palpitation episodes

[pugfriend]

Thanks. I have been reading this forum for over a year and realize I am in the same boat as many others.  I am 57yr, female, overweight but active and in general good health. I have had episodes of palpitations for years, PVC,PAC, and runs of something. I used to blame PMS, then menapause, now indigestion or gas. The last couple of years, the episodes tended to last longer so I went to the doctor and had all the usual tests including monitor. It showed pvc's and a short run of nsvt. otherwise normal. My question is why does this happen in episodes maybe months apart. If it were stress, why doesn't it happen when I am stressed like a death in the family or flying etc.  It usually happens when I am watching TV or after I have been in bed a while and get up with my heart fluttering then settling into extra beats for several hours.  The last episode lasted 3 days. The doctor tried me on Inderal which didn't help, then Atenolol 25mg. I took one of those and the palpitations stopped and my B/P went way down. I haven't taken anything since and have had no further problems (until the next time).  This is frightening and really zaps me for a couple of days.  I hate to complain, knowing that there are people with much worse problems. Any conection between what is happening and stomach problems?    Thank you for your time

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Pugfriend,

If I answered that question the whole forum would dissolve -- we have to keep you guessing ;)  Just kidding.  That is the magic bullet.  We do not know why PVCs come in waves.  I am sure you read by following the forum that just about everyone has the same problems.  Periods when they are having lots of PVCs and periods of no PVCs and no clear reason why.  Some people find beta blockers help and others hate them. There is still a lot to learn.  It is certainly an observation that people associate PVCs with gas, but I have not seen this in the medical literature.

This is the best I can do.  I hope it helps a little.

[wmac]

NOW THATS WEIRD WE BOTH JUST POSTED AND HAD BASICLLY THE SAME THING. MY NSVT ALWAYS HAPPENS DURNING RELAXING AND NEVER DURING TIME OF STRESS OR ACTIVITY. ALWAYS WATCHING TV! NOW THATS WEIRD. HOW LONG WAS YOUR RUN OF NSVT AND WHAT WAS THE HEART RATE. THIS IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME.
WMAC

[pugfriend]

The nsvt short. Since this showed up on the monitor, I know it has happened before, just didn't know what it was. I think that is what scares me most is the feeling that my heart is spazing out, not just individual misfires.  Carol

[wmac]

DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY BEATS IT WAS?
WMAC

[pugfriend]

Not really, maybe 6 or 7. The report just said short run of nsvt.  My problem doesn't seem to occur with any set pattern either, whether my pulse is slow or fast doesn't matter. I have had extra beats when playing golf or working hard or just sitting doing nothing. As far as knowing how many beats are in the nsvt I really don't know.

[oakroom]

I'm sort of in the same boat. I felt chest pressure and shortness of breath and went to the ER. The only documented time of VT I had was on the treadmill when they were doing the nuclear stress test. After a left and a right cath, MRI, echo and biopsy - it's declared I have no structural heart problems. I go back to the EP on the 16th to figure out what's next. I've had event monitors but no holter monitor. I know I have palpitations but really can't tell you what NSVT is like since it happened on the treadmill and when you're panting who knows what it's like. I guess I should just press this old event monitor and see but as you both say, it's not consistent - it happens when i'm doing something or nothing. More frequently if I'm fast asleep and get up to get my son or to the bathroom, and my heart pounds for at least an hour. When I describe to the doctor chest pressure or shortness of breath, I think i'm taken for granted because they aren't symptoms you'd expect with arrythmia. Does it feel like that to you all? Do you feel like your chest is beating so hard you can't take a good breath? After reading all these posts I'm beginning to get convinced I won't die of SCD, but it sorta stinks that at 45 and 2 young kids -it's all of a sudden - no cause and no idea if this is what I have to deal with for the rest of my life. the 75mg of atenolol i'm on helps, but as you see is not the cure.

[Jeff67]

Many people on this forum mention being affected by PACs (as am I), I was wondering how many people when they get PACs get a compensatory pause after the ectopic? Typically you are not meant to as most times the ectopic should reset the sinus node, but I always seem to have a full or partial compensatory pause (for me it is more common to have the pause than not).

