Constant palpitations caused by exercise

[vrevgreg]

For about a year, I have had irregular heartbeat and chest discomfort when I am moving around. I live a pretty sedentary lifestyle and am usually fine if I am sitting/lying down with maybe an occasional skipped beat.

If I go for a walk for example, and there is even a slight hill coming, I start feeling skipped beats that just seem to get worse until I am forced to stop and rest. Same thing happens when I am walking up the stairs. I live in a 2 story house and every time I walk up stairs, I get runs of multiple palpitations that take 5-10 minutes of sitting down to calm down. I have been living in that house for 10 years and didn't even used to notice the stairs until my heart issues started last year. Now I have to walk like I am 90, rest after every few steps and I am only 30!

My heart rate doesn't even go that high, only about 120-130bmp when walking up hill or up the stairs but it's the irregular beats that worry me. It's really putting me off exercise.

I usually get chest discomfort after palpitations that can last for hours or days even and is not relieved with rest.

I did go to AE once and they did catch palpitations on ECG and I was told that I had "atrial tachycardia" and frequent atrial ectopics. I also had Echo done which was normal.

Should I ask for more tests? Palpitations are greatly decreasing my quality of life (they are there every day), I can barely walk at all without having to rest to stop them. I am thinking to ask for stress echo but maybe more tests are needed?

[Metric]

Yes know how you feel, have Afib after 2 many hospital stays one week 3 . And ambulance calls with a pulse rate of 217 I've had 2 ablation So finally had an AV node ablation. Am some better now just grateful to be able to do the little things my yard, take care of myself a little house work. Hope your journey will be a great one. But at least now

[Hidden]

Dear vrevgreg

Hello and welcome to the forum I am sorry that you have had to find us this way.

Your own answer is as clear as a bell to me in your post…yes

Get more tests done, you know your own body and very soon will know it even better, things are happening that are not right for you, not the normal.

These need to be investigated and if you get your point over to the medical profession as well as you have in your post then I can see no problem them understanding you.

Good luck with it all and please keep us informed, from this moment on never think your alone.

[Buzzy-Beans]

Reading slowly through your description, it doesn't read like you have actually been to see your GP about your problem and if not why not?

Are you asthmatic, I didn't think I was until my GP had the surgeries respiratory nurse run checks on me. The various sprays I was then put on certainly helped some of my problems. But it was the chest pains (angina) which needed further investigation and that resulted eventually in me having a very long stent being fitted.

The greatest help for me was the quite magical GTN spray, you might want to ask your GP to prescribe one on a repeat prescription for you. Each and every time I start getting chest pain I do 2 x squirts under my tongue and normally that results in some, if not all pain relief.

But by the sound of it, you need to become a thorn in the side of your surgery and have some full blood tests to establish if there is anything else wrong with you, for instance are you overweight, do you eat a healthy balanced diet etc. etc.

[Frequentshocker]

Hi vreggreg. As youre getting the same palpitations so regularly you definitely need to get it checked. I suffered from tbe same until my meds were changed evebtually to somethng more suitable. I didnt have any heart problems at all, was v fit and healthy, so I thought, until until I collapsed with an SCA. Have you had any follow up since your diagnosis at all? Id be concerned enough to get it checked further. Tell your GP about your regular symptoms on top of your previous diagnosis she you can be referred to cardiology. You may have to wear a holster monitor at home to record your heart and a sheet to list when you feel the symptoms and depending on the recordings they may call you in for further checks. It takes time but the last thing you need is to wait until you have an emergency. If you do get very bad symptoms and they dont go or you get far worse call 999 but if not sure at least call 111 for advice. Last time the paramedics told me off for not calling 999 when I felt so bad, they said it is your heart after all, your life depends on it! I have a defibrillator fitted though so at worst thatll shock me so I don't ring 999 but got a firm telling off for that.

I hope you get ok ok, see your GP and get checked, dont leave it too late.

[vrevgreg]

I have been to the GP recently who was initially concerned that I may have a pulmonary embolism. She ordered a lung CT scan and some bloods to check for tronopin levels due to chest pain. It was all normal. General bloods also normal, cholesterol was 6 which I was told was slightly too high. I am also about 20lbs overweight.

My last echo was in September 2021 so she doesn't think I need a stress test because it was completely normal. She has ordered a 24 hour holter which I am now waiting to have - everything is delayed due to COVID. I will be exercising with holter so hopefully they will be able to catch if there is something seriously wrong.

I am also waiting for 3 months before I can see a cardiologist. GP has prescribed low dose Metropolol (beta blocker) to see if it will help in the meantime. I am a bit scared to take it because I already have a low blood pressure/low resting heart rate and am worried that it will make this worse.