Palpitations

[Bakinggirl]

Can I just ask , when you get your palpitations does anything else happen to your body, do they come with any other bodily sensation. I think mine come with anxiety and a weird head rush feeling. I’ve had them for years on and off, but now they seem to be daily, not continuous. Had ecgs and 24 hour holster which caught 1. Any other time it was all over the place. Just would like some insight into what others feel at time palps come on. Many thanks.

[Derbados]

I have mid stage aortic stenosis and had a lot of ectopic beats but I also suffered from, what I now know, from the occasional atrial tachycardia. It was only lasting 1-2 seconds at a time but I would just feel really peculiar. It is very hard to describe.

I now take bisoprolol 1.25 mg and I now only occasionally get a few palpitations. As worrying as they were at first I am now used to them. If anything it was a wake up call to eat more healthier, stopped smoking and get 8 hours of sleep a night.

[Bakinggirl in reply to Derbados]

Thank you for your reply. Yes that’s what I’m doing. My diet is healthier , I’ve never smoked and have a small glass of red wine 3-4 nights a week with my meal. Sleep is also fine. But these blooming palpitations just won’t subside. They not constant but enough to make me aware of them. I hope I can get used to them. 😊

[Derbados in reply to Bakinggirl]

I think it's important to remember that the vast, vast majority of ectopics and palpitations are harmless.

This place helps me when I'm feeling low though. Your defo not alone 😊

I'd defo look up mindfulness and start integrating that into your life if you suffer from anxiety. Another good book that has helped a lot I'd my friends is "The chimp paradox"

[Bakinggirl in reply to Derbados]

Ooo thank you. I’ll have a look for that. This forum is good for knowledge and support like what your sharing now. Again thank you.

[Shockedwithstent in reply to Bakinggirl]

Hi there, its interesting reading your post on palpitations. I am an anxious person who has always had palpitations. I have always put it down to my personality that I worry about my children, husband. Constantly over think so never know if it is something I can control. How can I find out? For me It usually happens at night when I have to wake up to use the toilet I start getting worried about silly things and when I calm myself down it disappears. Any thoughts on this?

I would like to also point out that I have had a stent and take medication

[Bakinggirl in reply to Shockedwithstent]

Hi I don’t think we ever know for sure, we have to rely on the medical profession. I’m an anxious person and also an over thinker so can totally sympathise with you. I sleep really well and they have never woke me, but when I wake up that’s when they start. I’ve had them for years and would have big gaps of time with none but I’ve had no gap for a while. Coincides with the small vessel ischemia diagnosis and high cholesterol (hc in normal range now due to diet). Have you had a HA with having a stent fitted ?

[Shockedwithstent in reply to Bakinggirl]

Yes - last January 2019 I felt only a slight discomfort which turned out to be a heart attack. Thanks to A&E dr on site and further investigation i was transferred by emergency to the royal brompton. I had an emergency angiogram which resulted in a stent. I have been anxious since I was little. Not sure why but always worried about my parents at the time, now my husband and children, of course Corona virus and the fact my 15 year old teenager needs 2 more operations - although not life threatening its still something to feel very upset about.

So these palpitations I always thought meant i am a worrier, told my consultant and he said if I didn't stop over thinking he would prescribe for me SSRI. Any thoughts or comments

[Bakinggirl in reply to Shockedwithstent]

Well that’s good medical advice, if you don’t stop over thinking I’ll put you on a SSRI. OK doc that’s what I will do , it’s as if it’s that easy. I know each and everyone of us is not in control of thought, thoughts are transient and meant to flow through us. Unfortunately the bad ones we choose and pick them to bits until the one thought turns into a brain storm. I try and sit with the thought for a while and then normally something else follows. Thoughts create feeling which in turn create our behaviour. I know on good days my thinking is better and not a lot bothers me it’s when I’m in a low mood that the thinking gets to me.

