Anyone else?

Apparently, it’s quite common and not necessarily anything to worry about.

Was really noticeable the other day – one strong pulse/flutter in chest wall, followed by a missed beat. Varied over the day, from every few minutes to every other beat at one point.

Took myself to hospital for a check – bloods, wired up etc and was deemed fit to go home.

GP has booked me in for a 24hr ECG

Anyone had it lead to anything more serious?

And anyone done strenuous exercise when they know it’s happening?

All fine now btw

Yes. I have one and went through the same checks as you.

I normally get mine at rest for example in the evening when watching TV, but have had the odd one on the Turbo. As per your doc I’m told it’s ok. It was explained to me that with my lifestyle – Sales, kids, bikes, racing – that when I stop my Heart/head is basically saying “EE oh, I’m running slowly, what to do next *reset*” sort of thing.

Was advised to cut down on coffee, booze or anything that influences HR that I can reduce. I was told to look out for and report “runs” elevated machine gun like hearts beats of which I’ve had a couple and are dangerous.

I’ve been fine since first diagnosed 3-4 years ago.

Coincidentally was discussing this with my neighbour yesterday as he has it. His is v much aggravated by caffeine and too much alcohol but by going decaff and not having too much wine he has it under control.

Yeah diagnosed with it years ago. Still notice it occasionally but really no problems 😛

Few years back had 6 months of VERY regular ectopic beats.

Was terrifying at first (never had any heart issues prior to that) but once I was told what it was and got used to them it wasn’t a huge deal.

Binned caffeine and booze on doctor’s advice (the cardiologist who did my ultrasound said that Friday night drinkers on vodka Red Bull would present with all sorts of arrhythmias every week) and after about 6 months they suddenly stopped. Also stopped riding for a couple of months on advice in case there was an underlying cause, but they never found anything and just put it down to an ‘electrical issue’.

Still off caffeine, but booze seems not to trigger them for me. Very occasionally (maybe two or three times a year) I still notice a THUMP… flutter but apart from that they’ve gone away.

Coincidentally, stopping caffeine has been brilliant for my energy levels and general health as I now realise how badly it was affecting my sleep patterns.

I get them all the time. I’ve also had all the tests done and numerous consultants have told me they are nothing to worry about. Mine are generally postural and apparently might be something to do with the hiatus hernia I have.

They are nothing to worry about.

Best cancel my coke and hookers party tonight, just to be safe…

I used to get them quite a bit – started noticing after my Dad died of a heart attack.

Strangely, did a week long road event in the Alps and they seemed to go away (or become less noticeable) after that.

Pretty sure there was a stress/awareness trigger and the week away took my mind off them.

I’ve got a bit of stress pricing a 5 year maintenance contract at the moment

Also, felt the electronic cigarette wasn’t doing me any good, so come off that

Mine started about 10 months ago. Regular, big and very concerning. Went to docs, got the usual tests and was told nothing to worry about. Cut back on caffeine and booze – no difference. Mine always occurred at rest but seemed to disappear with exercise. Did a bit of reading around and a lot of people seemed to think theirs were triggered by various mineral deficiencies. Never one to shy away from interweb self-diagnosis 🙄 I bought some Holland & Barrett ABCplus vitamin and mineral tablets about 6 or 7 months ago. Ectopics literally stopped completely after the second tablet. Haven’t noticed one since. Still take the tablets, but not religiously, and skipping them for several days has no ill effects.

I bought some Holland & Barrett ABCplus vitamin and mineral tablets about 6 or 7 months ago. Ectopics literally stopped completely after the second tablet. Haven’t noticed one since. Still take the tablets, but not religiously, and skipping them for several days has no ill effects.

Magnesium and / or calcium deficiency can cause them apparently.

Nurses bleep you constantly about these for patients in ITU, nothing to worry about. Can as been said be due to electrolyte abnormalities (but in my experience that’s not usually the case), provided you have a good diet and functioning kidneys your unlikely to have any electrolyte abnormalities.

I get them after too much coffee or a really intense hard ride e.g. a race.

Having said that, these days too much coffee gives me a short flutter rather than an ectopic beat. Things have changed over the years.

provided you have a good diet and functioning kidneys your unlikely to have any electrolyte abnormalities

But what about a hard ride on a hot day? Could maybe affect electrolyte balance?

benjamins11 – Member
Can as been said be due to electrolyte abnormalities (but in my experience that’s not usually the case)

Assuming (from your post) you’re a doctor?

What is usually the case? What can/does usually trigger these?

(Just curious as I never got a proper answer with mine)

provided you have a good diet and functioning kidneys your unlikely to have any electrolyte abnormalities

But what about a hard ride on a hot day? Could maybe affect electrolyte balance?

