Abnormal Heart beats

I am 34yo woman, 5'9, 125 pounds, smoked for 10 years in my 20s, my mom has had 3 tachycardias in her lifetime with no explanation, last one being over 20 years ago.

Last October, I felt the extra beat/skipped beat sensation and it lasted for about 5 minutes.  Had all tests done including a holter monitor and it came back that I had 1 ventricular ectopic beat.  EKG was normal.  Around the same time, I lost some weight due to some irritation to my stomach from taking too much advil during my periods for cramps.  Was given aciphex which corrected the stomach problem.  

For the last few months, I've been leading a very sedentary life...partly due to working from home, not much social activity, and I believe palpitations have become a normal occurrence as I'll get up sometimes and can feel my heartbeat.  I also notice that I feel out of breath more than I probably should just from regular physical activity around the house.  I always thought this was due to the fact that I am very out of shape from leading this sedentary life.

5 days ago, after running a quick errand and returning home, I had another episode of fluttering, irregular heartbeats.  This time it lasted for 45 minutes.  I took  2.5 mg valium after 30 minutes (prescribed to me past october for anxiety from the issues I had with the stomach and fluttering) and 15 minutes later it went back to normal.  A couple of hours passed and as I was describing to my mother what happened, it started again lasting 50 minutes (took another 2.5 mg valium and it stopped after 10 minutes of taking it)

I went to my Internist the following day.  All blood work is normal, Holter monitor found 110 ventricular ectopic beats(102 isolated, 2 pair, 1 run) Also 19 minutes of tachycardia with longest lasting 1 minute all in the 24 hour period the day after the lastest incident of irregular heatbeats.  

[Michael J. McWilliams, M.D.]

is it possible that hormonal levels could have something to do with the irregular heart beats?

there is no question that hormones can contribute to palpitations.  it comes up quite frequently.  There is not test that I know of the diagnosis this -- hormone levels are too dynamic.  If it happens every time you have a cycle, that should be enough to suggest a correlation.

Your cardiologist should should be able to provide some information for you.  It might help to have your questions written down and keep in mind that they might not be able to answer all your questions in one sitting, especially if they are meeting you for the first time.

I hope this helps.

[dreamer8]

Sorry for the long post, but here is my question in continuation to the above post...The only other thing that I have noticed in the last couple of months is that I've had irregular menstrual cycle starting July 28th occuring 18 days after previous cycle, and again August 12th which is 15 days after the previous (1st) irregular cycle.  Seeing that my irregular heart beats happened on August 20th, is it possible that hormonal levels could have something to do with the irregular heart beats?  Also, the fact that I haven't gained any of my weight back since losing some weight last October due to my stomach issues even though I am eating more than I probably should is troublesome.  I should also mention that I was on birth-control pills since the age of 15 for very painful cramps and stopped taking it about 2 years ago.

I have an appt with my gynecologist on Tuesday and with a cadiologist on Wednesday, but am feeling very anxious about all of this and I found this wonderful place and thought I would share and see if I can get any reassurance while I wait to see the specialists.  The internist said that a blood test that measures women hormones will take up to a week so I am also waiting on that, although the thyroid results all came back normal.

[dreamer8]

Thank you so much for your response.  One more question:  Can panic/anxiety attacks eventually cause these ventricular ectopic beats to occur?