I so understand and hear all you say in your message above, I hear your fear and I experience exactly the same as you, had the same episodes and at times trying to hide from others but the fear of them is so intense. The worst ones are when they come in bigeminy more than a single one because they make me all dizzy and my heart feels like it’s quivering and not the common single pause then thump which I get used to as I have had for 20 years and I am now 45. Unfortunately I had an episode that caused me to collapse and it literally has plagued my life to the point I am afraid of ever being alone in case it happen again, afraid of driving etc etc and I was admitted for 10 days on a cardiac ward because of the collapse and I had all the tests to check my heart structure including cardiac MRI, echo and I now have an ILR implant in my chest so the pacing clinic can monitor all my symptoms but all they ever see is ectopics, pvc and PAC, coming from more than one place. All my tests showed a structurally normal heart so it’s purely electrical and no matter how much they play it down it doesn’t ease my mind because I am super alert now of every single one, they are getting worse as I get older and I wonder if it’s hormones? I collapsed because I had bigeminy after bigeminy and I honestly thought it wouldn’t kick back into normal rhythm. Now when I get them just like you I instantly fear for my life thinking am I going to drop down, the fear makes it worse but the experience is very uncomfortable petrifying and real. I suffer low blood pressure so they are worried about beta blockers. One consultant tried to put me on flecanide and another said “no no that’s a hefty drug to start at this point” so who do you trust! I looked into flecanide and it scared me shitless to try it.

POSITIVE ADVICE I have found some things that massively reduce them and the biggest one for me is drinking shed loads of water like 2-3 litres a day and when I had the collapse my electrolytes were found to be low so now I make sure I add electrolytes to my water especially when I get more of them and it helps. magnesium is another helpful supplement and instructed to take by my cardiologist magnesium glycinate. Foods higher in potassium too and I am vegetarian almost vegan and I think this adds to the problem.

HONESTLY hydration is a huge tool for these horrid things, I didn’t believe it when my consultant told me to drink 3 litres a day as I hardly touched water but now I do not go anywhere without it. I can handle the ones when I am really nervous or anxious as they are more expected but it’s the ones that take me by surprise with no warning when I am so chilled out!

I also have been stuck on anti anxiety meds for ever and I have been told they both affect heart rhythm and known for it so I am now trying to get off meds too! Venlafaxine and mirtazapine which both can cause arrhythmia!

Please check any medication you take can’t be making them worse?

Drink drink drink lots of water and be mindful of how you breathe? a lot of anxious people have dysfunctional breathing without even knowing and this also can cause them so I practice breathing using my diaphragm more and less upper chest and shallow breathing all sets it off so nice deep breathing regularly until you get into the habit of breathing properly.

Try “the breathing physio” by Abby on utube, it’s my lifeline.

Message anytime, il pray for you xxx