Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

very strange heart sensation followed by adrenaline rush and fast heartbeat - very worried about this

Hi. I'm a 26 year old female, neither fat nor skinny, no smoking, only occasional alcohol use. Prior to what I'm about to describe, the only heart issues I had were: occasional flip-flopping feeling which knocked the wind out of me but only happened maybe a few times a year, and a sort of flip-flopping or difficulty beating when lying down on my left side (sometimes, not every time I lay this way - started around age 13).

Background: Three years ago something happened to me that I still haven't figured out - my heart started beating very fast and my BP went way up (so high that with every heartbeat I could see the tiny capillaries in my eyes as an overlay on my visual field). Paramedics couldn't bring them down so took me to "A&E" (aka the ER - I'm American but live in England). Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happened (that I'm aware of) prior to this incident, except for insertion of Mirena IUD one week prior - I do still have it but now think I'll have it removed.

Thus began months of seemingly random 'attacks' during which I'd get varying combinations of tachycardia, high BP, tremors esp in left leg, lightheadedness, inability to fully inhale, feeling of not getting enough oxygen even if I could breathe properly, and the list goes on. I also had a terrible feeling of physical anxiety (churning stomach, agitation, etc) but with no mental anxiety as the apparent cause!!! Attacks could last minutes or hours and any combination of symptoms would happen. And in between attacks, my heart would regularly do many strange things - tachy, brady, irregular rhythm, extremely forceful beats, 'flip-flopping' feelings, etc.

I also sometimes experienced a sensation of the heart stopping and restarting - immediately after the restart I would feel a MASSIVE, uncomfortable surge of adrenaline and the heart would beat very fast for a little while. I could never figure out if I was getting an adrenaline surge that caused some odd heart behaviour that I felt before I actually felt the adrenaline, or what. Sometimes my heart would also start beating EXTREMELY fast from resting for no reason at all - it was literally immediate - this was also accompanied by an adrenaline rush but no preceding feeling of the heart stopping.

These incidents gradually decreased in frequency over time, along w/ the other symptoms, until after three years I was feeling mostly recovered from whatever got me. I viewed myself as not entirely back to normal, but almost there. UNTIL a couple of days ago, when I had another (random as always - I was just riding in the car reading, no stress) heart stoppage -> restart -> adrenaline event. This one was the second most severe one I've ever had and I thought I might die. Luckily the heart DID start pumping again so I'm still here. By now I'm pretty familiar with flip-floppings and extra-strong beats, etc, and this definitely feels very different and much more worrying. I am afraid that if it happens again, the heart might not start on its own.

I should also say that when I say it 'stops', I mean it seems to stop pumping blood...I get the impression there is still activity going on in the heart but that blood is not being circulated. Could it be ventricular fibrillation, or ...? Maybe adrenaline is not causing this, but rather my heart goes into an abnormal rhythm and my body releases adrenaline in an attempt to self-shock into proper rhythm?

During the most severe incident in '06 or '07, my colleagues said I turned "white as a sheet" while it was happening. That time, I was clawing at my chest (reflex reaction, I didn't actually think that would help) and thinking "please start please start please start", knowing I'd die if it didn't. That time, it felt like the heart was quivering/fluttering but not pumping. All other times including the one a couple of days ago, it has sort of felt like the heart is contracting in extreme slow motion, or having some sort of muscle cramp.  

I cannot figure this out and would welcome any insight anyone has to offer. After it all began in 06, I had a stress test (slightly above avg exercise tolerance), echo (normal), stress echo (normal) and many ECGs. The cardio said my heart was perfectly healthy. No evidence of MVP (which I thought I might have). He said the only thing to remark on was that the heart was smallish, but not abnormally so.

My GP diagnosed me w/ 'anxiety attacks' w/out finding it necessary to order any physical testing whatsoever. (The above cardio is a friend of my parents who saw me while I was on vacation in the US). GP put me on citalopram which I went along w/ just to be cooperative, and propranolol to help regulate what he viewed as anxiety-induced tachy. Did not seem to find it significant that symptoms did not occur during periods of actual mental anxiety. Said it might be pheochromocytoma, but that he wouldn't bother testing as that's so rare. Ashamed to say I didn't and still haven't actually demanded said testing.

