Irregular Heartbeats

[homesick rae]

Just wondered if anyone out there suffers the same?

My latest medical showed no problems and the ECG was normal. The doc said " There are no alarm bells ringing!"

This started 5 years ago the day after I received some bad news. It was very severe and frightening. The doc said ECG ok, but did a couple of blood tests which proved negative..."probably stress related!"

I had another medical a couple of years later where a couple of "minor abnormalities" were detected. I was given some pills and carried on.

Like I say, the latest medical showed no probs: cholestrol, BP, ECG all normal.

My lifestyle has been active sportswise until a year ago, don't smoke, lived the ex pat lifestyle so have imbibed sometimes a tad too much in the past but have cut back since family life took over.

Any help or comments thanks?

[gingernut]

Homesic, I think it would be a bit unfare to try and assess your condition over the internet.

It might be worth you getting a futher clinical assessment. The tests you mentioned wouldn't always pick up a problem, if one existed.

Heightened awareness of the heart beating, or an awareness of a change in beat, is quite a common problem, and it can be "normal" (ie no disease), or pathological (ie an underlying condition causing your symptoms, such as an overactive thyroid gland.)

It sounds like your clinicians have decided that the cause of your symptoms are non pathological, but in view of your anxiety about these symptoms, consult further ! (Even if its for reassurance only!)

Incidentally, the heart is a muscle in its own right, capable of beating autonomously from the rest of the body,but there are certain factors that influence it, either through the nervous system, (eg "stress") or chemically (eg nicotine, alcohol, caffeine.)

Hope the info's useful.

[homesick rae]

Gingernut: Thanks a lot for the info.

A few other pointers: I did have a sudden horrendous pain in the chest one day walking home from work about 3 years ago. It lasted a second...if that. It scared me of course but that was it! I played Tennis the same night, as i have done since, and had no probs!

I have also had the occasional "cramping" but this has not happened for a couple of years.

All of this has been told to the doc and he still said nothing is dramatically wrong and suggested it could be ventricullar problems which many people have, and live with, without being life threatening!

Cheers

[sky9]

homesick rae.

I had a similar problem some years ago, I stumbled on it when using a HRM after the gym. Might be worth buying one and wearing it for a time to see what is happening. I was prescribed sotalol which contolled the problem ( with the blessing of the CAA)

[MamboBaas]

I had a friend who started taking Zantac for continual indigestion. A few days after starting to take them his heart beat became irregular, but it was okay of he exercised. He went to see his doctor who said he had an ectopic? heartbeat and sent him to a specialist. His ECG was abnormal and he was told to return in 3 days to have one of those 24 hour tape recorder ECG machines fitted. In the meanwhile he was also advised to stop taking Zantac and see if he returned to normal, which he did. After returning to the hospital he was again given an ECG which was normal and he said that within 24 hours of stopping the Zantac his symptoms had disappeared. Maybe this is giving some other pilots problems too.

[Steamhead]

A friend was on almost permanent night flying, come medical time he had a heart murmur.
The Doctor after some discussion suggested he give up coffee and come back in a week, problem solved.
Caffine can cause all sorts of problems.

Regards

[homesick rae]

Thanks everyone for the info. I feel absolutely fine by the way, but these etopic/ irregular beats are worrying and I guess the more I worry the more it seems to happen!??

I drink tea, very rarely coffee, and do a lot of walking more than any other excercise.

Some interesting replies and it is comforting. Cheers.

Keep them coming if anyone has any more input.

HR:ok:

[Loose rivets]

My wife has had an irregular heartbeat for most of her life. By irregular I mean... boom, boom.................................boom, boom boom............................. followed by such a long silence that I can't stand listening to it...then off it goes again.

She's as fit as can be, swimming tennis etc. She can still run faster than her grandchildren, but I hate to think what the CAA would have thought of it!!

[bladeslapper]

I had my medical temporarily suspended because of ventricular ectopic beats, until further examination carried out with ECG / stress treadmill. (CAA just loves to be trebly sure !!!)

