Skipped Beats

I am male/30.  I am 6 foot, 190 lbs.  I have had skipped beats for about 4 yrs. w/ no history of heart/lung probs in my family.  Ive had EKGs, an Echo and a Stress Test, all normal. I have never had them during any of the tests.
They often occur in a pattern.  Ill go month or so w/o having them, and then for about 3 wks theyre constant.  They occur for about an hr, every 7/8 beats, go away, then back.  No individual activity causes them.  At times they occur in runs, which are very frightening. My heart will skip several times in a row in an irregular rhythm for 4 or 5 secs..  This is not a regular occurrence though.  Other times I just get them in a less frequent manner, but occur the entire day.  
They occur when its hot and humid from min. physical activity for 10-15 mins after the minimal activity (walking to the mailbox for ex.).
Ive been taking Atenolol for high BP for 2 yrs.  Ive taken 25mg to 50 to 100 and back to 25mg with no noticeable change in them.
I now deal with them but theyre still scary at times. The only symptom Ive had along with them is the feeling that my breath is being taken away for the split second I am having them, like a

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

hey , looks like you have joined the family here , first i would go to a cardio dr and wear a heart montor so they can catch them on there , than you will know what your having , i have few pvc and lots of pac worn montor many times. after you wear that it gives you sometimes not all the time a peace of mind, mine are like yours they come when they want to, no stress not sick just because they feel like it , i just got over 10 weeks of pac, they were all day long, 6-7 a min with no break inbetween, dr changed my meds 3 times trying get them to stop. i went on toprolxl read about it didnt like the side affects, than atenolol it ws way to atronge for me after 14 days i went back on timolol which i have been on for 15 years , i like the med it holds them down most the times, i so far have had in last two years where they come for 7-10 weeks and than go away for a year i have not had any since they left 3 weeks ago. so they have a mind of their own. atenolol is a good med i just could not take it ,it did stop mine. ive had them since i was 23 now 47 so they have not killed me yet and i have them in runs alot . when they come i go dr wear a holter or 30 day event montor and than i feel fine about them. try that . but do go get checked so you will know for sure which one or what your having , my dr always says ok same old thing go home live they not going kill you . good luck barbara

[conciliary]

Thank you for reply.  I will check out getting a monitor since I have never worn one before.  I have always thought it strange how they can just "pop up".  Even though I have learned to deal with them, there are times when they get bad enough to freak me out again.  Then the next thing you know, after about 2 weeks they just dissapear again for another month or two.  I guess I get frustrated in that I have never been told exactly what there are but instead just get told that they are harmless and I shouldnt worry about them.

Out of curiosity, do yours seem to always show up when it is hot?  Sitting in a hot and stuffy room, or going outside when its hot and humid, always brings them on.

-RJ

[canihelp]

hot or cold will bring mine on. Especially hot!!!  I carry a mister with a litte fan.  You can get them at Walmart & sports stores.  I also carry ice water everywhere I go.  But the best help for me is to stay out of the heat as much as possible.
If you get them in the Winter from the cold, there are some neat ways to keep warm too. (thick fur lined coat (with hood).  Sheep skin covers on leather car seats.  I know all the tricks.

Wearing the holter monitor for at least 2 weeks is a great way to find out what your palps are really doing.  That was good advise.

[SillyHeart]

Heat causes them for me, too.

Some days I have a ton and some days I have none.  Usually it's related to PMS.

[canihelp]

yes, do it soon.  Peace of mind is worth everything!

[conciliary]

Thank you.  I do belive I am going to check into a holder monitor.  It sounds like it is unanimously recommended.

[iwas1ncthr]

Hey,

  Well, I am another new member of the familey, lol. I am a 33 year old male, married with 2 small boys and let me say that this is very annoying. I first had them back in 2003 when I went to the ER thinking as some that I was ready to meet the Lord but was diagnosed with anxiety. Later I went on 2 new meds for my high blood pressure around 2006. I started Lisinopril and metoprolol. My new doctor had asked why I was taking the metaprolol and I told him I had no idea so he took me off of it, well to get to the point I was palpatation free for almost 1 year then starting just 6 days ago they hit me like I never had them hit befor. I went out on amnulance this week and they asked me the usual about chest pain, vometing, faintness etc. in which I had none. After I left Baystate medical center (known as the #1 cardiac hospital in Massachusetts the doctor said it was PAC or PVC's but that they were not life threatening. The one thing I notice as many of you may is that when you "think" about them, they seem to hit you even more. I started to work on a project I had of stripping down a Base guitar and guess what? not 1 palpatation. Well I am also a dissabled vet so I called my VA ......Ahem.....
Doctor? LMAO and told him the scoop. I later went online and had found out that Metaprolol was regaurded as one of the better meds for treating these things. I then called my doc back after I foud out that a previous Doctor had perscribed that to me for the palpatations. Again, to the point I got a refill on them seen as I still had 3 refills left from last year and immediatly took a 50mg metoprlol and within 20 minuts they reduced drastically. I to have been getting them when I lay down and try to go to sleep. As another memeber said when you lay on your side or switch positions. I also get them when I am trying to eat but since the medacation, it has helped out alot. I am now taking 25mgs X's 2 a day. I break it in half and take one at night and one in the morning. I just woke up, yeah I know, 10 pm and I just woke up and took my 25mg of the stuff. As I type to you all I do not really have them at all. It is very weird that at times you can go literaly months without 1 and then all the sudden Boom! they nail you like crazy. I guess reading posts from people who experiance them helps out alot. I also use mouth tobaco which is about 10X's worse than smokes as the nicotien goes strait to the blood as soon as it goes in and the dose of nicotien is alot higher and uncontrolled. I am making an effort to cut back and hopfully quit the use of it within 3 months. Thank you all for posting your strories about your palpatations and know that it helps take away the fear associated with this problem. Many people look at us as if we are crazy when we explain the feeling or when we take our own pulse and start yelling " See! it skipped a beat!" . Even though we know that this is usually not a life threatening situation it is good to have others to talk to about this to share our experiances with.