What the consultant says about ectopic heartbeats

[BeltaineInchy]

Hello

No I'm not a heart consultant but I just saw one and interrogated him. Oh and before you think I'm being flippant about ectopics talk to Mrs Inchy about how much they worry me.

First ... and I quote ....

"There are two types of people, those who notice having ectopics and those who don't"

In other words everyone has ectopic heart beats, some more frequent than others, but MOST people just don't notice them or ignore them.

Second. There is a slight relationship between ectopics and stomach complaints, but only in that your heart sits on your stomach, so if it's bouncing up and down with odd beats then it may cause dispepsia and also feel like it is your stomach that has twitched rather than your heart. That explains why a lot of us burp after, or during a bout of ectopics.

Third. A consultant would not normally 'treat' ectopic heartbeats (anymore than they would treat hiccups). I wish I'd asked now, but I got the distinct impression that he considered ectopic heartbeats and hiccups on a par for health risk.

For information purposes I went after having a lot of ectopics (varying from about 1 an hour to ten a minute) over the past three months. I have 'bordeline' blood pressure (130/90) and am taking 20mg propronolol per day (which incidentally he said were a placebo. He wouldn't bother presrcribing less than 80mg per day).

They are going to give me a 24 hour pulse trace. This is purely so he can identify which ventrical the ectopics are originating in so he can pick the best drug if I decide to have treatment. They're also going to scan my heart to see if there is any enlargement from the raised BP (which he doesn't expect) to put my mind at rest that there's nothing wrong with it.

For treatment.... Unless I decide I can't live with the ectopics he won't do anything. If I do then he will either prescribe a targetted beta-blocker, or if there is any risk at all from my BP, which the heart check will show, he will give me something that both lowers BP and stops ectopics.

So, in summary: Ectopic heartbeats are NORMAL! Us hypo's worrying about them is the odd thing.

So now just to get rid of the muscle wasting disease and I'll be ok ......

Inchy
...
/|\

PS. Don't throw away the Propronolol. He recommends taking 10mg for a chill-out tab when you feel stressed.

[milly jones]

inchy

it isnt the ectopics that are the illness hun

its the worrying, the anxiety caused by them

the anxiety needs the treatment not the heart

i have missed beats/ late beats but it doesnt stress me, unlike other things which some ppl find highly amusing.

my heart goes out to anyone with anxiety, whether its sa, ha, gad, ocd or any phobia.

it doesnt matter if ppl dont recognise it as an illness. im just aware of how much it affects our minds, and therefore our lives.

hugs to all anx sufferers

mily xx

[Captain America]

funny, i was just assured by my doctor that i don't have muscle wasting disease. i went home, and experienced 5 or so 'missed' beats when lying down to sleep.
so i guess i'm the opposite of inchy. i got rid of muscle wasting disease, and i'm back to worrying about my ticker!
anxiety sucks.

[milly jones]

hey i was completely relaxed yesterday and experienced missed beats

think it happens to everyone from time to time

some ppl just appear to notice more than others

take care

milly xxx

[peter34uk]

How come I get them as I lie down on my bed of if I go to pick something up or lean forward.

Andy they feel like a a palpitation about to start up. Anyone feel that???

[Captain America]

that's exactly how it is for me peter. bending over, or lying down. and sometimes it doesn't progree to palpitations just feels fluttery. my guess is gut/vagus nerve but that's not something they can test i'm told. but i will say that if i try the relaxation breathing (longer out breath than in) then the missed beats of whatever it is gets worse. i breathe shallow for a while and they pass. so for me that means vagus nerve since extending the out breath stimulates that.

it's weird. i don't like it.

[peter34uk]

Not harmfull though is it?

[Jaco45er]

130/90 aint too bad Inchy.

I border on 140/87 and they are not overly worried. As for the ectopics, they used to frighten the life out of me but I kinda, nearly, just, almost, not quite, getting there, accept them now.

I do have beta blockers for stressy times, they do take that edge off.

good luck chap

[yanksforever]

that's exactly how it is for me peter. bending over, or lying down. and sometimes it doesn't progree to palpitations just feels fluttery. my guess is gut/vagus nerve but that's not something they can test i'm told. but i will say that if i try the relaxation breathing (longer out breath than in) then the missed beats of whatever it is gets worse. i breathe shallow for a while and they pass. so for me that means vagus nerve since extending the out breath stimulates that.

it's weird. i don't like it.

Bending over...and lying down...yuppp today i was kneeling and BAM a flutter/bang in my chest. if I bend down and take a deep breath, it happens...

[heart]

Ectopic mean fear ,fear mean anxiety,anxiety mean somatic symptoms,drugs ,mean side effects and if you are qualified dr.and you are suffering from ectopic beats its a disastorrrrrrrrrrrr.