heart flutters

for the past 4 months my heart has been fluttering, it only lasts seconds and it takes my breath away. I didn't think much of it till two days ago when i was sitting watching tv, it happened again, but this time i couldn't catch my breath and i began to black out. After it happened i got really cold and was shaking. I went to the er and without doing any tests they told me i had a panic attack. Should i be concerned, why does my heart flutter randomly? I had very low potassium levels about a year ago because i was put on a diuretic, my doc thought i had menieres disease. I stopped taking the diuretic because of it. Could this have caused a problem with my heart. I don't feel anxious and panicky, and am aware that i am not dying. But am totally open to the fact that i could be having panic attacks, because i suffered from social anxiety years ago. should i be concerned?

[Cleveland Clinic]

annali,

thanks for the post.

Its imposible to tell what your heart is doing all the way from Cleveland! To get at the root of the issue, the best option would be to use a holter or event monitor which would monitor your heart rhythm while you were having the episodes. Many people here suffer from the same symptoms you are describing, which are known as palpitations. Once you know what your heart rhythm is you could further pursue any neccesaary therapies.


good luck

[LynnSB]

No one can tell you what the "flutters" are without catching them on an EKG. Almost blacking out when you have a heart arrhythmia is a symptom that DEMANDS you get to the bottom of it. PLEASE SEE A CARDIOLOGIST and ask him or her about an event monitor. The fact you were once on a diuretic and have had low potassium sort of hints that you may have health problems of some kind that predispose you to heart palpitations or arrhythmia. I am certainly not a doctor but I do know enough about this subject that you should not accept " panic attacks" as the necessary cause of almost blacking out from an irregular heartbeat. You don't need to worry excessively about your heart -- BUT you need to take charge and find out what these " flutters" actually are and then get the appropriate treatment, if indicated. Good luck!

[pugfriend]

I am glad you mentioned having chills (feeling cold and shaking) following an episode of flutters. Two times in the last few years I was sitting watching T.V. and all at once my heart began to flutter nonstop for a few seconds and then went into extra beats or skipped beats several a minute. I too had chills and shaking for a couple hours after it all started. ????? They told me that nothing was wrong etc. What a frustrating situation!

[PikaPika88]

I have the irregular beats and vibration too.  Dr all said was normal because my pulse goes with 70.  Cardio without doing an ECG, holter or stress test.  He ordered an echo (result is normal) and read from my pacer then he prescribed me some anti arrhythmias drug and beta blocker.  After that, I felt worse and now even I had stopped all the drugs, I feel everything in my body are falling apart!  My blood test is a mess too!  I wish I shouldn't complaint at the first!  I much more can tolerate the vibration and ghost bump than the body are falling apart!

Can dr just depend on the read of my pacemaker without going through holter monitor?  What happen if my pacemaker was the mad one.  Then he'll treat me base on all that mad and crazy messages which probably are not belong to me?  ECG at ER, GP showed normal, no tach, no brady and no fib!  They ruled out could be: thyroid, anemia and anxiety.  ???  Which is right?
Confusing, it could be too stress and confusing attack!!!!!

Pika.

[LynnSB]

I was told for 20 years that my sudden racing heart ( up to 200) was  a "panic attack" when I KNEW it wasn't. It was PSVT... here's more info: http://www.psych.org/pnews/97-04-04/cardiac.html

I'm not saying that's what you have but please get checked out and don't just accept "panic attack" because a cursory exam by an ER doc dubbed it as such. good luck to you.

[netrox]

People do NOT pass out when they have panic attacks.

Blackouts are OFTEN an indication that you were not getting enough oxygen to your brain and that could be caused by inefficient heart pump.

I am glad you're not anxious. As hard as it may sound, mental health is far more important than physical health.  

[annali]

thanks for all your comments.

[Mel22]

My low potassium levels caused my PVCs. When my potassium and magnesium levels are normal, I have virtually NO PVCs.

[Mel22]

So, see a cardiologist and make sure he does full labs. Good luck!

[scorey99]

This thread grabbed my attention.

I'm 27/m and was recently diagnosed with VERY high Cholesterol (335) and VERY high Triglycerides (1466).  My Dr. immediately put me on Vytorin, but I couldn't handle the statin side effects, so now I'm taking Zetia.  Other than some minor GI problems, that seems fine.

About two weeks after the high Cholesterol diagnoses, I went to the ER with a racing heart, and continuous PVCs.  I have now seen a Cardiologist and done the echo/stress.  Everything is 'fine'.

