palpitations when laying down

[sue]

Could you please tell me the heart has to adjust in any way when you go from standing to laying down?  I have noticed that when I am busy doing things and then go to lay down my heart seems to have to adjust itself and I feel it sort of skip or beat harder every three or four beats.  This happens until I stand up again.  Why would my heart be doing this?  I do have palpitations throughout the day that I notice (maybe 3 or 4), but I really don't like these ones when I lay down.  Thank you for your time.

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

The heart rate is often slower when lying down. This may make your palpitations more noticeable. There is no particular remedy for this, other than the standard sort of treatment for palpitations, such as beta-blocker medications

[Helen from Australia]

Hi Sue,
Yes this has happened to me under the same conditions. Do you find that when this happens your chest feels like its got a big bubble of air in it that feels like its coming up to your throat and you have to take a deep breath untill the choking swelling sensation subsides, usually a couple of seconds. And also your heart skips beats and you feel horrible? Sometimes if you suffer from SVT's this can start them off...........................................................
ALSO.. ON THIS SITE I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY MENTION OF A CARDIAC REVERSION DRUG GIVEN VIA INJECTION TO REVERT THE HEARTRATE BACK TO SINUS RHYTHM..IT IS CALLED 'ADENOSINE' OR ADENOCARB'. IN AUSTRALIA THE DOCTORS ARE ADMINISTERING THIS TO PATIENTS IN HOSPITAL THAT COME IN WITH SVT'S. IS THIS MEDICATION BEING USED IN THE UNITED STATES?????AND HAS ANYONE HAD IT BEFORE....
I HAVE HAD IT MANY A TIMES AND WOULD LIKE TO COMPARE MY EXPERIENCES WITH THIS DRUG AND ITS REACTIONS ON ME COMPARED TO OTHER PEOPLE... THANKS KIND REGARDS HELEN...

[aaron]

Helen, I have also been admitted into the ER for SVTs and given adenosine. It is a very successful drug here in the states. I haven't had an episode that required external conversion for many years, so I didn't even know it existed. I have been on 50 mil of atenolol twice daily since. They want me to do an EP study and ablation, I haven't quite decided yet, though. My SVTs are usually between 180-235 bpm but they are easily controlled with meds. I don't like they side effects I sometimes get, but I am a little scared of the surgery. Anybody have any advice?

[Jodie]

I too notice my heart skipping more when I lay down.  Usually when I first lie down or when I first wake up.  It tends to happen more when I lie on my back.  And if I take a deep breath sometimes the early beats will come in pairs or in triplets.  I hate it.  It seems that if I turn over or stand up, they go away.
I've been told not to worry but it really is annoying and uncomfortable.

[Susan]

This has been one of my complaints for such a long time.
Sometimes I go all day with no pvc/pac's and then as soon as I lie down at night time or sometimes even just leaning comfortably to one side they start.
Sometimes when I lie on my side they actually won't stop until I roll over or sit up.
It's scary to be able to "control" them this way.  
There have been several questions to this forum regarding this weird thing but no-one has ever given a reasonable, scientific answer!!  Does anyone else have the same thing.  Some nights it gets so bad I actually have to sleep propped up and then wake up with a sore stiff neck!!  I really need some answers here - I live in Australia so can never post a question direct to the doctors on this site - the post is always full before I can get to it.  
Susan

[Loren]

I seem to have the PVC's / PAC's more often when I lie down as well, quite similar to Jodie. It happens that they stop when I am turning myself as well. If you want to hear it, I can send you audio records I did of my own heartbeats, including PVC's / PAC's or a slight tachycardia. E-mail to ***@****
I'd like to hear comments from people having the same problem !
Loren

[Pen]

I have to go to sleep on my right side or I will have thumps and bumps all night if I lie on my back or especially on my left hand side.  If someone has a good explanation please inform.