All ECGs were normal except once at A&E when they caught random very hard beats interspersed w/ regular beats - v. hard beats could be seen as an extra-long downward spike on the readout. Of their own volition (as opposed to at my request), A&E sent this to a cardio (different one) who didn't bother to look at it and just told me not to worry. Thanks, buddy! So, not really knowing how to interpret these readouts, I still don't know if that was significant.

I'm currently seeing a neurologist for delayed sleep phase syndrome. After hearing all this, he very kindly volunteered to arrange for me to use the clinic's Holter monitor; he'll then send the tape to a cardiologist. Not sure when this will happen, though, as it's the NHS (meaning things do not tend to happen promptly).

At the time of the latest incident, I was on amoxicillin but no other meds continuously, although I have been taking lansoprazole at night only, for a week and a half to two weeks. A few days prior to the incident, I had taken myself off of the pramipexole that I'd been on for a week, as I was having trouble swallowing (for which the amoxicillin and lanso were prescribed - possible sinus/throat infection or gastric reflux - doc and I wanted to attack on both fronts in order to avoid the return of the laryngospams I'd had during recent respiratory infection).

Thanks in advance to anyone who might be able to help...
194 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I'm experiencing very similar sympthoms and i figured some solutions to ease it up. Hope some fund it helpful.

Im a female 27. Episode always begin with brain releasing dophamine and adrenalin (these hormones often go together). It feels really good at the beginning, and although there's anxiety, dopamine makes it feel nice, like a drug. I good physically (its an illusion) and inspired to do all kind of stuff, which if i do, it makes the adrenaline release even more. When dopamine wears out in a couple of hours i start noticing how my heart is racing, racing thoughts (like painfully racing),muscles are super tense, sore throat(from the heart), higher blood pressure that causes frequent urinations. Im too weak to stand up from bed but also can't fall asleep next 24 hours and you gotta be really carefull taking sleeping pills when heart is acting up (sleeping pills, if not from natural herbs increase your heart rate).

It all started from big prolonging stress in the past and when my body couldn't handle it anymore, brain started sending these "emergency treatments". Problem is, our brain works in a loop - once it did something, it remembers and this becomes a habit that takes a long time to get rid of. I dont stress at all nowadays, but my body cant handle even an average anxiety (adrenal glands don't produce anti-stress hormones as it used to), so with a little stress body reacts severly and brain releases these hormones for me.

Over time I found i can control it.
Step one - pay close attention to every small reaction inyour body, learn to recognise triggers and first sympthoms. For me its always in the evening and when i had short sleep the night before. The reason is that i get more tired in the evening and that i find to be the biggest stress to my body. If i in addition were to have some stress the day before, or didn't go outside and had enough oxigen, 12-hour work in a front of a monitor, or had caffeine or some alcohol - chances for the episode grow. If i emit all this i will never have an episode. But even if now i know how to behave, life sometimes doesn't give you a choice and you get stressed, have an insomnia, resulting this adrenaline rush.


If you feel that you might have an episode starting, the sooner you act - the lesser your post symptoms will be. Recognize  your pre-sympthoms. Its sometimes unclear if it really starts so having a blood pressure meter with heart meter really helps monitoring yourself. If you mesure and its off, - drop everything youre doing, go outside and breathe.Very slow and deep. Oxigen is your first remedy and slow breathing slows your heart down. Breathing exersise that helps to release anxiety- deep breath, hold it for few seconds while tightening your abdomen muscles, with streanghth and release slowly. Repeat when needed. aspirin lowers the heart rate as well as valerian root extract (400-800mg)which i find helpful. Don't get too warm as it will bring heart rate up. Lie down for as long as adrenaline ruhs is going, as even if you fought symptoms, adrenaline will bring them back. Relax your every muscle while lying and dont do anything (be on phone, text, overthink). Just keep drinking water,warmish milk, herbal teas. Don't get panicked, do everything to keep most positive attitude even if you feel shittiest. Sometimes you feel like being stupidly optimistic is a frequent repeating effort, but the worst thing you can do to yourself is to agitate your body when its already heavily agitated.

It's so important managing the sympthoms at that time while adrenaline is rushing, because  sympthoms are likely to become serious diseases. Adrenal glands are overworking but most importantly,even a healthy heart is at big risk.You likely to develop heart palpitations and shortness of breath very soon after episodes and if a weakened heart is continued to be agitated, - it may lead to a heart attack.

