Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Is it possible to "live" with palpitations??

I feel very fortunate to have found this forum where people have the same condition I do and share the same concerns.  I am wondering, after reading all of your stories, is it even possible to "live" a normal life while dealing with the constant fear and anxiety related to this issue??  I am a 40 yr old female whose palpitations started four months ago after 6 months of suffering severe panic attacks.  I have quit smoking, eliminated caffeine, am on a beta blocker, and walk 3 miles a day on a treadmill whenever I am able.  But nothing has stopped these palpitations.  EKG's were all normal as well as the 24 hr holter monitor results.  I don't understand how there can be no apparent cause or cure for this condition.  I, along with all of you, am frustrated and tired of living in constant fear!!  I am, however, glad to find people who actually understand what I am dealing with every single day.  All the "normal" people I know don't understand that if it is not life threatening how I can't just ignore it and get on with my life!!  REALLY??   If it were that simple, we would all be doing it instead of joining this forum for support and possible answers!!  Good luck to everyone else suffering as I do!!  I would appreciate any and all correspondence on this condition!!  Thanks in advance!!
35 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I'm so sorry you have such terrible experiences with palpitations. :( I know what it's like to have that constant fear with all the "what if"s and being too afraid to even get up and do anything. It can be so overwhelming.

It isn't easy, but you have to keep going. They're terrifying, but you can't let them ruin your life. You should try to live it the best way that you can, despite the fear. Take little steps. One step at a time. Try to keep eating, even if it's just a little at a time and drink plenty of water. Slowly try doing some of the things you used to do, the small things first. See how it affects you, then take it in and adjust. Then do it again. It'll be slow and it'll be scary, but keep moving. Keep trying to do more and more of the things you used to do. start small and work your way up.

Enjoy the little things. Surround yourself with people who love you. When the palps hit, just breathe. Close your eyes and feel them out. Acknowlefge that they are happening, but realize you've had them before and you're still here. Talk it out with anyone who will listen. Talking always takes my mind off of them a bit. Keep breathing, slow and steady. Remind yourself that you've felt this before, but you survived.

I know this is a few days late, but I sincerely hope this helps in somw way. Don't give up. It's scary, but just take it one day at a time. Slowy push your boundries and try to do the things you used to do, little by little until you can do more. You'll have bad days for sure, but there''ll always be good days too. Try to enjoy them.
Helpful - 2
1 Comments
Wise words.
Avatar universal
I have been experiencing shortness of breath since july of 2016 and it's more than a month already waking up with palpitations and SOB. Im done with ecg and 2d echo with normal results. And tomorrow i'll visit the doctor for the results of my holter. I've read the conclusion on the results it shows a lot, the reason why I was on this page because of isolated PVC and PAC stated on the results. I've read all the comments in this topic and I can relate to almost all of the comments. Praying for good health to everyone.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Hi i have the same problem , i fell that my heart stop for a second and star again and again. I have this for so many years, but lately i have them all the time and the cardiologist said is nothing to worry, but when this bothers me. I can not stop worry i want to run to the ER all the time, i don't know if i can live like this for the rest of my life. I'm so unhappy.
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
They tell me the same bullspit in 2017.. I have 50 of these a day, already have MS and crippled, my feeling is they want us disabled people to die off.. SO they don't have to pay medical bills forever. that's just a fact. Obama let 300,000 US vets die waiting for care and begging for care at the SHIIITEHOLE VA.. its a money maker then they drain you out of dough and hope you die at home so they can spend money on DEM ILLEGALS AND SCUM who never fkng worked in their entire fkng lives... Believe it. And they don't want TRUMP to fix it. C SUCKERS ALL OF EM..
Avatar universal
Hi i have the same problem , i fell that my heart stop for a second and star again and again. I have this for so many years, but lately i have them all the time and the cardiologist said is nothing to worry, but when this bothers me. I can not stop worry i want to run to the ER all the time, i don't know if i can live like this for the rest of my life. I'm so unhappy.
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
They tell me the same bullspit in 2017.. I have 50 of these a day, already have MS and crippled, my feeling is they want us disabled people to die off.. SO they don't have to pay medical bills forever. that's just a fact. Obama let 300,000 US vets die waiting for care and begging for care at the SHIIITEHOLE VA.. its a money maker then they drain you out of dough and hope you die at home so they can spend money on DEM ILLEGALS AND SCUM who never fkng worked in their entire fkng lives... Believe it. And they don't want TRUMP to fix it. C SUCKERS ALL OF EM..
967168 tn?1477584489
Is it possible? sure; is it easy? never...I've lived with some type of arrhythmia and fainting since I was 9years old. I didn't know it at the time but my heart was stopping when I fainted; which was shown during a tilt table test in 2009.  

