Rapid Heart beat ending with very hard "thump"

[s16]

I have been experiencing these spells of a rapid heart rate, so fast that I can't even count my pulse.  Sometimes I have dizziness, and I get a bit winded sometimes.  They last 8-10 minutes.  Almost every time before an episode starts I get a very weird sensation in the back of my throat.  When it's over I feel a very hard "thump" and then my heart rate is back to normal.

This all started about 9yrs ago.  I didn't have a single one for about 3yrs and recently I've been having it about once or twice a week.  I had an echo done when it first started and that came back normal.  I'd say the only thing that has changed is the hard thump at the end.

Think it's just stress, or should I bring it up to my new doctor?

Thanks for any input!

[brandnew112]

mines are daily and Im 24 and they usually come after I eat or when Im at rest but if I'm moving around or consciously unaware sometimes I don't feel it as much but when I'm at rest or calm I feel it. very seldom does my heart go back to a normal calm rhythm like it use to and its weird to me because I used to be a athlete and my heart rate was always good. But now its hard to be active in sports because my heart rate exceeds the speed limit and sometimes it takes minutes to hours to get back to a normal rhythm and I get really light headed.I went to a party and I was dancing and sweating for a few hours then by the end of the party my heart was racing like a heart attack so I panic and I felt like I was dieing I got really cold and shaky so I rush to the store and got some vitamin water then I was back to a normal and when my heart slows down it goes back to the hard thump feeling. I just start changing my diet and my doctor notice that I'm slightly anemic but my hemoglobin is normal but she said my body is producing to many bloods cells to compensate for the ones that are dieing but im not diagnosed sickle cell anemia  or thyroid problems.Another doctor said I possibly might have a murmur but that doesn't determine if that's the over all reason for my problem does any body have any suggestion to what the problem might be?

[heartstrings_41]

Well....I beg to differ here. Firstly, I don't think the posters above are over-reacting. And secondly, stress most certainly can initiate SVT if you are prone to it. And lastly, are you an Electrophysiologist?  V-Tach like SVT can suddenly stop with a very hard heartbeat. I just had an ablation for V-Tach captured on loop monitor and had the very symptoms you said are not likely to be V-Tach

Before you express your opinion it might be a good idea to have your facts straight.

[SillyHeart]

I believe the previous posters are over-reacting.  The arrhythmia is very likely to be SVT, ventricular tach.  A telltale sign of SVT is that it starts and stops very suddenly with one hard heartbeat.  

No, it's not just stress.  Stress related tachycardias start and stop gradually, not suddenly with a thud.  Yes, bring it up to your doctor.  SVT doesn't cause sudden death, but should be treated especially if you are symptomatic (dizzy, short of breath, etc.).

[marie333]

Hi,
I have and still have the same types of thumps and bangs, mine can happen at any given time for no apparent reason, I started having these thumps and stops and starts about 20 years ago and am still having them at age 58, I used to have maybe one a week at the begining  but now it happens daily, maybe 30, 40, at a time I have had tests and you name it, but all seems benign, hope you feel better soon, and don`t stress to much about them, and you will find they won`t bother you as much, but still seek medical advice at all times

[kim8400]

I'm sorry but could you clarify exactly what kind of arrhythmia you have, b/c from my understanding vtach is a VERY lethal arrhythmia, only in certain circumstances is it not, such as in RVOT vtach. Unfortunately, thousands of people die from this condition every year. Please be more specific when giving information about a potentially life threatening disorder to others who are seeking information. Your interpretation makes it sound as though this is not a serious issue and of course most of us on here know that one should always seek the advice of a doctor if they feel that they are experiencing ANY type of arrhythmia.

[vtach7]

It sounds like ventricular tachycardia. I have it since I was a child, may be about 10 years old. Now I am 45, and it is still there. Generally it is not considered as life threatening and converts to normal sinus rhythm within a short time, but some time it may not. In such situation you have to convert it by having an intravenous shot, which stops the heart for a sec. to revert it back to normal. I had to do it so far two times since last 35 years. There are other techniques to convert it like doing Valsalva maneuver, dunking your face in ice cold water, carotid massage. Earlier you can convert is better. If you let it run for a while, it becomes difficult to convert.

It can sometime lead to minor chest pain, body extremities can get cold etc. Hope you will not experience any of it. The only was to cure it is a medical process where doctor will insert a catheter through your vain to you heart and burn the anomalous electrical signal conducting paths which is causing irregular hear beat. It is not a very major operation, but also involves some risk.

You can keep it in control by taking either beta blocker or calcium channel blocker medicine as per your doctor’s prescription; however those medicines have some bad side effects like drowsiness, lack of mental alertness etc.

In short this is one of the most obnoxious diseases one can have. Even though you have a perfect physical ability, you are kind of crippled due to fear of getting VT any time anywhere. For this good reason I can not swim, as if I get VT while swimming, I will definitely get drowned.

I will suggest, please consult a cardiologist, do a echo cadiogram. Do not get overly alarmed as people do not die due to VT. It is quite common disease, millions of people suffer from it. I wish you good luck and hope you will get cured without any medication.

[ChrisVA]

For years, I experienced the same thing as you however, I didn't really have the thump.

For me it was a combination of things.

I ended up having GERD.  When my GERD was not treated and I was refluxing, my heart would race for hours.  Like you, when it was racing, I would get quite winded just doing housework and stuff.  Very unsettling.

I sort of got that resolved and then a few years ago it was happening again, but worse.  Turns out, I was iron deficient and was becoming anemic.  The heart symptoms started before the anemia actually started.  My iron was fully depleted.  Of course, my docs never checked for this at the time and sent me for an echo (which was fine).

If you don't get any explanations, you might just want to ask for some simple tests like a ferritin (which checks your iron stores).  And you also might want to take a look at if you have acid reflux.  Mine was "silent" meaning I didn't have heartburn or the usual symptoms.

[jak393]

Iv 'e had similar episodes, mostly when Ive got stressed over sometihng, I would still mention it to your Gp. good luck Jak