Palpitations

[Carrie41]

I have posted once before but I have one more question.  Got my results back from my Holter last week.  It showed one ventricular eptoic and seven superventricular eptoics.  The doctor said that if she was hooked up the holter she would show the same thing.  Very common she said.  I didn't feel one of these though?  My problem is when I feel them.  It was just typical that I didn't feel get any "big" ones that day.

1.  They come I would say between 5 to 10 times a day and they feel like a flutter or a couple of skips and then a hard bang.  I sometimes get these every ten beats or so.  Is that a bad thing?  This can go on for an hour or so the odd time.  Scarey to say the least!  

2.  My doctor also put my an Lexapro to handle my anxiety over these things.  She said that possibly the Lexapro may even help stop the PVC's?  What do you think of that?  Is it true that your head can make you have PVC's from constantly thinking about your heart?

If I have had a full work up on my heart and they say "it is fine" should I just stop my worrying about it??  How can a person stop worrying about it thought when it is constantly doing weird things?  I can only describe the feeling like when an elevator is dropping.  It is so strange!  Cardiologist and EP gave me a clean bill saying "structurally normal heart" - don't sweat it.  Are they just trying to pacify me or what?  They say everyone gets them but I find it so hard to believe.  I know a few people that say they feel their heart doing some flopping "sometimes" but nobody feels it as much as I do.

[Forum-M.D.-bkj]

Carrie,

Thanks for the post.

1) If you didnt catch your true symptoms on the monitor more extended monitoring with an event monitor may be helpful.

2) Lexapro itself will not stop the palpitations unless they are sue to the anxiety.  There are a lot of people in the forum in your same boat. I would look through their post and maybe draw some strength or relief the way they have adjusted.  There may also be some great tips of how others have dealt with thier same fears.

This is a common problem. If you've had a thourough workup, looking into healthy ways of dealing with the anxiety is important.

good luck

[Carrie41]

Forgot to say one other thing.  They also said I got an occurance of a "couplet" of superventricular etopic beats.  Is that a bad thing?  I have heard to much about double beats etc being bad?

[micag123]

Hi,

I had a holter monitor just done because I was having heart flutters that were feeling like palpitations. My reg Dr ordered the monitor. When the results came back, they did not even acknowledge the PVCs. They did say that they saw them, but referred me right away to a cardiologist because they saw my BPM drop to as low as 38 while I slept. I am not athletic, but I do walk all the time. I could definitely afford to lose weight. I have anxiety and panic attacks, so needless to say this is not the best news for someone like me. I also have always had very low blood pressure 106/56 average.

I hope everything works out for you.

Mica

[sb786]

my heart rate has also dropped that low when i sleep, my resting heart rate is usually low about 55-60bpm and my bp is 100/60 but can get lower but my cardiologist says thats fine and indicates a healthy heart. What did your cardiologist say about the low heart rate at night?

[micag123]

I have not seen him yet. My reg doctor saw the results and referred me. I have no shortness of breath or fatigue. I kind of feel worried, and read somewhere about a pace maker for this and I am 39 and do not think I need that. The look of my Dr's face was very frightening. She said that seemed very low and if I was elderly she would really be concerned.

I think that she is not specialized in this, she saw the results saying something that ws not normal and has to refer me regardless.

Mica

[myowncrazybeat]

My heart rate dropped to around 44 bpm during a 30 day loop monitor.  I woke up short of breath and pushed the recorder so it was caught.  My cardio wasn't the least bit worried about it.  I know one of the concerns, when your bpm drop so low, is the brain and other vital organs won't get enough blood to nourish them.  You are prone to passing out and such things.  I also had the documented pvc's, pac's, atrial runs and some couplets.  No one was the least bit concerned.  I use to be very physically active, now I spend my time chasing my children around... does that count?  :)  I get very little rest and do have some anxiety, mostly over the irregular heartbeats and how that makes me physically feel(I have had a-fib twice).  Wonder if our hearts drop that low because when we rest, our bodies go into a very deep sleep?  Thought you might feel better knowing someone else out here had a low bpm, low resting heart rate and loooooowwwwww blood pressure... and docs aren't concerned at this time.  They say my heart is healthy and the low bp and pulse will help me live forever.  I feel like I die 20 times a day.  I'm a big chicken.  Prayers are with you!!!