[Kathypr]

I too suffer from PVCs.   I've had all the std tests, EKG, holter monitor, heart scan and the cardiologists say there's nothing wrong.  Yet, as Susan and others have mentioned, these still happen, especially at night.  I too have found that lying on one side or another can make them worse.  Lying on my back, or sitting up does seem to help. I've spent more than 1 night propped in a chair trying to sleep.  I'm on 150mg Atenolol a day, but it doesn't really seem to help much.   I don't get any elevated heart rate, just the PVCs.    In the research I've done so far, it seems like a large majority of folks suffering from whatever this is are female.  I wonder why that is?  Could hormones play a factor?      I've also noticed that bending over can cause them to start in.  odd.      I'd love to find a good explanation as to what causes these things.

[kim]

I get PVCs especially when I have acid reflux.  They are worse when laying down.  I also have SVT which I "convert" by laying flat.  I rarely have to go to the hospital to have the SVT converted.  I cannot have an ablation because of where my SVT originates (I had an EP study to determine this).  During the past year I've developed clinical depression which is adding to my stress with my heart trouble.  I am a college professor and am still working.  I also think that hormones are a factor as I am 44.  I'm so discouraged I don't know what to do.  My life is falling apart.  I can't take antidepressants because they all start my SVT.  I take Xanax for anxiety, Sectral for the SVT, and Aciphex for the acid reflux.  I don't know if these drugs are compatible or are contributing to my depression or what.  I would appreciate anyone who like to share info regarding PVCs, SVT, acid reflux, depression, and anxiety to e-mail me at ***@****

God Bless.

[Allison]

Reading over these posts I noticed a lot of similar things.  I too experience PVCs that are benign, according to my cardiologist.  I am a healthy 30 yr old mom, and find I have palps when under stress/exhaustion.  I notice them most when laying down.  I have no advice to give, just thought I'd let you know there is another person out here going through the same thing.  They are scary, but I have found the frequency of palps is very cyclical.  I get them more from the time of ovulation til my period begins, also.  I think hormones do play a part.

[rfashton]

Its amazing that so many heart patients have the same symptoms, yet there has been no believable medical explanations from the Cleveland Clinic!

I see my symptoms in many of the posts here and would like to contribute my experience and solutions to the PVC problem.

I had a CABG May 1999 (8 grafts).  For several months after surgery I had bigiminey (weak heatbeat every other beat) which in effect shut me down.  I don't have this problem anymore.  I still have some PVCs, but they have been greatly reduced.  I still have an irregurlar heartbeat when I lay down to go to sleep.  This stops if I lay on my right side.

What I have found that works:

1. My thyroid was overactive.  TSP <0.03.  I take Tapazole to control this.  Now I am slightly underactive (TSP ~ 7) and the bigiminey stopped and the PCVs were reduced substantially.

2. I avoid ALL alcohol and caffiene.  Whenever I get thirsty for a beer and give in, I have some additional PCVs.

3. I take a small dose of beta blocker which slows my pulse to around 60.  This seems to help reduce the PCVs.

I do aerobic exercise 3 X a week for an hour.  I don't think this helps to reduce PCVs, but it helps to make you feel better.

The docs all tell you not to worry, the PCVs are not a big problem.  But we who have them know --- they are a problem.

I hope these observations help.

[Jeanne]

I too have the same laundry list of problems with heart beats.  My heart seems to beat weird when I lay down, only since pregnacy and now continuing 8 months after birth.  My only solution has been to sleep with 3 pillows propped up.  It sucks but it resolves it.

