Heart Problem?Some Help Please.

[DennisJerner]

Hello my names Dennis I'm almost 18. And hearts causing me a whole load of concern and worry. Its been worrying me for about the last 3months because I get quite bad palps but now its just gotten worse I think. My heart races at anything. Even small activitys like standing up and going to the bathroom when I check my heart after doing it its at like 100bpm or more. Today iv checked my heart just while standing in a que at the bank and it was about 140bpm I also get something that I would descrive as my heart hiccuping or skipping a beat and it feels like it might be beating in a odd rythm.

I drank very heavily 5 out of 7 nights a week from the age of 14 and stopped 5 months ago after having a panic attack. I don't smoke anymore and iv completely stppped drinking things like energy drinks,cola,pepsi,coffie,tea anything with caffine. My heart only started to seem to play up like this after I stopped why I don't get it.

Iv been to my gp and to the hospital numerous times. Iv had about 2-3 ecgs and a 24houre ecg and 2blood tests. From my first blood test and ecg they said my blood looks fine and the ecg showed I might just have stress. But I don't stress at all my lifes preety laid back. I haven't even heard about other results doctors don't seem to care much. Oh yeah iv had a heart echo scan it was ok. Maybe they missed something I'm so worried.

Btw I have an anxiety disorder aswell maybe this doesn't help my heart? Well I dunno I'm so worried :' I'm almost 18 and should be enjoying life but I feel like its coming to a end and not even worth living cause this has been so hard. My heart actually makes me feel bad. Can't even enjoy things that I like doing. And sexual activitys are just a -- sounds stupid but I'm scared ill have a heart attack or one huge heart skip and die .

Any suggestions please :' is it worth going back to hospital to try get it checked out or should I wait abit and see if it clears up :(
Also suggestions on what it can be and if u can relate to this problem.

[Mom2four85]

I'd do anything for free healthcare and to see a dr; even waiting 3 mths - I waited almost 9 months just to see a doctor and get new insurance.  Can you change dr's after seeing the original one?

[DennisJerner]

Damn here we have something called the nhs who do you free check ups but seeeing a normal doctor and getting no answers just doesn't cut it ! And they put u on a 3months waiting list to see a specalist and in those 3months I'd go crazy !     My palpotations and this feeling felt better for a couple of days after seeing the doctor and he reasured me about some things but they have been bad today so scary :(

[Mom2four85]

"normal" heart rates during the day is 60-100 bpm

I believe I read it could take 3-6 months for your heart to chill out and reprogram itself (maybe Itdood will answer this better) BUT in some articles about holiday heart syndrome and research about marijuana like K2, some say some damage may be permanent and some of the symptoms patients had were prolonged.

try small steps, def keep up with the hydration - lots of water, but be cautious also there is such a thing as water death where your cells get overloaded and can be dangerous (moderation is key) try like rixsta suggests, meditation or at least 30 min of relaxtion and exercise - walking would be beneficial and help keep your heart strong, but if your symptoms worsen it might be best to seek out a dr asap.

I understand about insurance - here in the US we pay for our own monthly premiums and I've been without medical insurance for almost a year until recently.  I have malignant heart problems and have to deal with these dreaded arrhythmia's daily and knowing I'm not taking care of myself doesn't set well with me.

[DennisJerner]

Nope I haven't tried meditation or relaxing methods. My heart feels better when I am relaxing doe just laying down but I still think its abit higher then itshould be what should be a avrange resting heart rate?

Maybe it is the withdrawal but almost 5months for it to still be playing up and quite bad is depressing. Stops me from doing stuff that I like

[rixsta]

maybe serious withdrawls,could take a while to return to normality but keep focused on good health,just a suggestion... have you tried meditation or relaxing methods,this site is a good start. heres a  very true saying.......fear is the unknown.  

[DennisJerner]

I drink a lot a lot of water probably about 10bottles wich are about 570ml each so I don't know is that not enough for me to be intaking?

And things like them test require money to get done straight away. Otherwise I'd get put in like a 6month waiting que and god knows what's gona happen in that time :(

[Mom2four85]

sure you're stressing...stressing your heart & body with all that your putting in it....it's screaming STOP! if you listen to it and the symptoms you're having it MAY stop after awhile, but if you keep on, you may permanently hurt yourself (google holiday heart syndrome) I said the same thing to my 24 yr old daughter, luckily after awhile she listened after I showed her you can damage your body.

often patients will smoke, drink, do drugs and that will be the first time we may have palpitations panic attacks etc or other arrhythmia's, which freaks us out and causes some of us to stop, others I've read keep on and then sometimes do permanent dmg to their bodies and later in life have even more problems (search and read through this and the expert heart rhythm forum)

Now, if you're truely ready to stop and won't do anything else, I'd advise a full cardiac workup through a cardiologist outside an ER/A&E just to be sure there's nothing going on.  It could simply be that it will take some time for your body to heal and you'll have to deal with the issues at hand, or it could be the ANS (autonomic nervous system) acting up; or something entirely else.

Keep a cautious eye out, but from what you've written it's more of the ANS reacting to substances it has to filter out and deal with, BUT if symptoms keep on, then def get checked by your dr.   If it's the ANS then they can do the BP/HR test plus a tilt table test to confirm their suspicions - which is autonomic dysfunction and can be treated with meds/sodium/water etc

[is_something_wrong]

Hi,

Are you sure you replaced all the drinks and coffee with enough water?

I often get symptoms like you describe when I'm dehydrated or my blood pressure for some reason is a bit low. The heart compensates by increasing heart rate to prevent you from falling.

Go to a doctor and get your blood pressure measured, both supine sitting and standing. If it's low you may want to increase salt and water intake. But do this only after you've got a diagnosis.

And the mental factors certainly don't help. If your blood pressure is low, it's more difficult to increase it (only way is to increase heart rate). It can cause exactly the symptoms you mention. Measure your blood pressure and be sure you drink enough water. If your urine is yellow it's a sign that you don't!

Good luck =)

[cindy707]

Hi Dennis i read your post...first off a little reassurance for you....nothing that you have described remotely signals a heart attack and at eighteen years old the odds are definately w. you that you will not but you need to deal w. what is happening to you.  And yes stress and anxiety play a huge role in this and can set the episodes off.  One of the first suggestions i would have is to make sure that you are drinking plenty of water...not vitamin water just plain water each day at least 8 glasses thru out the day because dehydration will set these episodes off like crazy.  Theres a pretty simple test you can do on yourself if you are wondering if you may be dehyrated and that is to pinch the skin on one of your hands between the thumb and index finger....if you are dehyrated it will take a little time for the skin to return normally to your body and goes back slowly.....if you aren't dehydrated the skin will slip back down pretty fast....i would suggest to you that you log onto the Medhelp Anxiety site or the Medhelp Teen Anxiety site just for a back up. Your life i doubt very much is coming to an end and alot of times what you are feeling is called benign issues and docs don't do a think about it.  YOu defiantely need to talk to someone about all of this and the fears that you have and Medhelp has a great support group...sounds like you got the green light on your tests so now you have to find a safe place to deal w. this in your heart and if you can't you need to sit down....write out every fear and question that you have and call your doctors office and tell them that you want to sit down w. the doc for 20 minutes to ask him/her a series of questions about your health that you are worried about and don;t leave anything out no matter how dumb you think it may be because the only dumb question there is is the one you don't ask because the way life is it will be the one thing that will pop up.  Sounds like you just need some reassurance and a good exit consult with your doctor. Relax...everything seems to be pointing in your favor...call the doc...do the sit down....get your life back....good luck my friend...........................