Palpitations

[Frederik]

It's been 4 years since my palpitations started, and the biggest challenge seems to be learning how to live with them. I've had it all, Holters, EKG's, stress tests, nothing to be found. I was only 17 when it started and I must say I had to overcome serious depressions. It just doesn't feel right at my age to be tired all the time. And that's what I am. I used to be full of energy but now everything seems so hard to do. I also got aware my heart beats all the time. And from time to time I keep having periods of PVC's which don't scare me, but I don't want them... My biggest problem was doktors told me "Hey, you're fine, go home and enjoy life...", but why must I have all those palps. I watch my friends go out all night, doing stuff, and I'm always tired...

I'm not only posting this because I wanted to say that, I do have some questions that bother me :

1) My heartrate seems to be always slow, like 50 beats a minute. I don't practice sports. Is this normal? When I do practice some sports, while doing it, my heartrate seems to be not very high, about 140-150, but when I quit, it happens a lot my heart continuously beats around 100-110, sometimes more than an hour...

2) Could stress affect your blood-pressure? A lot of the times, when I stand up, or when I'm getting a rush of adrenaline, or something scared me, or I had to speak very loud, my heart seems to slow down after this, but beating very hard, and I feel a pressure on my chest. After a while the rate goes up and I feel relieved.

Thanks for your patience,
Frederik, Belgium

[sfkid85]

A related discussion, i am very fatigued all the time (especially compared to what i used to be) was started.

[Hughes]

Hi there,
I have suffered from Palpatations on and off for about ten years. Usually with an awarness of the heart beating all of the time..then I go through stages of it being fine and I think it has all gone away (I could conquer the world then)
I was just starting to feel better until Saturrday ...my sister died in front of my mother and father in a matter of seconds....she had previously had a haert attack (7 years ago) and became breathless and ill (she couldnt walk far at all (only 47 years old)
Now my paplps are back and I keep thinking I am going to drop dead too....this sounds so selfish...I am absolutly heartbroken loosing my sister but terrified I too will die....I know she was ill and I am not but I just need reasurrance...I just hate thinking about my heart all the time...if I forget I dont get them as much....what is it and why???? Get them mostly when I have eaten!! Just read something about the Vegas nerve doing this..also that magnesium can help....the only thing that keep me going is the fact I had these before and was house bound...then they went for around 4 years and have been back for around 2 years on and off!!!
When I relax and forget and they go (Just the feeling of it beating wether slow of fast)

[cuaco]

I am 4o now but I have had the sme symptoms as you, mine first appeared when Iwas 26 and I am still here!  My palpitations are in the main due to anxiety, although other things can trigger them off, a few glasses of wine, cigarette smoke, tiredness etc.  One thing I have discovered is that chemically stress levels remain high in the body for ages after the acutely stressful event has passed, and even though I mentally think I am calm, my palpitations can go on for weeks after my panic attack periods before they subside.  6 months ago I had a very bad year with the palpitations, I let the fear get hold of me and became a recluse like you, I was getting about 4000 attacks of these things per 24 hrs and thought death was a surety, but it wasn't!  I have since decided to carry on as normal through them and have found that by absorbing myself in a hobby and ohter activites I began to reactless acutely when they came, so the spiral of fear/palp, palp/fear wound down and I rarely have any today, and if I do, I able ignore them! Goog luck and best wishes.

[dippy]

I to have been getting palpitations and they are seriousley freaking me out, i am sorry i cant be of much help to you, i have been trying to post a message here for about 3 mnths but it keeps saying reached the daily limit.  

I have been getting fluttering in my heart for about 6 months, i am a sufferer of anxiety, my blood pressure is fine, my heart rate is always in its 80's unless i been doing alot of exercise, i am overweight, i do smoke, i am 23 yr old female with 1 child who is 5, i have had an ekg done, it was on for a matter of about 1 minute  then i was just sent home with valium? but i am still getting heart flutters followed by dizzyness and panick, and its freaking me out, the doctor said to me there is no need for any more tests its all anxiety? there is heart disease in my family (my mothers side/nan has had heart attacks), I can not go to see another docotor because they always tell me to come back to see the doctor who is treating me for mental health (i am in the uk/nhs).  They start out of no where, i can be sat down then it can start for a few seconds then stop then start again etc etc .. i can not go out anywhere because i am worried it will happen when i am out, i am completely housebound now.. :-(

any advice/help anyone know what could be wrong?

thankyou

[schlubby]

My problem is I don't know if it is palpitations.  sometimes while, relax or sleeping, I get this feeling like my pulse jumps a beat and suddenly I feel faint.  I've had ecg and ekg and physical but the doctors said that I'm fine.  

How could I be fine if there is this one beat that I feel like is missing or that my heart will stop beating.  Maybe my fear is about dying but I don't have panic attacks or anything.

[pandora9048]

hi,
  i get that same exact feeling when i stand suddenly or raise my voice too, like my heart is beating really hard and slow.

[mrbh]

I have also been down this road and it is not pleasant. I'm 48 and been plagued by PVC's, sinus tachycardia, extreme panic disorder for years, and a few bouts of afib or SVT in the ER that will stay burned into my memory forever. Never so scared in my entire life.

Many doctors today are more interested in handing you a bill than treating your condition. Change doctors until you find someone who will listen to you and address your issues properly. I can't speak for or against ablation because I have no experience with it.


I'm like you now. Can't do anything because my pulse is all over the place. Given up all my favorite activities and seldom leave the house. Fear is totally controlling my life. Don't let it happen to you.

[a_n_g]

hi I just want to say that don't give in until your doctor does something about it,I got SVT when i was 14 and all they kept doing was putting me on different medication so finally I done it all myself I asked to get referred to a specialist and told them that nothing was working and I have had enough of it so finally 6 years later I had EP studies plus Ablation. So just don't give in until you get what you need!!

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

Frederik,

Thanks for the post.  Always nice to see international interest.

Somatic complaints, such as pain or palpitations, frequently accompany depression.  Often, when the depression is gone, the other symptoms lessen or go away entirely.  The combination of fatigue and palpitations, along with an otherwise normal cardiac exam, should prompt a search for depression.

Q:"My heartrate seems to be always slow, like 50 beats a minute. I don't practice sports. Is this normal? When I do practice some sports, while doing it, my heartrate seems to be not very high, about 140-150, but when I quit, it happens a lot my heart continuously beats around 100-110, sometimes more than an hour"

What you describe is consistent with what many healthy experience during their day to day activities.  An ill person could also describe these findings -- the point is that the pattern is not specific for any particular physiologic state.

Q:"Could stress affect your blood-pressure? A lot of the times, when I stand up, or when I'm getting a rush of adrenaline, or something scared me, or I had to speak very loud, my heart seems to slow down after this, but beating very hard, and I feel a pressure on my chest. After a while the rate goes up and I feel relieved."

Yes, many persons experience this same sensation during anxiety-provoking activities.

Best of luck.