Took pills, non-stop heart palpitations that won't go away

Just want to let you know this is rather complicated and a very long post, I don't want to waste anybodys time but would certainly appreciate any advice or opinions. I'm not a druggie but rather a 21 year old male and I run my own business.

Back in late December I started to take what are called "nootropics" or amino acid and other pills to increase mental performance, focus and clarity. Heard about this from a friend of mine. I've been having some serious productivity issues. I have ADD and wanted to try something more natural vs taking ADD medication, this turned out to be a very bad idea. I was taking a combination of drugs for 2 weeks with no heart related issues however when I added what is known as Piracetam is caused very bad prolonged heart palpitations for 8+ hours. I went to the emergency room and they acknowledged my blood pressure was 180 and heart rate was extremely high although didn't tell me what, they didn't do anything because they had no idea what the problem was. I ended up driving home and the attack episode went away a day later.

The night before I took Bacopa Gold and 500mg of L-Tryptophan
Woke up and 2 hours after doing so I had: 100mg DMAE, 500mg L-Carnitine (alcor), 1200 Omega 3, 100mg Rhodiola.

About 2-3 hours after taking that I then took 2g of Piracetam and Alpha GPC choline 600mg

About an hour later my heart started to pump extremely fast and I started to have uncontrollable muscle spasms and shaking, the kind you get when you are cold. I then started to have electric shocks in my heart.

Over that same week I went back to the emergency room another 2 times, they ran an EKG a total of 3 separate times, a complete blood analysis and didn't find any problems other then my electrolyte and vitamin d levels were a little low. The 2 times after the first incident I went to the hospital, it was 1 time because I had a caffeine drink and a 3rd time it was because I had a bowl of pasta. Subsequently for the next 2 weeks I had heart palptations/blood pressure increases randomly and after eating a wide variety of foods (too many to really pinpoint it on any specific thing). On Christmas day I went to a party and with my lack of control and lack of any symptoms at the time I decided to try some alcohol, didn't have too much but I noticed about 30-60 minutes later I had another attack which lasted for about 2 hours and it was pretty severe, obviously I haven't touched that since.

So now it is over a month since the first attack and I'm happy to say that things have gotten a little better, I can drink caffeine with no attacks(just tried it once to see if I would get an attack, not daily) however I am still feeling irregular heartbeats on a daily basis. A week ago they did a holter test but they are still waiting for ther results back. I'm 99% confident they are going to see irregular heartbeats throughout the day. I have tried just about every natural cure and remedy I could find online. So far one of the supplements I was actually taking before, L-Carnitine I decided to try again and that decreased the amount of attacks I have been getting but didn't stop them, taking around 1MG a day. I've also been taking hawthorne, coq10, omega3, potassium, multivitamin. To minimize any potential that these attacks are initiated from any of the supplements I take daily I have tried varying changes from not taking any supplements at all to taking some and not others, no change I made to vitamin regimen has had any noticeable effect other then the L-Carnitine. I also tried Apple Cider Vinegar, however in my case similar to magnesium(below) it actually caused heart palpitations for a few hours.

I've also tried taking Magnesium citrate which I had an attack as a result of that. At the moment of this post I am suffering from another attack because I decided to try a bath in bath salts(filled with magnesium chloride). Almost instantaneously I started to have major heart palpitations to the point where I could feel my lip moving from the blood flowing through my head. I thought this just might be my body absorbing it and it might eventually calm down so I decided to sit in there for a total of 8 minutes and then got out. I measured my blood pressure and heart rate. It went up to 138/77 with HBM at 93. This is certainly within safe levels but among recently was what I would consider a more severe attack. Luckily the high heart rate only lasted for a mere 20 minutes as I measured it 10 minutes after the first test and it dropped to 117/75 with HBM at 65. I have a very accurate blood pressure monitor. Needless to say I'm not trying Magnesium again as on 2 separate incidents it caused an attack. I am confident this is not anxiety and sitting in a bathtub full of magnesium should help to prove this. I felt very relaxed but the heart palptations came on suddenly and violently. In fact the Drs prescribed me Xanax and I took one yesterday and it actually CAUSED heart palpitations, albeit was the first time it caused heart palpitations, but with taking it previously I can't say it ever stopped heart palpitations but rather just made me "not care" about the heart palpitations I was experiencing at that time.

Another thing I have noticed is that some nights my heart rate and blood pressure drop significantly and I start to feel tired. The lowest I have ever seen my blood pressure go to was 96sys, 56dia, 52 HBM. When I saw it this low I decided to get up and walk around as I know anything below 60 is potentially life threatening. Luckily the only symptoms I ever experienced with this low heart beat was tiredness, likely because I am so young.

