Anyone else get these? I do suffer with anxiety from time to time and get missed beats during and after riding..I spoke with the doc about it and he said its normal but it feels horrible…cheers fellas

I spoke with the doc about it and he said its normal

I suspect he knows what he’s talking about 🙂

Cut down on the fags and coffee.

No fags bud but coffee..a defo

Well there’s your answer, cut down on caffeine drinks including coke.

I expect our resident medical expert will be along shortly to contradict your doctor.

Get that too sometimes, usually after I’ve been pushing myself hard then slow down or stop. Doesn’t seem to do it during the high exertion period which I think would be more concerning.

It is almost like a car that backfires on the overrun when you lift the throttle.

How bad and for how long?

I’d been having Atrial Fibrillation during and after riding. I tried medication for it but the beta-blockers mess up your riding.

I’m about three weeks into recovery after a cardiac ablation (they stick a tube in and burn/cut away bits of your heat).

I’m hoping that’s fixed it as it was so bad I was getting feint on the bike and having to sit down.

If it gets worse I’d recommend seeing an arrhythmia specialist, but obviously follow the advice of your doctor.

Also if you are getting prolonged periods of ‘funny’ heart beats I’d advise taking low dose asprin, as there is definitely a clotting/stroke risk associated with this kind of thing.

there is definitely a clotting/stroke risk associated with this kind of thing.

I’m sure the OP will find it reassuring that his anxiety was well founded.

There’s nothing worse than having palpitations when there’s nothing to be actually worried about.

So yeah discapade, this could be a sign that you are about to have a stroke. If I were you I would rush back to your GP and tell him.

Yeah that’s freaked me for the night…lol I don’t feel faint or light headed, it’s just worrying when your engine misfires..I do ride 4 x a week, I wonder if I’m overdoing it..?

Do you get the feeling of ‘missed beats’ any time other than during/after riding? I take it you were fine when you saw your GP and he/she didn’t do an ECG?

Contrary to what phinbob says, don’t take low dose aspirin as a ‘precaution’. If it’s bothering you a lot, go back to GP, especially if you have any shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain.

I don’t feel faint or light headed

Well you’ll be please to learn that you won’t be needing cardiac ablation then.

I’ve had them a few years now. Not very nice knowing your engine’s not quite working as it once was, but you get used to them to a degree. Drinking and coffee definitely makes them worse, with coffee having the most direct effect.

I was sent to a palpitations clinic and they did ECG and ultrasound and all the rest of it and said I was fine. Doesn’t stop the back of your mind whirring away though… What if…?

Cheers for the replies fellas..big hugs all round

I once had the shits for a week, awesomely it was on the run in to my first road race. 2-3 days before the race I’d stopped peeing from my arse but obviously a week of it had taken its toll and I was rather erm weak. Being the bell end that I am I decided I’d race anyway, morning of the race came and I was still feeling rather fragile but loaded up on gels and went for it… I didn’t shit myself but was dropped on the last lap, finished but it took its toll. I ended up having strong heart palpitations for a week 😯 again, being a bit of a knob I kept it to myself…the Mrs went absolutely mental when I told her about 6 months later!

Dehydration is one of the common causes of palpitations monkeyfudger.

Go to a cardiologist. Get them to do an ECG when you’re texting and also a 24 hour monitor – go riding when you wear this.

I speak from experience….

I still get them, sometimes during a ride. Had them Tuesday but had had a massive fry up with 2 coffees prior to riding. Settled down after a while. Used to get them really bad but that was when my stress was manifesting itself through the missed beats. Had one of those lie in a tube scanny things, was told what it could be and they could burn out the problem, but everyone is different. Get it checked out if feeling bad or concerned.

If palpitations are just “missed beats” at rest (actually usually a small early ectopic beat) then it is usually no biggy. But I’d want to see a resting ECG.

Missed beats DURING riding and exertion are not normal. Cut out the coffee but if they persist I’d be taking things further. Are you on any meds? We’d often be doing a 7 day ECG monitor.

Aspirin is no longer (as of last year) much used for anti-clotting or stroke reduction properties in heart rhythm problems.It has very little effect. Warfarin and NOACs if you really have an arrhythmia which increases your stroke risk.

