Allergies and Heart Palpitations

[cmd182405]

Does anyone know if allergies can cause an irregular heart beat?  I have been having an irregular heart beat for several months.  It usually happens in the evening after dinner.  Many nights I go to bed with a heart beat that keeps me awake.  When I wake up it has stopped and I feel fine.  I have been to the doctor and had an ekg and an electrocardiogram and everything looks normal.  I have noticed in the past if I am exposed to a strong perfume or strong candle my heart will pound.

[Noelf2]

I have had on-and-off episodes of benign arrhythmia since my mid 30's, now 55.  Several things set me off.  Don't rule out the possibility that you have sleep apnea (those that wake up gasping).  Doctors are absolutely useless at figuring out that apnea is a primary cause of palpitations.  Since using a CPAP, I have had way fewer episodes.  When I still have episodes (and I'm having one right now), it seems to be in the spring and fall.  I have been tested for allergies, and oak pollen is really bad for me.  Four months ago I started a year long series of allergy shots, and my arrhythmia has been worse (because I'm purposely exposing myself to the bad allergens).  I plan to quit the shots because of it.  Other things that I believe set me off are Caffeine, MSG, and perhaps chocolate, but it's hard to tell because the CPAP has worked wonders, and it seems to be an accumulation of the triggers that throw me into the palpitations.  I also have inner ear issues, and am mostly deaf in one ear.  Fluid buildup in that ear cause episodes of vertigo.  

[Joy1980]

I have been having breathlessness and palpitations past few months and diagnosed it as I have become allergic to perfumes and incense sticks.  Had an attack today when they sprayed mosquito fog around my apartment.  My head get heavy and sometimes I feel I may pass out.  Is there any solution for this. Need help please.  

[AshSoCal]

Thank god for this post. I am experiencing arrhythmia since the past 4-5 years as well. It all started with a reaction to medication I took for strep throat and continued. It happens each may-june and around September here in So Cal. I keep telling my doctor that the timing is very consistent and every single heart test has come back normal. I just had an episode yesterday  while driving on the freeway and had to pull over and call the paramedics. Not the first time though. Happens each year now. I am going to ask my doctor for an allergy test, although I am very afraid to take over the counter medication because that also has caused arrhythmia for me in the past

[Edd13]

I narrowed it down to aftershaves and deodorants....once i stopped using them the palpations stopped.

[Thebestisyet2]

any luck calming heart rates down when pollens are up?

[SAZZIEBOO]

so reassuring to read this!! nobody understands how scary palpitations are until they have to live with them. Im convinced mine are food related. "bad" food eg processed sets me off. Organic clean pure food im ok with. I seem to be bad I March april and now im seeing a theme here and going to try allergy meds. I think the chemicals we are exposed play big part. thanks all

[Bridgewolf]

Hi o get it too when in exposed to even laundry detergent. You for sharing. It's comforting for me to hear from other sufferers too. The palpitations are scary and I feel like no one understands as well. Having a hard time. Ty so much.

[Jolf]

I started to have irregular heartbeats 6 months ago.  The only major change in my life at the time was that my son homed another 3 cats (now we have 5 who live outside for the most part).  I think that was probably what kicked the palps off, especially reading what you have all written here.  I have always had a mild cat allergy, but have managed it easily by avoiding direct contact. I suspected this triggered (somehow??) the weak strong heartbeats but the doctor completely disagreed and sent me for all the usual heart exams.  Everything came back okay (thankfully) although I did discover I was born with a prolapsed valve in my heart (MVP) which is fairly common and inconsequential (some people go through their whole lives without discovering they even have this).  I wonder, after reading all of the posts here, if it's not the allergy per se, but a combination of the heart 'structure' and the allergy lowering my blood pressure.  I am a relaxed person generally, and my blood pressure has always been on the low side anyway.  Also changes in hormone levels may play at part (I am now 47).  Today, I just came back from my final consult with the doctor who confirmed he doesn't know what causes the palpitations and offered me beta blockers (which I won't take) and he also refused to refer me to an allergist when I shared my ideas with him.  I am now planning to find a good kinesiologist who might be able to help with the allergy (I have had good results in the past with one - miraculous even).  Thanks, everyone, for sharing your situations, it has really helped me. Oh, I should also mention, sometimes (but not always) if I take a Piriton (mild allergy medicine) the palps stop for a while, but I don't like taking them often, so don't know if they would work long term.  I am now going to start paying attention to how different foods affects them too.

[heartlady761]

I have been on this exact road with you. I had a really bad one a few nights ago. I was surprised to survive the night. It isn't related to panic as most of the time that's not relevant. I've done the recording device and it has caught minor irregularities. I know it isn't reflux because I feel it in my neck and head. Benedryl and aspirin help. Chocolate seems to set it off. I also am sick of doctors. It is associated with low blood pressure. Hormones may influence, and RA attacks may also be connected. All the best to both of us and anyone else out there barely making it through the night.

