just coz i was hyperventilating. U DO NOT KNOW WHEN YOUR ARE HYPERVENTILATING HALF THE TIME COZ MY MACHINE SHOWED I WAS HYPERVENTILATING BUT I FELT I WAS BREATHING NORMALLY!! SO IT JUTS GOES TO SHOW U DONT HAVE TO FEEL THAT YOUR OVER-BREATHING TO GET THE PHYSICAL PANIC SYMPTOMS!!! Ive accepted, after numerous ECG's and a head CT Scan that im fine. Its all just ANXIETY AND WORRY ABOUT MY HEALTH - THATS IT. Just wanted to share with everyone, as im a hugely anxious person so try to think positive people ok :) xx

Crazyhayz :)

[flumpy]

Excellent news! Acceptance is the key to this thing in my opinion. Now you can move on to the fight proper and get out there and exercise etc. like wot I told you!! lol!!:yahoo:

[crazyhayz]

Thanks flumpy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously....huge thanks!! :)

[missnorton]

:hugs:Wow...what a lovely ending! I called an ambulance during my first panic attack and wasn't quite reassured that nothing was wrong as my mum had a heart attack at 39 and I'm 32...I feel as though I'm waiting for my one. I'm going to try and organise some CBT for my anxiety as I'm miserable living with it....and I know it can be overcome. I'm just keen to do this without permanent medicaiton as i'm aware SSRI's often can increase anxiety or depersonalisation before the symptoms improve. I also don't want to take drugs every day, it doesn't really solve the problem, just masks it.... Do you take any meds, and has the CBT helped you?:shrug:
Lottie

[crazyhayz]

Yes the CBT has helped but ive only had two sessions so far, so ive got a long road ahead, but im doing absolutley fine :) I think im finally overcoming this HA and accepting its not guna kill me!! So why should i be worried?! I just know its all in the mind :)

Yes i take 20mg of Citalopram every morning. They are amazing. My anxiety and depersonalization increased for 2 or 3 days. Then it started to get better :) I also take Diazepam but ONLY when i feel a bit hyperventilatey lol , or panicky. I feel ive got better since hospital, since i found out there really isnt anything wrong with me physically. Ive had brain CT Scan, a Chest Xray, tested for every disease going, had my thyroid checked, 6 ECG's (one of them was a 4 hour one! and i was having what i thought were ectopics, but turns out they werent lol, it was me THINKING i my heart was skipping, when in actual fact, it was my muscles twitching in my chest area where my heart is, coz they were soooo tense!)

I think a mixture of medication, CBT, and acceptance its all in your mind, is the only cure for people with HA. If ppl can do it without any of thatr then fair play to them, but whats it guna harm?? Its what its there for hun!! We all cant be lucky enough in this world ot not suffer with things and have to take medication, im sure people with cancer that have to take countless meds a day hate the fact that they have to take meds, but it HELPS them. Taking meds is not a bad thing, and yes,go through with CBT. It really is AMAZING. Good luck hun xxx

[Macchiavelli]

just seen this

that is great news that you are feeling better, so happy to hear it :)

[BandianaBish]

so here I am, watching TV and minding my own business when "flip/flop-weird pausie sensation-BUHDUMP"
Then I get the odd feeling in my chest and between my shoulders that makes me think even worse.
Why??
What sets it off??
I wasn't thinking of anything stressful, so what happens within me that cause it??