Heart palpitations/chest spasms/just anxiety?

[Molnaffer8]

Hello there,

I'm posting just to see if anyone out there has similar feelings? It's so hard to describe but hoping for some reassurance.

Here goes.

Around 6 years ago I had a very strange 'spasm' 'dropping' generally peculiar feeling in the centre of my chest. I'd never felt this before. It was not painful as such but just a horrible feeling for a second only and it made me panic. I was so scared I was having a heart attack, I got my husband to call an ambulance and I spent a few hours in a&e having numerous ECGs and blood etc. The hospital said there was nothing wrong with my heart and I was having a panic attack.

Following on from this I had the feeling again and again, I have had lots of ECGS all clear, my GP referred me to a cardiologist and I had a 24h holter and an echocardiogram. The consultant said all was fine and it was panic and health anxiety. I should say the 'feeling' never happened when I was wearing the 24hr holter.

I went on to complete CBT and spent the following 2 years in a funny state mentally. I've never actually fully believed that there's nothing wrong. So over been fighting against my gut feeling and trying to believe the professionals. I can go months and months without having any feelings in my chest, then I'll have clusters of them over a few months and it sets me back to believing 'something has been missed'.

I do agree I tend to get these feelings when I'm more anxious, like now due to lockdown and being furloughed.

I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else experiences these peculiar feelings in their chest. So to me it feels like a spasm type feeling, not painful but takes your breath away for a millisecond, almost feels like someone's given you the fright of your life in a way, right in centre of chest, nerves then go through body (but not sure if that's cause I panic when so get these spasms). I've felt my pulse during them and it does seem to put an extra beat in there? Also feels like I need to burp, or pressure in my chest before and after? Wonder sometimes if linked to reflux? Who knows but it's a horrible and uncomfortable feeling that I find so difficult to explain.

As I say I've experienced this for 6 years now but I'm so scared of dropping dead with something that's been missed but also if this is anixety I don't want to waste anymore professional time.

Sorry this turned into an essay!

Thanks for reading 🙂

[felix844]

Hello there! No worries I've read longer posts than this one

Anyway, what you're experiencing might be ectopic beats, you can google it. It's generally harmless and everyone have it every now and then. By definition, you may feel like your heart skipped a beat or produced an extra beat. I also experience it for example for a month and then it disappears for another year and comes back again. You can also check my story for arrhythmia, ectopics and SVT here: healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

Have a lovely day

[Molnaffer8 in reply to felix844]

Hi Felix844,

Thank you very much for your reply! Yes I was thinking it could be ectopic beats as they are so sporadic. Or something to do with reflux? I saw your post on this connection too.

It's so scary when it happens. Just really hard trusting the doctors and trying to get on with my life when I never had anything like this for the first 28 years of my life! But then also I'd never been anxious or had a panic attack. So I constantly question whether the anxiety sets off the chest issues, or I get the chest issues and become anxious?

Are you still in the process of seeing you're cardiologist? How long have you been experiencing ectopic beats?

[Molnaffer8 in reply to felix844]

Also when I was pregnant with my daughter and in the first few months of her life, so for pretty much a whole year, I didn't get any symptoms whatsoever.

[heartmatters1]

Hi - I get this feeling quite regularly & have come to the conclusion that it is gastric related. Mine seems to happen when I have eaten something that gives me reflux/indigestion. I get what feels like a little pressure in my chest & what you describe as ‘dropping’ - its almost feels as though my heart is going to stop. I have noticed that after a while I bring the trapped wind up & it seems to clear it. I have to avoid foods like cucumber, which give me indigestion. When this happens it does make me anxious, which doesn’t help.

I also need to add that I have atrial fibrillation (AF) which diet, too much alcohol, stress & tiredness can set it off.

Our minds work overtime when we get scared, which adds to symptoms I think.

I have started doing mindfulness sessions & relaxation breathing, which helps with my anxiety.

Best wishes Ally