"skipped" heart beats

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 2:40 am

i woke up in the middle of the night about a week and a half ago with my heart beating really hard and fast out of nowhere and ended up in the er. they put me on the holter monitor. i have not got hte results yet. i will get these kinda flutters in my chest like you were talking about and so does my mom. when i was in the hospital on the monitor i was having them and it wasn't on there. but i think it is from my allergies and conjestion in my chest so it could that. i am kinda afraid to do too much with my rapid heart rate. i haven't worked out since the night it happened and i am worried about it all the time i am taking effexor and xanax. the xanax does seem to help a little i am on .25mg. i am with you on being afraid to do things. i am going to the cape this weekend with some girlfriends and hope that nothing wierd happens. good luck and try to stay positive.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Oct 23, 2007 10:43 am

Hi Kristy,
I get the skipped beats all the time, sometimes one after another and I get so worried and sometimes my chest will hurt. I now realize that is from my muscles tensing up.

I had a holter monitor done, and numerous EKG's and an echocardiogram, all normal. Some of the skipped beats showed up on the holter, but on the EKG's....NONE! I feel them too, but I wonder if I am having as many as I think I am, or if it is just an irregular heart rate?

I am on atenolol, just a small dose for my fast heart rate, and since I started on it, I may feel a few skipped beats during the day. I only take 12.5mg daily and it controls my occaisional bp spikes too. Doesn't seem to bother me, like some of the other drugs have. Don't be afraid to exercise, start slow, the exercise actually helps the skipped beats. I just joined a yoga group and I start tonight too.

Trina

Spencer709 · Post by **Spencer709** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 4:49 pm

I have had them for quite a while but very randomly. Tonight I was just sitting at my computer and feeling just fine all of a sudden right out of the blue wham I got some it seemed like 6 or 7 beats it did it for I was really freakin out. Then I got the adrenalin rush and everything else that happens with this. It was just weird that I felt fine then it just hit me. Now of course I am a bundle of nerves just sitting here typing and listening to my heart beat waiting for it to happen again. I have been to the doctor for this when I was a kid and everything checked out fine. I havn't been since for this specifically but I have had some check-ups and such. I dunno it really freaks me out when it happens like that. I did just recently give up caffeine and I was laid off last week so maybe I'm just under more stress than I feel like I'm under. Any advice or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

D'Angelo

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:47 am

I too get the skipped heart beats or premature heart beats. It started when I was about 19 and I am 30 now. When I first noticed it I went to the dr.'s and was told I was having premature heart beats. I asked the dr. if I could die from it and he told me YES. I soon became totally housebound for a year for fear of it happening when I was out and then thinking "what if I die at the store or while I'm driving because of it?" It did go away when I was pregnant, but I feel them again since having my second daughter. I too wore a 24hr halter monitor and it showed no skipped beats(I didn't really feel any that day). I saw a cardiologist and he too said that what I was describing was PVC. He said I do not have MVP. When I told him what the other dr. told me years ago about it being something that could kill me, he immediately apologized saying that dr. was totally wrong in saying that to me. He told me it was pretty common and that I could go on a beta blocker. I refused the meds because I am totally AFRAID of taking medications. Every time it happens I get the rush of adrenalin and then the panic attack. I can spend hours checking my pulse waiting to see if it will happen again. I am a single mom of two and I don't want to freak my kids out. I'm scared of being alone in case it happens and doesn't stop and I need someone to call 911. I'm scared to go out and extremely scared to exercise. I feel so trapped and at the end of my rope sometimes trying to deal with everything alone. My family just cannot truly understand what I go through.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:50 pm

Hello Bri,
Honey, I totally understand, and please don't think anything bad will happen to you. Take it from my experience. The more you focus on them, the more you will have them. So as hard as it is, stop thinking about them and focus on something else. Mine are all but gone now, with occaisional ones here and there. I am a nurse, with background in cardiac disorders and this is pretty common in women especially. I have found mine are tied into any shift in my hormones, like my period coming on. So, I keep busy, exercise helps too. Go for walks or lift light weights while you watch tv, or use an exercise bike. I also take yoga, which has helped tremendously. Feel free to write to me anytime! My name is Trina. You will be just fine, don't worry!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:50 am

Hi Trina,

Thank you sooo much for your reply. I am now starting to walk and ride my stationary bike very slowly to start out with and hope to get more comfortable. Words cannot express my appreciation for your advice and caring words. I do notice it happens more at the beginning of my period. The skipped beats and how I respond to them is my biggest challenge right now.

Thank you for the invitation to write to you. I am new at this online stuff and not sure how it all works. My 13 yr old helps me figure email out. I've only responded so far. My name is Bri and I would really like to communicate more.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:01 am

Hello Bri,
I'm glad I could help out and I would love to talk more if you would like to. My direct email is trina83@ameritech.net.
I see a naturalist doctor who put me on herbal supplements, which has helped greatly. But, I am 42 and going thru menopause which had caused the changes in my mood and then the skipped beats. Not fun being female!
Take care and I hope to talk to you again soon. Trina

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:42 am

Hi Bri! Your post described me completely! I wish it didn't, but it did. I have to agree with Trina when it comes to blocking out that thinking. Can't say I necessarily do it, but I try. I haven't really exercised in years and I too HATE being alone for the same reason. I won't teach my 8 year old son how to dial 911 because I feel like he'll have to use it! I know it's crazy to think or even say, but it's in my mind. Where are you in NH? I'm in Maine about 20 miles north of Portland. Anyway, I'm here as well, if you ever need to talk... Take care, Tysmom (Angie)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:34 am

Tysmom and Bri:

Tysmom- You are in Maine? Wow, I'm fairly close to you. I live about 2 hours away from Portland! I'm in NH.
Bri- Where in NH are you from? I'm in NH too!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:49 pm

kristymay-c,
I'm in California, the bay area to be more specific. I've not been more east than the Mississippi River but I've heard that NH is beautiful. The fear of flying, and traveling on train, and long distance in a car have kept me state bound. lol