Went to bed at about 0100 after a fairly relaxing evening. Noticed more or less straight away that my heart seemed to be “quivering” or “wobbling” like a jelly- at one point I thought it might be beating fast (perhaps even that there were 2 beats-one fast and one slow; absurd I know). However after doing fairly extensive pulse checks with a pulse oximeter and 2 extended (3minute) runs on Kardia, I established that my pulse was beating at a steady 50 (not unusual for me after taking a Sitalol ) and Kardia indicated “normal”. Opted not to take any action as I felt perfectly well. But does anyone have an idea what might be happening? A couple of people indicated when I posted earlier that they had experienced this sort of thing. Do I need to get it investigated (today?) or an I worrying unnecessarily? As I type this in the morning, the “quivering” has stopped.
“Quivering” heart again...: Went to bed... - Atrial Fibrillati...
“Quivering” heart again...
I’m not a doctor, I just play one on TV. 😂 That being said, It sounds like a-flutter. My doctor told me that since I’m on an anticoagulant, I don’t have to run to the hospital for everything. I’m glad you’re back in NSR.
Thanks for your reply. I thought that atrial flutter involved a fast heartbeat- according to Kardia heart my heart was only at 50bpm. That said, I know little about atrial flutter, so I am in no position to say you are wrong.
I just googled it and it does say atrial flutter is fast. I’m not sure if a-fib has to be irregular. From my experience, my meds keep certain things under control. Perhaps your heart was trying to go into a fib but your meds were controlling it somewhat. Sotalol has 2 components to it-a beta blocker and also anti-arrhythmic component.
This is possible. However, heartbeat was slower than usual- I would have expected it to be raised a bit.
In atrial flutter the atria contract at approximately 300 bpm. Ventricular rate is determined by degree of conduction at AV node. 2:1 =150, 3:1 =100 etc
I get flutter with 5:1 block and a rate of 60 bpm which feels like NSR but isn't.
My Atrial Flutter was beating at 135 bpm and I had little or no symptoms. Even when I used my Kardia before ablation so technically had flutter not the fibrillation that came after the abalation it said “possible fibrillation”...my uneducated guess is that if you were in flutter it would show up on the Kardia as clearly defined saw tooth. I have had a load of “fluttering feelings” over the last few weeks but always showed up as normal. Showed the Kardia results to my Consultant who was massively reassuring. The weird feelings and odd Kardia patterns are more likely to be as a result of adrenaline from exercise / alcohol/ stress / caffeine/ over eating and not to worry as the heart is in normal rhythm and I am not taking anything to regulate the speed of my heart which is 60 bpm.And as I thought about it almost each of the possible reasons could overlay the event. However I am not a doctor but a lawyer (with a wife who is a nurse and a daughter about to qualify as a doctor). That said I did represent a famous actor who played a medic!
Were you able to capture the rhythm at the time of your symptoms?
Not sure. When I sat up, I was not aware (or only somewhat aware) of the symptoms. The heartbeat was a bit slower than normal. One Kardia reading showed 49 (unclassified). Would Kardia detect flutter. When you get a flutter does it feel like my description -almost a “shivering” sensation (very mild)? Of it is a flutter do I need to see a doctor fairly soon? Also wondering if this could be a side-effect of Sotalol..
Have just looked at the Kardia output. Doesn’t seem to show a “sawtooth” pattern typical of atrial flutter.
Take a LEAD 2 recording for best views of P wave on KARDIA
It sue what a LEAD 2 recording is- presumably a setting on Kardia?
LEAD 2 on an ECG is right arm to left leg. LEAD 1 is left arm to right arm.
Best to google Kardia + "how to take a Lead 2 recording"
I don't know what causes the quivering but I get it regularly have done for a number of years my EP seems unconcerned. It really don't like it and find it unnerving.
Do you have a diagnosis of Flutter? This sounds like me! I had Afib,was started on flecanaide...week later went into flutter,mad heart rate,quivering effect you describe,chest pain......
