How do I know when skipped heart beats are dangerous?

[iAmEllen]

Over a week ago for absolutely no identifiable reason my heart started skipping way more beats than usual.  I can go hours with none and then have several hours where I'll have 2 or 3 a minute.  It's setting me over the edge.  I don't know if it's dangerous or not.  I went to the ER the other day and they basically didn't care at all and just had me take Ativan and sent me home.  Today I panicked and called the paramedics who came and did a 12 lead and they said normal sinus with one ectopic and so I didn't go back to the ER.  I had a normal echo 3 years ago.  I already don't eat caffeine or sugar.

Please reassure or sympathize with me.  I'm going insane and have no idea what's causing this out of the blue.  Why would they suddenly increase for no reason whatsoever?

[kaiser55]

I suggest you should  get a thyroid function Blood test , maybe it is the Thyroid problem

[worried_27]

Indeed, it does.I don't what cause it exactly but for the pass three years I've been having anxiety and panic attack too, i don't get weak but more than once my breath literally stop for a mini second or so. Sometimes when it happens and its not so bad, I think about something the makes me happy and it helps, sorry I don't have any medical advise but I hope you figure it soon.

[samhayward]

man iv been good for about a year i had them real bad but now there back as bad as ever. and i just had a big one about 10 min ago i allways think im going to die it dose make me want to just give up and cry

[Sweetcj]

My heart started skipping beats after some stressful events. The more I panicked, the more skipped beats I would get. I went to the doctor and got the ekg and blood tests and they said I was fine and that it was anxiety and to stop caffeine, avoid stress and to take Ativan for a little while. I prayed to God for an answer because even though the doctors said I was fine, I didn't feel fine! They said to not be anxious, but the skipped beats made me anxious. My grandmother told me that magnesium and potassium would help. I looked it up online and sure enough they are known to help heart palpitations / skipped beats. So even though I take vitamins every day, I increased the magnesium and potassium. I also got tired of worrying about it and was just like "f*** it ! So now I am free of those awful skipping beats thank God! Hope this helps!

[Jlynn420]

I have been having skipped beats last night for the first time, when I went to lay down to do my chakra clearing I have alot of aniexty and starting counseling tommorrow. I have had tingling/numbing sensation all throughout my body,feeling like i was going to faint , I was gestational diabetic in my pregnancy which i am now 3 month post partum and thought maybe it was my sugar and it wasn't my sugar would be 91 to 100 when i would go through these episodes. It would just come out of no where and it all started happening really bad after i had the baby, I've had the panic/aniexty all my life but not as bad as I have it now.. and when i was with the baby today i had one skip. and it scared me thinking is their something wrong with my heart and my biggest fear and is not staying alive to see my son grow up into a man. . . . Also for a couple days at a time i will get weak in the chest and not be able to pick up anything. . . & I am continiously nervous, I am on celexa and kolonopin, but waiting to see a pyshciatrist to maybe get my medication changed . Good luck to you .. I know its so terrifying going through this.. but I've learnt that faith conquers fear..

[crnbrrygrl]

After reading these comments, I have to say, I am relieved to not feel so alone.  I first had a PVC two and a half years ago.  After going to the ER and seeing my GP, I wore a halter monitor.  It recorded a couple of PVCs, but all my tests came back normal (halter monitor, blood tests, EKG, etc.).  So after researching online, the common theme of calcium, magnesium and potassium supplements came up.  I took them and after six months felt great without a missed beat.  But now it's back.  I went to the ER for severe chest pain four months ago and found out I had low potassium.  Then I had low iron.  Then I had costochondritus.  Then it was Acid Reflux.  It's like they couldn't' decide why I was having chest pains.  And then the PVCs started again.  This time they're worse even though I've been taking prescribed potassium and iron.  I can't exercise without feeling like I'm going to have a heart attack; the pain in my chest and left arm is too much sometimes, I have to take pain medication.  I also have severe food allergies so I'm very focused on eating healthy since I have to know what's going into my body.  I don't know what else to do.  I've decided to go down the list of specialties:  GP again, then Endocronolgist, then Cardiologist then Nathuropath then who knows...I've never slept well-even worse now-and I did have anxiety 12 years ago, but there's nothing logically explaining this now.  I don't know what to do.  I'm afraid to sleep at night.  I don't drink alcohol, don't do drugs, don't do/can't anything anymore without pain.  It physically hurts in my chest to walk more than five blocks.  I feel like an invalid and I'm only 29.