Hi Erixa, welcome. Did you get palpitations whilst the 48 hour monitor was on? My ECG’s were often verbally reported back to me as ‘normal’ on the first ask. But when I persisted, saying I felt palpitations, weren’t they seen, I’ve been told I had “a few premature ventricular contractions” (PVC’s).
I take 2 things from this - first, the ECG doesn’t show all the times I feel it, so my senses are more sensitive than the machine/the interpreter. And I know I may be very sensitive to it, because once you’ve “felt” your heartbeat be strange, you likely notice the smallest thing about it.
Second, PVC’s are not a major issue. Dr’s said they’re not worried unless they happen very close together and start to go runaway-train, with tachycardia and heading towards AF. I had a major AF episode after surgery & they’ve kept an eye, but PVC’s don’t seem to worry them.
An echo is usually pretty good at spotting structural issues (my hole-in-heart was first found this way). An MRI gives Dr’s much better pictures, but is only usually done if echo suspects something (it’s expensive, and not much fun either). It does need to be a good experienced radiographer that does echo, hopefully yours was.
What slight abnormality did the GP see? I’d ask what aspect or condition she inferred. My first ECG only showed “partial right branch bundle block” and was suspected cause for palpitations, but the echo was more helpful.
I’m in 2 minds about your situation. On the one hand, I don’t think palpitations alone are necessarily that big a deal, I’m used to mine now. On the other hand, I ignored palpitations for a while & turned out I had a structural issue (that could be resolved). My mum also had AF, Dr said that wasn’t a big risk factor, but it does keep me monitoring it.
It may be hard to argue for more tests if these were normal, but you could talk to Gp again & see if she’ll refer you further. I only got the echo because I fainted one day. Or phone the BHF nurses?
Personally, before taking anti-anxiety pills, which in my view treat symptom not cause, I’d talk to Dr re potential causes of the anxiety and/or the palpitations. It could be that anxiety is causing / worsening palpitations, but then, what’s causing any anxiety?
Eg I believe other life factors brought my heart issue to a head (it’d been invisible for 50 yrs). For me, a combo of work stress (long-term raised cortisol impacts heart & mood), emotional stress (bereavement), poor diet (mine was “inflammatory” eg lots of sugar), hormone changes with getting older and crucially, regularly being quite dehydrated, were my lifestyle triggers. Most I’ve changed now (except getting older!), and I get far fewer palpitations. I’m also far less anxious (which I think is because of both less cortisol & fewer palpitations!).
Folks here recommend talking to the BHF nurses, I think that’s worth a try. Good luck
The original ECG showed a suspected left bundle branch block.
The Holter monitor showed a couple of faster heart moments, but no palpitations, so nothing to be concerned with.
The cardiologist read the echo himself, as I was so concerned I had paid to see him privately.
I certainly think age could be a factor... I am 47, so suspect it may well be hormonal (although blood test says I am not menopausal yet) .
Like you, I had also just suffered bereavement and had work stress so I wonder if I just feel everything more... I am constantly internally scanning my body!
Thanks again for taking the time to respond, it has been helpful.
Even if blood test says not menopausal yet, I’d ask if you could be in peri-menopause, the ‘erratic’ stage for several years before.
My Dr told me blood tests aren’t always conclusive, but other symptoms help. For me, these were really low mood, crying daily, anxious & irritable, plus the palpitations, plus less able to handle stressful stuff at work or exercise as hard as previously. Many have night sweats, I didn’t.
Even if hormones have only slightly dipped, there can be a strain on adrenal (?) glands. This is because they try to help out/ take over from ovaries, but that leaves them with less capacity. So body struggles to manage non-gender hormones & neurotransmitters. Hence often our mood drops & our cortisol / stress response is impaired.
In my view, the key to peri / menopause is knowing the symptoms & not thinking it’s something terrible with your health, so you get the right help. Happy to DM & share my research if useful.
I was so confused why my mood had dropped through the floor, I almost asked the Dr for anti-depressants. And a male Dr hinted they might help. But a female menopause-aware doc saved me from that, & now I’m on skin-applied HRT, I’m tons better. I can take more things more in my stride now.
Yes, if you could please share your research I would be very grateful.
I do worry that I might have a serious health issue and my GP is pushing me to take Propranolol and Sertraline for anxiety, but I think the palpitations are the only thing causing me anxiety.
Many years ago I also had bad palpitations. An ECG only checks a few moments in time so I was sent for a stress test . I couldn't complete all of it because of spinal problems and again, nothing showed up but fortunately they didn't take off the electrodes when I sat down to rest and purely by chance the palps started up while I was resting so they were able to identify which part of the heart they we re coming from. Mine were totally harmless. A Holter monitor for several days. is by far the best way to see palpitations when they are intermittent. You can almost guarantee they won't show up just when you see a doctor. If yours didn't happen during the tests do ask for more until they can be identified.
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