Ectopic very scary, more at night and in morning

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Dear Gang, I have just joined and would really appreciate some help and advice.

I have had bouts of atrial ectopics a few times in the last 10 years. Each time they have gone eventually, once when praying I invited Jesus into my heart and over night from 2000 a day they stopped!

I had stopped smoking for over 10 years and started again 4 years ago, so worried I have hurt myself with that and bad diet. I have stopped again now for a month praise God. I feel they are often gastro related as I can feel gas and then I think as I understand it it avrivates the vagus nerve and causes palpitations. Previous times when I have lost weight they have gone, but this time I still have them. Its about 8 to 10 a minute when bad. I have caught them on my ecg that connects to my phone. So I saw the specialist and he has given me a 24 hour monitor that I get results on in a about a week or two, and I had an echo last week that was completely normal and just like previous echos years back done before so that's reasuring. So I have a lot of stress I guess, first baby on the way praise God. Some debt problems, some general anxiety and a poor sleep pattern in that I don't sleep until 4 - 6.30am. Also apart from the ectopocs I have quite a forceful heartbeat that you can feel with hand, more than an everage person, I have had this for 10 years or so and they don't know why but I found lots of people on line that have too and they ok. The biggest thing is the ectopics, they so scary, during the day when I'm active walking arround they seem to go, but when sat at my desk, or in morning s and get up or when go to bed they go bananas. So basically I have stopped smoking and all nicotine replacement, I have lost over a stone and am getting towards a healthy weight, I'm eating healthy, no caffeine, I'm introducing cardio and trying to let go of thr day and sleep earlier at night when I have post traumatic stress related anxiety, I don't feel "ok" to fall asleep until very late, I think as I'm now in my 40's my body may be worn out by this poor sleep regime that comes now and again and it needs it's proper sleep pattern back. I'm so worried I can't imagine these lasting for ever, they have gone before but it's just so hard right now, I'm trying to stay calm and slow breaths. Any advice would be very much appreciated. Many thanks, God bless

2

Hi Mark!  You seem already pretty well informed, so I doubt I can tell you much, only that I and others are with you with similar stories, living with these arrhythmias.  Of course do what you can do get more sleep, but I recall times when mine were bad, and sleep was terrifying, impossible.

Have you been given any medications to try to help?  Especially if you also have stress, something like a small dose of beta blocker sometimes helps.  It's no cure but if it helps some, and helps you get some sleep, then you have a change to do all those other things.

3

Do you get any crushing feelings on your chest when you lie down? Do you struggle with breathing at all? Any pain?

4

He may put you on beta blockers because they will help with anxiety too, I had ventricular ectopics and they have gone but only take a quarter of a 2.5 mg tablet , wait and see what your monitor says 

5

Hi Jx,

Thanks, yes tried beta blockers before they made me a bit calmer generally who was good but had some sife effects but may try again.

I'm seeing specialist on Wednesday to discuss the 24 hour tape and echo. Shall see what he recons. And yes I'm gradually working on the sleep.

Many thanks,

Mark

6

Hi Moon,

Thanks for your meesage, no no crushing feeling, or real struggle to breath. Maybe slightly mild tighter throat due to anxiety but not really noticible.

Many many thanks

M

7

Thanks Jenny,

Yes I'm open to maybe trying again. Can I ask which one you take if that's OK?

Many many thanks,

Mark