After the rush is gone there's obviously a big fatigue, heart is out of rhythm, short breath, heavy headache after hightened blood pressure. All you feel doing is not getting up from bed and rest - which you should, but you also have to get up and outsid to exercise on fresh air. It may seem like a horrible idea, first steps walking you'll feel dizzy and your heart will be jumping out with each move, so take it real slow. You'll feel a relief and flow of some energy very soon, as you're slowly walking and breathing fresh air. Heart muscles need a little exercise and when its adjusted to your walking, it will surprisingly normalize its rate. Speed up your pace.

Whith this, you must stop consuming alcohol, cigaretts, caffeine (coffe addicts x5an switch to decaf), eat your veggies, exercise and be outside every day, put a sleep as a priority(really, nothing is worth of your sleep),stay hydrated, develop a habit of a stupid optimist, be responsible for your lifestyle. Your efford is worth it, because your systhem is not putting up with casual harmful things as it used to, and its locked in a pattern that makes it degrating. You'll be albe to say goodbye to this condition without being on harmful medications and random side effects. It is your other option if you don't work your lifestyle. And faster success is reliant on how much responsibility you take for having an episode and making notes on how to improve.


I also found out recently about electric brain impulses (not electroshock!). It basically resets your brain to default functioning. A person clise to me had brain reacting to stress in a repetitive behavior  and the treatment helped instantly - after 2 treatments. It harmless, painless and 30 min to complete.

Of course, adrenaline rush may be caused by other conditions then stress reaction,  like a thyroid disceases. This way living healthy isnt enough and clinical treatment needed.


Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I've had the same type of thing. It feels like my heart stops or spasms for a second and then beats again, quickly at first then slows. I can feel a surge go down my arms and then it sits strongly in my thumbs until my heart starts up again and I feel asthough I am not getting enough oxygen
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My dear friends, we are all linked with this strange illness, i hope i have some answers....

I have this. Every symptom. Actually - had.
I had Afib that corrected itself after 12 hours.
Dropped beats, wide complex tachycardia. I had the holter on for 5 days. Its gone.

I make a very good living and privately paid to see every specialty there is.
endo, cardiologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, various gps had a mri brain then spine, heart with dye, echo heat,  mri stress, stress heart mri, the veins in my kneck and brain mri with dye. echo on my neck in various positions, everything!

The trigger for me was eating, it first happened 11 years ago completely out of the blue, the rush feeling... id no idea what it was.

Burning physical anxiety but no mental anxiety, it left as if i was beginning to die.

Then i went to a infectious disease consultant... he took 12 blood samples.. Lyme disease came back positive, he repeated the test and it came back positive, he did a third test to confirm which had to be sent to the UK it came back negative.

He treated me with large doses of antibiotics and within one week the pains and pinches stopped. I was on antibiotics for 6 months.

He said he didn't think it was Lyme but actually chlamydia pneumoniae.

Goto your gp and ask for the test. Then ask for a referral to a ID consultant for peace of mind even if it comes back negative.

Also bear in mind folks.. this is an important threat, please bookmark it and come back with updates of what you have discovered. its important, most people who get a cure never look it up again its only the ones who car to help others come back with updates.



Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
It sounds like anxiety...but it could be a phenochromocytoma-small benign tumor on the adrenal glands. It causes episodic Tachycardia, BP spikes, pale face, adrenaline rushes, profuse sweating, and anxiety itself. Because it's episodic, it's difficult to catch in something like an overnight stay in the ER.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
This is an answer a long time after your original post. I hope you are doing well.
I suffered problems very similar to yours... heart feels like it stopped momentarily, adrenaline rush, followed by tachycardia, tingling in the fingers, dizzyness. Also, foggy head that does not go away...feels like I cant think clearly. Shortness of breath and only managed to talk in a whisper for long periods. My physical state got so bad that I could barely get out of a chair.
Doctors thought I may have a pheochromocytoma. So much so, they gave me surgury to remove a legion on my lung - to no avail.
Then, one day I had an episode while looking directly at my coffee cup. I thought...'maybe its caffeine'. So, I stopped consuming all forms of caffeine, and two days later I felt like my old self again. I havent had an episode since and its been two years. I hope this might help someone else...give it a go. I didnt think I was a big caffeine consumer, I would have maybe four cups of instant and a couple of diet cokes in a day...maybe this is too much. I dont know, but I do know I have not had a problem since I gave up all forms of caffeiene.
Helpful - 0
15184165 tn?1438964097
Wow... I've suffered from very similar things (I did an online search today as I am tired of this crap). I suffer from anxiety attacks, as well as IBS, and recently vertigo. I've had at least 3 ECGs/EKGs and walked around with a 24 hr heart monitor twice in my life. My weight yo-yo's a lot, but I feel I suffer more heart issues (non-issues according to medicine) when I am thinner.  I really wish there was an answer to this.
Helpful - 0
14617019 tn?1435503075
WOW.. can't believe I found this article.  I'm a 54 year old male.  Earlier this year I had this really weird thing happen when I drank a protein shake after getting home from work.  I live in CA, like many, our weather systems are off here so it was in Feb of this year (2015), hot day, really hot so I thought I'd rather have a nice cold protein shake than cook.  After I downed it I got this horrible rush, heart palpitations, dizziness, clammy all over, sweating and this headache that I thought was going to bust through my skull.  Lasted about 2 hours... Freaked me out but I got on with life and swore off that brand of shake.  Next time I did a protein shake, same thing but this time 11 hours, the next time was a yogurt drink, 13 hours.  Sent myself to the Dr.  EKG and all the blood work came back fine.  Fast forward to a couple of months ago.  I was well on my way to getting well, or so I thought. One night I was laying there in bed and I got this huge rush of adrenaline that woke me up.  Heart was racing like that whole "fight or flight" thing.  I'm an insomniac as it is so getting back to sleep that night was useless so I laid there with these rushes that kept coming.  Over time, through mediation, a little THC too (nice to live in a state that allows the use of medical cannabis) I thought I was on my way to health once again.  Two Thursdays ago (June 18th) had a bad night.  Got up in the AM to the bathroom and start getting ready for work.  I had an attack that caused me to crash to the floor.  I really thought I was having a heart attack.  I crawled to the back door and opened it up to yell for help but I was too weak so I just opened the door and laid there saying my goodbyes to the world.  My heart slowed a bit and I managed to get to my cell phone and called 911.  So at the ER they ran all the usual tests and EKG.. all was fine according to their findings.  Since then I've felt weak and shaky all the time, out of sorts like I have this perpetual cold.  My bowls are a mess but I live with IBS too so that's not helping all this one bit.  But reading Wundergecko and allot of the replies afterwards it's like there are other folks, with different circumstances and origins to how it started, here and posted.  This thread is pretty old but it's continued to be read and posted too... so I post too!  

I have some theories but not sure if any will be found useful.  Thyroid or Adrenal gland issues?  Anxiety attacks... well OK.  I guess that plays into it all.  IBS side effects?  Some articles I've read even have folks reporting similar issues when talking about IBS or Leaky Guy Syndrome.  So I'm sort of out of ideas.  I can't continue to live my life like this.  On top of all I have going on I'm also HIV POS, long time survivor, 30 years.

