Why does my heart feel like it's going to beat out of my chest when I lay on my left side?

[Shermc417]

I have taken Atenolol for years now, 50mgs for what seems like a "skipped beat" in my heart.  Recently, I had some heart tests done because I had to go to the hospital.  I had a severe pain in the middle of my chest, going up to my left side of my neck.  I spent five days there - going through numerous tests only to be told they couldn't find anything wrong.  

I am to see my GP and the cardiologist in the next couple of weeks.

I might add I have Lupus, I am 66 years old/female.

Why does it seem so difficult to lay on my left side to try and sleep.  My heart feels as if it will beat out of my heart?

Thank you for any help.

[Linda75429]

Get off the atenolol, it slows the heart.

[oxer]

I have the same problem when I lay on my left side I feel my heart beat alot more, it even scars me.i also have a hard time breathing too when laying on my back.

[Madge270]

I'm having a colonoscopy next week. I have to lie on my left side about twice as long because I now have a "redundant" (twisty, longer) colon. I'm concerned that my heart may do a lot of flip-flopping.

[Madge270]

I also get more pronounced PVCs with a tickly cough and pulsing in my throat when I lean back in a chair to relax after dinner in the evening. Strange. Maybe the heart rests on the chest wall or something else then too?

[Shermc417]

Yes, I guess I'll try that.  Thanks for your tip.

[yarrow]

Not much.  Your anatomy is the way it is, and the apex of the heart is physically nearer the left rib cage.  Lie on your left side, and everything gets kind of smooshed under there.

Personally, I have found that lying 'sort of' on my left side, not all the way over and with a pillow behind my back, lets me almost sleep left -sided without hearing my heart too loudly--that is, if I'm not too far gone in the 'listen-to-your-heartbeat-and-freak-out' mode.

Really, I just mostly sleep on my right side.

[Shermc417]

So do we just never lay on our left sides?  That really *****!  What can be done about it?

[dmacd74]

I have the same issue when lying on my left side.  My doctor said the heart moves around a little in the chest and since it is on the left side, when you lay on that side, it drops slightly and sits against the chest wall.  This is when I have frequent pvcs and can really feel my heart beat.