Exercise suppressed the irregular heartbeat and the consultant said that around 60% of the population do not have a heartbeat that conforms to the textbook. Furthermore the vast majority of the non-conformers are in perfect health. Needless to say the episode created a fair amount of anxiety, because suddenly I started to realise that maybe I wasn't immortal after all.

Sometimes my ECG is textbook and sometimes not, but so far the grim reaper has not got me and my medical remains valid.

Chill out and don't worry

[Gorgophone]

Homesick Rae, I think you're just home sick.
Stop thinking about yourself; write to Pprune; drink red wine... keep off Bendrofluazide; it gave me terrible extra heartbeats - cured once I took a potassium-sparing tablet.

[IMC1]

I’ve just come back from an initial class one medical attempt. Everything Ok except possible eptopic beats. CAA say lots of tests and a 50% chance of a class one issue. Apparently I don’t fit the profile for heart disease, but just could be one of those things. Any views on the tests and appeals etc – Tkx IMC1

[Northern Chique]

there are many facors which can influence a 12 lead ecg readout.

Person -
Age of the candidate
Current stress (and most people sweat a bit on their medical)
Caffine and chemical intake
Dehydration
Body Weight
Lead placement (they have to be specifically placed for an accurate readout)
Sweating
Breathing abnormally thus moving the leads irregularly

Some atrial ectopic beats produce a very distinctive pattern as does a ventricular ectopic beat. Unless more than a given number are present per minute, it can be classed as normal. Both can be duplicated to some extent by various mechanical and electrical factors.


Machine -
Leads not on properly or breaking down
Movement on the candidate
Operator Misreading the data
Older machines more prone to outside fielding (one of my tests showed a major silent - almost pain free - heart attack in progress, turns out the machine was copping electrical current spiking

so if in doubt, do a second one. Chest problems can be assymptomatic (no signs or symptoms in a few rare cases) but classically heart related chest pain can be exacerbated by exercise, brings on shortness of breath, tingling in the extremities and pain is usually centrally located in the chest although is common for patients in the throws of an angina or heart attack to have the pain radiate up the neck, down arms and shoulder, and to stomach level.

Other pains are often musculoskeletal in origin. If in doubt, particularly if you are having problems catching a breath with associated unrelieved chest pain, for no apparent reason, get a paramedic straight away. Dont drive yourself to the doctors. Early intervention is paramount.

As stated earlier, most people have various arrhthmias normally...

[homesick rae]

Thanks all for the insight, particularly the last post...no pun intended...eek!

I work on the other side of the cockpit door and it has never affected my work or my life. Just me!!

I am overweight...beer belly...but I function normally as far as I can tell.

Some days I do not notice anything, but other days it is like flutters then the ectopic/ missing beats maybe up to 3 times in a row. No chest pain to speak of though have had the tiniest of twinge in the past, but no shortness of breath with it or such...

Still, interesting that so many of us suffer from a similar thing and i personally appreciate your comments!

[Zoom]

You might possibly be extra-sensitive to caffeine. Try staying off the coffee and tea altogether for a week or two. One of my RAF medicals showed a missed heartbeat or 2, so I had a week without said beverages and the next test was fine. But I was s***-scared for 7 days.

And carrying extra weight does nobody - or no system - any good, which is why I'm on a diet! :( :(

[QDMQDMQDM]

Frequent ventricular ectopic beats are a very common phenomenon and utterly benign. They are, however, a source of great concern to many, many people who worry needlessly about it. Also, fleeting, severe, sharp twinges in the chest are very common and nothing to worry about either.

If this is what you are suffering from, then relax. Go and see a good doctor with a sensitive manner who can put your mind at rest.

David

[IMC1]

Well just finished the final tests with the CAA cardio guys...and Class One issued. It just goes to show that the CAA can be very reasonable and helpful over what has been a troubling few weeks waiting for more tests after eptopics beats were found on my ECG. ATPL writtens next.