Do your arrythmias / ectopics affect your sleep / quality of life?

Hello Bunny,

To be honest I am a nervous wreck and my family/friends just don't seem to understand. When I am looking for support I usually come here. My arrythmias do seem to wake me up at night. I do not sleep that well because of it. Would you ever consider trying an anti-anxiety medicine? Sometimes those helps. Ask your doctor. Believe it or not, a lot of this crap is psychological but that doesnt make it less real or less scary. It does and has taken away from the quality of my life and I am still looking for answers on how to cope. I think if we stick together and support eachother and also share what helps we will be okay. Hope this helps.

hello Maxx and Neurogurl, It is a shame that you are affected in this way. There is a lot of fear that is generated by the condition. If possible can you tell me what conditions you both have.

Have you considered hypnotherapy? I will be having a session next week, she uses 'emotional freedom technique' which is a form of accupressure. Also herbs such as motherwort, valerian, lime flowers, skull cap and passion flower, they work well taken together and do not have the side effects of addictive and toxic anti anxiety drugs, which I have experienced with vallium.

I also think that it is important to get out of the house for a short walk or a drive, I find this very relaxing, also communicating with positive people and watching happy films and fun programmes even childrens animation, anything to distract you from how you are feeling. I like the anne of green gables and road to avonlea. I have just ordered all the seasons and plan to watch them every day.

I am planning to have an ablation for my arrythmia and have taken it upon myself to go privately so that I can have it sooner. I want a permanent cure from this feeling, I want to have peace of mind etc.

Have either of you considered this?

Also I am eating foods that stabalise my blood sugar, such as brown rice, vegetables, fish and fruit. It might also be helpful to increase you intake of certain minerals such as calcium and magnesium essential for the muscles and perhaps pottassium!

I look forward to your replies:)

Hello Maxx,

Do you have AF?, how long have you had this condition? A diet rich in pottasium might help, also cutting right down on sodium.

I think that by trying to distract yourself in ways such as reading, talking with friends and family and watching films, taking a walk can even just for a few moments help you to feel relaxed.

But make sure that the distractions are something you are really interested in.

I know that its difficult to forget what is happening to you because its happening to you which is why it is important to try to come to terms with it, it can be hard, what is it that you are most afraid of?

I decided to have the ablation because I don't want to just survive day to day feeling anxious and afraid and in a way it seems less frightening and I feel in control. I don't like the idea of taking drugs. I had one or two SVT episodes a year and then the past month I started getting lots of ectopics day and night which drove me totally nuts.

I will let you know how the hypno goes.

I think that the best thing to do is relax otherwise you are working against your body.

Bye for now,

Melanie

Hiya Melanie (&Hopes),

I don't have SVT, mainly ectopics.  I'm also surprised they are doing the ablation.  Did you get a second opinion?

I think (Melanie) that what I'm afraid of, is dropping dead.  That's it in a nutshell.  I just get really scared.  It's the "pause" that scares me.

I do think your advice re diet is helpful and I will try it.  At this point I am willing to try anything. 

(Hopes) I've also just come through a few days of horrible ectopics, called the cardiologist and have a loop monitor for 2 weeks and an appointment.  Now I am having a calm period...help!

It's like a cat chasing a mouse!

Take care.

Maxx

Hang in there, Maxx. I completely understand what you are going through. It stinks. I was at a family picnic today having a great time when at the end of dinner, it felt like my upper and lower chambers were beating completely out of sync. It only lasted a minute or two and I never felt dizzy or short of breath. However it felt awful and it was hard not to get scared.

I pretty much talk myself out of the panic, but I'm never happy about it happening. My thing is that if I'm not dizzy, don't feel like I'm going to faint, can breath easily, talk, walk etc....I'm fine and it will pass. It is just my thing. However I REALLY HATE when it happens. I just always think 'this too will pass'. No one around me ever knows that it is happening. I just keep quiet about it and wait for it to pass. I appear remarkably calm but I'm SCREAMING inside. After it has been happening nonstop for a couple of weeks, I complain to my husband and he is always surprised that I was having problems with them again.

Bunny, I have no idea why things changed. I know more now and I am less fearful. I accept that they will come back from time to time. I learned biofeedback because I did not want to go on medication and my GP was bugging me. I have made many lifestyle changes to surround myself with an atmosphere of peace and calm as much as possible. However I have a daughter and a very active life. So my life can be a whirlwind of demands which need to be met. ?????

Sometimes my ectopics will start up as I am going to sleep or more annoying when I am already asleep, waking me up. I try to change to a position where I feel them less (sometimes nothing works). I play soft music, relax and ignore them. I almost always go back to sleep, but sometimes even in my sleep I feel them.

There were 3 nights last January where they would start up just as I sat down on my couch in the evenings to relax and would come every other beat. That was the worst. They lasted throughout the night and would go away just as I was getting out of bed in the morning only to come back the next night. Walking around was the only thing that would stop them. However as soon as I stopped walking, they started again. WHY? I've no idea. Even at that rate, my doctor was not concerned and said I could start a beta blocker if I wanted. Why? I knew that they would go away given a little time and they did. Yes, they came back at another time but then they went away again. I just finished 8 annoying weeks of them. However I might go 3-4 months with only an occasionaly thump or THUD.

I understand that you are trying to find the answer for WHY. Good Luck with that. I've quit.

Hi Bunny

I too have svt, my EP believes i have AVNRT svt as adenosine usually stops the svt. My SVT attacks also used to last for upto 20 mins and stop without intervention but now they seem to last much longer. I also get the dreaded ectopics too. Do you know if your ectopics are pacs or pvcs? Mine are PVCs. I am due to have an ablation soon and i'm very nervous. I read in the other thread that you are from the uk too. I am currently seeing an EP in Leeds (West yorkshire) who is confident that an ablation wil fix the svt.

Are you on any meds? If you don't mind me asking how old are you? What do you find triggers your svt? For me the biggest culprit is indigestion and stress.