The Coronavirus at this time has not got me worried, whether or not that is wrong I don’t know. Of course your going to be upset about your son and his ops, your his mum and when something is happening to them we feel it and focus on it. I’m wishing him well and you will find strength in the moment to go with it. Your wisdom will kick in and you will deal with it then. It’s always probably worked for you in the past. I often think about all the times I’ve worried about something to happen but it’s always been ok and I’ve known what to do or say. 😊

[Shockedwithstent in reply to Bakinggirl]

So true. I agree with everything you say, when I read your comments on palpitations I just thought I wonder if this is something more than just me worrying because I cant seem to control it. Many thanks for your comments, a friend said it could be due to depression but I am not depressed, she said it could be warning signs-

[Bakinggirl in reply to Shockedwithstent]

Do you ever have days of non worry, do you have days where you laugh?

[Shockedwithstent in reply to Bakinggirl]

Yes when I out with loved ones for a meal with a glass of wine.. its all great

When I am around family, cousins or best friends I seem to be all good

[Bakinggirl in reply to Shockedwithstent]

So in them moments you don’t have the worry, or the bad thoughts. So that shows it’s your thinking that’s creating your emotion. When you in good mood you not paying as much attention to your thinking. And vice versa. So when every time you get in worry mode , it’s an indicator that your paying too much attention to your thinking. It will pass at some point it always does and you have the evidence of that when you out with your friends etc.

[Bakinggirl in reply to Shockedwithstent]

I also think for you that the fact when you calm down it disappears it would suggest to me an adrenaline rush maybe which is known for palps.

[Shockedwithstent in reply to Bakinggirl]

Do you suggest that I should do further investigations?

[Bakinggirl in reply to Shockedwithstent]

I think because when you are having fun you are not as anxious as when your not which is completely normal, so maybe even a counselling service to talk. I’ve never been a person to medicate myself but everyone is different and I would never suggest anything medically but counselling has worked for me in the past. Even more so when you get a counsellor that you connect with. Let me know what you decide.

[Qualipop]

Mine seem to be completely random; some days I have loads then can go for weeks without. I do suffer from anxiety but hey don't seem connected. The only other symptom I get is an occasional one that misses the first beat for so long, everything starts to go black and I have to thump my chest- thankfully those are rare.

[Bakinggirl in reply to Qualipop]

Oh gosh your rare ones sound scary. But I think if people are prone to anxiety then it is going to be more worrying than people who couldn’t care less. Thank you for your reply Qualipop.

[Qualipop in reply to Bakinggirl]

Yes they are but I've had everything checked out many years ago and they are completely benign. It's like the heart doing a hiccup. It misses one beat then does two to make up for it. The bump you feel is the double beat. I had a heart attack a year or so ago but they had nothing to do with that. If you want reassurance that they are harmless get your doctor to order a 24 hour holter monitor that should pick them up so they can see just which part of the heart they come from. Of course I didn't have any while wearing mine butI then had an exercise stress test. Still nothing but luckily they left the electrodes on me while I recovered and lo and behold it did it when I was resting

[Bakinggirl in reply to Qualipop]

I’ve had a 24 hour holster which picked up 1 haha, I’ve had 2ecgs, appointment at heart clinic, everyone said it was all fine and a phone appointment with dr Sanjay Gupta that I mentioned to Nathan. Can I ask how do they say that the palps are not connected to your HA ,just for me to understand. Thanks.

[Qualipop in reply to Bakinggirl]

My heart attack was a 100% blocked artery pure and simple. Heavy smoker. It all depends on which part of the heart is causing the palpitations which is why you had the monitor and ECG. I can't say where mine come from but it's definitely irrelevant and causes absolutely no problems with the heart. I've had them ow for over 20 to 30 years. You get used to them. The only things I can think of that trigger mine for certain are chocolate and coffee.

[Bakinggirl in reply to Qualipop]

Ok thanks for that. I’m sorry you had to go through it. I don’t seem to have a trigger. Blooming things. I’m hoping I get used to them too.