I attend a couple of spinning classes a week, usually preceded or followed by a gym session, and perspire like a pig. I do wonder if this was a contributory factor. Had been spinning for a couple of years prior to the onset of ectopics with no ill effects, mind. Diet is/was healthy but perhaps not putting back enough of what I was leaking out? The human body is a wondrous and frustrating thing…

Yep, had it for years, had the 24 heart scan etc… Only thingbof slight concern was when I sleep, me pulse drops right down to the bottom end of acceptable. Coffee, and after a hard cardio session is a bit more noticeable, other times its not a problem.

It’s one of those “it depends” things.

It might signal something more serious or it might not – cardiologist best person to advise.

Unless there’s a specific reason to be concerned, then it’s possible to have thousands a day and not notice them.

Have the tests done. Speak to the cardiologist. Chances are it’s absolutely nothing to worry about.

Oh and sometimes artificial sweeteners seem to make it worse for me. Diet coke is ok, Coke Zero seems to make it more likely.

Mine started after contracting Labrynthitis. I was getting 20 to 30 ectopic beats a minute which was a bit alarming. Went to the docs and got a 24 hour ecg. Nothing bad came out of that and the Doc had already said it was safe to carry on training/racing. The ‘itis has long gone and the ectopic beats have lessened greatly but still pop up 20 to 30 times a day. Still make me worry at times but I’ve been thrashing my old body on the bike for the last three years since they started and I’m still here.

I’m 42, and I started noticing them when I was about 20 or so, often during sex (I’m married now, so that’s less of a problem).

Mine really flared up about 5 or 6 years ago, tied to a really stressful time at work. After a 24 Holter test showed up 8,000 PAV/PVCs and long periods of bigeminy and trigeminy I was sent by my EP to get an echo and when that still didn’t put my mind at rest, I had an MRI too.

I was in danger of them taking over my life and I was close to taking beta-blockers but didn’t want them to affect my cycling so I just tried to stop worrying about them, and then one day they stopped. They stayed stopped for about 2 or three years, but they are back again now.

They’ve changed a bit, an ectopic beat can now trigger short runs of fast, regular beats for about 4 or five seconds which I hate even more than the ectopics, but the cardiologist isn’t concerned. I suspect I’m just stuck with them – they almost never appear during exercise though, mostly at rest or recovery.

Caffeine and alcohol make them worse (I can’t quit either), but the worst trigger for me is stress.

Oh and sometimes artificial sweeteners seem to make it worse for me. Diet coke is ok, Coke Zero seems to make it more likely.

Yeah, prior to this episode, following a night of drinking anything with Diet/Zero Coke, I’ve noticed palpatations – it’s off the menu now. That said, I always knew it wasn’t good for me

I had it diagnosed 18 years ago, had 24 hour ECG etc, heart ultrasound thingy and was told not to smoke, drink alcohol or caffeine

I quit smoking and drinking alcohol 6 years ago because I wanted to nothing to do with the heart issue.

Don’t really notice it, can still exercise and not suffer any effects ( touch wood )

Seems a good place to ask! Am having a 24 hr ECG starting on Monday afternoon, are these things discrete enough to wear under a work shirt in the office? Not sure if I am going to be walking around with a little manbag or something?

Seems a good place to ask! Am having a 24 hr ECG starting on Monday afternoon, are these things discrete enough to wear under a work shirt in the office? Not sure if I am going to be walking around with a little manbag or something?

I was in hospital when I had mine done and was wired up and couldn’t even leave the bed for a pee without asking permission so I’m guessing things have moved on in the past 18 years if they can do it while you are not admitted.

They mentioned a 24 hour ECG to me but never did it – I went from 5 hours hooked up to a monitor in A&E to an ultrasound scan.

(I did like the consultant’s expert summing up to me when they took me off the ECG in A&E and sent me home after the 5 hours of monitoring – “You’ve got some kind of arrhythmia…”)

They mentioned a 24 hour ECG to me but never did it – I went from 5 hours hooked up to a monitor in A&E to an ultrasound scan.

(I did like the consultant’s expert summing up to me when they took me off the ECG in A&E and sent me home after the 5 hours of monitoring – “You’ve got some kind of arrhythmia…”)

This sounds like what I experienced, in A&E, said yeh you have some kind of arrythmia maybe and they’ll need to do a 24 hr ECG. Thought they had forgotten me or decided it not needed and six months later a letter appeared saying I had a appointment.Guess it wasn’t urgent….

24hr ECG or Holter Monitor are discreet and will fir under a shirt. The actual monitor is small and can go around your neck/in your pocket