Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Body sensations from arrhythmia

I am 67 yr male -- have experienced episodes of irregular heart for about 40 yrs.

In last 12-15 yrs, the problem has become more frequent.  Even then, the extra beats subsided after a few hours or in some cases a few days.

About 10 days ago, I had an episode that has continued with exception of a few hours now and then when the beating gets regular again.  Thus, I did a Google search and am thankful to have found this Forum from which I am learning much.

Here is my question  ----  In previous episodes and even more so in this one, when the irregularity continues at a high level, I have this tight discomfort in what I think is the solar plexus area ---  directly below the sternum.   And the heavier of the extra beats seem to radiate down into this area.  When I feel this area, it actually seems to be more tight than normal -- sort of knotted up.
Any suggestions as to what is going on?

18 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
641072 tn?1223272740
A related discussion, Is it an heart problem or the abdominal one? was started.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This sounds EXACTLY like the symptoms I had when I had WPW:  a sort of tightness in center chest with no pain and a little light headed maybe.  Can feel the tachy in neck area.  Started suddenly, usually after 10 minutes of jogging, but would subside instantly after 1-5 minutes. At that point, chest sensation, neck sensation, and blood flow to head feel better.

Ablation may have eliminated it - a left free wall form of WPW.  This, I understand is a relatively easy problem to have, but these symptoms can also be manifest with more serious problems.  So take care with that, OK?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Since the gateway is operated by an autonomic nervous system, there is almost nothing you can do to prevent the skipped beats due to autonomic tone changes.  However, having said that, it may be possible to control some of these changes with meditation and relaxation exercises.  In my case, the best solution has been understanding of the phenomenon...simply knowing why these buggers occur prevents the onset of anxiety (which of course results in a heightened tone and more skips)...the result is that I am relatively free of the 2-6 skips (PACs) per minute I used to get.  These days there are only occassional bumps due to unavoidable physical movement (like excerise).

-Arthur
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Arthur the postral symptoms you speak of, are there any
answers to avoid.

Yoga, chiropractor or the like......

Any suggestions???
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Wow...reading these comments about the PVC's and funny gut sensations is quite interesting. This happens to be an issue with me as well. The best description I can give is that, often while leaning forward even slightly, OR while under emotional pressure, it feels like my stomach has a knot in the top of it and the entire structure is riding up and messing with my heart.

I do have terrible bloating which the docs attribute to side effects of certain beta blockers. The air pressure and spasms can be quite debilitating and exhausting because they are so persistent. I frequently have a stomach bulge that would put a pregnant woman to shame, but it humiliates me (as a man) and reminds me every minute of every day how rotten I feel

Hope everyone is doing better soon.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Does your heart skip beats? Does it seem to act up with say like riding in a car and the movement from the car jarring your stomach? Everyone seems to think that this is Gerd or a hiatel Hernia so yesterday I tried an acid test: 1 tbls Apple Cider Vinegar before eating and I'll be honest I did seem to not feel as bad. But now I am really confused because this test says if your symotoms subside with the Vinegar then you do not have enough acid in your body well it did seem to subside which tells me that maybe I need more acid BUT everything I read about acidy foods and stuff to avoid when trying to avoid acid is really what I eat. Like for example it seems like when I eat salad that I really get bad shipped heart beats well I assumed that it was the tomatoes well that sounds like I have to much acid and aspirin they say aspirin has alot of acid so you would think theres to much acid but according to this test I do not have enough. STILL CONFUSED
To everyone with same symptoms: If I ever find out what is wrong I will post it immediately. Please all of you do the same. Good luck to all!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi...yes I have my palps triggered by all sorts of things. Motions, certain foods, laying down too quickly, getting up too quickly, leaning forward (even just slightly) and the list goes on.

I have never done the vinegar test. I do have acid kickback of some kind because the burning is so intense. Nobody that I have consulted seems to know if there is a legitimate connection for the gastric distress being a trigger for heart woes. Looks like we will have to continue our own primitive experiments and keep notes about the results.

BTW...aspirin is very acidic and nasty on the stomach. Tylenol never did a thing for pain, but the aspirin can be a problem all by itself.

Good Luck and keep us posted.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
You will find many posts herein describing postural ectopy.  It's not unusual, in fact, it's a typical manifestation of focally-spawned PACs (a probably PVCs).  The signalling from foci (electrical hotspots in cardiac tissue) is often gated by the state of the autonomic nervous system and posture.  The autonomic nervous system, which covers and infuses the outside of the heart, will act to control the rate at which electrical signals travel through cardiac tissue.  So, when it's turned up, foci signalling travels easier, and bingo, you get the early beats.  The simple act of lying down changes the autonomic tone within a couple of minutes and can result in a significant change in the number of PACs (even though the foci keep up their act unperturbed).  The nervous system is turned up after eating, so bingo, the electrical highway is open for business.

This is one simple scenario which actually explains a majority of odd observations which include PACs from a sudden change in body position, anxiety-driven PACs, and PACs after eating (while "bloated").  If your foci are sensitive to adrenaline surges (which most are), then not only is the autonomic tone raised, but the foci are firing away extra hard, so the abberant electrical signalling has the best chance of triggering a premature beat.

Hope this helps to clarify.

-Arthur
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ditto

Ive done every test for my heart.
By the way what is your resting pulse???

Mine is low, If I sit for too long my pulse goes off.

I posted in the Gastro forum, Vegas1 has similar also no answers.