[Barbara Teran]

In reading the posts concerning irregular heartbeats, "rfashton" and I must be clones. I have had a bizarre year with odd beats all varying from PVCs to Atrial fibs. I have found that there is some connection between the severity of these beats or the number of them and my thyroid condition. I am hypothyroid and have Hashimoto's Disease. I am using Synthroid. I was taking .125 of Synthroid and this drove my TSH to .7 with the "norm" being .4-5.0 ( at one point 3 years ago my TSH was at .1 and I was in really bad shape.) Nevertheless, when my TSH was near the .7, I was having many varying "skips" along with the ever-famous Atrial fibs. I could hardly eat dinner without setting these off plus bending over was a nightmare. Talk about an irritated heart! Now convincing anyone that my thyroid meds were irritating my heart took an act of Congress.....or nearly plus if you fall within the "normal range", God help you because you MUST be normal. This is not the case for me. When reducing my thyroid medication which would make my TSH go up, I felt better. In other words, when my TSH went up to 2 and 3 and 4 and even 8, I felt better and had fewer skips. I am currently on .088 mcg of Synthroid with my TSH at 4 so we are keeping it there, as that advice comes from Mayo Clinic. No one has yet to tell what has been going on with my heart. I have had event recorders and am currently wearing a Holtor Monitor due to some weird beats during the night....so thus far, my heart is purring along perfectly. ( it is always the case.) I have been told I have an underlying heart condition that is irritated by my thryoid medications. I wish I knew more than that. I just related very well to "rfasttons's" response and  felt that was me writing the message. Regardless, this past year has been horrible. I hate the thought of dealing with this for the next 50 years. This all started 4 years ago and went away with the lowering of my thyroid meds. Then it reappeared again this past August. Now I seem to be better but these skips have not disappeared. I find it most depressing. I did have a Dallas doctor suggest that estrogen depletion can affect heart palpitations. Sure enough, despite my taking a hormone pill each day, I was "severely depleated" of estrogen and low on Zinc. I will give anything a try to be rid of these palpitations which vary all over the spectrum of skips. I have not been seen by an electrophysiologist. I am taking a beta blocker (Toprol XL) plus an aspirin a day (325mg). I do have a mild case of MVP and no enlarged heart or chamber. I am fine. I pray I stay that way. I am not sure if anyone else has noticed the "bending over" syndrome or also eating cold yogurt. Cold things going down my esophagus use to also set me off. Dinner was never pleasant as it seemed to trigger atrial fibs as well. I am better now but I find all of this an ongoing mystery and most depressing though I am thankful to be breathing each day. That is the bottom line, I guess. Thanks for listening. Barbara in Texas

[Tom H.]

Hi Everyone. - I too have PVC's (and I'm male, 32 yrs old). Mine started at about 24 yrs of age as single, massive "thuds" that ocurred more frequently on some days than others.  I have the exact same symptoms a lot of you have (laying on side, at night, 2 to 3 in a row, etc) except I'm on no medication.  In general, they seem to be getting worse over time, they freak me out more now becaues I never know exactly how they'll feel, and some really feel weird (I miss those single thuds!).  Occasionally, they feel like what an irregular heart beat would feel like and I get very briefly dizzy (2 or three in a row).

The only thing I can add is that over the past year and a half, I can count on getting the awful sitting up to sleep episodes whenever I get a virus or infection that includes a fever.  Doctors have mentioned that adrenaline (Sp?) may be the culprit. This makes some sense to me for the big episodes, but not the day in and day out PVC's.

I've had a 24hr holter (twice), EKG, Treadmill, and Echo.  Nothing outstanding on any of these tests (PVC's, brief Tach) So, my medicine has been to live every day to the fullest (easier said than done), enjoy my kids/family, and be thankful for what I have.  Hell, I almost got hit by a truck taking out the garbage the other day (seriously), so anything can happen...

Thank you all for sharing your experiences.  Reading these boards has helped me very much.  I guess for a lot of us, we're just going to have to live with these things.

[rfashton]

Tom,
Please don't accept having to live with your PVCs.  Everyone is a little different so we each have to learn what triggers them.

Read earlier posts (mine and others) on what helped and try some of the solutions that worked for others.  For example, have you had a thyroid (TSP) test?  It just requires a little blood and if your thyroid is not functioning correctly, that could be an answer.