[angelald]

I, too, experience the same thing.  I often get pvc's when I am just sitting watching TV or chopping veggies yet I rarely get them when I am on the treadmill.  I guess we are programmed to believe that this would generally happen under physical stress but it seems to be quite the opposite in many cases.

Interesting comment about your stomach...I have always wondered whether there is a tie myself.  I am actually convinced of it, actually.  I almost always get pvcs after I have eaten a meal, and it seems to be related to position.  If I am watching TV after dinner and I start to get them consistently in one position, I can move and they always stop.  Now sometimes they will come back if I don't stay in that one particular position but the fact of the matter is that it seems to be related to how I am sitting.  Same thing goes at night when I am getting ready to go to sleep. Sometimes I will be laying on my right side (this seems to be worse for me) and I will get one after another for minutes at a time but as soon as I switch to my left side they completely stop.  It makes me wonder if it has something to do with other internal organs (ie. stomach) "touching" or somehow "irritating" the heart.  Anyone else think that this could be the case?  Sounds a little crazy but that is all I can figure.  

And on this note, has anyone found that being pregnant has made their pvcs worse?  I am not yet pregnant but I am terrified that when I get pregnant and large that it will be similar to what I experience after a large meal where I often get strings of them.  If my belly is growing and pushing on all my organs, could it cause non-stop palps???

Thanks all.  Glad to know that I am not alone in this!

Angela

[pugfriend]

I too have noticed that when having palps I am laying in a certain position, such as the left side. But sometimes this doesn't bring them on at all. No wonder this is such a frustrating condition. It is never any one thing. The cardiologist didn't explain anything to me and my GP said that the heart can pick up a signal from several sites and can cause mis-communication, or words to that effect. I really think they don't know. I have been given all the usual advise: lose weight (I had this problem when I was thin), relax, exercise, and so-on.  I have tried to limit foods that cause gas or heartburn, and have switched from milk to soy. I wish Oprah would do a show about this, then maybe someone would come up with an answer.

[DottyCece]

Palpitations are more easily felt when you lay on the left side because the heart is closer to the chest, I was told.  It isn't that the rhythm wasn't there before, it is just that you can feel them which is what palpitations are.  There are lots of things that can precipatate arrhythmias. I believe position can be one of them.

[hapecamper]

I have been getting pac's and pvc's for years. Tried everything.  I started going to acupuncture a little over a month now and I have had a big improvement in them. I have gone days without them and when I did get some which were not very  many  they haven't lasted near as long and were not as strong. they use to last for hours now they just last for a few seconds. It also helped a great deal with the anxiety.

[WPWGuy]

I received a few RF ablation burns on the left side of my heart. Those burns beautifully took care of some fairly long lasting  re-entrant tachy that I had.  But ever since, laying on my left side sometimes sets off some short run VT, which sucks, I admit, but my point is that I am living proof that laying on your left side can affect conduction. A wide variety of weird sceanrios are possible...

[WPWGuy]

SO a wide variety of scenarios SEEMS possible. For instance, assuming that the ablation went normally, this proves that positionally related PVC's/VT can develop in a heart with scar tissue, or lesions, in left wall...

Also, since ablation, I experience irritation in my left arm, after endurance training, and before PVC's/VT occurs.  Assuming the ablation went sort of normally, this suggests that arm pain, or the cause of arm pain (pericarditis maybe caused by heart contact with ribs or something) might precipitate PVC's/VT...

[flip-flop]

I hate palps so much!!!!! :( I am female, 48 years old and have had palps since I was 20 but they did not become frequent until I started going through perimenopause. I have found that they can be affected by position as well. Sometimes they happen when I lay on my left side, sometimes on my right side. Sometimes I can lay on either side and not have any...Or I will have them when I bend over, or laugh heartily, or after meals or when I have indigestion and gas...there is never rhyme or reason to them. I get them when I am totally relaxed and just last night I had a particularly bad time with them and still have a few flutters this morning. I had a good day yesterday, no palps, and then as soon as I went to bed they started. Every time I was on the verge of falling asleep, I would feel a skip and then wake right back up. This went on all night long. I also had to keep going to the bathroom all night. Don't know if that is related but I do have more palps when my digestion is not right....I am crying my eyes out this morning because I am so tired of the palps. I did not get any sleep at all last night.....I pray all the time for them to end. :(

[pms_barbie]

Your post made me feel so bad.  I know whats its like to be awake all night and to bawl your eyes out over these darn pvcs.  Before my ablation I spent roughly a year doing the same thing.  I still have pvcs but the bigeminy is gone.  Its tough being able to feel those things.  I still have days where I get more pvcs than not.  I just wanted you to know that your in my thoughts and I hope you get some relief from those pvcs.  Just know your not alone in the pvc battle.

