How do you get out of this cycle?

[CGI]

Hi all,
I've had a very bad couple of days in dealing with my Ectopics (PVCs).
And due to the frustration, I need to post. Hopefully it'll help others
as well as me, let me know if it does...
Following a panic attack this morning due to continual flutters, shortness
of breath and the odd thud in the chest, I was very close to calling my
doctor for an urgent GP appointment to demand a 24hr monitor. However, I
made it into work and they've stopped for the time being.
I find it really hard to get people to understand what I'm going through.
My mum and the people on forums such as this are the only people I know
who suffer the same way. Everyone else, although they care, don't understand
and words like "worrying makes it worse", "try not to think about it" and
"the doctors' have told you your ok - and you've had all the tests".
I've certainly got a loss of confidence at the moment. The GP has upped my
beta blocker (Propranolol) to 40mg up to 3 times a day. So far it's made no
difference. In fact I've become very sleepy on them. The doc said that if
that doesn't work then it's either Anti-Ds or counselling. I've tried both
before and they've not worked either. So I feel hopeless at present.
What I want is another 24hr monitor. There's some comfort in knowing that
my heart is reacting normally to these benign terrors. I've not had a monitor
on for 3 years now.
But deep down I'm not even sure this will help. How do you break the viscious
circle? Anyone got any ideas? My life is beginning to be ruined by fear -
because I've never had them go on this long without a break. In all 6 years with them. Not making me feel so breathless and faint.
All the best.

[CGI]

Sorry to reply so quickly to my own post - but I've got an example of how annoying this whole situation is in day-to-day life.
I've just got back from a lunch. Someone new joined our company so we had a quick lunch at a pub, something we don't do too often. I was fine going. Sat down, chatting a lot and generally enjoying my club sandwich and mild english bitter (alcohol - but not strong). Thoroughly enjoying myself. Then towards the end of the meal. THUD. Completely ruined my lunch. I fell silently and went totally unsociable. Felt like disappearing to the toilet on my own. We walked back and I had in the space of 5 minutes about 10 large flutters and thuds. Loosing breath and panicking I walked on my own away from the crowd. I'm now back at my desk - but this is a perfect example of how they are ruining my day-to-day social life, and turning me into a depressing person. A million miles away from the fun person I used to be 6 years ago.
I hate this thing it's so intrusive and relentless. There's no way I know of breaking the cycle.
Beta-blockers, anit-ds and CBT just don't work - there's nothing left but to become miserable.
Grrrr... sorry people I'm angry! But would welcome any words of comfort.
And I know alcohol is a stimulant - but I've drunk so much more than that in the past during times when these ectopics were absent and haven't had a peep out of my chest. Plus drinking caffeine is often said as a stimulant but there's no pattern there either.
I've lost all confidence in two fundamental areas: a) that my body is going to get me through this, and b) that I don't have the ability to think positively about things.
I can see why people become agrophobic due to this...

[kawasaki kid]

hya mate......sorry to hear your still having a bad time with the ectopics.....To be honest i think once you've noticed or developed extra styeloles your stuck with them, unless you want to go down the medication route......ive read many posts, looked at medical evidance and been advised by gp's and two cardiologists about the subject of ectopics........


At one stage or the other ive felt exactly like you thinking that my life is now ruined because of these double/missed beats.....watching what i eat, monitoring caffeene intake, quitting alcohol, trying quit smoking.....weres the pleasures in life gone, weres the fun and care free attitude, just living life to the fullest and having a good laugh whilst you do it..........ectopics spoil everything....and they do when there at there worst........everybody who suffers this niggly problem feels the same from time to time i think......


It seems theres a lot of contradicting evidence about ectopics, some doctors say its all through anxiety, some say its rogue impulses from the vagus nerve and the gutt is the cause......I think and agree with my cardiologist, he says regular ectopics are caused by cells in the heart becomming agravated and getting into a bad habbit of fireing off when they shouldnt, interupting normal sinus rythm.........this to me sounds more likely to be the case apposed to the other reasons.......


anyway there is meds out there that work wonders for pvc's...........ive got some and gonna start taking them next time the ectopics are bad........i put some posts on here that might be of interest to you.........give them a read and see what you think mate.....

pm me if you need to talk....

chris