Ectopic beats during exercise - HELP!

[Jackmank]

Hi all,

Spanning back almost a year now I used to be heavily into the gym and taking a lot of caffeinated supplements. This used to cause flutters mostly daily (due to caffeine) one day after the gym I went light headed and can only describe an episode of skipped beats that took my breath away each time. This lasted around 30-45 seconds of constant missed beats before returning to normal.

After a few months of severe Anxiety regarding this I went to my GP and a top cardiologist who did 2 holter monitors (24 hrs and 72 hrs) 1 came back with a dropped beat? However no abnormalities. My
Cardiologist has assured me my heart is fine (despite only doing a few tests) however recently I was driving in the car and I had another one of these episodes that I can only describe as a minute of purely skipped beats (feels as though my heart stops then starts every second) , this happens then goes back to normal and sometimes I won’t have another for weeks.

Could this be attributed to anxiety? Is this actually normal of ectopic? And should I seek a second opinion?

Worried please help.

[nomorepanic]

Have you read this:

https://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/palpitations

[Aaahhfreakout]

Yes, anxiety can irritate the heart and cause it to skip beats in this way.

If it's affecting your level of consciousness by making you feel lightheaded, though, it needs to be diagnosed. That's not to say it's something bad as any arrhythmia is less efficient than a normal heartbeat and if it's really fast that reduces the efficiency even further. It could just be an annoyance more than anything.

There are small ECG devices which you can carry around in your pocket and pull out when you have an episode. You're an ideal candidate for one of these with the length but rarity of the episodes. If your cardiologist won't give you one, you do have the option of buying a device yourself such as the SnapECG which uses Bluetooth to send the reading to your phone.

I'd speak to the cardiologist again first, though, and ask if there is anything they can give you which you can put in your pocket to get a recording as it's really bothering you not knowing what it is.

[Jackmank]

Hi everyone I just need some straight up advice or some experience I’m 26 years old and around a year ago after a hard workout I had some form of an ectopic beat or rhythm that resulted in skipped beats prolonged for around 30 seconds on and off almost like my heart was trying to stop itself from ‘stopping’ this led to me thinking I was about to have cardiac arrest and die. I did have lots of caffeine up until this point and I know that this could have contributed.

Fast forward a year and I haven’t exercised once. I’ve seen a cardiologist and I’ve had 3 24 hour and 1 72 hour tapes all come back with the occasional ectopic. Now I DO feel my ectopics sometimes 3 in 1 day sometimes none, there is no pattern however for the past year, every waking hour I’ve thought I’m going to drop dead from cardiac arrest or V tach. I had a cardiac stress test which I’d hoped would put my mind at rest.. and it has made things worse.. during the initial 10 minutes on the treadmill there was nothing but once I’d started running I could feel the ectopics and I told the nurse and she said “what can you feel” I said I can feel the ectopics and she said yes but I’m not concerned.. a few moments later I asked to stop the test. Following the test I was told no ectopics during recovery and my results showed ‘4 Unifocal PVCS at Max BPM, there were 3 cardiac nurse’s completing then test and they all said that I don’t have any cardiac abnormality and that I should continue to exercise.. HOW!? how does that fact that once I’m at my max BPM all of a sudden I get multiple ectopics show that my heart is fine!? I’ve literally lost my life with this!!

[Elen]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your thread was merged with another of your threads.

Please when posting on similar topics add it onto your previous post rather than starting a new one.

It is nothing personal it is just to make it easier for people to follow your story and to give you advice as a whole.

Elen