[Jeff67]

Do you know if they are PVCs or PACs?

[flip-flop]

Jeff, my palps are PVC's.

[tagteacher]

I feel I am a PVC Veteran so I thought I'd jump in this thread to say to all the newbies, I've had PVC's for more than 20 years and if there's anything I can tell you for certain it would be that when it comes to PVC's, nothing's for certain.  I began having them when I was very young, early 20's, with an occasional one here or there maybe once every couple of months.  I laugh about it now because I would run to the ER and think I was dying.  Now that I'm having a couple of thousand of them per day, I'd LOVE to go back to those days!  The one thing I've noticed that is constant is that they're much more annoying when I'm at rest, so bad at night sometimes, I can't get to sleep.  And, yes, they greet me as soon as I wake up, it's almost like having a nightmare only to wake up and realize it's not a dream....they're still there.  I am VERY proactive with my healthcare and do not trust what any one person or physician tells me.  I monitor my electrolytes, try to keep my BP down and avoid stress and yet, I still have those days where I want to scream and cry at the same time from frustration and the depression from knowing there's nothing I can do.  For women, I do think hormonal problems (perimenopause and menopause) make them worse, so I take a small dose of estrogen and progesterone.  I also take a baby aspirin to ward off the threat of blood clots from possible a-fib.  I take postassium, magnesium along with a multi-vitamin to cover all the nutritional bases.  I've tried beta blockers and even anit-anxiety (Xanax) but NOTHING makes them go away completely.  They've progressed from one per month to one per minute over the past 20 years...it's truly a nightmare.  But I still thank God for those days (or hours) when I'm not as aware of them.  I'm 43 and I swear sometimes I wish I weren't too old to go back to med. school... I would research these things until I found a cure!!!!  Hang in there, newbies, this type of support is invaluable...when we know there are others in the same boat, it helps tremendously!!  One day, they'll know more about the little monsters and we'll all celebrate.  Until then, we can keep each other company with our posts....it really is comforting.

[ryansgmom]

Have been reading in this column about PVC's and wonder if it is what I have. I am 58 have just started to notice that sometimes I can really feel my heart beating. Usually at nite going to sleep and usually only for an hour or so. Last nite it went all nite and I got no sleep. I have blood pressure of about 117/74 and pulse of about 70-72. SHould I contact my doctor - guess I should just to make sure its not serious....am I overreacting?  and is there anyway to go to sleep with them?..sometimes I can lay on my back and they seem to disappea.... Thanks for your help.

[janibo]

You mentioned about Oprah having a show on palpitations.  That would be a wonderful thing.  Oprah had a problem with palpitations also and went to several doctors but she never went into detail if her palpitations are gone.  I'm going to email her website and suggest that she do a show on them.  Who knows-- maybe she will.  I have done all of the things also that you have, lose weight, exerciase, etc., etc.-- hasn't stopped them yet.

[angel033]

Hi

Iam so excited to have stumbled upon this site, I too suffer from heasrt palpatations and they are driving me up the wall. Ia m currently having my second episode and it is horrible. ia m 33 years old, I am not pregnant and I am not experiencing menapause but I suffer from heart palp. I have noticed that I have them when I take in a lot of caffiene. Recently I have been drinking crystal light and it is full of aspartame well when I researched aspartame I found out that it's side effects include heasrt palpatations and so many other things guys please take the time out to research aspartame found in may low-fat, sugar free and diet products. I have been told by doctors that this is what caused my episode as well as over-the-counter antihistamines. Please if there are any suggestions or miracle drug let me in on it I am tired of this. Fortuantely they do not keep me up at night, however I am noticing that everytime I have a palpatation it is followed by gas or having the urge to burp does nayone else have this? D\