2 years ago at the age of 42; I found out I had something dangerous; even though my heart was "structurally" normal...I had over 50,000 pvc's daily and an EKG from back in 2007 showed I had tons of pvc's and in bigeminy from then.  It was a fluke I found out really - I fell broke my foot and had to go in to see a dr when it wouldn't heal. He scared me and told me I would have to have my valves replaced; which I didn't.  

I went to a cardiologist and EP; got a 2nd opinion and no one thought at the time of my ablation that anything was dangerous until the EP got inside and triggered long runs of polymorphic VT which stopped my heart a few times and I had to get an ICD in case it happened again.

After the EPS I had more testing done that showed I had developed some structural issues and possibly had HOCM (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy) and my ANS went into failure as well as nerve damage all over and some minor brain damage which they think was caused by my heart stopping so many times.

Before August 2009, even with major symptoms I walked, ran, did circuit training - I was always dieting and exercising - probably too much, I have 4 children (2 grown 2 younger) did all the yard work, went to parks, zoo's museums, beach, sporting things, had a business of my own and helped my husband in his business.

After ablation; it's been a long long road to recovery trying to figure out why & what happened because there are no clear cut easy answers.  In June 2011; I had 3 Vtach episodes I fainted, suffering a concussion, head contusion and severe neck sprain.  Is it easy knowing at any time my heart can stop again? not really and it's depressing; sometimes it gets to me especially when I'm in pain or feeling bad.  My whole body started failing at young age and they don't know why.

I've tried meds, lifestyle changes, ablation, more meds, Pacemaker/ICD; nothing has helped completely get rid of these purple people eaters and dr's told me there is nothing else medically they can do for me, except treat symptoms...

for now that's ok; one day there may be answers and a cure...until then, I have to take each moment at a time and face the day and what happens as best I can cope and realize not every day can be sunshine and rainbows.
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Hope you got well.. i'm going through that same stuff here in 2017...nothing seems to have changed how they treat these and people who get them. :(
941118 tn?1312281926
As Claytex responded above, there is the possibility of an ablation to help with pvcs, but for pvcs, ablations don't always work for a number of reasons, one is the location of the errant heart cells, the other is the possibility of blood vessels nearby or in the way. It is easier to ablate the more serious conditions like afib and svt.  Easier and higher success rates I mean.  Moma, I have had pvcs for 18 years now and have had as many as 17K per day.  I have tried anti arrhythimics (very dangerous), calcium channel blockers, and not I am on a beta blocker (toprol) - sorry for all the misspellings.  All I can say is yes, you can learn to live with them, but it is difficult at times.  Pvcs seem to come and go and as far as I can tell, there is no rhythm or reason.  Many times I have thought it was caffeine, decaf coffee, vitamins, fish oil, other supplements, sugar, sugar substitutes, you get the idea.  I can't seem to identify any trigger other than ONE, and that is anxiety!!!  If I have multiple pvcs, I get anxious, then I have more, and it turns into a vicious circle.  Right now I am going through a very bad bout of almost two months, but yesterday I was calm, and I felt like they lessened.  I am considering an ablation because supposedly mine are unifocal, right ventricular, and easy to ablate.  We'll see...  You didn't mention an echocardiogram. Have you had one?  Reassurance goes a long way, and if you are told after the echo, that your valves are in good shape, there is no sclerosis, and your heat output is top notch, you may be able to relax and they will go away.  My ep tells me that they usually go away, in my case it may take up to 8 weeks, but I believe that is true for most people, but they do always seem to return in moments of high stress, for me at least.  You need to be under the care of a good cardiologist, possibly and ep, have all the tests and try to keep stress down.  Write again and let us know how you are.  I try to always remember that the one statement I have heard from doctors over and over again is "pvcs are a benign condition in people without heart disease".  Keep that in mind...
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
It's a long time ago, I hope you got better.. I'm going through your thing myself now in 2017 June...

