Dropped beats, fluttering, and general crappy chest feelings..

[DaveCarter]

For a number of years now I've occasionally had what felt like a fluttering in my chest. At first it was very rare, maybe once every few months, but when it happened it would cause me to lose my breath for a second or so; after that everything would be fine. It just wasn't very nice.

I'd been to see a cardiologist a few times, and had two 24 hour monitors done, all came back clear apart from signs of a tachycardia which they told me was just an elevated heart rate due to my weight. However, earlier this year it started to become more and more frequent and turned into the feeling of my heart dropping into my stomach. It happens at least once a week, interspersed with spells of lighter fluttering that causes me to feel a little breathless. I've just had a third 24 hour monitor done, during which I never had ANY symptoms, so I'm awaiting the results of that now. The whole thing is pretty much ruining my life. Most nights I'll get home from work, and where I used to go out with friends, or be creative on my computer (I'm a web designer), I just lie on the couch trying to relax after putting up with these damn strange feelings in my chest!

If I do any house work that requires me to bend/crouch down, it can cause the drop feeling to happen, as can adjusting my seating position etc. It kinda feels like there's always pressure there wanting to get out, then once the drop happens, my chest feels lighter. It's hard to explain. :(

In April, I suffered my first ever panic attack, and before that I'd never had anything panic/anxiety related. I've now had a countless number of them since, which I believe is down to the fact that I panic about having a panic attack. Vicious circle.

I'm 26 years old, I no longer smoke (2 months now ), I am overweight, but this is something I would like to tackle if it weren't for these feelings. Im scared this is a sign of a heart problem, and that if I exert myself too much, it will cause heart failure or something.

I'm just wondering if any of this sounds familiar to anyone, and I'd really like to know how to deal with it. It really is ruining my life.. I'm sick of feeling sick all the time :(

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks,

Dave

[Chem]

Well done stopping smoking

Have you read the info on here about palpitations and anxiety? It might help.

[Dibbler]

I can relate to how you feel Dave as I can experience those feelings as well. As much as people can advise you to ignore them it often has the complete opposite effect for me.

When I was lying down on a bed when the cardiologist had wired me up to his machine that he was observing me with I noted several of these types of feelings which I thought were totally horrible and he is going for sure tell me that my heart is on its way out!
After the examination he said that I was fine and that my heart was normal. I asked him about those sensations and he then commented that they were just ectopic beats and that they too were completely normal and I should just ignore them.! He let me read his report to my doctor and he hadn't even bothered to note them as they were of no real importance. Well maybe they weren't important to him but for me they were and are very disturbing.

I'm still trying to work out how I should ignore them though.

I do know that if I experience them and then start to obsess and worry over them then they do get worse and that it turn creates a cycle of worry and more ectopic type beats.

I have cut out all caffeine from my diet and reduced the amount of alcohol that I drink to an odd glass of wine. Try and go out for a walk now and again and try and cut your weight down through diet rather than exercise at this stage if you can.

Try and keep feeling positive Dave and not let this get you down too much and the very best wishes to you.