[lindylou18]

The 20 year old palp veteran story made me cry!!!!  But in a good way!!!  This darn condition can be SOOOO upsetting, it can rule your life!!  I'm only 25 but have had palps since I was 19, I'm mature enough now to finally go to a doc to set my mind at ease, I hope.  Right now I'm on a 30 day event monitor and its misreable!!!!!  I realize now how much I would have them but just shrug them off and go on, now that I have to stop and record them I am hyperaware, and that can really ruin my day.  At first I had tons of support but once everyone learns its not going to harm you they lose they're understanding.  Whats worse is NONE of my friends or family claims to have ever felt anything like what I describe, so I feel extremely isolated at times.  Especially if I've had a rough day with palps and someone asks me whats wrong, I'll say, "oh, my hearts skipping again and its bad today."  Then they'll say, "Well you've been to the Dr. so you know your fine."  Like, OH YEAH, I JUST FORGOT THAT!!!  I've finally been able to explain it to my mother by comparing it to migraines.  I told her when someone has a migraine they know they're ok, but its very debilitating.  Plus, does anyone ever resent the fact they can't enjoy a good night out of fun and drinking, or caffeiene galore to stay awake?  I've recently changed my lifestyle and it has helped, the palps are still there but (this is why I think its a PVC, not PAC)the "thud" after my skipped beat is not nearly as hard.  However, I'm not happy, which raises my biggest question, Is it worth changing your life to feel heathy but not happy?  And will I eventually adjust?

[Sculpey5]

It is so nice to have people who understand how awful palps can make you feel.  I have a couple of comments  
Pugfriend - I too have noticed a correlation between my stomach and the palps. If I'm too full I know they will start.  

Angel033 - Thank you for the tip on aspertame. I did not know that and I'm always eating diet type foods and sodas trying to control the weight.  I've also noticed they get worse when it's colder than 32 degrees outside and when my asthma gets worse during allergy season.  Problem is to use my inhaler just exasperates the palpitations more.   Makes my heart race.

lindylou18 - I'm sorry you've started these so young, but hang in there.  We all know how you feel.  It hit home when you were talking about your family being sympathetic for a while.  You hit the nail on the head.  It's as if since there's no real cure for this and they're not supposed to be life threatening then that means you shouldn't have them anymore and your family doesn't want to hear about them anymore.  They only want you to get a disease that will go away. Good luck to you - you sound a lot like me and that gives me comfort knowing I'm not alone. Even if I am older than you.

[linz88]

I am a 25 yr old female who has been experiencing palpatations for about 4 months now.  Some days are worse than others, and they seem to be at their worst when I am sitting at my computer at work.  They are more of a skipped beat, followed by the slight sinking feeling in your stomach.  Today I was at work and felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack (due to the palpitations).  I went straight to the ER and they conducted blood tests, an x-ray, and EKG.  The doctor says that everything looks good on the tests, and I will go monday to get a holter monitor.  

This is the most uncomfortable feeling, and when I get a bad episode of them they seem to come one after another.  When I get a bad spell I can stand up and walk around and they immediately disappear.  Sometimes I will get them frequently every day, yet some days I can go with having only one or two.  

I am so glad that I found this message board because it is comforting to see others that go through the same thing.  

[Aruba417]

I thought I was the only one my age with this problem! I'm 24 and I've been having palps for about 3 years now. I totally know how you feel! I've seen my reg doc, countless ERs, next month I'll see a neurologist. My reg doc does not think I need to see a cardiologist, so she won't give me a referral. I've had an echocardiogram, EKG's, blood work, and everything comes back normal. They say it's anxiety...and I've been seeing a psychiatrist for that...but it doesn't end. At times I feel pain in my left chest and arm...sometimes I feel tingling...sometimes I feel pressure/pain in center of my chest. No matter how many times the doctors have said there's nothing wrong with my heart, I feel better...but then when palps start again it gets me nervous again. It's an ugly, ugly cycle...I'm accept the fact that I have anxiety/panic, but I don't accept the fact that that is what causes my symptoms. I think the symptoms cause the anxiety/panic! I feel for you!