What I said to another lady above...
I know this is a year ago Ibiza, but I'm going through the very same thing and I also have had MS for 18 years, I"m 53, crippled, I had a brain tumor in 87 I survived without problems. And now I can't walk 10 feet without "Palping out" is what i call it.

My legs are already weak, so some make me fall.. I feel like I'm gonna die 40 times a day now for 4 months. Echo nothing.. ZIO patch which is a new style monitor, you push the button when an event occurs, I'm pushing it all day long.. Just using the first 3 days as a benchmark, that means I've had 1000s of these since they started..

I take xanax now and have been taking methadone for pain for a while now, which could be causing them, right temporal lobe surgery again 87, that could be it, brain stem MS lesions could be it... I'll die before they figure out what's wrong..

In 87 I was misdiagnosed 3 times with migraines til dropped unconscious at work and turned out to be a lemon sized brain tumor on my right lobe between my skull and epidermis.   I was right all along, the Dr's almost killed me at 21.

Good luck, these Cardio doctors do this so much they dont' seem to care unless you're in cardiac arrest.

Avatar universal
I can only talk about my own experiences with this problem and maybe it will calm you down some. I have had Atrial Fibrillations for a long time - a Holter monitor showed 38,000/day. But during my last visit to the cardiologist he said: "Your Echocardiogram came up normal - so go home and see your family doctor from now on, you don't have to come back." Although, I am quite sure the fact that I am 81 years old had a lot to do with his statement.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Your words are what im feeling. Theres no life... i exist... are you still there? Please be there... im so terrified
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
We are here, been having palpitations since 19, now 44 , some days pure hell questioning my excistence, some days are OK, just hold on to whatever good you find
Avatar universal
Oh yes I use to have this about a year ago I'm actually now 14 and I'm also a guy. I had this it's basically just anxiety and your heart rate is very fast. I hated this and I missed lots of school because of this. I also was very very light headed and literally was feeling like I would just pass out every second of the day. But how I got over this was simple I just went back to doing things like having fun and even started ice skating. After this I started to become less stressed. Really it just takes time and even though mine happened because of puberty it's the same for you anyways. Really what you have to do is just take deep breaths and heck bring water every where you go. Then just start pretending like you don't have any of those problems and literally go run a marathon no matter how bad your feeling. After you start doing these things you will go back to normal and if it's just heart pounding just do those things and soon you will forget it or if not most likely it will go away. Seriously you only have about 3-4 months left of this because mine lasted about 8 months and it just started going down and down by the months. Also go see a therapist or something like that, that can help with anxiety for just about a month you will start to notice your going back to normal. Trust everyone thinks they are like messed up and having a terrible life from these symptoms all it is is anxiety and just start going back to things you use to do and trust I had it and I swear I have parents that say blah blah blah nothing is wrong with you stop acting like a baby and I just had to do something. So I acted like I didn't have anything wrong with me and next thing you know it's gone
Helpful - 0
1724970 tn?1309654917
I live with these just 6 months now, while also crippled with MS and a brain tumor survivor from 87, my soph year in college which caused me to leave and ruined my entire life..