I do have them when stressed yes, which obviously makes them worse. I’m gonna knock the coffee on the head and keep hydrated when riding and see if it makes a difference. If it doesn’t, I think I’ll go back to the docs and maybe get a referral to a cardiologist. I bet it’s one of those things most of us get but I’m just very tuned in to them, to the point where I’m waiting for them to happen…disturbing feeling

Yeah, used to get them a lot. Feel like your times up when you get them. Funny coffee never bothered me with palps.

I had them checked when I was a kid.. No real problems came up but now get them maybe once a year, usually post ride or when resting.

I believe there are certain different types, some serious some not. My dad takes beta blockers for them.

Never ever restricted my cycling though.

OP do you drink alcohol the night before a ride?

Do you take in enough Zinc, Potasium etc?

Regardless get it fully checked out. If this happened to me I wouldnt carry on strenous exercise until an ECG had been run etc not internet assurances (guys you too, sorry). Call me a **** but better to drill down on this

I was getting 8,000 to 12,000 PAC and PVCs a day for a year or two, mostly not during exercise, but sometimes in the first 30 minutes. I was often in bigenemy and trigenemy for hours. Saw a couple of cardiologists and had Holter, Echo and MRI – caught everything but they were insistent there was no underlying problem. I could pretty much get them to start if I bent over or lay on my left side, or if I was dehydrated as above. I spent ages reading about the Vagus nerve and stomach problems that manifest in ectopic beats. I was in danger of starting to obsess about it, and honestly it was at risk of stopping me enjoying life.

Conclusion was if I wanted further treatment they’d stick me on Beta Blockers or send me to a psychiatrist to understand why I was so worried about them (!). The Cardio’s equivalent of MTFU, and I’ve barely thought about them since 🙂

One day last year, they just stopped occuring. Not a single one for months, after no rest from them. Weird. Had none to speak of for months, and now I only seem to get them if I’m at the start of getting a cold, when they ALWAYS re-appear for a few days; or if I drink too much coffee or alcohol (most days for one or the other).

Get checked, but probably nothing to worry about.

No dizziness or chest pains? Then it’s nowt to worry about, I get “missed beats” when at rest but not during exercise. Other forms are just as common. Loads of info from NHS direct & heart foundation etc

Regardless get it fully checked out. If this happened to me I wouldnt carry on strenous exercise until an ECG had been run etc not internet assurances (guys you too, sorry). Call me a **** but better to drill down on this

What exactly are your medical qualifications Hora? At least one qualified Doc has replied on this thread + the OP’s own GP but you apparently know better. I think I’ll take your own recommendation and call you a …. 🙄

I don’t drink much anymore tbh, but on Tuesday after a pretty intense 20 miler, we had a couple of Stella’s after the ride and I just couldn’t get too sleep due to missed beats. It really is terrible as you think “oh shit, hearts gonna stop” but it never does. I do think deep down this is fuelled by anxiety which I’ve had for years. I’m on top of it but it rears its ugly head from time to time. Again thanks for taking the time to post up fellas x

I had a period of regular ectopic heart beat in my 20s (as someone more qualified has pointed out although it feels like a missed beat it is actually a slightly early beat leading to that sensation of a pause), I got referred to hospital and wired into an ECG for ten minutes, but as it is so random when it happens they didn’t pick anything up and that was that and they sent me on my way. I was drinking a lot of coffee, booze, partying a lot and smoking a lot of weed – coffee is the main trigger for me though.

I still get them now and then and yeah when you are riding hard and your heart rate is very high it really feels like you are going to die! It is almost painful, you can feel the blood surge and feel the beat in your chest. It happens so randomly there would be no chance of picking it up unless my heart was being continuously recorded for weeks on end though.

Get it checked out, if the doctor is recident then push him/her. Identify that you go bike riding, your fit, active, etc. dont take chances with your heart.

I race at the elite level and have suffered from heart oalpitations for about ten years now. Had the first episode riding a road crit race when i was doing my msc. I was feeling comfortable in the race, then suddenly my heart rate clinbed to over 200, i had no power and pulled out looking quite ill. It scared the hell out of me, my girlfirend and the race organisers. The doctor brushed that occasion off. Roll on a few years and it started hapening more frequently and i think is linked to stress, anxiety and tiredness. After a few trips to the GP i was referred to get resting ecg, 24hr monitor ecg, exercising ecg and eventually the cardiologist said basically my heart gets a little confused and the elctric impulses which stimulate the heart mis fire causing the palpitation. I was offered drugs but taught myslef to control it through relaxation, breathing and muscle control. This has taken a lot of time and mistakes i.e. Palpitations at start and mid race. It annoys the hell out of me, is uncomfortable and can be scary.
Not sure if that helps at all? But it migt offer a different perspective/experience.