[Megthing]

Yep. Same thing for me. Chocolate and caffeine bring it on. Low blood pressure readings too.

[Megthing]

Yep. Same thing for me. Chocolate and caffeine bring it on. Low blood pressure readings too.

[JFelix]

I appreciate everyone’s input on this. It gives me great comfort knowing that other people are experiencing the same symptoms. I have suffered with seasonal allergies for all my life. In the last 5 years I have started to experience heart palpitations in the spring. This year instead of heart palpitations I have experienced dizziness nausea and muscle aches. It is now August and the heart palpitations along with dizziness have come back with seasonal allergy symptoms. I am going to start taking an all natural allergy medicine to see if that will help.

[Tayalynn77]

One of the things noone is talking about in this forum is wireless signals.  My palpitations are much worse in heavily populated areas where there are a lot of cell phone towers.  There is actually a community in West Virginia that people who get sick from cell signals are moving to because there's a huge telescope there and no cell signals can be near it so they are banned.  If you want to see if cell or wireless signals are causing your palpitations, unplug your wireless routers and turn off your cell phones for a day.  See if it helps.  The medical community is not yet or is just starting to recognize that this is a problem.  I suspect that when 5G comes out on our phones this problem will be much worse and it will require many more mini towers on populated streets throughout populated areas. Our hearts electrical impulses can be interrupted by the wireless signals in the air.  Let me know if anyone tries this and if unplugging helps you.

[Dio4530]

This just recently started happening. Like most of you the doctor also told me i was fine. They told me it was anxiety and im not anxious nor am I stressed. I have to pay more attention to when im getting these palpitations but if often happens when im standing up... but something else must be triggering it. This started happening beginning of  May and has been getting worse. The last couple of days have been a night mare. I even started convincing myself it was anxiety when i know very well it is not. This gives me hope! just took some dramamine from one of the posts that i read and i do feel a bit better.

[lusha23]

Hi, It seems to me I am not alone, which is a comfort.
I've been having my issues with rapid heartbeat and palpitations since I was 38 and now I am 63. I tried to figure out the cause of them and came to the conclusion that they are triggered by different food , such as coffee, once after having 3 cups I had a mess with my heart rhythm and have stopped drinking it completely, also chocolate, etc. What helped me a lot was and is activated coal, it cleans your body of all harmful substances which we consume and it is absolutely harmless, plus I take valerian root before I go to sleep, which calms you down and is harmful, too.
I also react on smells a lot, such as tart, chlorine, perfumes, etc.  I just try to avoid contacts with them.

[Ed_B]

I to have been experiencing palpitations and skipping beats and it seems like it is considerably worse during allergy season when my eyes burn and my sinuses are trashed from it.  My palpitations have gotten progressively worse over the last 5 years or so.  I have experienced a fib a few times and found a really rare (4th ever documented) tumor on one of my adrenal glands after 7 years of doctors telling me there was nothing wrong.  I understand the frustration of not getting answers and tell you all to keep up the search and don't give up,  Things calmed down after removal of the adrenal gland for about 4 years but palpitations have come back with a vengeance.  I too have had many tests and all come up normal.  Done the 30 day monitor, stress tests echo, cardio CT scans and seen numerous cardiologists.  Am getting ready to see electrophysiologists now.  I started seeing some pattern involving possible allergies so I searched and found this thread.  As I sit here having the palpitations I have gotten comfort in reading your stories and appreciate all of you who have written theirs.  I don't feel alone on this now.  I am a professional problem solver in the energy industry and intend to solve this one of my own.  I will take some of the advice I see here and try to find the solution to my problem.  I will come back and let you all know how I do in my search for a solution.  I do already take Cetirizine daily and have for some years.  Now I will see if that is a contributing factor.  Thanks again.

[Jewels9874]

I have severe heart palpitations especially at night when I go to lay down I feel like my heart is beating out of my chest. It's like it's two normal beats and one hard heartbeat. I've gone to emergency room I've gone to doctors and they tell me that everything is normal. I work for a doctor and when I'm feeling the puppy tations he puts me on an EKG immediately and again it's normal. But something isn't normal this isn't right and I am so tired of it. My dr. Just put me on 25 mg of metropolo. Any of y'all take that I'm so afraid of taking something that's going to make me worse

[Bridgewolf]

I get that too when in around scents and chemicals. Even if someone next to me is wearing clothes with strong smellling laundry detergent my heart races and I don't feel well. If I take piriton it helps a lot but I don't like taking meds especially as it happens so often. I now try to have a scent free home. I had to leave my job because it started happening every day. It's hard when people don't understand. My heart races and it's scary... my voice gets hoarse sometimes and the I feel really cold.
I used to get hives really bad as well and my throat closed up so bad once that I had to get rushed to emergency for an injection. That time I was exercising at the gym and a chemical cleaner was used on the equipment just before I got on. My face swole up and my voice got hoarse until I could hardly speak and I had hives all over. The doc said minutes later and I would have been dead.
I don't get the visible symptoms anymore as much. It's more my heart. Sometimes the roof of my mouth itches too Along with it. I'm on this site today because I feel really frustrated about it. It helps to know other people like you understand it. Thank you for sharing. I actually am in a band now and you can understand what a challenge that is. Last week the place we rehearse at smelt of laundry detergent and my throats was tight, heart raced and I felt to lie down. I really appreciate hearing from other people like me that it's not (just?? Anxiety) ty.