I too had the extended PVCs and it felt like my heart was wheezing - strange, but that is how I can best describe it.  Getting the thyroid in check took care of that problem for the most part.

I think your doc was right about the adrenaline thing.  I have PVCs when I am under a lot of stress and in particular have an emrgency type experience.  This seems to go away when I get myself calmed down.

Hope this helps.

[Barbara Teran]

Dear Tom,
  I am on Klonopin (.5 mg) a day. I have found this to be helpful. I have in the past had a panic disorder and the Klonopin not only helps me sleep, but it also relieves some of the anxiety that comes along with the "dreaded" skips. I hate these things. I have so many kinds that I am not sure which are worse. They all are. So much for living a good life. I am curious as to whether my so-called "panic disorder" was not in fact a precursor to the skipping I have now. I am really so much better because I am able to bend over now without setting off a series of missed beats and also I am able to eat dinner! I don't know how but eating would also set me off. It is my theory, and only mine, that my irritated heart (from too much thyroid medication) reacted to food passing down along side of it. I have no other explanation and this is by no means medically sound ( no one ever told me this who had a medical degree.) The less thyroid medication I took, the better I got. Go figure. Anyway, my TSH was pushed too close to the edge of the normal range, whatever that is (.4- 5.0) and I was more hyper than hypo. In other words, I was near the .4 cutoff and my heart did not like this one bit.) About 4 years ago my doctors (?) allowed my TSH to go to .1 and I can tell you that atrial fibs are no fun. I was atrial fibbing like you cannot believe. Once I found a doctor who knew what was wrong, she managed to make these skips disappear or almost disappear. I would only have an occasional PVC and it was a single one at that. Last year I progressed to that same state of having skips just sitting here using my computer. It has been a nightmare for me and made me very nervous plus they have not gone away as they did before. I do have an understanding doctor and he prescribes an anti-anxiety pill which I have found helpful. Perhaps this might help you. Ask your doctor and see if he/she won't help you with the anxiety that comes along with the skipping heart. I really know what you are talking about. Barbara

[vincent]

Barbara,
I started to have terrible panic attacks about 5 yrs ago,4 visits to the ER. With those attacks I began for the first time in my 40 years to have PVC's. The panic has subsided but the PVC's are still here almost daily. My docs won't tell me that the massive panic attacks "caused" my PVC's, but I believe it. The coincidence is just too strong. I've been cardiac tested with most recently being told I have MVP. I not sure about the chicken or the egg here. What do you think? Thanks.

[Bobbye Davis]

I was born with a "hole in my heart". At least that was what it was called in the 1940's. I would turn blue and parents could hear me breathing where ever the were in the home. Diagnosis. I wouldn't live two weeks. I married and had two daughters. Later in the 1980's I developed irregular beats and thumps. I was diagnosed with MVP. Now in my 50's I find that I too am having trouble with heart beating so hard and some times when I lay down I have to sleep on left side or my stomach. I had EKG & Doppler and wore monitor for 24 hours.I have been On Inderal since the 1980's  and have just increased my amt. to 40 mgs. a day. I noticed that when I began to tire it affects me more. It has continued to increase over the last three years. Some time I have to cough too. I was told that the test revealed a minimal leaking in the aortic valve and I remember reading some thing about Tachacardia. Some times my heart beats so hard that it will
skip a beat and then start again. I am going for test again because I am so tired of this. A lot of times I feel better up walking than sitting or lying down. I have Osteo arthritis and osteo porosis too and some times I hurt too badly. I also take fluid pills. I would like to know when the aortic valve is leaking what is that called and what is done for it.

