Ectopic Heartbeats

[candicemarie88]

I've posted on here many times complaining about these horrible skipped heartbeats, feeling as if my heart stops and fluttering/skipping/jumping sensations in my chest and throat.

People have replied with reassuring comments and I really appreciate it i have told myself that these horrible ectopics are related to my anxiety and this has helped me a lot and i've managed to calm down.

I had a whole week without any horrible/frightening feelings in my chest, although i have still had a lot of acid reflux.

So yesterday I felt fine and had quite a lot to drink and enjoyed the day without any anxiety. I had some wine at lunch time today, but felt fine. Then me, my parents and sister went for a walk. I felt out of breath as we walked up a steep hill, but this is because I have asthma, but then suddenly i had a horrible feeling that my heart had stopped. I was not at all anxious as I felt really happy, was enjoying the fresh air and having a laugh with my dad. After it happened i told myself to remain calm and that it is nothing to worry about, so i forgot about it and felt fine.

2 hours later I'm on my pc playing online games and speaking to my boyfriend, when suddenly i have an awful, uncomfortable falling feeling in my chest, followed by the feeling that my heart stopped and a shock like sensation. I'm now becomming anxious, because i know that worry did not cause these horrible feelings today, because i am happy, happier than i have been in a long, long time and now it's happening again :(

I agree that ectopics are most likely to occur if you are obsessing over your heart, but i havent even been thinking about it, i haven't checked my pulse in about 5 days.. just as i felt i was making some progress, now i am back to square one and it is such an awful feeling. I don't feel like playing any games or watching a film now, i just want to go to bed and block it all out :(

has the alchol cause this? i havent drank in weeks and every time i have in the past i've never had any ectopic beats... this first occured after smoking a joint over a month ago.. has that cause disruption to my heart... and why would it still be affecting me?

argh, i dont know what to do, i feel dredful again :(

[daisycake]

They happen to everyone love, anxious or not - put it this way, I first approached a GP about this last summer - she's been practicing medicine since the early 80s so has a lot of experience - and when I said I could feel irregularities in my pulse, she grinned and said "Oh, everyone's heart does funny things occasionally - and of course once you've noticed it once, it's dead easy to notice again" .. even if you google ectopics both BUPA and Patient UK say it is a normal variant in your heart rate have you read the palpitations article on the left? Really helpful might be worth seeing a 2nd gp if first isnt all that great, and see if they can reassure you - maybe write down when you get them, what you're doing, how you feel and show them... an ecg might be offered to you, I had one last week and it helped me. Hope you had a lovely Christmas and glad you've been happier

[candicemarie88]

hey, thanks

Maybe I've had them before now, but I have never noticed before. I guess I worry too much over every sensation I experience and that's why I've become rather obsessed over this. Yeah, I've googled palps many times and read the article on here.. doing so offered some reassurance at first, but now nothing is helping, no matter how much i read, I worry that they are dangerous.

I know that having an ecg will help and reassure me. More than anything, it's the fact that I havent had one done since summer, and it will most certainly put my mind at rest. Thanks, that's really good advice, I will write a diary whenever I notice them and I am also going to record what I'm eating/drinking and see if anything in particular triggers them off.

Merry Christmas and all the best for the new year