I should also mention that I have history of anxiety and severe panic attacks. It's always so hard to differentiate between cause and effect.  It just makes me feel so much better to read about other people with similar concerns/problems.

I do think a lot of it is stress/anxiety related, but my brain never wants me to think 'positive'.  Still coping.

[tickertock]

After weeks of barely any noticable PVCs, Had a few weird thumps tonight, more like those that suck the wind out of you for a moment then a mild thump. Definitely they don't cause the anxiety they used to that in itself to me is a big accomplishment, nevertheless they are a real attention getter, even if for a moment or two, sure wouldn't them back in 1000s daily though. Good health and heart flutter free weekend to all.

[kalumalli]

My name is chaminda weragama.I am pastoring a church name MIRACLE HOUSE CHURCH in kandy city sri lanka.There is a person known to who is a police office in sri lanka police is having a problem with his heart.His name is Thissa kodithuwakku.He is 36 years old and father of a small girl.He is asked to face to a operating in his heart valve.His finaancial status cant face the expences for his operation.So i plan to help him.If any one who see this and help to that person it will be a great blessing to him and to you.My email adress is miraclehousechurch_kandy***@****.
i can send you the details of the patient .prayers and yor help is so important to save his life !
God bless you all !
pastor Chaminda weragama.
miracle house church
kandy
sri lanka.

[rainiemea]

I am 33 yrs old and recently about 2 weeks ago starting getting heart flutters, my heart beats really fast and takes my breath away but just for acouple seconds and then i feel fine, i have had alot of stress lately but no health problems. Could this be panic attacks, i don't excercise like i did due to a injury which required suegery but i am still moderatley active.They happen a few times a day now.  Thank You

[George8211]

Several years ago at a Halloween party my palpulations got so bad I left, the following day I had a Fluttering feeling from my heart. Felt like if was filling up like a balloon... and bouncing around a bit. This was happening every several minutes. I went to my family doctor... It happened while he was listening to my heart. He said I was having Micro Heart Beats... Approx 3 very rapid heart beats, followed by a pause (The pause was the time that it would have taken the normal 3 heart beats)

He said this was Very Common. His advice, Cut all Caffine from my diet. Eliminate all: Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, Alchol ect... I did and they stopped. He told me the rapid beats wouldn't hurt me... they would just feel uneasing. He said to experiment and find my tolerance to those foods.

Personally, I have found that the following cause me to have palputations: Coffee, Chocolate, Cookies with Chocolate, Alcohol, & BBQ sauses.

You probably guessed... the Halloween Party experiance was from an overdose of Chocolate. LOL

[micangelab]

I get these flutters too. I am to the point that it is making me soooo depressed. TO make matters worse I am 34 weeks PG. I have had problems since I was a teenager. I have had an echo and they say my heart is normally structured. They did catch a lot of Pvcs and Pacs. Also short episodes of something they don't know whether it was was AF or not. I hate the skipped beats but what makes me panic is the ones that feel like a flutter and you think your heart is just going to stay like that. I am to the point I just don't want to go or do anything. They told me they could give me a low dose BB. But being PG and then also already having low blood pressure it really worries me. PLus I see how so many of you take BB and still have the problems. I am really lost. I am so envious of other people that do not have this problem. I would almost give anything to not have this.

[11redcat]

I am so thankful to have found this site.  I really thought I was so alone in this, but to find out others experience exactly what I do, wow!  I have mentioned my flutters and skips to doctors for years and even had holter, ekg, echo and no one ever explained anything. I'm so envious that so many of you seem to know all your readings and terminology so well.  I am seeing a cardio now and he gave me magnesium which I'm taking,(although I can't say it's helped) and Toprol, which I'm afraid to after seeing some posts about side effects.  I go back in a week or so and have so many questions I now want to ask, after reading many forum posts.  
My biggest question is, my skipped beats and rapid/strong beats
have increased so much since my tests were done, should I have them done again (could it mean somethings changed)? Or if everything looked ok should I have other tests?  I've been looking into thyroid problems, and diabetes, because now my heart rate speeds up and beats really hard alot of times after I eat, even though I have eliminated caffeine, but not only that, I feel kind of lightheaded, confused, and weak, and my face feels flushed.  Then I get a headache and feel like I need to lay down because I feel so tired.  Does anyone else get this.
I've looked for posts that talk about this but haven't really seen anything.  Sorry to just jump in here, it's so hard to post a new question.  I feel a bond with all of you already because I feel we are the only ones who really understand each other.  I'd appreciate any comments/advice.  Thanks

