Heart Sometimes Feels "Sluggish"

[anacyde]

Just wondering if anyone else experiences this sensation.

Sometimes my heart rate will feel "sluggish", like it wants to beat faster and can't...almost like it's pushing against something that's holding it back.  For example, it can be on the treadmill with a heart rate of 90-110 while walking briskly at a 5% incline, when usually it's around 150-160 during a workout.  It comes and goes and doesn't happen often.  Prevents the SVT though!  *eyeroll*

It's akin to the feeling of getting a big adrenaline rush and instead of super fast your heart just beats kind of slow and super hard.  During these I don't feel a hard heartbeat, just a slow one with a pressure in my chest sometimes (very mild, not painful).  I suspect it's related to vagal tone but I wanted to throw it out there and see what you all thought.

My gazillion tests are normal (EKG, echo, Cardiolite, 3 Holters and a partridge in a pear tree).

[nic612]

I get this - a lot, it seems to triggered by stress and alcohol, and if I forget my thyroid tablet, I was worried it could be he first sign of heart failure or sick sinus syndrome because if I push myself really hard when I’m experiencing this my heart sometimes goes nuts, hard irregular beats, skipping multiple beats and coming back with a thump so hard my chest hurt after,  I also wondered if it was a problem with my adrenal gland because it feels like my body isn’t getting enough adrenaline when it happens.  I get really body tired when it happens, do you get tired when it happens?

[ainulindale]

"It's akin to the feeling of getting a big adrenaline rush and instead of super fast your heart just beats kind of slow and super hard."  I get this all the time.  My heart is healthy and normal.  It seems to be a response to too much adrenaline.  I've been told that I'm simply sensitive to adrenaline.  Also, I'm mildly hypoglycemic and these palpitations seem to occur more frequently when I'm very fatigued and my blood sugar is low.  

[finetilthree]

I agree totally with your comment to surfgirl.  Seems as though most of her comments are like that.  So glad she joined are friendly group on the forum -*eyeroll*!!

[anacyde]

A couple of times I've felt what tanns describes...like my heart rate should be higer than it gets.  At those times, like immediately after standing up and taking a few steps, or after being startled...I know my heart rate should be near or over 100...and it's 50-60 and just beating hard.  Likewise, those times on the treadmill where my pulse seems "stuck" and my heart feels bogged down.

MomtoCandA, lol, I'm with you on the trying not to yell thing.  Like I said, I suspect it probably is vagal so it's good to hear that thought echoed in something you have been told.

And surfgirl, I did not ask for anyone to assess my mental health, I simply asked if anyone else experienced these symptoms.  A simple question does not constitute dewlling or obsession.  Perhaps your psychological advice would serve better over on the behavioral health forums.  Give it a try.

[MomtoCandA]

I have the same thing sometimes, it seems to happen more often when I am in better shape.  I also notice it when I am inadvertently holding my breath, like when I am trying not to yell at my kids :-).  Or after sneezing.  It seems to come and go, my PCP thought it was probably vagal and said not to worry about it unless I started passing out or feeling like I was going to, which I never have.  I try not to stress over it, but if I am already stressing about the PVC's, it is hard not to!

[tanns]

I don't agree with the above post.  When you become hyper aware of what your heart is doing, it is not simply mind over matter.  I have only been dealing with this for 20 or so months.  I feel everything and sometimes it's nothing as an event monitor recorded NO cardiac abnormalities during some of these times.  That being said, I have felt my heart feel "sluggish", I call it "bogging down".  I will get up and move around and it will be still in the 60-70 range when it should be much higher.  Sometimes when I'm out walking, it will stay in the 70's.  That kind of freaks me out because I know it should be higher.  On the other hand, I've gotten up to grab the phone and felt my heart pounding like crazy and going way faster than it should for the activity.  That freaks me out too.  

I am on day 4 of NOT checking my pulse compulsively.  Yea me!!

I hope you are doing well.