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Fast Heart Rate After Eating

I'm a relatively healthy 25yo male, however for sometime now I've noticed that my heartrate increases to 100-120bpm after eating lunch. Is that normal? My resting pulse is ~70-80bpm.

I only seem to notice it at lunchtime too, and I've tried changing what I eat and avoiding caffeine etc.

The only health problem I've had recently is a couple of primary spontaneous pneumothoraces over the last few years.

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Avatar universal
Hello,  I found this site awhile ago when I was constantly having rapid heart rate after eating.  I was going absolutely crazy until I finally figured out what was going on with me and I wanted to share my experience and hope that it might be helpful to others.  About 6 months ago I had Aspartame poisoning.  I was so sick it was ridiculous. I had major anxiety, migranes, fatigue, pains everywhere, blurred vision, rapid heart rate, palpitations, sleeping for weeks at at time.. the list goes on.  I went to the doctors several times and they could not find anything wrong with me.  After researching the internet by typing in all my symptoms on Google,  I found hundreds of websites regarding aspartame poisoning and I thought oh my God! That's it! I knew I'd finally found out what was wrong with me. I've been drinking Diet Coke for about 15 years but when I stopped drinking diet sodas cutting out everything with aspartame in it I started getting better immediately (although it took about 2  months to  be almost symptom free).  I was really careful what I ate .. mostly fresh or whole foods. I hadn't had  tachyardia (rapid heart rate) during that time.  Then I started eating processed foods again... Once again I started having rapid heart rate after eating.  Well I did some more research and the culprit was MSG.  Monosodium Glutamate. Because of the Aspartame nightmare I was going through, I became extra sensitive to MSG.  The reason was because Aspartame and MSG are almost identical. I did more research and found out that MSG is not just in Chinese foods but in TONS of stuff,  from salad dressings to chips, soups, fast food and regular restaurants, and on and on...  The best thing is to go online and do your own research to make sure your not getting MSG in your food, if, in case this is the problem.  It's hidden under different names so I carry a list around with me to make sure I'm not eating MSG in one form or another..  I can always tell if I've eaten anything with MSG because my heart will start pounding almost immediately after I've eaten. So basically the Aspartame AND the MSG screwed me up. Maybe someday I won't be so sensitive to it but for now I just stay away from all that stuff. It's probabaly a good thing anyway.  I'm not having any palpitations or rapid heart rate and for that I'm greatful because I know how scary it is to go through this and not have ANY idea why.   Anyway, I know some of you may have something more serious going on, but I wanted to share my story in case it may help even one person.  Take Care all
Helpful - 5
Avatar universal
Oh, m god you made me laugh sooooo hard because I feel the same way!  I dont run but eating food does the same darn thing.  Ive been going through this for years and I literally do feel like I'm cookoo.
In all seriousness though, I have started devolping MAJOR anxieties about eating, I barely eat out anymore and even though Im a healthy weight, I get accused of having an eating disorder!  Its so bloody frustrating.  Good luck on finding out whats up,,,,pls let me know.
Helpful - 3
74076 tn?1189755832
Hi Andy,

Interesting question.  It is probably worth looking into this with a holter monitor (24-48 hours) and perhaps an event monitor if the holtor doesn't capture the events.  Eating can cause some forms of tachycardia -- AVNRT, a. fib, etc.  This is a relatively slow heart rate for most concerning supraventricular tachycardias.  Nonetheless, it is worth investigating.

Let us know what you find and I hope this helps.
Helpful - 3
Avatar universal
Again, another WOW!!  I'm a registered nurse, and I thought that *I* was the only one going through this.  I seem to go in cycles, and I think for me this tends to happen when my weight is up--it *appears* to be weight related but I could be wrong.  Someone above said that leaning forward quickly tends to trigger episodes of tachycardia--I have to say that I suffer with PVC's and if I lean forward too fast it can trigger a round of PVC's for me as well (no tachy).  I have had "runs" of PVC's (bi and tri-geminy where the PVC's tend to come in clusters of 2 or 3).  Stress appears to play a large part in these episodes, but I find that I can go weeks without a single PVC and then for *some* reason they trigger and I have them for weeks at a time and it's miserable.  

