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?

[Razien]

i have the same problem  but i manage to make it disapear

here are some things you need to do and possibly it will help you too


1: drop cafeine

2:lose weigth

3: lose stress even with the help or antistress pills

4: balance your diet with a lot of variety of vegetables and fruits

5:check your  magnesium levels in your blood it helps arythmias in general and our most common arythmia

  if needed take extra supplements

6: drink 30-50 ml virgin olive oil its help on many things

one of those is heart and veins

7 always drink every dayoil from fish for omega 3 its important

8; if you sweat a lot drink isotonic drinks and pills to balance
  it out since if you miss potasium sodium and other elecrolytes it can cause you those symtoms

[Shasari]

I have been through this. What I have been informed by my cardiologist is that a few skipped beats are not really that much of a concern. I have had up to 700 skipped beats over a 48 hour period - 700 seems like a lot, but you figure your heart is beating 60-80 times a minute around the clock and then it's not such a large figure.

In my discussions with my cardiologist is that they look for runs of skipped beats where they chain together, or runs of SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) - issues that come in groups and are accompanied by chest pain.

It is advisable to get anything your unsure of looked at by your doctor - I'm not telling anyone to ever skip that. I have to keep a close eye on things due to my other heart conditions - ascending aortic aneurysm, pulmonary aneurysm, slight aortic insufficiency, and a slight leak at the mitral valve.

It's not easy, but keep cool about it - anxiety will exacerbate problems.

[Banananutella]

I'm probably to late for this thread since it seems like no one has commented in a while, but I've been experiencing skipped beats (heart palpitations) like crazy for the past few weeks. I'm 23 now, and I've had heart palpitations in the past but never this much. Mine seem to only happen when I'm sitting or lying down, I'm sure they are happening when I'm up too I just don't notice them.

I went to the ER about 3 weeks ago due to chest pain (before my head palpitations became a problem) and they did 2 EKGs, 1 X-ray, and a few blood tests. They said that on my first EKG I had arrhythmia, but the second one was normal, they also told me that I was low on potassium. I don't know what to think, I'm very worried. They sent me home and told me to set up a doctors appointment, my doctor said that my potassium levels are normal now but my heart rhythm seems to be off but I'm scared it might be something bad. My heart palpitations are really starting to bug me it seems like I have 1,000 a day. I also recently went vegan and have been eating mainly plants and such, I've been taking a B12 supplement the past few days and I try to get enough magnesium in my diet. My doctor order me a holter monitor or whatever it's called but I'm scared I worry so much. I also forgot to mention that I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and have been struggling with it for years, I'm not sure how that would cause palpitations or arrhythmia, I also have health anxiety (hypochondria) so I don't know if that can cause palpitations too??? I'm at a total loss and I just want answers.

[Lis69]

Get your electrolyte levels checked, low potassium causes heart palpitations, muscle weakness plus having anxiety disorders elevates adrenaline which can cause palpitations making you much more aware of them.

[Franasupila]

Start meditating and listen to and create the most calm and relaxing environment you can.  Its reduced mine significantly.

[Crazywithanxiety]

Ive been having the same issue and at one point i was calling an ambulance like 4x a week. I have afib but i havent had an episode since my twins were born back in 2/2016.but recently im having serious palpatations.so ive been working with my cardiologist and pcp.i was diagnosed with generalized anxiety which is horrendous.i also have medical anxiety.this just started like 2 months ago.and my anxiety wakes me out of a deep sleepand i end upcalling an ambulance at 3am. They have tried to assure me its just anxiety.so ive learned breathing techniques.tbey put me on ativan and told me no caffeine which is a huge dealand look into yoga.as i type this i have heart palpatations

[B2CISME]

Your heart can suffer damage if you're not getting enough protein. Since you've gone began that might be an issue. Rice and beans together can give you complete proteins without meat.
Magnesium is also important to heart health, as are other minerals. Anxiety and stress can excite your heart and increase arrhythmias. Mindfulness helps. Personally, I ask for prayer from fellow believers. It has stopped my SVTs when nothing else would.

[achillea]

No scientist knows, as yet, what causes benign PVCs.  There's no money in researching a condition that does not affect longevity, and benign PVCs do not affect that.

People try all kinds of stuff, from supplements to avoiding certain foods.  I've had ectopics for decades, and have never found, for sure, any food that helps or makes things worse.  

You can tell these erratic beats are not dangerous in two primary ways:  One is that you have been checked out at the ER and separately by paramedics, who found found that you have a normal, healthy heart and occasionally toss ectopic beats.  That is medical reassurance by people who have treated a lot of real cardiac trouble.  They've seen it all, or most of it, and they have no motive to dismiss your complaints if they see that you are truly in danger.

The second way you know that your ectopics are benign  is that you are physically able do all your normal stuff, without throwing up or faintness or the sense of an elephant sitting on your chest, and so on.  The beats are annoying and disturbing, but you are not physically disabled.  Emotionally perhaps, but that is a different story.

I notice that back in 2007, you mentioned that you had gotten considerable relief from your worry about PVCs by taking Lexapro.  It sounds as though it's once again time for a tuneup with your local anxiety therapist.

[achillea]

Whoops, sometimes a very old post here seems to have a date that makes it seem recent, and I was confused by that a minute or so ago, and responded to Ellen's quite elderly message.

[Terrified666]

Im so terrified of them ive been in bed 2 years. Thats my life. I live on tiny sips of melted ice cream as im scared to eat. List 4 stone n now weigh 8 st at 5'6" . Doctor neverhelps

[Ger57]

Dear Ellen,

Many skipped beats are benign and nothing to worry about.
Many people have them and they can increase in frequency under stress, drinking too much caffeine etc.
If they become noticeable, it is good to have a doctor look at it, to be sure they are harmless.

I can imagine that you were worried when this happened to you, but now that an ECG is made, analysed (including the ectopic) and concluded to be ok, I think there is no need for further worry.
Often, the more you think about them (worry, stress), the more frequent they get (or seem to get).

Take care,
Ger

In general:
This is really a heart rhythm issue. If you post in the Heart Rhythm Community, you will probably get more knowledgeable responses.