Sorry to hear you are feeling so terrible. I know just how you feel. When I was first told I had ectopics I was so scared I could barely function - panic attacks, agoraphobia, couldn't even play with my small children. I was just in a state of high anxiety all the time, couldn't sleep, expecting to drop dead any minute. Just about managed to take the kids to school, then spent the rest of the day on the settee, barely moving, with my mobile 'phone set to my husbands number so I just had to press one button.

It has taken two and a half years, but I am on the way to recovery now - from my anxiety I mean, I still have the ectopics. When I get them, I get a missed beat every 3 or 4 beats. I've tried to do the maths once or twice - 12 missed beats a minute, that's 72 a minute, and so on, torturing myself about how many there are. I am trying really hard to accept that it doesn't matter how many there are - they are not harming me. It was my GP who sent me straight to A and E after taking my pulse - imagine how alarming that was. They kept me in overnight. Told me I was okay and sent me home - ok for a few days, but I was so traumatised by the thought of heart problems that I became a nervous wreck.

I think it is possible to have ectopics a lot and still be okay. I know that I often think I am having a spell of ectopics, but when I take my pulse it is regular. Also, if your cardiologist was really concerned he would have kept you in hospital there and then and done the tests straight away. They don't let you go home if they think you are about to collapse.

As RLR always says, ecg's and other tests are specifically set up to look for all manner of heart irregularities - they do not miss heart disease. Also, as I understand it, serious heart irregularities do not come and go - it would have shown up at A and E if there was something seriously wrong. Do you think the fact that the test at A and E was ok maybe indicates that you had relaxed once you got there and the ectopics had quietened down? This would mean they are stress related. I know that the frequency and severity of mine are made worse by stress or lack of sleep. But then if I feel them I get more stressed, so you can't win really. I'm not sure which comes first anymore, actually, the stress or the ectopics.

My GP told me that even if you have a serious heart arrythmia (which you probably don't), there is a lot of very effective treatment and medication available. She said that the people who are hardest to help are heavy drinkers because that is very bad for the heart.

I'm sorry I can't offer any more practical advice. I know how you feel and it's horrible. I expect you are like me, and are already expecting the worst from your tests. It's difficult but try not to do this - I try really hard now to have a more rational approach to my anxiety about my heart. I hope you feel better soon.

I have thousands a day too! Mine are every couple of beats and my GP also scared me silly once by sending me to A&E - i thought I must be about to die! My GP also prescribed tablets to me that are for heart arrythmia's and when I got to see a consultant, he told me not to take them as ectopics  - regardless of how scary and intrusive they are - are NOT harmful. I do take beta blockers when they are so bad though as I really can't stand them.

When they are really bad, I feel every single one, every couple of beats, all day long... thats when I take the beta blockers (propanolol works okish for me). Then after a few weeks, they tend to get less noticeable in my chest and throat - but they are still there.

I personally would always take the tablets now - if they help to calm them down - then why not? But its a personal choice though and if other things help you then thats brilliant.

Good luck with it all!! You're not alone...

Just to relay what some others have said, When I went to a&e once I had a lovely doctor and she said they do not even count it as a irregular heart beat unless you have over 20 a min constantly.

The doctor at A&E was wrong and me personally would ring and complain to his lack of bedside manner, as look at the suffering it is causing you un-necessarily, There are alot of sounds in your chest, when I lay my head on my hubbys chest I hear his heart go boomdy boom and sometimes there is so much gurgling that it does fade out the sound of his heart,  and try to think logically from a legal stand point on his behalf if he let you walk from that hospital with a fatal heart problem, he'd probably loose his job for gross misconduct (or whatever it is called in the medical world) and your family could sue big time.  I sure it's just bad wording on his behalf, theres doctors and then theres doctors, a good doctor is someone who obviously knows what he's on about or not afraid to ask for second opinion but just as important is how they deal and speak to patients, not making sweeping statements and not being very reassuring. But you ECG was fine your heart does not just act up for you, if there was a serious problem to the point it could be fatal your ecg I should imagine would show up at least a tiny sign of abnormality.  

Your stress levels are high so you are not helping yourself, your nervous when you eat so in turn irritating your digestive system which in turn makes the vagus nerve react, thats if your eating properly as we all do not feel like eating when we're really anxious.

I'm sure your heart is absolutely fine, perhaps you should go and have your thyroid and hormone levels checked, but I'm more than sure that your problem is anxiety and perhaps digestive problems.  Obviously I'm no doctor, and I'm sure RLR will put your mind at rest.

I have 3 young children aged 7, 5 and 21/2 and know exactly what your thinking, I've been there.

Hope this has helped even if just a tiny bit

Kath x