In the early fall of '04 I went to the ER because they (PVC's) were coming so close together.  They sent me home and attributed them to my working 7p - 7a and the stress of my job (oncology nurse).  They originally started in my early 30's then went away and I only had them sporadically (maybe 1 -2 every 6 mos or so that I was aware of).  WHen I started working nights they started again with a vengeance.  I have been off nights now for eight months but I still get them on a regular basis. Anyone find anything that helps you to cope when you have PVC's?  I try to ignore them and don't want to take anti-anxiety meds, but sometimes it's all I can do to keep my sanity.

The post-meal tachycardia along with my heart beating hard and some shortness of breath (I think more anxiety related) just started up again a few weeks ago.  Does anyone find this to be weight related?  Like someone said above, it makes you feel like you don't want to eat anything.

Thanks
Kris
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Avatar universal
jdm
I suffer the same problem with pulse rate elevation after every meal that continues several hours.  The higher heart rate after meals becomes my base rate and exercise will produce a higher rate than without a recent meal. I am 55 years old and first noticed this about 10 years ago.  Also, about 20 years ago I began having elevated heartrate following exercise.  They cannot find anything "wrong" that explains this.  They say it is supra ventricular and not dangerous.  Slight insufficiency in my aortic and pulmonary valves was found about 10 years ago that is not , so far, progressive.  I was very active aerobically from age 22 until about 38 when I became pretty sedentary due to pulse rates as high as 125-135 for literally hours following normal and reasonable exercise.  I take 1/4 of a 25 mg attenolol 4 times a day.  This results in a pulse rate of mid to high 70's following meals...in other words...a normal slight increase due to metabolic level increasing etc.  I am very sensitive to the side effects of the beta blocker.  I can exercise VERY moderately without elevated heart rate.  I have to be careful not to combine food and exercise to avoid elevated rates.  The doctors are and have been very dismissive of my problem all these years.  They say that even 110 pulse is not dangerous and barely tachycardia.  The problem is that I cannot take it psychologically and developed a severe anxiety condition over the years.  I consider beta blockers like attenolol a necessary evil.  I hate the side effects but hate the tachycardia more.  
Good luck with your condition.  Get it checked out NOW and be aware that you could develop an anxiety condition that could be truly damaging to your quality of life.  ps.  I also became much more sensitive to caffeine and it's gone from my diet.  Alcohol also began to cause significant elevation of my pulse rate so about 10 years ago stopped even my very moderate consumption of alcohol.
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Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Yea ive been dealing with the same problem but i think mine may be comn from a couple of deff problems,i first started feeln the elevated rate after meals early 20s im 29 now,i was a pain killer addict so all the tylanol may have messed my stomach up, i have sever anxiety because of this problem and all the docs ive seen thinks its because of anxiety and im like NOOO im not nervous bout anything until my heart rate goes up and i feel like crud after i eat,so other docs believe it may gasteritis which is caused by multiple things (look it up)ive been dealing with this for years im currently on methadone for my addiction it seem like since ive been on it my problem slowly got worse i feel like sometimes im decaying,but i just try to stay positive that i will get better one day and focus on gettn of methadone (not the way togo)GODBLESS AND GODLOVE
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A related discussion, High Pulse was started.
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Avatar universal
Jesus Christ!  I'm 38 and run 2 miles every day and have this heart problem or is it a head problem, dont know yet.  right after I eat, usually something like a sandwich or a subway wrap my heart will skip beats and also increase in beats, this goes on for about 20 minutes then it goes away.  I had an angiogram about a year ago and the doctor said my heart looks great, that eased my mind for about 6 months now its happening again.  I think its a combination of medibolic and anxiety, I'm going to go for more of a protien type diet and very low carbs and see if that helps, if not I'm going back to my cardiologist, and if that doesn't work I may have to check myself into a mental institution.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
ME 2!!!  Oh man, and here I thought I was suffering all by my self! My ticker beats fast and I feel like crud after eating some foods, like anything that has lots of sugar or caffeen in it. It even happened with water if you can believe that! I think it was the chemicals in the water purifier. So I can relate to what your saying. It got to the point where I didn't even want to eat for fear my heart would beat right out of my chest and I would get really dizzy and feel like I was going to pass out.

