Missed beats

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Not sure if there is any info about this out on the internet but hopefully someone can give me some advice. 

So a few days ago i was laying in bed trying to get to sleep and all of a sudden i felt my heart miss a beat (felt like it stopped for a short moment) then thud into action again and race for a few seconds whilst my initial panic wore off, I didn't think too much of it at the time as everything seemed to go back to normal right after.

The following day I felt like it happened a few more times but not as noticeable as the first, but i was defiantly more aware of how my upper stomach and chest were feeling.

That night i woke up twice in a confused and panicked state where again my heart was racing, I decided not to go back to sleep and stayed up most of the night worrying that something was wrong with me. 

Today just about 15 minutes ago whilst sat at my desk at home I felt my heart skip a beat again and got up to walk about, I decided to see if I was able to recreate the scenario when it happened the first time in my bed so I lay in my bed and tried breathing deeply for some reason i found that breathing deeply into my chest seemed to slow my heart rate briefly, I then tried breathing deeply into my stomach and when fully inhaled i found that my heart would feel like or actually miss a beat, I was too scared to hold my breath like that for long because it was uncomfortable.

I'm wondering if this is normal or if there is anything i should be looking out for as far as signs of something wrong with my body.

Id like to note that I'm 24 years old, I have had some issues with GERD's in the past but it will flare up from time to time and since having the missed beat symptoms iv had a very tight upper back. 

2

I don't think you have anything to worry about, Terry. What you are feeling as a dropped beat is actually an extra beat, isn't that strange? It's called an ectopic beat and it's nothing to worry about.  

3

Many of us say that GERD causes it by stimulating our vagal nerve due to pressure on the chest.

4

Even the first cardiologist who looked at my ecg said nothing to worry about, just benign ectopic beats. Within the year they became more and more frequent until they joined together to become hours long episodes of Ventricular Tachycardia.

5

Thanks for your replies everyone, the beats seem to have stopped, i have a feeling like suggested that it is something to do with GERD, iv been having similar asthmatic symptoms due to what i assume is acid getting into my lungs over night.   

6

Hi Terry,

Thank you for taking the time to share with us what you have been going through. You've explained it so well. I also experience these symptoms with occasional upper left back and chest pain, left arm pain and upper stomach muscular spasms. I've done several tests of the heart and nothing irregular except for PVCs was found. I'm also not on meds. I do suffer with GERD and the Dr attribute my ailments to this and anxiety. I trust that God will walk us through our suffering and provide us with the right solutions. I really appreciate this website as I feel as the members really care for each other by sharing their stories, tips, solutions and words of comfort. I'm glad I've found this site as it has truly help me to deal with my issue as I no longer feel alone.