Now awaiting double ablation.(if I decide ).....symotoms of flutter are very different to AFib...I dont get the mad heart rate as much as the whirring..quivering...flippy feeling.
An ecg should pick it up..as it has a distinctive saw tooth pattern
I have just had it again about an hour ago. “Whirring” is another good description. Again, I checked my pulse and it was normal and slow (low 50s). Breathing was normal. I managed to do a Kardia which didn’t show a saw-tooth pattern (however it is only noticeable when lying down so I might not have caught it). The sensation *seems* so mild as to be barely noticeable. I’m going to ring the BHF initially, then ask for a GP app. If they think it is necessary.
One other thing is that I have recently had a a sort of “buzzing” sensation at the top of my leg for several months on and off- feels
Like a mobile phone in the pocket. This sounded rather weird, but when I googled for it lots of people report similar. I did wonder if it was a side effect of Sotalol.
Hello Samazeuilh,
I too have been having the same symptoms. I've been taking flecanide and metropolol for my AFIB. I was doing good for the last few days without flutter, but just recently my acid reflux started acting up and now feeling the quivering heart or flopping sensation. My resting heart rate also drops to 50b. I've brought this up to my EP and he was not worried about it. I will be getting a holter monitor in the next couple of days to get a better picture of the flutters and the low heart rate. I figured that if it was a bad thing, my EP would of said something about it. I wouldn't worry about it, but do bring it up to your cardiologist on your next doc visit.
I was told a resting heartbeat of 50bpm was Ok unless you are feeling light-headed etc. Even if it’s a bit below 50 some doctors would consider this ok (although technically it’s a bradycardia).
I’m not a doctor but an informed PAF of 5 years. Sounds to me like you’re describing ectopic (ie extra) beats - probably premature atrial contractions (PACs) or premature ventricular contractions (PVCs): The heart beats, and then beats again but too early/soon, causing the heart to delay/pause before beating again. So it feels like boom-boom ...... boom .... boom .... boom ... boom-boom etc. It can feel like quivers because the extra beats happen at random intervals. You can see these quite clearly in the Kardia trace. They may look like atrial flutter, but atrial flutter tends to be more sustained - maybe 20 beats plus in a row. Ectopic beats are considered benign and not something to act upon but in my case I always get a surge of ectopics in the days before an AF event. I suggest you research what PACs and PVCs look like so you can identify them in your Kardia strips. You can have multiple ectopics in a Kardia trace and still return a normal HR. It’s good to learn what your ectopics look like on a trace. I got my cardiologist to teach me by showing them my ‘quivering’ traces.
That is the perfect description of what I think I get and exactly what the Consultant said when I bored him to death with all my ECG print outs. He is absolutely clear that ectopics are fine, but some people can’t stand them. I am fine as long as someone who knows what they are talking about says they are benign
There has been research that questions whether ectopics really are ‘benign’ to AF. it’s probably true for most people in the world - but AFers are a bit different. See this article emjreviews.com/cardiology/a...
Personally, I think it’s good to know what’s ‘typical’ for you in NSR especially because, for me, an increase in ectopics usually means AF is on the way. If my rate of ectopics increases over the course of a day I make sure I get extra sleep, go for a swim and avoid stress - hard with a busy family life and three dramatic teenagers 
Wishing you good health
An interesting -but rather worrying-article which confirms what I have long suspected: that AF and ectopics are not unrelated as many GPs claim. Many thanks.
It is nothing to he worried about...do you know that trapped gas in the stomach wanting to get out can cause such symptoms.
I used to get this sleeping on left side and it went on for 12 hours or more,but its gradually melted away try to ignore it the more you worry the worse it gets.
Yes , that is the advice given by the GP who I saw this morning.
I get the same from time to time. Like the last few posts I believe it’s ectopics and absolutely nothing to worry about. I’ve found the more I worry the more anxious I get the more ectopics. The magnesium I take has really helped and I don’t get many now.
Could I ask you what type of Mg you take and how often?
Just from a chemist?
