palpitations

Posted By Carol J. Renner on January 06, 1999 at 09:04:02:







I am a 32 year old healthy female and I exercise regularly.  I recently started having palpitation (within the last year).  Basically they started sometime after the birth of our daughter and a stressful move to Texas.  I started having problems with anxiety and the palpitations worsened.  They would go on for a longer period of time and at times, I would wake in the middle of the night with palpitations or rapid heart beat.  The palpitations may continue on and off for a long time but the rapid heart rate slows down within minutes.  I saw a cardiologist and I had a electrocardiogram, doppler, treadmill test, blood test, and the 24 hour holter monitor.  The Doc said it was palpitations or arrhythmia, ie an extra beat in the upper part of my heart.  He told me to reduce caffeine and come back in 6 mos if necessary.  I treated my anxiety with Buspar, occassional Ativan and therapy.  Now it has been over 6 mos later and I still have the palpitations and rapid heart beat.  I have reduced my caffeine but occassionally do have some.  At least once a month I wake up with palpitations or rapid heart rate although not as frequently as before.  I also have palpitations during exercise sometimes.  They scare me--especially during the middle of the night.  I use a relaxation tape and I can calm myself.  Is there anything else I can do?  Do I need to see the Doctor again?  If it helps, my mother suffers from the same condition.  I would like to understand what is going on.  My Psychiatrist took me off the Buspar and told me to take Ativan if needed.  Any ideas or do I just worry too much about it?   Sincerely, Carol