High heart beat and pressure in the neck

[Sshepp]

Hi all,

Last July, I developed ectopic beats overnight. They were roughly every 4-5 beats and sometimes for more than one beat in a row. Went to A&E, told all fine, non harmful, but no one could tell me why they suddenly started overnight. Didn’t do anything different at all. I was half marathon training at the time and checked with my doc as to whether I could still run, they said all fine. Did a 3 miler and actually found running made the palps slightly better. Did a 8.5 miler, fine. Felt a few as I was going. By this stage my palps has slowed to a few instances an hour, maybe as low as a couple of instances a day in some cases. I actually barely felt one on the day I next ran, which was a 10 miler the next week - horrendous. Struggled the entire way, more than I should have done for my fitness level. Got to 6 miles and had some truly HUGE palps, like someone had smacked me in the chest with a hammer, plus pressure all up the left side of my neck and into my jaw. Understandably terrified myself, managed to continue a slow jog home (I was miles away!), threw up, went to bed. The next day (after very little sleep) the neck pressure was still there so went back to A&E. They did a while load of checks - heart fine. No evidence of damage, phew. They couldn’t tell me what caused the neck pressure though. By this stage the pressure was both sides of my neck and felt like someone was pressing it from the inside. It took about a month to go away and about 3 months to feel normal after. I now get this neck pressure everytime I get my heart rate up (whether by exercise or if my heart randomly races which is does a fair bit but I haven’t caught it on a monitor yet). The duration of the neck pressure depends on how long my HR is above about 140. If for over ten mins then I can expect the pressure to last at least a few days and if about 30 mins it lasts about 2 weeks or more. The 10 mile run took me around an hour and a half and it lasted around a month if not slightly more. When I have the pressure it gets worse with movement (like going up the stairs or walking quickly) or worse if I put my head down - have to sleep with three pillows sometimes to keep my neck up. It affects my life a lot and causes me lots of anxiety. I’ve had to slow everything down and just spend days sitting and not moving much. My cardiologist has had me on a treadmill and says when exercising my heart is fine (palps, but not harmful), I’ve had an echo which came back fine, and my heart monitor didn’t pick up anything odd (though for months I was too scared to exercise so didn’t really push it when I had it on). Waiting for results of MRI on heart by doc seems to think it will be fine and is suggesting it might not be a heart issue, even though I can definitively link to neck pressure to high heart rate. I feel like I am going mad and for the past 8 months I haven’t been able to exercise, I’ve cancelled plans because I’m scared it will happen, when it’s bad I’m scared to be alone. It’s causing me all kinds of anxiety - even more so because my cardiologist seems to not know what it is and now he’s said my heart seems ok he seems to be losing interest and I’m worried I’ll never get answers - something is undeniably wrong somewhere, only since that run, and only if I get my HR up, but I can’t live life like this! Anyone had anything similar?! Help!

Sam

[Hidden]

Hi there Sshepp! This is just to say welcome.

I hope you will get some helpful responses.

[Sshepp in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the welcome! (And me too, re: responses! Fingers crossed..!)

[Sshepp]

I probably also should have added: I am 31, female, slim build, non drinker, never smoked, used to exercise about 4 times a week, mixture of running and HIIT gym sessions (and had done for about 2 years), no history of heart issues other than my dad having afib, and normal sleep patterns. My only vice is sugar!

[bantam12]

Have the docs thought about Microvascular Angina ?

[Sshepp in reply to bantam12]

I’m not sure! I’ll mention it to the cardiologist and see what he says. The pressure is in my neck rather than around my chest but it might be worth checking. Thank you!

[Hidden]

Sam you are not alone. I have had cardiac arrythmia for 45 years, seen doctors and specialists and been told there's nothing wrong and not to worry about it. But we do.

I'm trying a different approach to see if I can break the anxiety causes depression causes more anxiety cycle by having a course of antidepressants. Also started on magnesium citrate which is supposed to be beneficial and was recommended by a doctor friend..

I also had a thyroid check and found a lump on one side. I have half a thyroid left and am taking thyroxene. Apparently thyroid issues can cause some of our symptoms.

Regards Cliff in Australia.

[Goldfish7]

Hi Sshepp, I can't be of much use to you other than I have PAF and appear to have ectopics in between attacks. I've had a similar number of 'all clears' to yourself but still get very breathess on walking and get frequent chest pain and similar neck pain to yourself. Prior to my first ablation I didn't really get very noticeable chest pain it was all up the sides of my neck and into my jaw when my heart was under strain. My neck pain would ease off after my heart was rested. Following the ablation it appears that I get more chest pain and less neck pain which is odd!

During my first ablation (under sedation) it was interesting - and very strange - to feel where pains were felt around my body whilst the cryo burning was taking place in my heart. With me it was chest, a lot around the neck/throat and jaw as well as a distinct 'ice cream headache' that I wasn't expecting!!

After reading around a bit it appears that women often get pains in the neck, shoulders, etc. rather than the chest when the heart is under strain or during heart attacks, which I'm led to believe is one of the reasons that womens treatment has been less successful than mens from heart attacks - current practise is based on a 'male' model where chest pain appears to be the most common.

I'm not suggesting that you are having a heart attack but that the neck pain you are having is a common sign of heart strain in women apparently. No idea why it seems to last so long with you though. Hope your cardiologist explores things thoroughly with you and that you get to the bottom of things soon.

P.S. Magnesium citrate does appear to have some positive calming effects on my heart.

[ling]

Hi Sshepp, I think I can identify with what you're saying about the pressure in the neck. My trigger was bad stress and worry.

Since your various heart tests check out ok, given the high heart rate and randomly racing heart, have you had your thyroid checked out?

I would like to suggest that before u figure out the cause of that horrible episode, that u refrain from long distance runs. Also, it would be good to dial back on the stress and anxiety as these also contribute to the symptoms.

All the best,

Ling

[Sshepp]

Hi Ling (and everyone else!)

Sorry for the slow reply! I had my thyroid checked a while ago as part of the initial investigations and all came back fine. I have been holding off from most exercise since August last year too - i’ve gone on a couple of walks but that’s about it! I’ve occasioanlly gone back to the gym to test my boundaries so that I can fully fodocument what happens for my cardiologist - I did 30 mins in the gym on feb 20th And was still feeling a pressurised neck and racing heart 6 weeks after - I didn’t have a single day I felt normal until at least a month after. I’ve just come back from a holiday where my racing heart went mental - two night flights obviously did it no good and I really struggled to sleep for days either side because it was thumping so hard and fast at night. Back to the cardiologist I go - so sick of feeling so terrible and terrified all the time

[Hidden]

It may be a whole host of other problems not related to your palpitations, may be drainage issue lymphatic,cerebral spinal fluid, May be structural, in that I mean misalignment or displaced bone in neck or jaw, you should try swimming to rule out your heart and get your confidence back, it may be a virus, but record your episodes diligently to help the doctors help you