Heart Shakes

[aspenhills]

Hello,
I am 33 and for the last 6 months I have been waking up to my heart shaking about twice a week.  It still beats regularly though, usually 60 - 70 beats/min when I check it.  If I put my hand on my heart I can feel two distinct things, it's beating normally, and it is trembling.   It even causes my upper body to tremble a bit.  I have done so much research and I find many things on your heart racing, or it can stop beating and "quiver", but mine beats regularly, and trembles at the same time.  Any suggestions on what this may be?  Thanks so much for your response.  I really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Gina

[Mom_of_Jon_n_Cherie]

This is a long time after your initial post, so you most likely have found an answer.
After having a miscarriage in my 30's my doctor suggested mitral valve prolapse. I did some research on it and have had other symptoms connected to it, also an EKG. Some people have it repaired. My doctor has said it is nothing to worry about.
I have found that it is hormonally induced. Certain times of the month in my 30's and now during menopause it seems to be connected to night hot flashes. Most of my trouble is in the night. They describe it as feeling as if your heart is fluttering like a butterfly. There isn't a test that they can do to catch it as far as I am aware, maybe the monitor attached all day.
I don't worry since I eat clean, exercise and enjoy a full life, but it is a bit unnerving. I just put it off as hormonal changes causing the mitral valve prolapse, since that is the pattern I see over the years.

[AmandaJeanA]

Thank you. I recently had a heart scan done with no results yet. So my dr says a trip to the neurologist may very well be next.

[L8dyGrniis]

Amanda, sorry to hear about the MS, I worked with a woman who too had a strong familiar history of MS. Before her own diagnosis she would would describe your symptom of whole body vibrations. She would tell me she knew she was developing MS symptoms. Don't know if that is the case with you but it does sound suspicious. I have since been diagnosed with very high BP / Diabetes / high Cholesterol / severe Water Retention and have began taking several medications. I am still uncertain as to the cause of my own symptoms but I have to say my night time heart vibrations have lessened dramatically so I suspect they were Heart/BP related. Good luck with your journey for answers to your symptoms.

[AmandaJeanA]

This is what's happening to me it's almost like a vibration but I feel it in whole body..my hands, head, and legs will have like a shaking/vibration/humming I'm not sure what to make of it....I've never heard of A-fib but I am getting an echocardiogram next month. I have been tested for mono, anemia, thyroid problems, blood cell count, diabetes, and nothing came back abnormal. When I lay down especially ir just put my head against the back of a seat, I can feel my head like hum or vibrate. I have a fast heart beat but my dr told me 90 was normal on the EKG. I initially went in for being lightheadedness and constant sleeping (and always feeling tired problem) thinking it was and my dr noticed my heart beating fastly. I have anxiety but my heart beats around 90-120 all day when I have my friend check my pulse a few times. Has anyone else ever experienced this? MS runs in my family including my mother, I'm not sure what to make of it so that's my 1st thought.

[L8dyGrniis]

Wow, I never knew how common this is. I too, often feel like my heart is trembling or quivering. It only happens while I'm in bed, sometime just as I am drifting off to sleep, and sometimes I awaken in the middle of the night to the feeling of my heart trembling. It scared me when it first happened, only because I did not know what it was, why it was happening, or if it is serious. I too wondered at first if it is arterial fibrillation as I once heard somewhere that one type of a-fib causes the heart to tremble. However, everything I can find about a-fib describes it more like a very rapidly beating heart and that's not what I feel. In fact when it happens I am completely unable to make out the feeling of an actual isolated beat. It is a very light, fluttery, trembling, quivering feeling, and for me it is only my heart. I am 56 but I'm done with menopause. I went through it in my mid 30's which by the way, my doctor at the time said was not at all unusual. I don't know one way or the other if it is anxiety related but when it happens  (and this may sound weird) I can actually will it to stop with my mind by totally and completely concentrating on calming my heart to stop trembling, and it works. Many years ago I watched a program about bio-feedback and scoffed the idea at the time. Well without realizing it at first, I thin that is what I am actually now doing lol. Try it, it does work but you really have to believe and know that you are in control and that you can do it. I don't know what to do to make it not happen again, but I do feel like I am able to stop it when does happen.

[TressaW]

I cough to make mine stop . But it's always while I'm sleeping or lying down. It wakes me up or upon waking .

[TressaW]

Sorry, it typed numbers and such on my post that I didn't want there .

[underinformed35]

I have experienced this and it makes me shake all over also. My cardiologist thinks it is A-fib but I am not convinced. I have never caught it on a heart monitor but usually my pvc's bring it on. I will have a series of pvc's and then it feels like my heart is quivering . I can't really get a steady pulse, but it does not make me pass out. I kind of feel like I might,  but mostly you can put your hand on my chest and completely feel it shaking. My husband said it feels like a bumble ball in my chest. I called 911 the first time it happened, but by the time they got to my house it was over and my rhythm was back to normal. Hopefully it is just a hormonal thing. I also have some of the pre-menopause symptoms, but we are too young for that, right:) I am 35f
Good luck!

[aspenhills]

Thank you for your help.  I will do some research on the things you both said.  Oddly, I did go to the doctor because I was having many pre-menopause symptoms.  They want me to come in right away when the heart shaking happens and do a EKG.  The problem is, the shake only lasts 1-2 minutes, so I dont think I could make it to the hospital in time.  On my next appointment  they are going to hook me up to a heart monitor or something that I wear home.  I feel like they were scratching there heads as to what it could be.  Palpitations is a symptom of menopause, but when I read the definition of palpitations, it is not what I have.  I swear it is my heart that is trembling.  I will look up "internal shaking" and see what it says.  Thanks again.  You have been helpful. It bothers me when I have something that no one can actually diagnose.  I just had brain surgery last year and I am too darn young for all these problems.  Uhg!

[PerChance]

I think artskip's comments are very good on this.  

Thought I'd just add that I've also experienced this internal shaking feeling.  I'm a 31 year old male, so I can rule out menopause for me.  :)  Some have mentioned in the past that GI issues (e.g., gas or other intestinal goings-on) and/or esophogus spasms/problems could be a contributor.  I too initially found online articles that were focused on a-fib (the "quivering"), but I don't think it's the same sensation.

But I swear though that sometimes it does feel like my heart itself is shaking.  I don't know why, but I'm trying to convince myself it's not serious.  It's just one of many problems that I'm trying to laugh myself through at this point.  Good luck to you!

[artskip]

There is something call internal shaking. Some women get it with hormonal changes and menopause. Sometimes I can get a feeling of a very slight vibration in my chest, it is very annoying , but it doesn't last long.