I have recently been diagnosed with A-Fib problems and put on Atenolol. Seems to help a lot! I was sitting in front of the boob-tube last year watching survivor and eating a bowl of Strawberry Ice Cream when my ticker started beating out of control. I said to my honey that we needed to get to the hospital cuz something wasn't right. Had to be Cardiovergeged?Spelling.....that wasn't fun! :o( Boy-I'm sure glad I found this site~ I don't feel so alone....I think my husband thought I was nuts or just a hypo.  hee hee :o) I just deal the best I can and stay away from the things that make me feel bad and make my ticker freak out. Good luck to ya....your not alone! :o)
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Avatar universal
OMG I thought I was the only one who had this problem after most meals! I was diagnosed with supra ventricular in 1992, and have been on a calcium channel blocker since then. For the last few months, my heart has been beating hard after eating almost anything...I can eat salads, grilled cheese, and fruits, and that's about it. Hubby thinks i'm losing my mind! LOL Any suggestions are most welcomed!
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Avatar universal
Fatigue is my #1 contributor to pvc's, also caffeine and stress.  Sleep deprivation is the worst, though.

Re: fast heart rates, I jump into brief runs of SVT sometimes when I quickly lean over forwards...anyone have an explanation?  It scares the *&%* out of me every time and leaves me shaken.  

Thanks,
Jennifer
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Re: the beta blockers - I'm also curious, AndyPandy, what your "good" beta blocker is.  And, I'm curious, JDM, in what ways you struggle w/ beta blockers.  I've been taken off Toprol because of horrible nightmares and night-terrors every night, and am now on Nadalol, which is maybe 10% better - very very bad and vivid dreams but fewer true nightmares and so far no night-terrors (waking up screaming my bloody head off!).  They do seem to help me not get PVC's and PAC's as much, but I still get short bursts of tachycardia, and I don't think it's much slower than prior to beta-blockers...event monitor caught 2 runs both above 200 bpm WHILE ON the beta blockers!  I take them for what may be afib.
Jennifer
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Avatar universal
I use to have thr rapid rate after eating but it was worse when I stood up. As long as I sat it wasn't quite as bad.I took Lopressor for awhile and it did help with that but when I would get the tach it was worse and longer with alot of sweating.I quit taking them when I was pregnant.A couple of years later I finally let the Dr. talk me into taking Prozac(I have a fear of medicines side effects)which helped. I don't take nothing now but have pvc's!Alot of them!It is always something and it has always managed to somewhat cripple my life.I think if a Dr. experienced these things they wouldn't dismiss it so fast. Maybe they are not dangerous but they always leave you wondering why!I eliminate things from my diet looking for a culprit.Have any of you found anything that you think adds to your heart ailments?
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Avatar universal
I've been having this problem too for a couple weeks. But I had like 4 cups of apple juice before and with my meal and the problem was almost nonexistent. So I'm thinking maybe it could have something to do with potassium, because I have had problems with that before. Let me know if it helps at all.  
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Avatar universal
I've been having this problem too for a couple weeks. But I had like 4 cups of apple juice before and with my meal and the problem was almost nonexistent. So I'm thinking maybe it could have something to do with potassium, because I have had problems with that before. Let me know if it helps at all.  
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A related discussion, Rapid heart rate after eating was started.
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I'm also suffering with simalar problems to this. I'm a 30 yr old male who smokes about 10 cigarettes a week and drinks red wine. I have suffered with anxiety in the past. I have mild pains in my chest that come and go this also radiates towards my left arm. I do belch quite a lot, and feel indegestive pains. I suffer with palpitations all the time and some times itch all over. I'm sure its anxiety based as financial, work and family strains do take there toll. But my advice to anyone is do more excersize as it really helps me. However if there are any medical experts on here who feel that my symptoms may be more serious than I suspect please comment. In the mean time I'm going to man up a bit and try to enjoy my life.
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Avatar universal
I'm 26 years old and have a serious anxiety disorder. Its like every week I have a different symptom then the week before. In the past week it just started where after I eat my heart feels like its pouning out of my chest, and if I stand up its worst. I also seem to be belching a lot more and have gassie type pains. Does anyone else have this?? Do you think this could just be from my anxiety because I worry about EVERYTHING?? I have ekgs blood work chest xrays and when I was younger I had sonograms of my heart, they never find anything wrong and my blood pressure only gets high when having an anxiety attack. Its just very frustrating because when I go to the doctor and tell him these things I almost feel like he's laughing @ me like I'm stupid or imagining it. Does anyone have any advice?after I eat my heart rate goes between 90 and 110... I've had my heart rate go much faster when having a panic attack but this is seriously annoying and makes me not wanna eat @ all. ADVICE please!!!!
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A related discussion, suger was started.
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A related discussion, Why do doctors not take this serious? was started.
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A related discussion, does any one have the same problem ? was started.
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A related discussion, Palpition, indigestion, and collapse. was started.
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