How can we reduce palpitations?

[gizmoxx]

Hi everyone,
If, like me you get palpitations, i would like to know if anyone has any idea how to reduce/stop them. I get them everyday. I know they arte nothing serious as ive had many tests done. They have been put down to ectopics and i have anxiety, so thats where most of them ome form. I am currently on amti depresaants and beta blockers but have to come off them soon as i am having CBT so have been advised it would help to come off them. But i think about palps all day everyday, i even dream of them! If anyone has any help what so ever, alternative therapies etc then please post.
Look forward to your replies
Sherrie
xx

[nomorepanic]

This may help..

There are some techniques to overcome future bouts of this unpleasant phenomenon by using reflexes to reset the heart rate:

Rub your eyelids gently (Try it now! It will make you yawn if done correctly... aaahh)

With the tips of your right first and second fingers rub the left side of your neck (where you would normally check your pulse)

Sing

Splash your face with cold water

Cough

Squeeze you nose shut, close your mouth, and blow (like when scuba-diving)

[SteveInTheUKok]

There are some techniques to overcome future bouts of this unpleasant phenomenon by using reflexes to reset the heart rate:

Splash your face with cold water

----

I have always wondered if this works but too scared to try it, in case the shock kills me!

When your in full swing of one of these attacks, I guess the fear takes over.

[jalba]

Hi gizmo

Ectopic beats are in no way dangerous. They do not mean you have heart disease now, or will get heart disease in the future. Although unpleasant, I can assure you that your heart will not stop because of Ectopic beats, because they are normal cardiac function, normal in the sense that half of us have them at some point in our lives.

There are certain imbalances that can cause ectopic heartbeats, like an electrolyte imbalance, or too much caffeine or nicotine. A thyroid disorder can cause Ectopic's as can some medication, but regardless of what causes them, they are STILL normal cardiac activity.

There is usually no real reason why Ectopic's affect some people and not others.

Heart cells are like capacitors. They store a an electrical charge (voltage) between inside and outside of the cell, the charge being maintained by energy derived from breakdown of sugar or fat. Any cell in the heart can spontaneously discharge, and it's discharge is conducted to all the other cells in the heart, making it contract. If the cell that spontaneously discharges is a ventricular cell, that makes an Ectopic. Low potassium or magnesium in the blood and excess epinephrine make Ectopic's more likely. Slow heart rates give more time for Ectopic's to occur.

The heart's pacemaker is the sinoatrial node, a group of cells located near the junction of the superior vena cava and the right atrium. These are programmed to spontaneously discharge about 70 times a minute, their rate of discharge modified by the vagus and sympathetic nerves to the heart so their discharge rate increases with exercise, anxiety, anger etc. It's only role in Ectopic's is that slower heart rates leave more time in diastole with the heart relaxed, when Ectopic's can occur.

Beta blockers are sometimes prescribed to help with Ectopic's but rarely work. The only medication which is known to erradicate ectopic's is a drug called Flecainide, which is very safe if you have a normal Echo.

Best advice is to ignore them, you are paying them far too much attention.

I hope this re-assures you a wee bit.

House.

I like your simple 'electrical' explanation. It is better than I have read on numerous sites.