[Evelyn Brown]

To All,

I have had the same problem in the past.  About the last 6 months, I experienced alot of Stress and Anxiety in my life which worsened the PVC's and skipped heart beats.  I no longer have PVC's, but my heart skipps alot of beats, and I still don't know why.  All I do is worry about it, and it scares me everytime I think about it.  I do know that Stress, Anxiety, Hormones, Caffiene, and certain medications will induce PVC's.  If anyone would like to E-mail me about the skipped heart beats, please do so, (***@****) and let me know why this happens.  I'm lost.

[Violet]

I was just diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia. Same symptoms as most. The most troublesome is the disruption of sleep because of the intensity of the palpations. I had a nuclear stress test yesterday and it should no blockage, good news! Only advise the cardiologist has is to take a beta blocker, not so good news! Beta blockers aggravate asthma, I am Asthmatic. I dont feel any closer to an answer than before the holter monitor test. I have read in many posts a referral to an EP. Can anyone tell me what that is?  This is so depressing. Like some one said, the Dr. says its not a problem, it is if you are the one who cant sleep! Thanks for any info.  Violet   ***@****

[jean zegar]

I just went to my gp yesterday because of palpitations I have been having for two days.  They were happening as much as every few seconds.  He did and EKG and was able to document them, but he felt that my heart is fine and that these are benign.  I don't use cafeine, alcohol or drugs but I had been drinking gingkoba tea ( one a day)for the past two weeks.  I'm hoping this was the cause and as soon as this is out of my system it will stop.  I sure hope I won't have to live with these episodes for too long. Did anyone else out there have any problems they could relate to herbal supplements or herbal tea?  If yes, please e-mail me at ***@****

[willye]

I too have many of the symptoms that have been posted.  The problems with sleeping are so familiar!  I am a 55 yr old female and have experienced these PVC's/skipped beats/thumps for several years.  I too had panic attacks after some surgery and there does seem to be a link with the increased PVC's starting after that.  The other thing that I think affects or triggers attacks is MSG. I sort of tracked it down as a likely culprit about 5 years ago. In trying to figure out what was causing the severe skipped beats that would not let me sleep and seemed to be worse after eating I played detective.  I also notice many comments posted talk about a link with meals. I traced my eating back to the start of the attack and noticed all the meals were heavily laced with MSG!  I first noticed a link when eating in Chinese resturants (most Chinese resturants do not use the MSG anymore).  However, it is in sooooooo many prepared foods and I am sure used in many resturant dishes.  Another possible link is lowered Potassium.  This can happen easily while taking high blood pressure medication.  I asked my dr about these and he said it is quite possible since they both can cause those kinds of problems.  These are only possibilities, most of the time there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to an onset of the dreaded skipped beats!  Take all.

[Wendy]

I am sort of new to all of this but my problems seem similar.  I recently developed what the doctor called an extra beat.  I thought it was a skipped beat but not so.  I have been under great stress for several years, also had several panic attacks and developed reflux disease. I have taken medication on and off for reflux.  It's been 3 weeks since these extra beats started and they show no sign of going away.  I will have them when I lay down at night but once I fall asleep I sleep very well all night.  If fact this is the only time that I don't have the weird beats.  Once I awake in morning they start about an hour later, once I get active.  I have cut out caffeine, haven't smoked in 10 years and up until 3 weeks ago I worked out at the Ymca 3 or 4 X's a week.  I went to ER with my heart beating so fast that they took me in right away and did some tests then sent me home.  Went for a stress test the next day which was normal. The cardiologist smiled and and said nothing to worry about, everything was normal.  Said it was probably caused by stress and would not prescribe anything except regular exercise for my condition.  This is miserable. I also feel fatigued most of the time.  Have resumed some exercise cautiously.  I have wondered whether reflux and PVC's can be related.  I always feel a little worse when I eat. Anyone else in my position?

[JR]

yes, in your position....and eveyone elses position here i guess. we suffer from vagally mediated pvc's and psvt. there
is basically nothing they can do for us except for an ablation and/or beta
blockers for the psvt.
as far as pvc's....lotsa luck
.......just a little insider knowledge from someone "in the know"