Hiatal hernia/ reflux seems to be the connection, have you checked..
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
What gets me is that I had an endoscopy and the doc said I had nothing wrong. If this was a hiatal hernia wouldn't it show up in the endoscopy? Actually sitting puts pressure on my upper stomach and that causes the irregular beats. I am sooo very fustrated. I forgot one symptom that I have not said prior: Used to When I would lie down after eating like to take a nap, when I would wake up I would have this funny feeling in my stomach and its like I have to eat or something. It still does that but not as often, now I have this full feeling at top of stomach all the time. They have given me Toprol for the irregular heart beats but it is not helping and I believe my doc is giving up on me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Okay I have been trying to find out what is wrong to no advail.
This is my symtoms and Acree or anyone in same boat please comment.
It all started 1 year ago. My husband was in hospital having a heart stent. The day we went home from the hospital I started having these funny feeling in my chest and my chest and back hurt bad. Well I have come to realize that the chest and back hurting must be from a misaligned spine or something cause I quit sitting in a certain chair and have had no problems with that part. Now about 6 months of having these funny sensations in chest I realized that it was my heart skipping, which doc says its not skipping it is early beats. I can have someone take my pulse and at the exact same time I having this sensation in my chest the person taking the pulse says my heart missed a beat.
At the beginning of all of this I kept saying I felt like it was coming from my stomach cause my stomach aslo felt peculiar. Well about 1 month ago I started having these bloating feeling in my midsection. From my rib cage opening to just above my belly button. Well everytime I have this feeling my heart goes crazy. This is everyday. The docs say that 6 early beats a min is normal but at hospital one night (and this was actually a mild night) they recorded at least 12 a min and my BP was 164/114. I have noticed that eating definetly brings all of this on.
If I had to say how I feel I would describe it as this: I feel as tho my stomach is retaining food and is swelling and it causes pressure on the artery that runs by the stomach which in turn causes the heart irregularities.
Everyone acts like the stomach and the heart is not related but I know how I feel.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am 28 yr male,,i take atenolol 25 mg, now taking it every other day, dr trying it..was on everyday..i have strong pulsations in my neck and abdomen..i feel them all time..can see them..its wierd..im not skinny, in which i understandthey feel it more in abdomen..i am 5-7 182..did do a ultrasound in january and was okay..i just feel something isnt right,,started noticing this after i got pneumonia 2 yrs ago
thanks
any help send me
***@****
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am a 37 year old female. about 18 months ago I was short of breath, had palpitations, chest pain and a sore throat.
My GP did thryroid blood test(I have a multinodular thyroid), EKG and Holter monitor test.
Thyroid hormones were in normal range, EKG showed something and 24 hour holter monitor showed sinus arrhythmia with frequent isolated PAC's (2.5% of total heart beats). my doctor put me on 50-100 mg Atelonol. I did not help at all. the throat and chest and back pain is still there. I dont have those "thumps" anymore, but my heart is quivering all the time. I can feel something like a electicity stream in my heart all the time.

I saw a cardiologist a few days ago. A new EKG showed nothing. He recommended an echocardogram and a thalium stress test in his office. but it costs about 3000 dollars and since I a have a PPO insurance, I think they will not pay for these tests.

The chest discomfort and throat pain dont let me to live a normal life.

I appreciate any advice.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I would say Yes to what you are describing within the limits of description.   -----   When the misfiring is occuring it often seems to be most noticeable at the bottom of the sternum and sometimes downard into the abdoment area.  And, Yes it is sometimes prompted by eating -- or stress.    Are you, too, experiencing something similar?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I want to ask a couple of questions. Is your feeling kind of in your mid section? Just below the rib opening to just above your belly button? Does it seem like your having skipped beats? Can you feel these mis beats in your chest and midsection at same time? Does eating seem to have something to do with it most of the time? Will this come on for a few days and then leave for a couple of weeks or so and then come back for no apparent reason? Does motion of your midsection make your heart skip beats?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am a 33-year-old man with PVC/PAC symptoms similar to the ones that you describe.

Strangely, I primarily experience the symptoms during the first mile of my daily jog, especially when I exercise after work.  The sensation feels like a "ripple" or a wave that runs from my sternum into my neck.  The feeling is not painful, per se, but is very noticeable and peculiar.  The palps usually subside fairly rapidly, but are unsettling nonetheless.

Like you, I've often wondered if any other folks experience a similar sensation and when, e.g., activity-wise, the palps occur.

Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes -- I think I will have to talk with my Dr. re a Holter monitor.  Up till now, my approach to the irregularities has been "this, too, will pass."   But -- this recent episode seems to be stubborn.

Thanks, Pluto, for your comments.  I can see how that might fit in with my sensation.  Because I am in wheelchair (due to leg paralysis from Polio when teenager), I think I put prolonged pressure on that part of my body -- between sternum and navel -- and I even wonder if perhaps that puts some cramping on the diaphragm or solar plexus.

Just a note -- There is something very disturbing about how the arrythmia creeps back in after going for hours with no problem
At 7am, I took 25mg Atenolol and within an hour or so, I was free of irregular beats.  Now -- shortly after a small lunch at 1:30pm, there is some misfiring going on.  It is disconcerting to feel those first small slips after going for a while in normal mode.  I have now taken 1/2 of 25mg tablet to see what effect it will have.  For most of people posting on this board, there seems to be an ongoing process of trying to find what works to alleviate the problem.

This Forum reveals that there are many of us in this boat.  There is consolation in that.
Helpful - 0
239757 tn?1213809582
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
arcee,

I would look into finding out exactly what the episodes are. Holter monitoring or event monitoring would be helpful.

Without knowing what the episodes are its impossible to say what the symptoms are.

good luck
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Forum

Popular Resources
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.