[Qualipop in reply to Bakinggirl]

You have to believe when they tell you they are harmless. I look on it like when you get a sudden nerve twitch in your eyelid. It comes from nowhere for no reason or hiccups which are just airway spasms. Same with benign palpitations.

[Bakinggirl in reply to Qualipop]

Thank you qualipop that makes sense.

[Nathan53]

You might find the attached link informative about palpitations but in view of your small vessel is ischaemia perhaps also discuss with GP / Cardiologist drsanjayguptacardiologist.c...

[Bakinggirl in reply to Nathan53]

Thank you Nathan. I had half an hour consultation with dr Sanjay and explained about them along with the chest pain, (which I also went to the heart clinic about) at the time he put my mind at rest and because my chest pain hurts when I touch my upper chest, back and under my arm he suggested that it was more fibromyalgia related and that after everything I had told him he said that if I had been seen in his clinic he wouldn’t be worried. So for a few days I felt better but then when it happens again it’s like “hmm I wonder” and the cycle starts all over again. My next port of call will be a face to face consultation but that costs a lot of money which I don’t have. NHS is an option but it’s the wait. Anyway thanks for your reply.

[Nathan53 in reply to Bakinggirl]

I can see where you are coming from. For the last few weeks I have been experiencing regular palpitations something which is new to me. I intend to get them checked out and know they are probably nothing to be to concerned about but the sensation they create does seem to cause anxiety. Some people find magnesium supplement can help but as always check with Pharmacist or GP that they are compatible with any other meds you take. You could also consider meditation or yoga to see if this counters the palps.

[Bakinggirl in reply to Nathan53]

Yes again dr Sanjay told me about the magnesium which sounds promising. I know that they say in the majority of cases they are nothing to worry about but your right to get them checked. I would love to go to the docs and they say right here you go, you can have ecg, ultrasound , stress test and anything heart related while you here to put your mind at rest. Haha. It’s all a waiting game. Let us know how you get on. 😊

[FeetheBookworm]

I get palpitations quite often, usually when I am either sitting down or lying down and they are where my ICD pacer is. This is often accompanied by some pain in the left chest.

First time it happened I phoned my doctor’s surgery for an app and they told me to ring 111 who sent an ambulance. They could find no record of a heart attack which is what they thought it was, so referred my back to GP as I had an app that morning. GP sent me straight to A&E who did a special blood test which confirmed no HA.

So now I practice those breathing exercises they tell you will see you through childbirth! Doesn’t do much for the sharp stabbing pain but I have taught myself to just relax into it which helps slightly.

[Bakinggirl in reply to FeetheBookworm]

I think I can remember pregnancy breathing exercises so I’ll look into it. Haha. My pains are always the left side and that’s what makes it worrying. I know when my thinking is good and day is busy i don’t notice then I’ll get home sit on my chair and it starts. I think if all the tests I’ve had and advice been given by docs and cardiology I should be ok. It’s just a niggle.

[FeetheBookworm]

I also get a sharp pain in my back - feels like something is squeezing /gripping really hard and is very uncomfortable.

[Bakinggirl in reply to FeetheBookworm]

Is that when you get the palpitations?

[FeetheBookworm]

I can get the palpitations without the squeezing pain. Thankfully.

[Bakinggirl in reply to FeetheBookworm]

Well that’s something. I get pain in my back and shoulders, but they are sore to touch which is why the cardio said it wasn’t heart related.

[FeetheBookworm]

Mine aren’t sore to touch. But what causes it goodness only knows.

I’m having a full blood test tomorrow (joy) in preparation for an MRI scan at Harefield a few weeks later.

[Bakinggirl in reply to FeetheBookworm]

Hope everything goes well for you hun

[Doggyman in reply to FeetheBookworm]

I had echo at Harefield which said I have hocm. The hospital here says they don't think I have it now very confused. On beta blockers aspirin blood pressure tabs Metformin and other pills. Think I have to go for isit tread mill heart monitor test yet. Just confused now.