[Carpetine]

Hi, I've been having heart flutters for about a week now, went to the emergency 3 days ago, they took a test where they put little pieces of tape all over me and stick things to it and it prints out a peice of paper, not sure what that was, but anyway, never said if it was normal or not.  Then the doc came in listened to my heart and said i had a lot of fluttering, ordered blood work , it came back normal he said and that to follow up with my own doctor. Now for the past 3 days i've had this fluttering continuously from the moment i wake up till i go to bed.  shorness of breath too. I'm hoping it's just anxiety but wondering if i should wait the next 3 days to see my own doc or go back to emerg, the fluttering is so strong i can feel it in my throat

[lprincessuk]

hi guys, its so interesting to read these posts! im in the UK and have been ill for about three years. i have severe dizzziness and heart palpitations and flutterings. the flutterings always seem to happen when i first wake up and its terrifying as i wonder if my heart will go back to normal! I was prescribed with betahystine dihydrochloride for meniers (vertigo) but it didnt work. i was then told it may be because i have anemia but iron tablets didnt work. neither did b12 tablets. my general health is terrible, i have a weak immune system and constantly feel tired and shaky. my doctor also sent me for an ECG which seemed to be normal. i am an anxious person but i believe its because im ill and not the other way around. does anyone else have any similar symptoms or ideas? id be really grateful

[beagles]

After reading most of your comments on "flutter", I would suggest that you go on a blood thinner as quickly as possible. If there's a clot somewhere, it can cause a massive stroke.
I say these things from experience.
I went in to the ER with flutter. After a quick ekg, they realized I has classic flutter. Normally it lasts about 10 to 20 minutes, but this time it went on for a couple hours.
They quickly got me on tenormin and within a few minutes it stopped.
Since then - 3 weeks ago- I have been on blood thinners with blood test each week to determine the thickness/thiness.
I have had 1 or 2 episodes of flutter over the 3 week period.
I might have an "oblation (ablation)" to totally correct this which has a 90 - 95% success rate. What oblation (ablation) does is correct the electrical conduit within the heart to return the beat to normal, which is a simple as I can describe it. But you can read about it on the web.
I live in Los Angeles and have some of the best doctors here at UCLA.
I really feel for you people that have this perpetually, it is a feeling hard to describe to someone that has never had it..it is scary.
Hope this helps someone.

[zimm]

I used to have pains that moved around my upper body that were really bad when the settled in my heart.  They have been replaced my fluttering mainly in the middle of my uper body and sometimes into my heart.  That's really disturbing.
Most of the time I can't tell the exact source of the fluttering but I can hear it in my ears.
My heart specialist said to find an ear doctor.  He isn't a very good dr. even though he is a big shot in this town.

I saw the online dr. mention these were palpitations.  The flutter rate is too high to be a palpitation.  Mine are about 50-60 cycles per second and can move to a lung or the stomach or liver area, or go away.

[Urssy]

I've had these strange heart flutters before...lasting days, and am currently having a bout of them now. They started yesterday morning at work. I did overindulge in a few rum & cokes the night before, and did infact stop taking my calcium/magnisium tabs this week as I ran out.
I use to get them just slightly when my sugar level dropped(as I'm hypoglycemic) but not to the extent of having them for hours or days.
I also experience tingles in my hands and feet when this happens. I did see my doctor awhile ago, and discussed them. He explained that they are common as well, but because of my family history with heart disease I thought I should check it out. My doctor is also very aware this.
A brief explanation of it is as follows....
My brother passed away at 18yrs old with an enlarged heart, but that was in 1967 when technology was no where near the advancements of today. He contracted measels in Germany as a baby, and they attribute that to damaging his heart.
My other brother had a massive heart attack at 37yrs old, 15yrs ago and survived, with heart damage. He see's specialists in Toronto for years for his heart disease, and also was told that this is common, even for him, so I'm trying not to panic anymore, just find it annoying when it lasts for days.
My passed tests came back fine, when I used to have my physicals.
I'm not due until late August for my next one, so kind of anxious to say the least at this point.
If it persists into tomorrow, I think I will pop into the ER and see a doctor on call. I know the difference from anxiety and panic disorder from this as I experienced both years ago, with a hormonal imbalance.
If anyone has similar symtoms (symptoms), I would greatly appreciate, if anything a conforting word, that it may indeed just be a nonserious matter.
I read the other posts and can relate somewhat.
Thankyou,
Urssy

[chinenjim]

I have had these flutters for years now. They are the least of my worries. I'm a 28 year old male, and about 4 years ago I started getting awful panic attacks. I had them briefly for about a year and a half when I was a teenager (around the age of 16), and then they went away. I blame the panic attacks when I was a teenager on smoking pot, since the first time I had one was also the first time I got high.

