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[Deb191168]

Hello ladies, like lots of others I have been visiting the site for quite a while but have finally found the courage to post something.
 I am 52 and had A total hysterectomy ( ovaries remain) 10 years ago due to fibroids and heavy bleeding so I have no idea where I am in this journey.
A couple of years ago I started with ectopic heartbeats, however, very few and far between. An ecg, 24 hr monitor and a visit to a cardiologist I was told just ectopics and not to worry. Fast forward to a year ago when they became more prevalent to the point were I have had 3 visits to a&e  again to be told normal sinus rhythm but harmless ectopics, another 24 hr monitor which did catch benign PVCs, and another visit to a cardiologists who offered bisoprolol telling me that it may not work and the ectopics could potentially get worse or disappear altogether. Well unfortunately they seem to have become worse and I don’t think there are many minutes during the day or night that I do not have any. Obviously this is becoming a real worry to me as I am aware of every missed or extra beat and this is leading to anxiety. There are some times I feel as though my heart is going to stop. I can have more than 10 ectopics within a minute and are very aware that I have had episodes if bigeminy.
On top of this I feel so fatigued, loss of interest in everything, periods of time when I feel hot but not what I would say ‘a flush‘, varied aches and pains throughout my body including heels and bottom of feet.
Like lots of others I decided against taking the bisoprolol due to it making me feel horrendous. After recently speaking to my GP ( cos I am having to chase a echocardiogram up)he has offered me oestrodose gel but I have been weighing up the pros and cons and although I want to try it I seem to be reluctant to take the plunge and use it due to the risks even though I am aware that they are small.
What I am wanting to know is there anyone that has suffered with ectopics like me and other people’s experiences of hrt gel.
Like lots of others I’m fed up of feeling anxious,tired and lethargic.

[sheila99]

No ectopics but plenty of other symptoms including many of yours. Gel worked for me. Flushes would be better described as the thermo regulatory system going haywire. I only got hot from an external source - hot drink, sitting by the fire etc. I didn't think they were flushes but it went when I started hrt so yours may do so too.
Transdermal hrt is much safer than the older oral (horse urine) type that most research is based on. The additional risk as you say is very small and I believe it's associated with the use of a progestogin which you won't need. I think (not 100% certain) if you use only transdermal oestrogen you are at no greater risk.

[Postmeno3]

Hi.
I have been labelled with "atrial fibrillation" for years and have had many tests and scans over this time, all coming back normal. Twice, I have been refused surgery under general anaesthetic because of this diagnosis and have had to go through hoops to prove otherwise and the surgeries were able to go ahead, with profuse apologies. I, too, have many of your other symptoms and now believe them to be due to severe oestrogen deficiency. So, I am going to my first in person consultation at the menopause clinic determined to come away with systemic HRT and have no concerns about that. For me, quality of life now vastly over-rides anything else! Lastly and as an aside, I would try to de-escalate any temptation to be overly monitoring your episodes? Personally, I feel anxiety and worrying could be exacerbating things unduly. Good luck!