[sb786]

you sound like me after i saw my 24 hr holter results!! My heart rate during sleeping was very low it varied between 60-37 bpm. i am not very athletic but i am very thin and petite. I also noticed that the results showed i had a PAUSE in my heart beat as i slept!! I called my doc and she told me to arrange an appointment with my cardiologist!! i was so scared (my doc scared me even more)!! I was convinced that i would need a pace maker, in fact i researched so much on the internet and i diagnosed myself with Sick Sinus Syndrome!! its a disease which means that your natural pace maker doesn't work properly and you have bouts of fast and too slow heart beats and you also get extra beats and pauses .... I remeber bursting into my cardiologists office and telling him i had sick sinus syndrome. He then calmed me down and told me he actually specialised in that disease and there was no chance i had it! He told me that my slow heart rate at night was perfectly healthy

[micag123]

Thanks so much for the replies. Sorry Carrie if I took over your thread. :) I am sure they will say it is normal. I  just need to hear it. The only good thing is if I am gonna go, I can't hope for any better place then in my sleep. :)

Mica

[azqtpies]

Hi I an mew to this forum.. I too have had palpitations for several years... I had a echo and ekgs 4 years ago and everything was fine, but I didnt have this many flutters.. etck Feels like my heart is doing a flip flop and scares the daylight out of me I feel like I am going to kill over any minutes. I have told my doctors  this for the past 3 years and they do nothing about it, they say if I am not passing out then not to worry. I am so glad to hear that others experince these and have had work ups and are fine.. not that I am glad any of you have these. Thank you for sharing yor stories, I hope I can get them to listen to me. I would feel much better if I truly knew these werent going to kill me. any advice ?? Thanks

K~

[PaladinX]

   I get something weird too. I have had an ekg and 24 hour holter monitor and everything is ok. But i didnt feel it really on the monitor.  I get a weird sensation in the chest.  Not a pain. but a muscle type feeling. or gas type feeling.  Then there is a pause and a hard heartbeat after that.  I havent gotten one in like 2 or 3 months. but just got one today and my mind is back on it :-\

   if you get an echocardiogram that shows your heart structure is ok.  Is that a good piece of info?  

I am 26 years old.

[heart sick]

Hi, everyone and anyone I am new to this. I visited this web site last week and there was someone on here that highly recommened a book to help deal with pvc's and anxiety I think the author's name was somthing like weeks or meeks I dont remember. When I got back on and tried to find it it was gone. some people said it had helped to change their life. That is somthing i need help with, does anyone know? Here is a little background, Iam a 48 year old female, I have had sinus tachycardia since I was 18.  Ihave been able to control it pretty good with meds off and on over the years.  for many years I let it beat fast because I was sick of the side effects from meds. But as I age it gets worse and I have to be on my meds I currently take lopressor it has worked fine for my tach and pvcs for the last three years then around Christmas it felt like the meds werent really working now I am having 100's of pvc's , flutterings what ever they are called a day. It is the worst feeling, very, very scary. The DR put me on two new meds but I am afraid to take them because the side effects listed are terrifying, like heart failure. What does that mean yout take a drug to get better but your heart stops? I recently went to urgent care for chest pain, Sharp, stabbing chest pain. they told me I had costochondritis. What the heck does everything have to happen on the left side so you think eveerything is heart related? All I know is this causes me great anxiety, sleepless nights, because I fear dying in my sleep. I think about my heart all day and all night there has got to be a beeter way to live.. Any suggestions are greatly appriciated. Please share with me how to get through each day without living in fear od dying.. Thank you for your help

[azqtpies]

I too have these flutters, skipped beats what ever you call  them I too now how you feel they are so very frightening.. I too live almost all day thinking and checking my heart rate... I dont tell anyone because it seems when I recoginze them it gets worst.. I get them almost everytime I eat so I get afraid to eat just because I dont want to feel them.. I hate this and my doc dont do anything about it!  Yes I too feel when I have them that I am going to kill over any minute..  I wish someone could tell us why these  happen. I am afraid to work out now.. I take lopressor for anxiety and a rapid heart rate but they dont seem to do anything for the skipping! I am sorry you have these too =(
God I hope they could find something to make this stop doing this! So I dont know what to tell you to get thru your  day but know that there is  others that suffer from this to so your not alone =)

Kelly

[Pepperliveson]

Hi The book is "Hope and Help for your nerves" by Dr. Claire Weekes.  Anything by Dr. Weekes is helpful.

