Irregular heart beat

I’m sat here on the sofa, all relaxed and reading through the posts on this here forum, and my heart is beating irregularly. Seems like regular beats, say a dozen or so, and then a couple of much stronger, irregular beats that I can physically feel.

I’ve felt this on and off since between Xmas and the new year

Worried over nothing or should I speak to someone?

Well it is common and normally not a problem, but occasionally signals something bad so if it happens loads then it is worth getting checked out. I had it pretty bad when I had a lot of real coffee, strangely does not happen with other forms of caffeine.

Healthy diet? Stressed? Recent vigourous excercise?

I get it from time to time when any of the above are a bit different to normal. I’ve spoken to a doctor about it and its nowt to worry about. But everyone’s different.

See your GP.

Think I’ll speak to the quack in the morning

GP tomorrow.

I had something a bit like that for a while, my heart would stop….. then do a few big beats to catch up. Mentioned it to the quack but by they time I had an appointment for and ECG it seem to have sorted itself though. Personally I think its a lack of natural rhythm and probably the principle reason I’m incapable of doing anything that even looks like dancing.

Best get it checked, but almost certainly normal.

I get them regularly and have done for nearly 20 years, from 500 to 10,000+ a day. Sometimes they are noticeable and can stop me from sleeping (especially on my left) and other times I don’t feel them. They used to really bother me.

Had every test, including more this year as I’ve seen a big increase in them since September. Cardiologist (an EP) keeps wondering what I’m doing in her office… I think she’s genuinely fed up seeing me! 🙂

Caffeine makes them worse, but I’m not giving up coffee for anything.

Probably a better place to go is A+E when it’s quiet, as they’ll ECG you on the spot. Takes about 10 minutes.

BTW. It’s “I’m SITTING here on the sofa”

Most likely normal but once you’re aware of it, it needs to be checked out or you’re set for the road to anxiety.

Unless you have any of these chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, blackouts, tiredness on mild exertion. Then A+E is not the place to go, they may well do an ECG but they’ll point you back to your GP so you’ve wasted your and their time.

I have this as well, have had it for about 2 months and only really notice it when lying on the couch. Strangely enough I have had little or no work in the last 2 months which is a bit of a worry. Had it before and mentioned to the doctor and was told it was nothing to worry about.

try totally dropping coffee, i really reacts crazy to it, so no more! only tee (non caffeine)

Just over a year ago I felt the same. It lasted around for days. I went to my GP, then on to a cardiologist.

I’ve now seen for cardiologists in the last twelve months and been tested for two very rare heart conditions. Turns out I have neither (probably). Am back at the electrophysiologist on Thursday for a check up and to plan my next MRI scan. In short I have a very unusual resting ECG.

Go to your GP. It’s likely fine but still worth checking out.

Feel free to mail me if you want to chat.

Tom

i bet it now and a gain feels like a missed beat gp says its actually a double beat followed by a gap wasnt very concerned

thank **** for this forum… feel more relaxed now…

I’ve had an irregular heartbeat on and off for a few years. It used to cause quite bad panic attacks, but I was just making it worse for myself by getting worried. Doctor assured me (many times) it was nothing serious. Had ecg’s, X-rays, blood tests, saw a cardio specialist. I actually discovered sometimes it was just indigestion or trapped wind (sounds stupid!) causing discomfort as well.

Get it checked out, for me, worrying about it made things (in ny head) worse than they actually were. Still get the odd missed beat, but I just stay calm now and its fine.

I was the same for a few months, fairly random beats. Went away after a few weeks.

Caffeine does it for me.

You call it an irregular heartbeat, I call it a bebop/jazz heartbeat…

I had this, the most important thing to do is not relax, it’s only the worry that’s keeping you alive.

Clobber – Member

thank **** for this forum… feel more relaxed now…

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

As the others have said. GP not A&E unless you get short of breath/faint/chest/pain

Reduce Caffeine.

One odd question – anyone die suddenly of an unknown condition in your family before the age of 40, or any family history of “Cardiomyopathy”? If not, don’t worry too much. If so, tell the GP.

Standard work up for me for this as a GP these days would be 12 lead ECG and bloods including thyroid function (for over-activity), if ok try caffeine reduction, if anything abnormal or things get worse get echocardiogram and 7 day ECG event monitor (which we can fit at the surgery). 19/20 times we don’t need to do this. Most of the people who need referral to an EP Cardiologist have longer sustained arrhythmias. And I’ve had these (probable) PVCs myself.

One message I would like more people to know, is if you have a sustained completely irregular heart beat (the drummer of the band is completely smashed, not playing jazz or a tango…) for more than an hour, and you know it was normal before it started, there is a window of 24-28 hours before we need to get into warfarin etc… so seek help stat. Same applies to if you have a regular but fast heart rate at rest of 145-155 bpm – in which case you probably have Atrial Flutter with a 2:1 block and need to be seen quickly. to get you out of it without warfarin etc…

Has anybody actually mentioned the word palpitations?

I’ve been getting this for years, it prevents me from sleeping on my left side.

All

i appreciate all the comments – thank you 🙂

Spoke with my doctor this afternoon and have an appointment to see him this evening. what i’m most concerned about is my lack of English grammer – i will never again refer to being ‘sat’ on the sofa again, from now oni shall mainly be sitting!! (Hat off to Derek Starfish!!).

iamtheresurrection – Member

Cardiologist (an EP) keeps wondering what I’m doing in her office

Back from the dead?

I had / have this now and again. I can lay it squarely on stress, caffeine and / or dehydration (if l’ve had a few drinks then hammered it on the bike the following day)