Extra beats, tingling

[robsch]

Hi everyone, been browsing the forums here and it seems like everyone is very supportive and helpful - thought I'd enter the ring.

About a month ago, I was on a fairly stressful trip across country. At that time, I started to get heart palpitations, which felt like a flutter in my chest. I believe they were extra beats. This was accompanied of course by chest pains, but it's hard to tell now which preceded which. The chest pains would move from the center of my back to the center of my chest, and primarily to the left side, from my shoulder to the bottom of my ribcage.

I went to the ER, and the ECG caught an extra beat while I was there. The ER indicated that my heart was a normal size and had good rhythm, and they thought it may just be anxiety. They recommended me to a cardiologist, but due to my insurance I've been having some trouble getting tests approved. They have recommended an echo and a Holter monitor.  

For a couple weeks, symptoms would come and go, sometimes mutually, sometimes exclusively. For the past two weeks however, they've settled into a general pattern: many palpitations in the morning, worse upon any kind of movement, including breathing deeply. They are alleviated a bit by eating, and pretty much gone by the end of the day. I also exercise 30-40 minutes a day, and they all but disappear after that. They do not seem to be exacerbated by exercise.

I'm a generally healthy male, 25, pretty fit. I've cut out coffee almost completely and have stopped smoking (was having a few a week), cut back on drinking, but to no effect as of yet.

Recently, I've developed a tingling feeling in my extremities, particularly my right leg and left hand. It's worse when I'm sitting, and I do a lot of that since I work with a computer all day. Possibly unrelated, but I've never had this symptom until after the extra beats started.

Has anyone else experienced this suite of symptoms, and/or been diagnosed based on similar experiences? Given the state of HMO insurance, I'm very interested in pursuing alternative treatments if possible.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for any insight you can offer!

Rob

[robsch]

Robin, thanks for the input. Did your doctor prescribe anything for this, like a beta-blocker? I find that Atenolol greatly reduces the number of palpitations I get.

[RobinLW]

I went through something like that and still do most of the time. I was diagnosed with Mitral Valve Prolapse.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Mitral Valve Prolapse?

The majority of people with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) aren’t affected by the condition because they don’t have any symptoms or significant mitral valve regurgitation. Among those who do have symptoms, heart palpitations (strong or rapid heartbeats) are reported most often. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, cough, dizziness, fatigue (tiredness), anxiety, migraine headaches, and chest discomfort. Symptoms can vary widely from one person to another. They tend to be mild but can worsen over time, mainly when there are complications of MVP.