[shelly55]

I just found this site, I also am having severe palpitations and was recently hospitallized overnight for observation, had a complete stress test said I was ok but what causes this to happen? they couldnt tell me, my mom had 2 heart attacks and passed away, Iam 39 and scared to death! I recently came down with flu symptoms vomiting and diarehha and the heart problems increased, I dont wont to run back to ER they said I was ok but does anyone know of a site I can look for symptoms of flu like symptoms and palpitations? thanks

[heart sick]

Thanks guys I guess the saying is true misery loves company, in some wierd way it helps to know others are as scared as you are. Thank you for the author and title of the book I am going to buy it at this point in time I need all the help I can get. I do have a wierd question how many people suffer from the skips, flutters and bangs of the heart while you are trying to be intimate? To the point where you have to stop because they are coming so fast and furiouse? I have been married 30 year this April and it is really ruining intamacy with my husband. He tries to understand but unles you suffer from them you dont know. Please help.

[azqtpies]

I have had them in the past during intercourse.. but very mild ones.. thankfully I just dont say anything.. after words I will get them sometimes beacuse ofthe increase in my heart rate!

[jcheezer]

I too am new to this website but have found it to be very reassuring at times. I am a 46 year old female who has been suffering from pvc's and pac's for about 3 years. Only in the past 6 months have they gotten much worse. I can totally understand where you are coming from. I find them to be disabling at times. I too am consumed with dying. I have yet to find anything to make them go away and would sure appreciate any ideas. I have had a stress test, echo test, mibbi test and 4 or 5 holter monitors. The drs. say they are begnin and try not too worry. That is easier said than done isn't it. I truly feel that in my case alot of it is hormonal as my periods are also very out of wack. And they seem to be the worst just prior to my period coming. This last run has lasted for almost a month. Some days are definetly better than others and I find that if I can keep myself busy it sure helps. How does a person get over the fear of dying when it is your heart that is constantly reminding you that it is doing abnormal things. God I wish there was an easy fix. I would sure appreciate a response and thankyou for listening to me.

[Carrie41]

Same as me.  I am 46 next month and have had these horrible things for as long as I can remember.  Doctors keep on saying "don't worry" but I am in constant anxious mode all the time becuase I don't know when another one is going to hit.  I just started taking Ciprilex becuase I can't stand the anticipatory anxiety I have about these things.  This is week two and I don't feel any different yet and still freak out at every bump and flip.  How many times a day do you get PVC's??  I average 5 - 10 on a good day and many more on a bad one.

[T Gal]

Hi...I'm new here...I'm not sure where my palpitations came from but they all started after I went on medication for high blood pressure.  I've been on lisinopril and then changed to metaprolol in hopes that this would cure the palpitations and keep my BP down.  Well, the BP is down but I still have occassional palpitations.  I have even purchased a stethoscope so I can listen to my heart skipping beats.  What happens with me is my heart will be beating normally and then there will be a gurgle which interferes with the normal beat.  Then my beat will resume normally.  I wish I knew what causes this little gurgle.  It seems almost like a surge of blood flow or something that throws off my beat.  Sometimes I can have these regularly and other times I expect them and they don't happen.  Could this be some type of valve leakage that I feel?  Or is some type of adrenaline surge a possibility?  I've been assured by a cardiologist (echo and ekg) that my heart is fine.  Thanks for listening!

[Ksbonneau]

Responding to paps/pvc's during pregnancy.  If you were already diagnosed with PVC's before pregancy then make sure the doctor has you on safe meds such as toprol.  I honestly cannot remember having PVC's during my pregnancy.  I would suggest foremeost telling your OBGYN, get an EKG pronto to make sure everything is fine.  
I also wore a heart monitor for 30 days and it was not fun because the doctor at the time could not find anything wrong, I went to another internist who put me on the heart monitor once again for 30 days and diagnosed me with PVC's.  THIS PROVES the doctor is not always RIGHT.  If you feel that something is wrong please please get a second opinoin.   Its your body and your health!