Hi Heffert,
I had similar experiences; my heart suddenly racing with skipped beats, losing my breath and feeling like I was going to pass out (lack of oxygen to the brain) and having to take bigger breaths to compensate.The difference is that at worst, I had them every 5 or 6 seconds and at best once or twice a minute.My heart otherwise check out fine. I had a Holter monitor for 48 hours and it malfunctioned because I had too many skipped beats and wild heart racing. The cardiologist told me that he only medicates 1 in 10 people who go to him with skipped beats and racing heart. I was the one in ten. And although your symptoms only occur occasionally, what if you are driving and it happens...and your cardiologist did not put you on beta blockers? You could get into a serious accident...and your cardiologist could be sued. American doctor must be extra cautious and medicate where a Canadian doctor (here) would likely say to go the lifestyle route. (no alcohol, no coffee, get exercise, no stimulants of any kind such as ephedrine (for colds). )
It took me 20 months on beta clockers but I did finally find the cure for my symptoms much to the cardiologist's surprise and maybe you could give it a try yourself...with your doctor's go ahead...and that is aerobic exercise. I went to the gym 6 days out of 7 and my heart became solid and steady and within a month I was off the beta blockers. That was 24 years ago. So if I could cure the most serious case of Atrial Fibrillation the cardiologist had ever seen, your condition which is intermittent, could undoubtedly respond to strengthening your cardiac muscles, too. Let me know if you take that route and if your skipped beats stop and your heart simmers down.