Missing beats, Some reasurrence would help

[Burjo]

Hi all,
I'm a fit male, 28years and work for a Defence Force.
I have regular medicals, and am in good shape.
What I'd like to know is if i have a heart issue, some advice, what to expect, and will it effect my job and career?
I'm fairly worried on what the outcome could be.

For some history
I'll start from the start.

Around 2 years ago i got really sick with something i forget what but i noticed with heart palpitations my heart beats were Very irregular. got an ECG done that day and it showed a fast irregular beat with missing 'P' Waves. The doc just said it was because i was sick and it'll correct itself. It Did for now.

Every 4-6 months after i got palpitations that lasted not more then a couple minutes, i didn't worry about it.

Around 5 weeks ago i had what i call another episode. although it lasted a bit over an hour. i thought unusual but wasn't worried.
1 week later another episode but this time lasted for 17 hours. That was it. i went straight to my doc the next day because I'm thinking this isn't normal. That was 4 weeks ago now.

The Docs not sure whats going on, his said it could be Afib or something else so I've been refereed to a cardiologist.

For the last 5 weeks, I've had constant missing beats sometimes 1 per minute and sometimes +10 per minute. I've had double beats. And sometimes my resting heart rates i little bit to high 105+Bpm yesterday.

Generally my rate isn't high, sits between 60-90Bpm.

Im seeing the cardioligist for the first time tomorrow and getting a holter thingy for 24hrs.

Any advice would be great, i look forward to some experienced reply's.

Thanks
Mark

[MichelleP_3811]

I would say if there is anything you do that actually triggers some of the symptoms try it to see what comes of it.  So long as your symptoms don't threaten your life then by all means try to provoke them because the goal of the monitor is to try and catch the issue.  But again, like I said, if you don't feel the main symptom you are concerned about ask for the 30 day.  Good luck.  I know those holters are kind of annoying to wear.  The 30 day is actually a lot less bulky.  But one step at a time.  Hopefully the next 24 hours will provide some good insight for you on what is going on.  Talk to you later.

[Burjo]

Hi michellepetkus,
firstly thanks for the reply, i wasn't sure if anyone would.

Over the 17hrs i felt a coming and going of palpitations, sometimes weren't to bad other times like something wanted to get out my chest as if running a marathon. I'm pretty sure my heart rate was high even tho i wasn't doing anything.

Well, I'm wearing this holter device that's suppose to read everything for the next 24hr. I've had no symptoms as such like palpitations, shortness of breath etc. but checking my heart rate it is playing up a bit.
At 2000hr its missing no less then 7 beats, not staying constant (speeds up then slows down suddenly and vice versa), at rest is kicking around the mid 90's and I'm sure I'm felling a few extra weird or funky beats in there as well.

Holter comes off tomorrow and i'll be getting the results in 4 days.
Not sure what will show up.

Thanks
Mark

[MichelleP_3811]

You didn't exactly describe what you were feeling during the 17 hours so without it being captured it is hard to say if it was afib or just some sort of ectopic beat issue.  It sounds like your current skipping beats and palpitations are likely benign ectopic beats.  It is good you are getting the holter but they are only useful if you having daily symptoms.  If the results come back completely normal and you know your main symptoms you are concerned about didn't happen in those 24 hours I might ask to try an event monitor that you wear for a month to see exactly what you have.  I suspect whatever your illness was 2 years ago triggered some ectopic beats, pvcs or pacs.  The heart very well recovered but once the ectopics get triggered there is always a chance for them to flare up.  It doesn't mean you have afib just possibly a few spots in your heart that are irritated and throwing extra beats.  They are not a threat to your physical health so long as your heart is structurally fine so it is good to get a complete work up with a cardiologist but if you get the all clear that your heart is generally healthy thing it is a matter of trying to do your best to manage the ectopics by watching stress and what you eat.  So all in all tough it is possibly you may have afib I think you more likely just have some annoying ectopic beats and nothing more to worry about but go and get checked out to be sure.  Please do keep us posted on how you are doing.