Skipping heartbeats

I've had occasional irregular heartbeats for a long time now (over 13 years). In the past they've felt like extra beats where all of a sudden my heart rate goes fast. I've been told in the past that they're benign. I've had multiple holter monitors as well as stress tests. A few months ago, I started having irregular heartbeats when I excercise and they felt different. The last stress test I had was three months ago and I did feel these irregular heartbeats during the test. The doctor conducting the test said they were nothing to worry about. Since yesterday, I've been feeling the same kind of irregular heartbeats every few minutes the whole day. When I take my pulse during these episodes, I actually can feel that there is a pause in the pulse for a second when I feel them, like my heart has skipped a beat. Can someone tell me if these are pvcs or pacs? Does the pulse actually skip a beat when a pvc or pac occurs? or could it be atrial fibrillation? I've heard somewhere that atrial fibrillation is the dangerous type of arrythmia. Really need some piece of mind. I think being stressed out about it, makes the situation worse. Being a weekend, I can't see my doctor for the next couple of days.

thanks,

[Annabelle1961]

First, calm down.  No matter what it is PVC's, PAC's or afib, the anxiouness can and will irritate it.  Next call and schedule an appt with your primary.  Most of the time these feelings are just an annoyance and can be easily diagnosed and treated.  I myself have afib, with all kinds of flips, flops and thuds throughout a day and I know if I worry continually about it; it gets worse.  Call the doc, make the appt, drink plenty of fluids, get plenty of rest and just breathe.  Good luck to you!

[jimmycat1384]

I too have the skipped heartbeats and have had them for over forty one
years. Been to many doctors had all kinds of testing and the results were
okay. But even after this long a time the palps are very scary. So, all we
cna do is hang in there and console each other.