Heart Palpitations you can't feel in Pulse Beat .

[lb76696]

I'm a 20 Year Old Female. I've been having Heart Palpitations for A Week. They have been one or two a day but Yesterday I had them all day. It feels like a Thump Beat but when I take My Pulse Beat it was steady and I couldn't feel a harder Thump when I felt it at the bottom of My Right Rib Cage. Can you always feel Heart Palpitations in your Pulse Beat? Is it worse if you don't feel it in your Pulse Beat? Is it a sign I'm going to have a Heart Attack? Will an ECG pick up all Heart Problems?

Thank You

[Mike262]

Don't speculate get an urgent appointment to see your GP and he/she will check everything out as a precaution

[lb76696]

I've had An Appointment with My GP and he took my blood pressure and pulse and said they Were Ok. I hav an ECG on Thursday.

[frankcooper]

One of the first things that I investigate with patients suffering palpitations, is food chemicals, and in particular the 'artificial sweeteners' found in soft drinks and foods to replace sugar. The other common food chemical group that causes palpations are the 'preservatives' found in bread called 'Propionate' and they are numbered #280-283. Are you exposed to either of these?

[lb76696]

No I'm not. I'm So Scared about Jypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. If I had it will an ECG pick it up or not?

[patch14]

Now there's a couple of words that don't come up in regular conversation!!!! Seems to be there is someone in your family that has had that problem and it has scared you. You are 20 years old and have youth on your side. Have the tests and see how you get on.

The other thing that popped into my mind is - do you drink those awful energy drinks that you youngsters seem to have in your hands all the time - Red Bull, so called "energy" drinks etc., - because if you do STOP THEM!!! They are full of caffeine and if there is anything that will bring on heart palpitations its caffeine!!!! Cut down on the coffee too, Costa type espresso coffee is very high in caffeine. If you must have coffee stick to caffeine free, all the main coffeee manufacturers do them and they are all in the supermarkets. Also caffeine free tea.

The other main cause of palpitations is STRESS - I know, boring oldies again - but stress has been proved to cause problems with the body in many ways - including the "pounding in the ears and the "jumping" in the chest - it's a vicious circle, you worry about the pounding which pushes up your stress levels so you have more palpitations!!

Are you a student with stressful exams coming up? Are you in a stressful job? Have you personal problems that have been "stressing you out" - All good and valid reasons to look at.

When you get the all clear from your tests I think you should look again at your diet, exercise and STRESS - see if you can find some way of getting some "me" time to relax, unwind and clear the mind a bit - you may find yoga helps, but just a quiet room with soft music on the ipod and a good book, just for 1/2 an hour a day may just been the thing to help.

All the best to you, keep in touch,