[Bridgewolf]

Strange. I have bad reactions to scents and chemicals and I also find it difficult to hear especially in my right ear. Ty for sharing. Pls let us know if you find relief.

[Bridgewolf]

I get it too inresponse to scents and chemicals. Yes inscence is a bad one. Even laundry detergent. We eventually got rid of all perfumes at home and buy only scent free soaps. It's had to find deodorants and shampoos that work. We even buy scent free Pyrex to was clothes but sometimes have to add a bit of the scented one and that gets me very sick. Piriton works but I don't like taking it. Please let me know if you find an answer. Take care. :)

[Bridgewolf]

Purex. Laundry detergent.

[DragonFyr]

Lots of scent-free laundry products here in the US.

[SAZZIEBOO]

hi

is that an anti allergy medication? Thanks

[gabbybh]

I do the same...plus add NAC (N-acetyl-cysteine) and it's amazing!!

[Chuckt24]

I have had this problem for several years. My worst month is April, and I've also had issues in the fall. I believe this may be associated with three pollen in the spring and ragweed in the fall. But April is always the worst. I wore a monitoring belt one time, and the doctor told me I was having premature heartbeats. He offered no solution. When this same thing began to happen year after year at the same time, I began to suspect a link to allergies. And, like someone in a previous post, I've also experienced problems with fluid in my ears, which causes dizziness and lack of balance.

[RickSte]

This thread has made me feel so much better, I have felt crazy having a seasonal heart condition for the best part of 10 years.

I have been suffering from a combination of palpitations and irregular missed beats and it always starts around the end of March and dissipates by May. Then starts again to a lesser extent, for a few weeks in Oct/Nov.

I am physically fit middle-aged with a resting HB around  53 and  doing outdoor sports all my life and running most days. In fact I have often suspected that the condition was a result of overdoing some activity or other.

The episodes almost always occur in the evening while relaxing and they sometimes wake me up at night leaving me feeling breathless.
I am unsure whether it was the emergence of this condition which kicked of stress and insomnia or whether it just made it worse pushing me to the GP 7 yrs ago. They gave me all the heart tests they could with no answers and now just manage the insomnia.

I will now approach the condition with a  view to allergies and see if those med help at all.
Thanks for sharing.

[JrzB]

Glad to share experiences. Networking is the BEST way to figure things out. By the way, I also discovered that I am allergic to doctor's offices...(just kidding)...I am actually allergic to the cleaning chemicals they use. I ill-advisably agreed to a visit on a Saturday morning. They clean the patient-consultation rooms extra-thoroughly Friday evenings. The smell of the chemical drove me nuts. My bp is normally 120/80. They were measuring 150/90. I was astounded because I have been monitoring and graphing these numbers for years, and the numbers are quite stable, until the recent events.

[Glori19]

Oh my your story is so interesting! I had an ablation 5 days ago due to 3 SVT episodes in the past 7 years where I ended up in the ER. After the first SVT I was put on a beta blocker. Interestingly enough, when I met with the Cardiologist who specializes in electrophysiology, he asked me if my allergies and asthma were present prior to me starting the beta blocker. I was really taken back and wondering what that would have to do with anything. Now as I think about it, I was diagnosed with seasonal asthma after being on my beta blocker. I stopped my metoprolol after the ablation so it will be interesting to see my allergy and asthma issues change. I was shocked when I saw you had figured out what was causing some of your heart stuff and recalled I was standing over the stove cooking with hot oil when my 2nd SVT started. Amazing how everything must be connected. Thanks for sharing your story.

[JrzB]

Doctors the world over are CLUELESS because they do only what big pharma tells them to do. It is so much more profitable for bigbusiness to put you on expensive regimens, than find the root cause. I went through that whole gamut, with the AMA docs scratching their heads (and other parts of their anatomies) but I accidentally discovered the cause of skipped beats. As others above, I verified it with a simple design of experiments. Candle vapors, and burnt cooking oil set the skipping off. The concentration does not have to be high. I was in a nearly empty church last Sunday and the candle vapors first started burning my eyes and shortly after, thud--thud went my heart. I was never allergic to these substances earlier. I blame it on other medications I was recently subjected to by my Quack who is nothing more than a stooge for Big Pharma.