I get those symptoms, and have done since my mid 20s so it’s not an age thing.

For me, it’s entirely down to coffee. I don’t tihnk it’s caffeine, I think it’s something else in coffee because the effect can hang on for days. Certain coffees are worse than others too.

The more coffee I drink the worse it gets – in Finland the office had endless free strong coffee on tap and drinking that I used to get periods of sort of wobbly feeling heart (although still regular) whilst riding.

Try cutting out all caffeinated drinks and chocolate – you should be right as rain in a couple of days. I found that spending a week off the coffee/tea/chocolate sort of reset me, so I could then go back to drinking a bit more.

if you are getting palpitations, go to the hospital and get a ecg.
a Dr saying it is fine is not good.
when i first went into AF, my Dr sent me directly to the hospital in a ambulance.

get it checked out.

I’ve been a couple of times. Once was after a stupidly strong cup of coffee at a mate’s house. The missing heartbeat was so alarming I woke up and we went to hospital.

The ECG trace did indeed show a missed heartbeat (not an ectopic one). No-one could find any of the usual warning signs or issues in my traces though.

I’m amazed at how many get these..!

I had a weird heart event after cycling once. Was out with the local Tri club, when the ride stopped to regroup I felt my heart churn in my chest – really weird sensation. Took myself to A&E thinking it might have been a heart attack. They couldn’t find anything but I had bruised ribs on the LHS of my chest after it. Must have been some form of panic attack / stress response as I was having a nightmare at work at the time and had just walked out of my job the day before…

I used to get similar and went to GP who immediately got me an ECG so you need to get that done and ask for a change of Dr as they are nigh on useless.. Can’t believe they would treat such a condition in that way. Mine like most turned out to be mainly caffeine, sometimes alcohol and an ectopic beat after seeing a specialist but it can also be something more sinister so get yourself back and checked out properly. My wife is a GP and can’t believe that it was brushed aside that easy without looking into it further.

Moda, I’ve been a few times now but nothing’s come of it and they make you feel like a hypercondriac. Unfortunately we give dr’s too much Power to make the decisions for us. We see them on a pedistal and don’t dare to question them. I was told to pull my self together etc whilst smirking at me 15 years ago by an ageing doc when I had anxiety/stress..prick..!

discapade

You didn’t mention you had been a few times! How many and over what period?

As Moda has alluded too, there are good GP’s and some who, how can I put this, leave a little lot to be desired. You have every right to question them as no-one is infallible and I’m constantly amazed by patients who haven’t the faintest idea what medication they are on, or why!

Get a second opinion at your practice, or failing that, I suggest you find a new surgery.

As a GP with an interest in this topic, it is embarrassing to hear some of the stories above. Ectopics during exercise cannot be assumed to be normal. Missed beats at rest only almost always is. Capturing arrhythmias isn’t always easy. Lots of tools though. Saw two people today with wiring problems, documented then and there with one of these

To the OP. Please take this a stage further, emphasising the exercise bit. The chances are you won’t have anything bad but it needs checking.

Have had these for as long as I can remember. A bad phase in my early 20s saw me have an ECG, but fine apart from an unusual trace apparently – which has been picked up a couple of times since.

Less usual at rest now but nearly always get them in hard exercise – there’s a point as you go up and come back down around 110 bpm. Weird. Have given up coffee long since. The high cholesterol and high bp on exercising is my bigger worry now.

Hey fellas, I have an appointment with the doc on Saturday, I will keep you all posted..

Ok so I had a a 24hr heart monitor fitted and did a hard ride where I felt the palps which was good. Doc rang me and told me to come in so I feared the worst. He explained that although my heart was missing beats, more so when riding, they were benign, so I shouldn’t worry about them and try to forget about them. He went into detail explaining that it was a sort of misfire and only if I have pain, or shortness of breath should I be concerned..So there it is, thanks again all for your comments…

Good news 🙂