Thinking of trying it for my flutters, ectopics.
Cheers,
Marcus
I too have been experiencing the same feeling, also when lying down and particularly on my right side. I assumed it was atrial flutter as I can still feel a regular pulse. Something is vibrating at high frequency. Fortunately it stops when I sit up and breathe deeply. But it does worry me as it seems to be happening more often.
Yes, that’s exactly what happens: it has always occurred when I am lying down, and goes on sitting up. I just rang the BHF helpline and the cardio nurse didn’t know what it was either. She suggested seeing a GP for peace of mind. If I manage to get an appointment I will report back.
Thanks. That will be useful.
I have now seen the GP and described the symptom in detail to him. After taking my blood pressure and listening to my heart -he initially proposed to do an ECG but then changed his mind- he said there was no need for concern unless the “quivering” was accompanied by irregular heartbeat, chest pain, dizziness etc (which it wasnt). He thinks it is most likely the product of anxiety and rejected the suggestion that it was atrial flutter. He approves of monitoring when you have this sort of symptom by taking ones pulse and blood pressure) I use a pulse oximeter for the former) and using Kardia. He said that blood pressure monitoring is very important for anyone with AF. Of the ectopics he said that these were not of concern unless they were persistent (presumably over several days) or there was a marked change in their frequency.
Not hugely informative, then, but he doesn’t seem to think the symptom is of great concern as long as it’s not accompanied by anything else.
Thanks for the information. I am puzzled that it only happens to me when I am lying in bed. I would have thought panic attacks would occur at other times too. Well, I guess we can only just get on with our lives.
Keep well.
I find that worrying about my heart doing somersaults when I go to bed at night actually makes it worse. Provided you are on blood thinning medication just try not to obsess about the occasional additional heart beats,/ flutters etc. It's part of learning to live with AF.
OMG I 've just been up with that all night. IT starts about an hour after i lie down. I haven't slept in my bed for 2 months; have to be sitting up in a chair.
I've been blaming it on a trapped nerve fluttering like your eyelid can do but it feels to be all over my body. Going to read this thread much more thoroughly now. Thanks
I use triple calm magnesium from a company called natural rhythm in the USA. I live in the UK but order them direct from natural rhythm. I take one capsule (75mg) in the morning after breakfast and one after dinner. I’m only taking the 150mg per day but it seems to help. The magnesium contains taurate, glycinate and malate. I read about it on the amazon website (USA site). They cost $21.24 per bottle and I normally order two or three at a time. This keeps the shipping cost down. I also have to pay a customs charge through the postal service but I think it’s worth it.
Hi Samazeuilh,I had an ablation done about 3 yrs ago now , everything to date ok ,and feel well, I have that same quivering (as you call it ) sometimes also , have checked all my readings at the time and apart from just a little fast ,due to fear, everything ok.Have also visited doc and told everything ok .I have come to the conclusion that it is either wind,or a muscle spasms in the chest area ,it goes away ok ,but if your worried go and see your doctor.
I get this feeling when I lay down at night and after consuming an evening caffeine drink or chocolate. I have to remember to forgo caffeine after noon and I seem to do OK.
I get something that feels like palpatations. Only in the evenings after dinner. My tummy feels kind of gassy and l want to burp and/or go to the bathroom ... after burping and/or going to bathroom, it goes completely away. It happens when l lie down and start to relax. My heart monitor shows normal but it is definitely a kind of minor jolt that l feel around my heart and throat area. It annoys me and worries me. I see my cardiologist on the 15th. I will ask him. It only happens in the evenings.
I wonder if it could be related to acid reflux (perhaps silent reflux)?This certainly has the potential to cause palpitations and the symptoms you describe after eating. You could try avoiding provocative foods for a couple of weeks to see if that makes a difference.
Thank you! I had chicken, a few tiny potatoes and broccoli last evening ... it was much better. Thank you again. Good luck with your drs appt. Mine is on Thurs am!
Thanks to everyone who replied on this thread. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and will report back on what he says.
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