Other times during the day I will get so tense, I will get tingling sensations throughout my body which is usually a precursor to an attack, I would say its adrenaline being released but they tested my Thyroid multiple times to ensure it wasn't hyperthyroidism. Another doctor thought it might be pheochromocytoma which was a good guess but after a blood test for it, turned out a no. Whatever is causing this started from the pills I was taking.

Since this is such a long post I had to take a screenshot of the other paragraphs: http://i.imgur.com/Cw1Xe.jpg

[DeltaDawn23]

Get off the pills, get to an EP cardiologist and let them help you.  Hawthorne can cause irregular beats.   I don't know if you meant a blood pressure or a  heart rate under 60 is dangerous.  You don't want your blood pressure to go much under  the 90's, but a heart rate in the 50's is not a problem, but may make you tired.  You are playing with fire with all these different concoctions you are taking and it could have life-threatening consequences.  You should not be self-diagnosing.  Good luck.

[michellepetkus]

Yes, I am with Dawn, stop all the pills.  And did you by some chance stop taking ADD pills?  You could be having some sort of drug interaction problem or drug withdrawal issue.  Or it could be the pills are messing your stomach up which is in turn affecting the vagus nerve which is affecting your heart.  I would say get off the pills and see your GP for a complete blood panel to see where you are unbalanced in the needed vitamins and minerals.  It is possible one of the pills is causing an over abundance of magnesium or a severe deficiency in another but hopefully once you get everything out of your system and things more in balance you will resolve your heart issues. Sometimes too much of a good thing isn't good either.  Take care and keep us posted on how you are doing.

[curmudgen]

From your posting paragraph 10  direct quote .......
"Whatever is causing this started from the pills I was taking. "

Take the advice from previous posts including your own....  get off everything except for prescription medication....  you are overloading your systems with unproven remedies to ailments you don't have.....

[systemchip]

I haven't been taken the pills for over a month now, thats my concern. I originally thought, okay this was a bad interaction I had to taking these pills and it had some sort of synergistic affect. But the very fact I continue to have heart palpitations randomly and from various things I eat or drink is what concerns me. Since it has been over a month since I took the pills, you would think it should have cleared from my system by now. So it seems either the initial attacks either caused permanent damage or just put something off balance, but it doesn't seem any of the most common reasons for heart palpitations are the answer.

It's just hard to live now, the fear that I might of caused permanent damage to myself, especially at such a young age is devastating. I guess since the issue is so complicated there isn't anything else I can do to try and fix it and I'll just wait for the holter results and echocardiogram. Thanks again.

[systemchip]

The echocardiogram and holter test results show that I am "within normal range" as was described by my doctor. I still feel irregular heartbeats on a daily basis though and I had another racing heart incident after I tried marijuana again, heart rate went up to 148 and then steadily dropped back down to normal levels over a period of 2 hours. (Obviously not trying that now) Being so young and not being able to drink or hang out with my friends is tough honestly. Perhaps the initial incident went away but it gave me anxiety and perhaps that is still causing the daily irregular heartbeats, I'm not sure.

[michellepetkus]

I think your body is trying to tell you to stay away from that stuff.  That said, just because you can't drink doesn't mean you can't hang out with your friends.  You don't need a crutch of booze to have a good time.  It is all in your head.  So go out and live it up without the booze and you will be the only one who feels good in the morning.  The irregular beats may not stop but they could subside or you may just simply stop noticing them.  Take care.

[Kim_1970]

I can relate to what you are doing and trying to "naturally" help your health. I have tried magnesium, gaba, theanine, b stress vitamins, ac vinegar and zanax and valium for relief from my rapid heartbeat spells. Also tried yoga. Nothing worked including the sedative. My best day was when I ended up in ER and they told me it's nothing I did that caused it.  It was not the food or drink or shower or the stress  and  that I have an arrhythmia called  SVT. All this time I thought it was something I did.  
I have learned that there are triggers for it though.
I would quit all supplements if I was you, also would not drink alcohol. . I have had no booze for 6 months. Also I have read here and agree that stress does make these things worse.

Did you have an episode while wearing Holter?

Hang in there and like everyone tells me, try not to worry.

