Dicky Ticker, anyone?

[Justin Passing]

I knew I had the odd ectopic heart beat, which means you feel a thud because it misses one, followed by a big one. ("Palpitations".)
I've been feeling a bit dizzy and feeble though and then realised it was worse, missing nearly half the beats it should have. An oximeter said it was 40bpm, 84% SpO2
It's not dangerous, they say, because there are two further electrical pulse-generators in there, so it doesn't actually stop.
It's a conduction fault in the heart so the treatment AFAIK is ablation, where they zap some tissue to stop the ectopic beat. Done by a wire up a vein.

Oh well, at least I know what it is. I thought it must be something serious, like long Covid, or Brexit, doing it

Someone here must have had it?

 

[ReganAndCarter]

I get the odd PVC - premature ventricular contraction. Had some tests, all ok and dr said nothing to worry about. Doesn't stop me doing anything, such as long, brisk walks and riding bike. Can go weeks without any, then get quite a few in a day. Stress, caffine and booze are usual culprits.

When it happens, I just thump my chest saying "keep going you fool!" - Eric Morcambe style.

 

[Justin Passing]

That's where I was.

Caffeine is contentious . One cardiac chap said sure, if you have 100 cups a day... And I think he's right, no real effect. Bad sleep "hygeine" is bad. Oops.

 

[motorbiking]

84% is not ideal and 40bpm is fine if you are athletic. I’m the only male in my family who hasn’t had a heart attack. Nothing genetic, but certainly all stress related.

 

[conny]

Ask you GP if you can have a cortisol check. My wife started getting these feelings a few years ago. Turns out she has a slow metabolism and high cortisol levels which they can't do anything about except play with her diet to reduce certain salts. Doesn't get them as often now but still the occasional one or two.

 

[securespark]

Low SATs can be a killer and anything less than 90% is worrying.

 

[Justin Passing]

I'm dead athletic. I run things through my mind, skip the tough bits, and jump to conclusions.
Pulse was 40 because instead of
ΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔΔ
it was
Δ_Δ_Δ_Δ_Δ_Δ_

ECG this pm, so I can see if it's PVC's or PVAs

 

[JP_]

Stress, caffine and booze

I need to avoid all those now. No longer drink coffee, only tea is green or ginger (which isn't tea!), and don't drink.

One thing we can be certain of - all these chemicals and alcohol will get us in the end. We are not quite as invincible as we think!

 

[charliegolf]

I have ectopic beats. Have had for years. This year got some payback from my unused Benenden account and saw a cardiac consultant. His verdict, repeated in his letter to my GP was, "You will not die of this, nor will it shorten your life. It's an irritant, but it's not an arrhythmia of any kind in the medical sense. Any intervention will not be worth it based on what I have seen; particularly not drug interventions"

I drink gallons of tea a day, and he suggested that cutting that down cannot but help, so I have. What we both do now, is have a 2 bag pot of tea with one of each kind- instant 50% cut. The decaff just had an aftertaste...

PS, the Doc also said that everybody has some ectopic beats at sometime.

 

[Deleted member 18243]

PS, the Doc also said that everybody has some ectopic beats at sometime.

When I was younger and used to drink enough to produce a hangover, my heart would pound very strongly and sometimes miss beats, and sometimes have extra beats during the hangover period. This was God telling me not to drink too much. I took heed.

 

[Justin Passing]

I have ectopic beats. Have had for years. This year got some payback from my unused Benenden account and saw a cardiac consultant. His verdict, repeated in his letter to my GP was, "You will not die of this, nor will it shorten your life. It's an irritant, but it's not an arrhythmia of any kind in the medical sense. Any intervention will not be worth it based on what I have seen; particularly not drug interventions"

I drink gallons of tea a day, and he suggested that cutting that down cannot but help, so I have. What we both do now, is have a 2 bag pot of tea with one of each kind- instant 50% cut. The decaff just had an aftertaste...

PS, the Doc also said that everybody has some ectopic beats at sometime.

How many ectopics. 30-35/minute?!
Yep, was told most of the same.
All very well sayng you won't die of it if you're dizzy & falling about. Feels like an engine running 2 cyls short, and it aches.
Looks like the caffeine thing is an old wives' tale everyone repeats.

Lack of sleep & exercise are on the bad list, though.

Just heard from a mate who had the ablation trtmt - they try to burn out short circuits - and it only lasted a few weeks, now he's just as bad.

Woman who did the ECG (gp's) was clueless.

 

[HERTS P&D]

I have ectopic beats. .

Sounds like the latest make of head phones.

Andy

 

[charliegolf]

How many ectopics. 30-35/minute?!

No, I have what I call (dramatically!) episodes. They can be short; or last 3-4 hours. I don't get dizzy as you report, but the long ones can be wearing, and can keep me awake. Sounds like I have it easy in comparison.

 

[jeds]

OH told me last night that a long time friend I haven't seen for quite a while is in a bad way with his heart. A few years back him myself and brother-in-law used to do big cycle rides. This lad was in a class of his own and in the top couple of fittest people I've known. Very conscious of health, food and general well being. But, turns out the poor sod has a dicky ticker. Mid forties and probably won't make mid-fifties by the sound of it.