Heart problems, stomach problems...normal tests.

[Notorious_Nick]

So, about 3 months ago I was hospitalized with sepsis. I was hooked to an IV for 3 weeks with constant daily antibiotics. Ever since I've been out of the hospital, I've had a lot of strange issues with my heart...and now my stomach.

As far as my heart goes, it started with bouts of rapid heartbeat or SVT is what they called it. My heart rate would suddenly jump to 120-140bpm and would not slow down for anything. There was a few times I had to go to the ER because of it. One of the occasions, while in the ambulance, my HR went into what the paramedic called a "fatal rhythm", couldn't find a vein on me to administer meds to slow it down and had to drill into a bone inside my arm to give it to me...The med didn't work and the drilling of my bone hurt so bad, actually freaked me out and made my heart go even faster. I was given a script for metroprolol and sent home.

Metroprolol didn't work out for me, it dropped my HR down into the 40s and later, I believe, triggered bouts of PAC and PVCs. Since stopping the med, I haven't had any more PVCs.

Fast forward to now. The PVCs have gone, I believe, but now my HR is very erratic at times. When I stand up it races up to almost 100bpm. When I eat, drink or even swallow my own spit...my heart races. I also have a scary "clicking" sound my heart makes...If I'm laying on my side, I can hear it in sync with my heart - every single beat. This has caused me to only sleep on my back for months which is very uncomfortable.

There's also times, while my heart is racing, it will go thump thump thump *pause* thump thump thump *pause* over and over again. I went to the ER again the other day because of this. It stopped before I got there and I had a normal EKG. Another issue I have is sometimes when I breathe deep, my heart thumps VERY quickly, like 5-6 beats within a couple seconds.

Been seeing a cardiologist, had a dozen normal EKGs, 2 normal echos, normal blood tests, normal stress test. During the stress test, however, I was losing my breath and when I breathed deep to catch my breath, I would feel a THUMP in my upper abdomen and I guess a skipped beat? It happened a couple times and made the line on the EKG screen squiggle DOWNWARD instead of up...The doc said it was the cords moving? Hmm.

Then, the stomach issues. Constant LOUD gurgling, growling sounds and movements in my stomach. The sounds go one for hours sometimes and are so loud people in the room can hear them. I also get bouts of horrible gas coming out from both ends, non stop. I get a lot of air/gas trapped in my chest it feels like and I have to press hard to burp it out. Every time I swallow, there a growling sound somewhere in my upper abdomen while it's going down/before it gets to my stomach. I went to the ER for that once, normal x-ray and normal blood tests. When the stomach issues are happening, my heart beats very irregularly.

I'm mainly concerned about the clicking sound my heart makes, which the doctors haven't been able to pick up on any tests. I was thinking MVP but wouldn't that show up on at least ONE of these tests? What could be causing my heart to act so strangely when all these tests I've had are "normal"? Could the stomach issues be causing this? I've got terrible anxiety because of these issues and it's ruining my life. Also, does anyone else get the racing heart when eating/drinking/swallowing?

Thanks in advance.

[Ernest76]

Hello Nick,

Your symptoms are very unsettling for you.

It may be worth your gp/consultant considering your heart is being upset via the Vagus nerve from your stomach.

Settling the stomach may settle the heart rhythm.

I do hope you feel better soon.

[Ernest76]

Ps I found totally cutting out caffeine and alcohol is very effective.

[Hidden]

Could a 72 hour heart monitor help?

[Ribbony]

You are having a terrible time and I'm surprised that your GP hasn't ordered a Holter Monitor test for several days. I had one for 5 days and nights which gave the Cardiologist his diagnosis. (Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation-I don't understand all this shorthand with initials!) He has hatched a long term plan off the back if this and an Echo-cardiogram. Prior to the Holter Monitor, the ECG I had for 30 seconds was normal. Mind you, I had to stop taking Bisoprolol which was awful - Afib with a pulse of 170 for 6 hours!but I am pretty stable on it now . With occasional outbreaks. I do hope and pray they get evidence of your condition and a correct diagnosis and find a cure for you, and you get your life back!

[ValdaH]

Suggest you take probiotics to settle your stomach problems, you may settle some of these symptoms. Your digestive system sounds a bit unhappy. Good luck.

[Jmiller623]

Hi Nick! What an ordeal you’ve been through. I really feel for you. An intraosseous IV is no joke and very painful from what I hear. I am so sorry.

May I ask how old you are? If not elderly, to have sepsis that bad is not normal. Do you have any underlying immune issues? I ask because some of what you’re describing sounds similar to me right before I was diagnosed with lupus. I got pneumonia really bad and then started having heart arrhythmias. The five beats at once sounds like flutter and as someone else pointed out, your vagal system can also reek havoc on rate. I have dysautonomia/autonomic neuropathy and when lupus isn’t uncontrolled this makes my heart go crazy. Bought me 2 ambulance rides to ED for VTach.

Your stomach is linked to vagal system but something else to think about is if your allergic to something that is setting your heart into a frenzy like anaphylaxis. Keep a food journal when it happens. Sometimes even temperature can set things off. Oddly, rice and cold foods were my biggest offenders. Also, did they test your thyroid? I was also transiently hyperthyroid during one of my episodes. It was due to iodine in CT scans.

MVP should’ve been picked up on echo and when listening with auscultation. I’d def bring up the clicking to your GP or cardiologist.

So sorry for all that you’ve gone through. A cardiology referral or even a 48 hr monitor from your GP is warranted IMO. Please let us know how things progress! Sending hugs your way. ❤️

[Notorious_Nick]

Hi everyone, thanks for the replies. I'm just now getting around to them.

The last few days, my heart has been all over the place. I found a huge trigger for me regarding palpitations is alcohol. I haven't drank in awhile, so I decided to have a couple glasses of wine one night this week. Big mistake. It caused my heart to pound hard and fast, upwards of 120-135 bpm...just standing still. It pounded the hardest/fastest when I STOOD UP from a sitting or laying position. Next night, had a couple beers and the same thing happened.

So, no more alcohol for me. Does anyone else get palpitations when they drink?

I went to the ER for my stomach problems the other day too...They gave me a GI cocktail and a few scripts that I have to fill tomorrow . Didn't do any imaging or tests, which I found strange (they were packed, that's probably why and just wanted to get me out the door). I'm supposed to schedule an appt with a GI doctor now.

Still, the thing that scares me most right now is the clicking/tapping sound my heart is making. I've had two normal echos and tons of other normal tests, I'm not sure why they didn't find anything. I was supposed to be put on a holter, but when I went to the cardiologist that day he just looked at my stress test results, said every test I've had was normal and he doesn't feel it's necessary for one. Hmph.

For those who asked, I'm 35. My cardiologist is an older guy in his 70s and kinda treats me like a youngster; thinking that I'm too young to have heart problems. Makes me wonder if he's even trying to find something.

[Jmiller623 in reply to Notorious_Nick]

Not to be on repeat but alcohol is a huge trigger for people with connective tissue diseases especially lupus. I am also 35. I had the same problems you did with doctors thinking you’re too young to have heart problems and I’m an internal medicine doctor! I had a 48 holter monitor done and it showed atrial arrhythmia, my heart rate go from 20-160 with some long pauses as well. I was placed on a beta blocker for the palpitations and this worked well.

[dwright12 in reply to Jmiller623]

Thanks for your reply. I'm getting PAC and my dr. ordered beta blocker for me to try! The PAC happen at 1:00 a.m. and wake me up. Very frustrating.