Anyway, I stopped doing that silly stuff a long time ago, but alas my panic attacks returned. It's pretty funny how a 200lb guy covered in tattoos and strong as nails can be almost brought to his knees from fear he creates within his own mind. Panic attacks suck.


The heart flutters usually occur when I am stressed out or having a panic attack. I currently take Xanax, which is a wonder drug and has made my life 100% better. I take a .05 to .10mg per day (one pill to 1 and 1/2). I've been on them for three years now. I'm sure I'm physically addicted to them, but I don't care. They work. That is all that matters.

Xanax virtually eliminates all of the symptoms of my panic attacks including the flutters. Sometimes I get the flutters with only subtle symptoms of a panic attack, but the Xanax stops them anyway. Therefore, I totally attribute the flutters to anxiety and nothing more. I also get an annual chest x-ray and ECG. Everything has always checked out OK.

I would put money on alot of you people expierencing panic attacks and not even realizing it. I don't care if you are not under any actual stress. They still can happen, and when they do it is terrifying. You guys just need to chill out. Unless you feel like someone is standing on your chest, and your left arm gets numb or hurts like hell you shouldn't worry. Just my 2 cents!

[Purp1epassion]

I'd like to know if heart flutters, palpitations, panick attack etc. can result from a car accident. A few years ago, I feel a sleep behind the wheel of my car while driving. When I woke up I realized that I was off of the road and on the grass in an open feild. I panicked and tried to get the car back on the road, but ended up flipping the vehicle on the drivers side. A few days or weeks later I started experienceing palpitations. This also happens when someone wakes me from my sleep, When the phone rings when I'm asleep etc.

I've had an EKG done and I was told that I have PVC. Could an accident such as this cause someone to have palpitations. Is this something that I will be experienceing for the rest off my life?

[Purp1epassion]

I'd like to know if heart flutters, palpitations, panick attack etc. can result from a car accident. A few years ago, I feel a sleep behind the wheel of my car while driving. When I woke up I realized that I was off of the road and on the grass in an open feild. I panicked and tried to get the car back on the road, but ended up flipping the vehicle on the drivers side. A few days or weeks later I started experienceing palpitations. This also happens when someone wakes me from my sleep, When the phone rings when I'm asleep etc.

I've had an EKG done and I was told that I have PVC. Could an accident such as this cause someone to have palpitations. Is this something that I will be experienceing for the rest off my life?

[Purp1epassion]

I'd like to know if heart flutters, palpitations, panick attack etc. can result from a car accident. A few years ago, I feel a sleep behind the wheel of my car while driving. When I woke up I realized that I was off of the road and on the grass in an open feild. I panicked and tried to get the car back on the road, but ended up flipping the vehicle on the drivers side. A few days or weeks later I started experienceing palpitations. This also happens when someone wakes me from my sleep, When the phone rings when I'm asleep etc.

I've had an EKG done and I was told that I have PVC. Could an accident such as this cause someone to have palpitations. Is this something that I will be experienceing for the rest off my life?

[Purp1epassion]

I'd like to know if heart flutters, palpitations, panick attack etc. can result from a car accident. A few years ago, I feel a sleep behind the wheel of my car while driving. When I woke up I realized that I was off of the road and on the grass in an open feild. I panicked and tried to get the car back on the road, but ended up flipping the vehicle on the drivers side. A few days or weeks later I started experienceing palpitations. This also happens when someone wakes me from my sleep, When the phone rings when I'm asleep etc.

I've had an EKG done and I was told that I have PVC. Could an accident such as this cause someone to have palpitations. Is this something that I will be experienceing for the rest off my life?

[PRETTO]

A related discussion, HEAR FLUTTERS was started.

[luzmsh]

Hi I been having heart flutter but it happens to me when I exercise I don't know if is something else I don't drink anything that has caffaine.  I don't know if I should go to the doctor,

[crazybowtie12]

A related discussion, My heart is fluttering why? was started.