My Symptoms

[Jass]

Mine began with the odd flutter. Thinking about it, years ago I would have the odd one. I actually thought it was a pulse, or even a twitch. Then they became more regular until I'd get a flutter 3 or 4 times a day. Sometimes I would become dizzy and once blacked out for about 10 seconds. I also developed IBS and chronic heartburn. Both were followed by extreme anxiety and sometimes panic.

I went to A and E once where I came to understand that years of stress had been the cause. Since then I have

small thuds
A feeling as though the heart flipped over
A feeling as though the heart stops for a few seconds and restarts (I get dizzy on these)

Runs of ectopic (extra beats) esp when leaning on left side
Fast, hard beats and runs of these.
neck and rib thuds and fast pulses


Some days I get less now. But when stressed they are around, sometimes worse than others

[toni]

I would get an occasional flutter once in a blue moon. It was nothing I stressed about. When I was 23 my palpitations began really acting up. I was at work on my way to break. It was a normal day. I had no usual stress until my heart started beating funny. It was so long ago, I don't remember the exact symptoms but it was scary. I went to the ER and after investigation was told I was fine. That was the beginning. I have had several tests and Dr visits since. Nothing has ever been found to be harmful. What it did harm was my emotional and mental health. The extreme fear I have dealt with over the last 10 years has been exhausting. It has impacted my family and my work. I get skipped beats, flutters, extra beats upon extra beats, funny pulses in my neck. It is so hard to accept that I am ok when these sensations feel so wrong. I so envy those who don't need to deal with these ectopics and can get on with life without always "being in their head". Ectopics are no fun and trying to explain them to someone who doesn't have them is impossible and frustrating. I'm in the trenches with you, fellow ectopics suffers! Toni.

[Jass]

Toni, I couldn't have said it better. You just cant explain what its like to anyone unless they have had them. Even though we know they are harmless...I agree, its the harm they cause to our lives. They take all the joy from life. For me everything has to planned around them...

I can be walking round town, just shopping and happy enough, then wham! a bad bout of fast beats, or just an few extra beats and I feel light headed. This can at times cause a panic attack (fear of fainting) and then that's it for the day.

[emma11]

Ive always had the odd flutter also but never paid them attention. Ive always suffered with panic / anxiety! once i had my baby 17 months ago the palps kicked in after i started back at work daily and lots and lots, i put it down to stress! Ive had 3 ecg's and a 24hr monitor nothings been found to be harmful x

[Jass]

Emma, how do you manage work like that? It seems so many women get them when pregnant. I never did (I am now to old for babies) with my pregnancies. I did get chronic heart burn though and apparently that was also a vagus nerve irritation

[emma11]

i dont tbh i just kinda get on with it.. i do 12 hr shifts twice a week so i only do 24 hrs a week, but they never seem to bother me at work even though i still get loads i think cos im surrounded by loads of people i know if something terrible did happen id get seen to straight away ! i did get bad heartburn when pregnant never any ectopics untill after she was born, and also i had bad IBS once she was born too, so im putting it down to all that irratiting the vagus nerve x

[Jass]

It does seem to be that. Or as RLR says, its the whole nervous system. he has said several times that hormones can effect it all. Several women have reported getting them during ovulation.