[systemchip]

Yes I had irregular heartbeats and an attack when I had the holter so I am really surprised to learn that it came back within  normal levels. My symptoms closely describe Atrial Fibrillation attacks that come and go and originally were triggered by simple things like pasta and sugar but it seems that it is only triggered by marijuana, alcohol or caffeine at the moment which I'm happy that it doesn't affect me more than it does but I'd still like to have that freedom. I will also occasionally still get heart palpitations and daily irregular heartbeats and some days are better than others. I suppose all I can do is wait and see how things improve

[utilaman]

I hope you all are not having palpitations anymore, but if you do then DO THIS:
Buy some Magnesium Sulfate in the form of Epsom Salt from walmart or grocery store.   You'll find it probably in the laxative section of Walmart......DO NOT TAKE IT by mouth because it is a Laxative if taken by mouth because of its action in the GI tract.    You want to get a Large glass like something you can put your fist in so that you can Half-full the glass with warm water so that the water will come at least above your wrist or use a small bowl.    YOU WILL PUT SOME OF THAT Epsom Salt in the container and add warm water; Next place your hand in the water so that the water COVERS HAND and Wrist which contain some very Superficial veins.    Through the action of OSMOSIS, the magnesium sulfate will enter your blood stream and CALM YOUR HEART, LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE, REDUCE ANXIETY, etc..

Note:
Magnesium sulfate is given to pregnant women with eclampsia so that the baby does not get cerebral palsy, it is neuroprotective-good for stroke and increasing brain power, etc., besides the above........go to wikipedia and look at Hypomagnesemia symptoms and see if you have any of them to decide whether you need magnesium.    Magnesium is found in Green vegetables and sadly few people eat them because we are too busy eating pizza-me included!

[utilaman]

Okay, you guys are very deficient in magnesium because my previous post was made before skimming through and finding out about the DIURETICS that you are taking.    Alcohol and caffeine are diuretics which mean you urinate a bunch, and every time you urinate you become deficient in magnesium and a bunch of other vitamins-like b vitamins- and minerals.    When you add a really bad diet, poor sleep, exercise, stress,etc., YOU BECOME not only deficient in magnesium but also many other things.

Alcohol shrinks the brain because it inteferes with Thiamine which is know as vitamin B1........When you get drunk, your body gets deficient of B1 and magnesium so the cops can see this when they check your eyes and see them moving back and forth-Nystagmus.    Nystagmus can be caused by deficiency of B1 or magnesium or both.

[wabashbash]

READ THIS! I had exact same problems you are having and thought it was my ADD medication.  Alcohol also had the exact same effect.  My problem ended up being my "atlas" top C-1 cervical vertabrae was misaligned.  It was pinching spinal nerves (explains the tingling you have, which i also had) and slowing blood flow to my brain.  Alcohol thins your blood and makes your heart pump faster.  That is why it had that effect.   I WOULD HIGHLY SUGGEST researching NUCCA and Blair chiropractic techniques and find a specialist.  I was in and out of the ER and doctors offices and even had x-rays, EKGs, and MRI's.  The doctors told me I was fine.  Do not believe it and find a chiropractor that specializes in the NUCCA or Blair technique.  Do not use any average chiropractor.  They do not specialize in this important bone and you will waste plenty of money (like I did before the specialist). I hope this helps.  I was in the same situation and am finally recovering.

[horseluver4]

Hello, sorry about your complications. just know i think you suffer as i do and from the  sounds of it NOTHING helps and NOTHING makes them better.  I think you will come to find out they are there off and on forever. i know it sounds horrible but some people just suffer from these nasty things and i have been living with them now since i was 19 years old. i now am 35  and have them worse than ever. i have days where i have nothing and feel completly normal. then days like today where im having 20,000 in a 24 hour period. i feel so yucky. also i take atenolol for mine and it helps so much. but it does keep my bp really low sometimes has been 80/40 and heart rate 55. remember thats all at its lowest but agerave  normal is 100/65 and pulse is 65 for me. anyway i hope this helps to know you are not aloneand if you are just having the skipped beats and nothing else you are probably fine. they are just annoying and make you feel like you are dying. hope you start to feel better soon. :)

[madamebrianne]

Hello,

Please look into Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). It is a very unheard of nervous system disorder that prevents the body from being able to properly adjust to the pull of gravity. Therefore, symptoms arise, such as: rapid heart rate upon standing, low or high blood pressure, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, sweating, headaches, shortness of breath, inability to exercise, digestion problems, etc. The symptoms are endless and vary person to person day to day.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Best wishes,
Brandi

[systemchip]

Thank you to all who have recently commented on this. It has now been 10 months since my symptoms have started and luckily they have decreased to a manageable level. I had every possible test possible on my heart and it all checked out fine. I would say the problems have slowly decreased since they began, I haven't been taking any of the pills. I still have heart palpitations that will last all day but they aren't as bad as it was 10 months ago.

It seems that certain things will set it off and give me palpitations, anything from anxiety, stress, dust, certain kinds of food, or eating too much. I also still have PVC's now I would say I average about 1-2 per day. So I wouldn't say I'm completely back to normal but it's certainly nowhere near as bad as it was 10 months ago. Thank you to everybody who responded, I sincerely appreciate your willingness to help and provide explanations where my Dr's could not. I'm going to give a local NUUCA chropractor a call and see if he can do anything for me to help alleviate the remainder of the symptoms.