What a wake up call!!

[angiebaby]

I have been doing really well and even my counsellor has said that must be starting to relax a bit now because i am getting more symptoms for less time and my legs are feeling very weak and shaky - she says that my body has been that anxious for that long that now i am noticing these things because i am not as bad! This is good. However, i had a pretty good day yesterday and only had one ectopic heart beat all day! Then i was suddenly awoken at 4am with six big central ectopics straight after one another so i rolled over. Then i had six more, big central ectopics but this time i had a couple of normal beats with them too which made me notice them even more. So i coughed and turned on my other side. I really didn't think that i would be able to get back off to sleep but i eventually did. These really bothered me, i don't normally get them in the night, well if i do i do not know about them and they certainly don't wake me up. So this really scared me and made me have a bad morning. Anybody else had or have these at all? This really freaked me out.xx

[Coni]

Hi Angiebaby,
I recently was woken by ectopics during the night too, which had never happened to me before. I saw a cardiologist last week and he said from my description he is fairly sure its 'simple' ectopics which arent sinister at all....just something that some people experience more than others. I also had an ecg and echocardiogram which were both normal (a big relief) so now have to have a 24 hour ecg recording done in september, which hes fairly sure will be normal also. He also said there are various beta blockers which can be tried to control these ectopics, but that some people find them worse with beta blockers because when the heart is slowed down theres more space between normal beats for an ectopic to 'sneak' in...does that make sense. I do feel fairly reassured by this....though it doesnt make the sensation any less alarming.

Hope this helps

luv Coni XX

[angiebaby]

Thankyou for your reply. I have suffered with ectopic heartbeats for 11 years but since i have been ill, the past two and a half years, they have become worse. I get them everyday normally, and since i have been taking Omeprazole 10mg in a morning, these have been a little better. But i have never had them in the night like that before and they woke me up and really scared me. I don't like them anyway but this was a nasty shock and really frightened me all morning. I have had thousands of ECG's, all normal and i've had a three day holter monitor, normal also. My cardiologist thinks that i am having benign ectopics and i do believe him but i would just like some proof really, get it down on paper which i have never managed to do, everytime i do an ECG they don't happen, sod's law. But he says my heart is fine and try to ignore them, ye right!
I know that i am not alone and thousands of people have these and they mean nothing and are not dangerous, but they still scare me and especially if they are going to start doing THAT to me in the middle of the night.xx

[Gabby]

I get lots at night and I find that seems to be linked to what postion I'm sleeping in (turning over usually helps) and they always hit me when I'm dehydrated, although for obvious reaons not always good to drink too much water before bed time! lol

I have twice ahd to wear a 24 hr tape and both times showed irregularities at night. Cardiologist said that even though my pulse shot to 150 (!!!) it was probably to do with what I was dreaming about and not a physical problem. He had already done an EEG and stuff.

Try not to worry bout them too much - seems like loads and loads of people get them and doesnt cause any harm at all. Bring anxious means that you just pay more attention to your body and so will notice things that other people dont even register.

TC

G x

[Gabby]

Coni, my ectpopics have seemed less frequent since being on beta blockers.

[Gabby]

oo and just remember something my Dr told me once!

I was having ectopics for over an hour so got worried and called GP. He said that what often clears it is sitting with head on your knees and bearing down as tho you are trying to have a poo. Sounds really odd but it works!!!

Give it a go!

G x