Long Term Ectopic Palpitations or Atrial Fibrillation Advice

[Chandler]

Hi all,

I am hoping on anyone who has experienced long term palpitations could share their experience and maybe point me in the right direction with this? I will try and condense 10+ years worth of symptoms without waffling for too long...

I have been experiencing palpitations for over a decade. At first it was sinus tachycardia and they suspected SVT but these dissipated fairly quickly and what is left is runs of fluttering type of palpitations which feels like a thud in my chest, followed by a sudden shortness of breath felt under my adams apple for just a second. If I get a run of a few of them, I feel very fatigued as well. Lately, instead of having just the occasion flutter, I am getting runs of them for days on end which is really affecting my quality of life and ramping up my health anxiety. I have changed my lifestyle in various factors to reduce these from happening including cutting out all alcohol and caffeine but they keep coming back, almost randomly. There are a couple of triggers that can bring them on such as a lack of sleep, not drinking enough and every day family / work stresses.

I have had a battery of tests over the years, all of which have come back negative for anything other than ectopic beats. But lately, I have upgraded my smart watch (Samsung Galaxy Watch 5) to one than can perform a single line ECG to detect A Fib. This has returned a few positive results as had my Omcron blood pressure monitor over the last year or so. My GP isn't interested in seeing the results from this and is sticking with the last ECG I had at an Urgent Treatment Centre whilst having an episode, which only showed ectopic beats. This is fair enough, I can understand why a medical professional would only trust a 12 lead ECG performed by a qualified and experience nurse but I still fear a mis-diagnosis.

Now this leads me onto what next?! I had a blood test today and awaiting a referral back to a Cardiologist but they tell me there isn't anything they can do for my current symptoms... Does anyone else have experience of long term ectopic palpitations and can advise medication, life styles changes, anything to live with it?

[Fishmanpa]

We're not doctors nor can we interpret EKG readings.

FMP

[Chandler]

Quick update from my end, I am 10 days in now to flutters (ectopic beats) which seem to get worse when changing position (for example sitting down or standing up). I am waiting on a cardiology appointment but in the meantime I have been to the Urgent Treatment Centre a couple of times where they have been captured on an ECG and even the nurse felt them when taking my pulse at my wrist.

They seem to be coming from one of both of the ventricles, so possibly premature ventricular complex / contraction but I won't get a diagnosis until I have all of the cardiology tests. Meanwhile, the symptoms are utterly awful, the fluttering's and catch in my throat is making it difficult to carry on as normal so the GP has prescribed some Propranolol to hopefully ease the ectopic beats.

[mike2512]

Hi mate, how are you getting on? What you’ve described sounds like what I’m getting and it’s truly horrible it freaks me out when they happen. The doctor I seen today wasn’t interested even tho my blood pressure was 160/107 he said it’s just anxiety. He gave me 40mg Propranalol.

I’m getting really bad acid reflux with mine too

[WorryRaptor]

Hey there. Watch ECG's are notoriously susceptible to movement artifact and can look pretty terrifying. I get readings that look a lot like yours. My 12 lead ECG showed some ectopics and a heart block (electrical signals get messed up now and then), but it didn't look remotely like my watch read-outs, which basically looked like an earthquake! Trust the 12 lead over the watch, especially as it was taken during the time you had symptoms. Certain arrhythmias and complexes can only be evaluated via a 12 lead. A single lead ECG like the watches have don't give a full picture of what your heart is actually doing. Fairly good at detecting afib, but useless for most of the other stuff. That's usually why doctors disregard them.

I get the same symptoms as you do. On top of that, it's like I'm suddenly dropping in an elevator when I get those flutters.

I hope you get answers soon, and a relief from your symptoms

[jackieann3]

I've had them since just after Christmas all day every day make me feel really strange in my head and feel I can't breath, I had them a couple of years ago for the first time had the monitor and echo then after a while they just went but they have come back , really horrible I know .

[WiredIncorrectly]

Been there, done that, got about 100 t-shirts.

For me, the runs are normal. A part of my anxiety. When I take my medications I'm rarely affected by them. I've had weeks where they've been constant. It's always been a result of stress and anxiety. Folks on this forum will tell you how bad I've been in the past. Fishman, Joe and others helped me understand them.

As hard as it may sound, you have to relax and distract your mind. You are currently hyper focused on them. You've tuned your brain to feel them.

It's a feedback loop where the anxiety causes palps, and the palps cause anxiety.

I found mine would stop when I would jump rope, or exercise hard. They'd completely disappear. Then as soon as I'm relaxed they come back.

Discuss with your doctor about your anxiety. If you're not on medications for anxiety you may need some.

You've had them 10+ years and you're alive and kicking. Remind yourself of that. So long as the doctor has told you you're fine, then you're fine.

[Dee62]

Google the vagus nerve. This can cause ectopics, even by changing how you sit, etc.

[desertduster]

Sounds very similar to me, only I've been having the same for 30+ years (and still standing) - recently back with a vengeance. I would definitely research the vagus nerve and make sure you stay hydrated with good clean water. I'm sure we all want a magic pill, but I have found the jury to be out on supplements such as Magnesium & Omega 3 etc. I am on Bisaprolol which I learn actually slows the heart and is probably not so good for palps which re-occur during rest/after exercise. Sleep is the biggest issue for me but I also have sleep apnoea. We must get enough rest (easier said than done sometimes) as cortisol and adrenaline spike after a bad nights sleep. This effect is cumulative, so when severely sleep deprived the palps can go off the scale. Although I am not currently well enough to adopt CBT/mindfulness strategies I can see the logic in so doing. Catastrophising and ruminating can only make these awful things so much much worse. There will come a day when you no longer worry about these things - I do believe that. For the record I am not a cardiologist and these thoughts belong entirely to me :-)

[Chandler]

Update from me as I think it is important for anyone who reads this in the future. After a battery of tests, it turns out these are PVCs and I have been put on Propranolol with the view of changing this to Bisoprolol in case it is required for long term. My cardiologist has assured me the condition is safe and I need not worry. I am back again in 6 months for a follow up. It is worth noting that I have since noticed a few runs of the ectopic beats back-to-back for the first time... I suspect this may be NSVT or trigeminy / bigeminy but I haven't captured it on my ECG monitor and I will raise this when I return to the cardiologist.

On a side note, my symptoms worsened a few weeks after having COVID for the first time... The cardiologist mentioned that he has seen an increase in cases like this but said it can be caused by any viral infection whether COVID, colds or the flu.

Thank you to all that have replied, your words of encouragement and support as we tackle health anxiety means so much!