I've had an echo last week, a new style stick on ZIO monitor, and I'm pushing the button all day long.. Using the first 7 days of 14 as the benchmark, that means I've had about 1200 of these events just in 3 months.. NOTHING..

3 er visits, 10 grand out the window.. Unlike you, I can't run, I can barely walk, my left leg has been paralyzed for 15 years. It's miserable.

Good luck to you.. I hope it gets better, mine are not. And they say this is normal.. yea .. right... @@
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you all for sharing your stories. Even though I get PVCS on a daily basis for the last two months,  it seems like nothing compared to some of the problems other people have. I pray for you all.
Helpful - 0
9576600 tn?1475757952
Hi,
I ask often the same question! Whenever Im in some arrytmia, let it be skipped beats, heart block, svt or ist, I just cant do anything! I just spoke a bit about my svt experience on youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHLgXxFl3K8&t=19s
I will sure speak more about the fears and palpitations. You are not alone!!
Helpful - 0
12320179 tn?1427836347
I also have psvt . I was diagnosed Dec 2013, but had palps for years.My last attack ended me up in the hospital with a hr of 236 bpm.I had an ablation Feb, 2014. Everything seemed fine up until a few months ago. I notice I get winded easy with palps . It normally only lasts a few minutes then everything goes back to normal.I have also notices over the past few months, flip flops, the feeling my heart skips a beat and then a strong one follows.I have felt this throughout my life,but now it seems to happen more and more. I will turn 53 this coming summer and I am having some symptoms of peri menopause.I'm wondering if its hormonal or does one arrhythmia follow the other...I've read alot about pvc's, plap's and menopause.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
I first stared having terrible heart palpitations beginning of 2015   I was put on medication and they stopped  Now 1.5 years later they are back worse than ever  After having lots of tests ie angiogram, wearing halter monitor, stress test etc my cardiologist has tried me on three different types of medication and nothing has worked  The palpitations are daily and really quite bad   I think I may have to learn to live with them which in this day and age, with all the modern medicine available is really quite daunting   Any feedback would be appreciated    
12320179 tn?1427836347
I also have psvt . I was diagnosed Dec 2013, but had palps for years.My last attack ended me up in the hospital with a hr of 236 bpm.I had an ablation Feb, 2014. Everything seemed fine up until a few months ago. I notice I get winded easy with palps . It normally only lasts a few minutes then everything goes back to normal.I have also notices over the past few months, flip flops, the feeling my heart skips a beat and then a strong one follows.I have felt this throughout my life,but now it seems to happen more and more. I will turn 53 this coming summer and I am having some symptoms of peri menopause.I'm wondering if its hormonal or does one arrhythmia follow the other...I've read alot about pvc's, plap's and menopause.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm just wondering what kinds of arrhythmias you are having.  I started with ectopic beats when I was 40, and could deal with them.  Now 21 years later they have changed where I get my breath taken away and feel a little weak, scared after.  I've had one episode where for around 13 minutes I didn't have one normal beat, went to the hospital was seen right away, they took my vitals and was sending me to a room to hok me up to a heart monitor when it went back to normal rhythm, very scary and no one was able to see it, so don't know what kind of rhythm it was.  I told my Cardiologist who specializes in arrhythmias, but wasn't concerned, has not happened again and its been almost 4 years, and at the time my left arm was tingling and I could feel my heart beating hard in the upper left chest.  I take Klonopin to help when they make me nervous.  I have good days and it feels so good to feel almost normal again, its just not a predictable condition, some days I wake up and just know its starting off with pvcs, and sometimes tachycardia, I exercise, just don't like to plan anything because of the fear of pvcs, especially the ones that take my breath away.   I am a social person so I do try to get out and have fun when I'm not having a bad spell.  Maybe someday there will be a pill or procedure that helps all arrhythmias, until then I guess we need to all stay positive!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi!
