Palpitations

Hi, I have started having palpitations last Monday morning about four a.m. (I have to get up early to go to work).  My heart rate was not fast, but I could feel my heart flipping in my chest.  This went on off and on for about ten minutes and went away.  I had the same thing Tuesday morning and then when I went to bed Tuesday night they were pretty frequent.  I also had them off and on all weekend (especially Friday night and all day Sunday) long and again this morning.  I am 27 years old, normal weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol.  I have had chest pain off and on for the last five years which my Dr. and the cardiologist I saw say is not cardiac.  I have had a normal echo in 2006 and three normal stress test, the last of which was last October (we have to have them once a year at work).  My 12-lead shows QRS widning, that my cardiologist called a non specific intraventricular conduction delay, he said he is not the least bit worried about it.  I called and scheduled a physical with my GP for Friday.  Any advice you have would be helpful, I only take Zoloft, I was switched to Cymbalta a couple of months ago, but had palpitations really bad after I started it, I called my Dr. and he said to switch back to the Zoloft, they then went away and did not come back until last Monday.

Just currious if you have any ideas on why they would have just started and should I do anything more than the physical.

Thanks

[Cleveland Clinic]

For the palpitations you should wear a Holter monitor.  It will capture your heart rhythm during those episodes to rule out any significant cardiac arrhythmia.  

I am a little concerned about you having a widened QRS.  Unfortunately, without seeing your EKG I can't tell you what type it is and whether it needs to be worked up further.  The fact that you have a normal echo gives some comfort.    

[Fionajnz]

Just a thought to consider.  Sometimes if your electrolytes are off, you can get an increase in palpitations, if you have been really active or recently sick and not drinking enough, it could contribute.

You could check to see if the zoloft can cause palpitations too.

Secondly, chest pain that is non cardiac in nature can last a long time and recur.  Costrachondritis (?sp) is often the culprit, it hurts more if you push on the specific area of pain and is aggravated by twisting and lifting motions.  There are varied theories on what causes it, but its a benign disorder, but can be very painful esp in its initial stages.

HTH and you get to feeling much better soon.  Remember too, almost always palpitations make you feel lousy for a short period of time but have no long term effects.

Fionajnz

[medic58]

All I know is that the cardiologists that I saw said that the qrs widening was non specific and was of no concern to him.  I can tell you that the t waves and qrs's in V1 are negative and the QRS and T waves are positive in V6.  I have a bachelors of science in Emergency Medical care and have had a full semester of 12 lead plus other classes in 12 leads, to me it does not look like a bundle branch block.  I do only have enough education to be dangerous to myself, a lot of knowledge is great, but a little can scare the **** out of you.

Thanks for your reply.