Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Rapid Heart Rate Increase

I am a healthy 32 yr old F, 5'3" 116 lbs
Maybe I have IST? Here are symptoms:
About 2 months ago, my OBGYN changed my birth control pills. After 2 weeks I suffered migraine headaches& extreme breast swelling& tenderness. I stopped the pill, within 3 days I noticed after eating that my pulse was racing about 90+BPM. Not regular for me.
Heart rate increases often but not always after eating. My resting heart rate is higher now at least high 70's-mid 90's. This is causing severe anxiety.
I don't know if this ties in, my naturalpathic doctor found my neurotransmitters are off. My seratonin levels are very low. My dopamine, norepinephrine, gaba, glutamate& histamines were elevated. These may cause heart rate increase?
Yesterday morning I had trouble waking up again and when I did my heart felt like it was racing fast. It would not subside anxiety grew. I drove myself to the hospital and they did an EKG and chest XRAY,said my palpitations seemed normal. They put a heart holster on me that I am wearing now for 24 hours to check further.  My heart rate was 125 when I first noticed at the hospital and was not below 90 when they sent me home. They gave me atavan at the hospital for my nerves and it seemed to lower the heart rate 10 points or so. Last night I ate some chicken noodle soup,within 20 mins my heart rate was up to 100-110 BPM... lasted maybe 1/2hr. My heart beat wakes me up at night sometimes.
I am prone to anxiety.
I have never used recreational drugs and I stay away from caffeine.
A year&1/2 ago I had and endoscopy because of some digestive issues and was told I had GERD and small hiatal hernia. I don't know if there is any correlation.
In your opinion, what does this sound like?

7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
230125 tn?1193365857
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hormones can affect heart rate.
Norepi can increase heart rate, but it changes depending on your state of arousal, stress, sleep, etc.
It is normal for heart rates to increase after eating.  People vary in the degree of how much though.
Not necessarily come down with ativan, but it sounds like it helped.  I am not saying you don't have it, but you also don't want it.  It is not easily treated and my opinion is that worrying about it often makes it worse.  i have patients with resting heart rates of 110-120 that are calm and carry on normal lives.  If your heart rate is a bit higher than normal and your other heart test check ok, my recommendation is stop checking your pulse and move on if you can.  The worrying is a large part of will affect your quality of life.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
A related discussion, rapid heart rate, small amount of caffiene was started.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Also, in addition to my post above...
I mentioned before that my energy level was very low... but since has improved again until a few days ago. For some reason, it seems like my energy fades after I eat.... I feel like I could go back to sleep... but I get enough sleep at night.

I had a food allergy test done, and amazingly enough I am really not allergic to anything.... so I assume I can now rule out food as a cause to any of my problems.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

I am not sure who exactly to pose this question to.... but since you have answered my questions regarding my symptoms in the past....
I have noticed since this all began that my body temperature is higher than my normal 98.6, especially at night. I didn't check my temp as much when all these problems started so I don't know how long they have been going on, but mostly at night if I check my temp it is anywhere between 99.2-99.8
I noticed this because though I do not feel sick in any way... I feel hot ihside my head mostly.
I have also been waking up at night extremely hot (I normally am a person who feels a bit on the cooler side.)
As you know, I have had the EKG, chest x-ray, and echo cardiogram for my heart and nothing came up. I have also had several blood tests and nothing pops ups there either.
I am really just chalking it all up to hormones and assuming that is what makes my body temp higher.... kinda of like how women feel in menopause I assume, though I am not in menopause.
Is this ultimately something I shouldn't worry about? Or if I should look into it more, what kind of doctor can help? Perhaps an endocrinologist?

Maybe all my hormones and neurotransmitters being off are the root of the problem, but any ideas you have would be very helpful.
Thanks again!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for going more into detail on what you meant.
The reason we did the hormone and neurotransmitter tests was to see if the birth control pills screwed up my 'balance', which I know they can.
I would like to find out that this is all somehow triggered by a combo of stress and hormones, but I am afraid of the worst.
I didn't realize it is normal for a heart rate to increase after eating....
It just frightened me because I have always been pretty "Normal" and my heart rate was never a problem besides the occassional palpitations after caffeine.
I look forward to finding there is nothing wrong with my heart.
I always thought if your resting heart rate was over 100 it was not good.
Thanks again for your opinions.
I will try to use more anti-anxiety and relaxation methods rather than worry I am having a heart attack or something and see if that makes a difference.
Thanks again.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal

What about factoring in the other problems I had with the birth control pill? Couldn't that affect my heart rate as well?
And I did some medical research and found that norepinephrine activity can induce changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and gastrointestinal activity... are you aware of this? Since mine is elevated, I am guessing that it may be related....
I don't understand what you mean that the fast heart rates were around times of anxiety. Often my heart rate increases after eating, there is no anxiety there.
If the heart rate was due to anxiety, wouldn't my heart rate have gone down farther than 95 BPM after they gave me the atavan?
Again thank you for your response.
Helpful - 0
230125 tn?1193365857
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I don't know if this ties in, my naturalpathic doctor found my neurotransmitters are off. My seratonin levels are very low. My dopamine, norepinephrine, gaba, glutamate& histamines were elevated. These may cause heart rate increase?

This is not studied.  There are not answers to that questions.  I have never heard of a doctor checking those levels and am not sure there is any data to support checking them because we don't know what to do them after you have the results.

It sounds like the fast heart rates were around peroids of anxiety.  It sounds more like anxiety attacks or an anxiety disorder rather than IST.  The holter will give you a 24 hour glimps into your heart rates and may suggest a faster than normal rate, but again anxiety can do the same thing.  IST can be a tricky diagnosis to make and may take some time to be certain -- but my guess is anxiety disorder.

I hope this helps.
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Forum

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.