Terrified of ectopics

[dodo]

Well just what it says really. They are really scaring me.

I have caught a few of them now and it is literally just a skip for a beat and my rhythm remains normal, but all the same.

Just now I did an almighty burp followed by a skipped beat.

I just want to be well and get on with my life and my family rather than running scared and locking myself away.

[susysparkle]

hi.. i can relate to how you are feelimg.. i get ectopic beats a lot.. i have been toldthat me being anxious can make them worse.. i no that , and also i have found that if i smoke a lot or drink to much coke i seem to get them more.. a tip i found that helps.. is to cough.. sounds daft i no but it did realy help....i hope ypu find this helpful.. take care sue x

[PokerFace]

They scare me too dodo. If you're getting them when you're burping I suspect it's cuz of you're tummy. The more you worry/obsess about them, the more they're gonna come I'm afraid. I bring mine on just by thinking about them! I was in the shower last night and I was like "please please PLEEEASE don't do an ectopic beat" next thing I knew it was like BANG! and I nearly fell out the shower I was tryna get out so quick!

If you get ectopics cuz of digestive problems you could try antacids. Been suggested on a thread here you might wanna have a lil mooch at if you havn't already! :) http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=84941 xx

[dodo]

You know I've pretty much come to realise that mine are linked to wind in my upper chest. However I'm just really struggling to see how wind can cause your heart to skip beats. I've read the chemical palps website but I still can't get my head round it.

And also the thinking about it and then it happens rings true for me, but again I just can't see the connection.

I'm all about being logical and if I cab see a link then I can accept.

[PokerFace]

Cuz your organs all like to work together I suppose! If one is irritated it can sometimes irritate another. On that thread I linked you to, Going Home wrote this about wind and ectopics which might help you understand a bit.

"My doctor told me that the culprit is something called the vagus nerve and it connects quite a few organs in the body including the heart and digestive system. If this nerve is irritated by something we've eaten, or if we eat to much then the heart is irritated too. Some people get a fast beating heart if they eat sweet and sour sauce for example, so its the same kind of thing. The antacids are not a cure but you might find they help."

This is my theory for the thinking about it, when we think about them we get panicky, usually praying they don't come which causes our body to release adrenaline and our hearts beat prematurley because of the adrenaline released inapropriatley into our blood stream causing an ectopic/missed beat which is why anxious people get ectopics as a symptom. I'm not a doctor though, but that is what I reassure myself with. x

[dodo]

I saw your lengthy answer with help fit someone elses post on tips to feel better, it was great and I'm going to try some myself.

Thing is a couple of days on and I'm not feeling quite as bad, maybe my hormones have settled out again. I really wish I could find an answer to that as well as I am pretty much getting useless for a week at a time when I am due/have my period.

[PokerFace]

Glad those tips have inspired you dodo! :)

Ectopics/palps/missed beats all the nasty heart stuff are always worse with periods in my opinion. Even my mum gets palpitations when she's on her period and she's the least anxious person I know. I've just come off mine and I would be feeling a whole lot better if it wasn't for lack of sleep and winding myself up for the ENTIRE weekend. I havn't quite figured out how to escape PMT+Period anxiety yet or even ease it up cuz I've been feeling damn awful for 2 weeks cuz of it! I'm gonna keep trying though and if I find anything that helps I'll let you know! xx