[ctcsmith]

Ok so I have been getting scared lately.. because my heart has been doing the LONG pause again!! HELP! what is it?

[ctcsmith]

Could it be sinus pause? its happening alot?

[dr461]

It is not a long pause. It is a quiet ectopic beat or beats that you're not feeling. Totally normal. Get it very frequently.

[jkfrench]

Agree. I get long pauses, flutters, everything. You might just be having a normal sinus rythym with your heart slowing down when you take deep breaths.
Try not to worry too much and focus your mind somewhere else. If you aren't passing out (and you won't) you are fine. You just had an EKG done. Did you mention those pauses you feel to your doctor? What did he say?

[ctcsmith]

Yah I did.. they said we will see what the blood looks like and go from there.. I just went to my regular dr for the blood work.. so she didn't really understand, she is "one of those ppl" who doesn't feel them!
I wonder why the LOOOOONG pause is happening so much lately!! I can handle the blips here and there.. but the long pause ones FREAK me out!

[jkfrench]

What do you mean when you say so much?

[ctcsmith]

like daily... I don't know if this low pulse rate has anything to do with it!

[jkfrench]

Once a day? So we need to put this in perspective. I know it feels bad and yes the lower your heartrate, the longer the pause feels, but once a day? You are fine sweetie. Really. Even if it is all day you would be fine and if you keep worrying about it they will increase so try to stop worrying about feeling this once a day. I would give anything to just feel a skip once a day! You are fine and your heart is strong.

[jsuter69]

I get the long pauses from time to time also...it isnt any fun but I've never fainted (of course, knock on wood) mine seem to happen when I take a breath in, sometimes a nd even happened using the bathroom (uhmmm)....scared me but I'm still here...and of course my cardiologist didn't even blink an eye!

[dr461]

YUpp. Cardiologists see so many cases of benign PVCs, they know immediately. Mine told he he HAS to run the tests, because of insurance issues, and tests everybody who comes in complaining, but he also tells them that the condition is totally normal. Both of my doctors have had PVCs themselves.

The only reason that a cardio doc runs all of the EKGs, blood panels, ECHOs, and Stress tests is to rule out anything that could come back to hurt them in the unlikely event that they missed something. They KNOW immediately if a condition is serious or not, and just do it to rule out that .00000001 chance that something could cause a lawsuit. They can tell just from a physical exam, plus reading an ordinary cardiogram, but are being cautious.