I may be relocating to Austin and was wondering which doctor you see and the hospital you had the procedure done in. I'm in my mid 40's and have been experiencing heart palpitations since I was 39. They have gotten much worse and I had three SVT episodes within the last year (all while walking for exercise). My cardio  doc in Atlanta said all tests results came back normal. I have shortness of breath often with the PVC's. Glad results were normal, but I feel like crap! I worry I am going to drop dead :(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi!
I may be relocating to Austin and was wondering which doctor you see and the hospital you had the procedure done in. I'm in my mid 40's and have been experiencing heart palpitations since I was 39. They have gotten much worse and I had three SVT episodes within the last year (all while walking for exercise). My cardio  doc in Atlanta said all tests results came back normal. I have shortness of breath often with the PVC's. Glad results were normal, but I feel like crap! I worry I am going to drop dead :(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oh wow this is me ive had a rough year it all started nov of last year i had my daughter nov 4 and during my pregnancy i would have occasional skipped beats my ob told me to look for a cardiologist but i ddnt listen so going back in nov i had my daughter 2 weeks after i had the hemmorage everyone says to be careful with so i went to the e.r bleeding severly i had to get a d&c to stop the bleeding and i had to get a blood transfusion thats when they saw i had a small clot in my left leg n saw my heart rate higj they ddnt think much of it then on jan i went in with severe kidney n bladder infection n once again a fast rate also they saw my heart was super fast i was put on coumadin n they dissmissed my heart rate so on april the clot grew and got lodged into my lung i was drove to the hospital my heart in the 160 couldnt breath i was put on meds n hospitalized yet they still saw my heart rate fast they ddnt do much so i started suffering fron anxiety n panic attacks by june i was rushed to the e.r severe palpitations and heart rate going at 180. N up i was rushed to the icu where they diagnosed me with atrial flutter i was put on beta blockers but my body ddnt react well so on july 28 i had a heart ablation with hope of getting rid of palpitations boy was i wrong turned out they got my diagnosis wrong once in my heart they saw i had atrial tachychardia right after the surgery i was hospitalized for a week because the palps wouldnt stop so now im 5 months post op n i still feel them not often but its nerve wrecking my anxiety keeps me scared of what if i get then again? Whar if the docs are wrong n i die from this? Its hard but i tell myself atleast i dont get them often i just dont like living in fear
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It's great to have found this community.  53 year old female who's suffered from PVCs 20+ years.  Have had tests done and now learning to live with them.  Not easy, but can be done.  Trying not to let them take the joy out of my life.  I do like seeing a cardiologists regularly just for peace of mind.  I don't take medications and try to use natural "relaxation" methods.  They get worse with stress (very bad).  Glad to be here with you all.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have recently started having heart palpitations a month ago and it has been a very frightening time for me. I've been to the er, my primary care  physician and a cardiologist and they all do not seem to be alarmed. They try to reassure me that I will be OK but it's a very scary thing to live with. I am happy that I found this forum with others like myself who are living with this condition. It's very encouraging.. Thank you all.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and wisdom!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey,
I've had heart palpitations my entire life, I learned how to get rid of the attack fast, by quickly speeding my heart up even more then lying down with short breathes. Mine can be very painful, jaw tightness, sweating and blood rush, they can happen when ever relaxing, exercising but you can live with it it's just tolerating it. I have also fainted during an attack when I was 6 years old, all I was doing is sitting down. My advice is keep strong plenty of cardio keep your heart muscle strong.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Today I've been feeling some skipped beats or palpitations so decided to search for people like me wow after reading all of your stories its what I live through daily....so happy to have found you all...take care,be happy!!!!
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community

Top Arrhythmias Answerers
1807132 tn?1318743597
Chicago, IL
1423357 tn?1511085442
Central, MA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Are there grounds to recommend coffee consumption? Recent studies perk interest.
Salt in food can hurt your heart.
Get answers to your top questions about this common — but scary — symptom
How to know when chest pain may be a sign of something else
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.