Deep Breaths and Missed beats

[DoogieJ]

Sorry if this has been asked before, been reading down the pages and couldn't find this particular problem.

Let me give a bit of history. Was diagnosed with ectopic beats in 1999 aged 22. These stayed relatively benign, I'd get occasional ones but not care.

In 2007 something changed and I started to notice them more and started getting strange sensations around my heart.

Since then I have have 4 ECGS, 2 24 hour Holter Monitors, and seen 2 cardiologist. Been diagnosed with 1/6 heart murmur (so not worrying) and general palpitations probably due to anxiety. Everything was physiological (working as intended).

Now all this should help me relax, but I still have phases where it I don't. Recently I have found if I take a deep breath I can trigger a harder heart beat, sometimes a total missed beat.

It feels like I have trapped air at the top of my stomach, so the expansion of the lungs from the deep breath plus bloating from the stomach pushes into the heart's area meaning it has less space to work and so will perform an erratic beat. Does this sound viable?

When I burp or try to release trapped air I can feel a lot of vibrations in my left rib cage. After burping I feel better for a while til it builds up again.

Drinking peppermint tea to try and help the bloating.

I also get the hard heart beat occasionally during sport, when I'm jogging it will pop out of nowhere, and make me go light headed for a second, but I put that down to anxiety too.

And since I play in goal I feel occasional weird beats when I'm twisted about saving footballs. Again I wonder if that's because I'm not in a normal position and so my heart is having to work harder to do it's normal job against the weight of my body.

I've found it's limiting my lifestyle a bit, and I'm avoiding things that I know will stress me out. I try and feel the fear and do it anyway, but a lot of times I can't totally relax and can't wait til I get home. I know this is GAD.

But anyway, just wondering if anyone else gets what I get too.


And hello

[Maj]

Hello Doogie,
When I had my echocardiogram done the technician asked me to take a deep breath in in order to bring a missed beat on!! So you are not alone and obviously it's a common and harmless occurence. I too have felt the feeling that gas sort of overtakes my stomach and chest and brings on missed beats. I can only assume this will be part and parcel for lots of sufferers. It also made me feel a bit breathless when it happened. I can't help feeling though that sometimes this is actually caused by digestive problems as well. Honestly - I wouldn't stop doing anything in your life because of them. Keep playing sport and even if they happen they will pass when your heartrate goes up. Exercise actually abolishes them. I know - they are an absolute nuisance and very uncomfortable at times, but if you've had the reassurance from the doctor then try and live your life and keep them in the background and I think you'll find that they'll happen less and less and only occur when you are really anxious or tired. You're not alone!
Myra x

[DoogieJ]

Hi Myra, thanks for the reply, I was told by both the cardiologists that they didn't feel the need to take an echocardiogram, so I didn't get the chance to do what you did, but also not having the need should mean things were ok.

I have been diagnosed as well with IBS (possibly due to the anxiety) and I have GERD (acid reflux) had an endoscopy a few weeks ago...all the results were ok, just need to take heartburn medication.

Pretty much all my symptoms tie up, anxiety, IBS, palpitations, heartburn...and even though the rational brain knows this, when something goes wrong like a missed beat I panic

Currently going for councelling and actually going to try hypnotherapy to see if it helps. Not sure I can unwind my brain enough to let it happen, but hope so. Think the doctors have had enough of me , I know I'm a hypochondriac.

[Typer]

Hi Doogie,

If I twist to the left, push on my left ribs or stomach, I'll get quite a few of them that wont go till I change position.

On RLR site, he explains why and how etc.

I always say I wont panic when it happens, but that dizzy part makes me panic.

I have never suffered with stomach problems either until now. I had IBS for about 10 - 12 months. I took manuka honey 3 x day and after months it went. It comes back when I am stressed.

The ectopics are daily, sometimes they are horrid and all day, other times just one or two and hour.


read all the material and posts on RLR's site. He is a retired neurologist and very comforting. He is away until end of this month but there is tons of info and questions answered which will echo many of your questions.

http://palps.chemicalforums.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl

[DoogieJ]

Thanks that was brilliant, and he mentions the nerve I have suspected for years was causing the issue. The Vagus nerve....no doctors I've ever seen here in the UK seem to tie it all up to that.

[Typer]

I know, I was amazed that they have no clue, or at least my GP looked at me like I was talking alien tongue! I have not had an echo, but want one just to put my mind at rest because I was dxd with a mild plaque burden in 2006. I want to see how things are

The fact that pressure on the stomach sets it off, to me proves it is vagal tone.

Do you get sometimes a slow heart rate too? many of us seem to get both fast and slow and the dizziness

[edwardthebear]

Hi Doogie,
I get almost identical symptoms to the ones that you are experiencing especially the bloating at the top of the stomach and the feeling of pressure in the heart region/chest cavity, it is most unpleasant. Remember that the top of the stomach and the heart are in close proximity so perhaps it is not too surprising that this type of GI disturbance can have such a dramatic effect, plus of course as you have mentioned - various stimuli acting upon the vagus nerve.

no doctors I've ever seen here in the UK seem to tie it all up to that.

Yes that has been my experience too, It is quite beyond belief that so many of them are unaware of these types of phenomenon. I know from my own experience that my ectopics are far worse when my stomach is distended and I get some relief from them when I can release wind. I am glad that Typer has pointed you in the direction of RLR's forum, it is an absolute Godsend to anyone experiencing these types of symptoms.

[DoogieJ]

I know, I was amazed that they have no clue, or at least my GP looked at me like I was talking alien tongue! I have not had an echo, but want one just to put my mind at rest because I was dxd with a mild plaque burden in 2006. I want to see how things are

The fact that pressure on the stomach sets it off, to me proves it is vagal tone.

Do you get sometimes a slow heart rate too? many of us seem to get both fast and slow and the dizziness

My heart rate is pretty stable, when I'm just lazing around at home it is around 60-72bpm, I don't suffer from tachycardia. Occasionally if I panic it goes up but that doesn't last long. When exercising it peaks at about 130bpm, well below the hearts maximum threshold.

It's when I'm sitting around though that I notice the missed beats more, probably because during sports I'm too focused and don't think about it.

This morning I have had a few sensations, not exactly missed beats, but moments of awareness, then a second later my stomach makes a gurgle noise and pressure is relieved...so I'm putting it down to our friend the Vagus nerve. Just ate my breakfast and have some peppermint tea ready to go.

[Typer]

Doogie, you seem to be more relaxed about it. That's great. I do think for the majority it is vagus nerve

[DoogieJ]

Just the unanswered question of, why now? What happened to trigger it off. I have a bad neck (too many years of looking straight up at the stars as a kid), my bones in my neck now grind and I can crack my own neck, cool for a party piece but not much else

I started seeing a chiropractor 3 years ago for my neck and back, and it has been about 3 years that the problems with weird beats and sensations started. Could be co-incidental or could be the re-alignment of my back and neck irritated the vagus nerve that had got used to being in a different place whilst I was growing up?

May have a chat with the chiropractor when I go next.