Wanted to say hello...Just starting the investigations into palpitations

[MissDheartbeat]

Hi I'm 38 and had my second child in July last year. I've been having palpitations, or strong bouts of ectopic heart beats for over 3 years...funnily enough they reduced during my recent pregnancy. Sometimes they last for over 3 hrs or overnight, making me sooooo tired and weak...not ideal with a new baby! The 'attacks' used to be very infrequent but now they are 4-5 times a week. I feel confused about GP nonchalant response. ..but I have insisted on being referred for monitoring. All bloods and ECG were normal. I'm scared each time I have zn attack as it upsets my system for days. If I do get diagnosed it will make sense of a number of incidents over last few years including blackouts which I had put down to other things. Feels good to verify liked in and share with like minded sufferers

[Blue2]

Hallo MissD,

I've had the same uninterested response from my quacks over the last few years that I have had similar symptoms, too. Eventually, I saw a dozy old buffer of a cardiologist, who was also completely uninterested, as well as not knowing his subject too well.

I did have the Holter monitoring which showed a tachycardia of 130+ bpm running well over 3 hrs at one point!! I couldn't breathe very well and felt like I was dying, but my GP reckoned that was "relatively normal"!! There was an episode at 2 a.m. when the tachy suddenly whizzed up to 140+ bpm. "I must have been doing calisthenics in my sleep" I said sarcastically. I no longer see that doc. I can get out of bed, take a step to the window, sit back down on the bed again, and it's 130. Also struggle to breathe for a couple of minutes.

I believe it is a condition known as IST ( Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia) which is another of those conditions labelled as 'rare' when 'under-diagnosed' might be more appropriate - most GPs and Cardiologists have never heard of it - ask your GP to explain it to you!

Another condition that can lurk behind these symptoms is a phaeochromocytoma which is a non-malignant growth in the kidney area. I was a lab scientist in the NHS and when I was young, we would regularly test for the pcc in patients with unexplained high blood pressure.

Look up both these conditions to see if either could apply to you, and ensure that your indifferent medics rule them out by doing the appropriate testing. I have been retired for years now, and there may be easier tests available to arrive at a diagnosis.

To get anything done now in the NHS you have to shout to be taken notice of.

Best wishes,

Blue2

[MinnieMinnie]

Hi, do you take any medications? As the minimum you should get B blocators (probably wrong spelling) until your are sorted out. Please go back to GP and ask yourself a referal to a cardiologist. You need long, holter monitoring to find out what is happening. I have SVT and every time I go to GP, my ECG is normal. Short ECG tells very little. Good luck.

[MissDheartbeat in reply to MinnieMinnie]

No I'm not on any meds at all thanks for the response I'm just waiting for the next step. I had a bad day yesterday but feel much better today. I do find if I'm being good with my diet that helps too. I suggested to the GP that I could be on the change as I think I got 'caught' with my latest pregnancy as I have PCOS. Will have to wait n see

[woodstock1 in reply to MissDheartbeat]

Hi again, also cut out caffeine that will help I am sure and alcohol if you drink it until at least you get a diagnosis.

[woodstock1]

Hi there. You are managing really well considering what you are coping with. What I would advise is next time you start to have palpitations go to your accident and emergency and they will administer an ECG so that you can capture a trace for a specialist to look at it. That was my experience and from thereon in I had a diagnosis. You can have piece of mind once you know what you are dealing with so the correct medical support can be given. Good luck!

[MissDheartbeat]

Update...I've been diagnosed with paroxysmal AF and prescribed bisopral beta blockers and told to avoid high cardio exercise! feels good to finally know what's happening. the 24hr monitor showed a 2hr heart rate of 200+ bpm!! the cardiologist response was "that's not good for your heart!" (Oh no...really!?!) I start the BB Friday only at 1.25mg at first to bensure monitored by GP and to go back and see cardiologist in 4mth.

So getting somewhere at last!

[Lbeat796]

Hello, your symptoms sound similar to me. I am in my 60s now and been having them since around your age. Not sure, but could be affected by hormones. I got an emergency appt with doc as my fast heartbeat 120 bpm had lasted two hours, he said yes I would be worried but you have been having them for years. Sent me home to rest. Try resting with that thumping in your throat. I have recently cut out my morning tea also very recently(yesterday) my chocolate. No ectopic a last night. I think this group more informative than gp. Good luck