Hope folks get theirs figured out and if you have ideas post them.  I'm going to keep tabs on this thread!  Richard
Helpful - 0
14423228 tn?1434448737
Hello Every one-----i am suffering from the same condition since fron dec 2012----it was a bad day of my life i was sitting with my friend and we take a heavy lunch with chicken and lots more-----i was talking to my friends and suddenly my breath stop and i feel i was dieing and feel black on my eyes..it goes for 4 to 5 second after that i feel well and drink water----i go to the hospital where the doctor say me it happened bcoz of my stomach problem--bcoz ihave a gall bladder surgery in 2010-----well i come back home and eat my dinner i eat lot of rice---after half hour i feel again the same and i think i was dieing any ways i sleep bcoz i think my life is almost finished------in morning when i awake i go to doc again i tell him every thing he give me some of medicine but i m not satisfied----after that every time i sit in hospital like a crazy person bcoz i think if heart attack will come some one take me to emergency-----after a week my gf come from Japan to meet me----i spend 2 weeks with her but i really don,t feel well----some time i feel my heart stop working------i go to the Top hopsital of Pakistan where i tell the story to the doctor----and the doctor laugh at me--he say its only my thinking my bp is fine ultra sound ecgs,liver test every thing is normal---i feel to sad bcoz i have shortness of breath and lot of burping----any ways i stop eating any thing for a week and after one week i feel my heart escape beat----i go to emergency i think i have heart attack there they check my bp every thing is normal-----again no medicine no thing----after a month i apply for a visa of Japan to go to meet m gf----on the mean time my cousin need some of the money and he asked me for a help i tell him that im going to Japan and i don,t have he say few sentence to me--by which i feel hurt and i suddenly start feel pain in my chest---i go to doc he say me i m fine and i to young for heart attack as i was 26 on that time----in 2013 i visit to my gf to japan but there i feel scared every time that may b i have heart attack and if i m travelling in car or in train i feel scared and my heart escape beat---i spend 26 days there and got married to her but really don,t enjoy then i come back to my country---i went to a medical specialist and i tell him i have lot of burping and facing that problems---i have a white mucus to from my nose--he do x ray for me ecg test,ultrasound,he say its bcoz of stress he give me medicine for stress by which i feel well like 10% but every 2nd day my heart escape beat------and i m tired to take depression tablets every time feel sleepy and lazy----i decide to go to cardiologist---while telling him a story he ut ? mark on me and he say to me that come tomorrow we will do ech for u-----while he was doing echo for me i feel my heart has low beat---but got surprised while he say me my heart is fine and i have chest infection---any ways i m happy and think i will never face it again---after a week i feel the same-----i try to convince my self that every thing is ok but after 2 months again i take an appointment with doc-----he do for ecgs ultra sound,tyrod test which comes normal----he give me some vitimans tablets and gastric tablets---i use that for 4 months i feel well and some time i fac minor bubble burst in my chest----but after 4 months i notice my stool  colour become greenish----i was worried and take appointment again of a doc.while the doc give me medicine and perfome billurbin and typhiod test which comes normal-------he tell me that i use medicine for a week and after one week i do a stool test---so i go for stool test result come normal----i feel scared and take again cardiologist appointment---the doc react me normal and also prescribe me same medicine for stomach that i have infection-----well i got tired to be very honest and evry time i was searching on net there is lot of threads of cancers and lot of more disease----i decide to take an appointment is a big hospital and expensive here in Pak--i go there to my gp and while i go inside i start a story from very begining and doc is listening me----in last he say me that u have tyrod test stool test and tyhpoid test i say yes and all is negative-----he check my all previous test and he tell me that he want to repeat typhoid test and cbc blood test---cbc test come normal and typhoid is negative-----well he give me a sensival 25 mg for depression---Inderal tablets for heart escaping beat---and lansoprazole 30 mg and fleet D tablets for stomach bcoz he think i have anxiety-----while doc prescribing me the medicine i asked like a crazy person from him that tell me sir  if i have a cancer-----bcoz i want to do endoscopy or biarum x ray--- doc laugh at me he say me that u have a good health don,t think that-------now from 2 months i m using the medicine  i feel fine but every day i go to toilet for stool bcoz of my bowel------and today again i feel  same that i have heart attack bcoz suddenly i feel hot and sweating and feel dizzyness like black on my eyes-----again i m afraid now thinking what should i do-------i eat yougart and after that 1 to 2 hours i eat water melon------but after i feel that i have heart attack suddenly burps starts and again i think i have anxiety problem---such a **** don,t know what to do for it
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This sounds exactly like mine. I went to cardiologist. He looked at me funny and asked if I was having a spring in my heart. Not to worry and exercise... Useless.
Helpful - 0
12492606 tn?1459874033
Really frustrating to read all these comments when it should be easy to get an EKG from electrophysiologist and specify the problem.  Don't take "anxiety" as your diagnosis when you can feel for yourself that the heart is not beating in sinus rhythm.  Better yet, spend $75 on the AliveCor smart phone heart monitor and bring the results to the specialist.  Not a GP unless that GP is willing to refer you to the EP.  Depressing here to read how far behind some doctors are.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was just randomly looking up more info on my condition(s) last night and I came upon this forum. It was SO weird to hear anyone outside of my mother and (when she was alive) grandmother experience the symptoms you describe to a T: feeling like your heart has STOPPED and then being flushed with an intense amount of adrenaline and ... everything goes back to "normal." From my family history I know that my grandmother told my mom (who has the same thing happen to her as this) was born with a hole in her heart - this was in 1923 & she just died about 6 months ago (Nov.2014) from nothing having to do with her heart so I don't want to cause any worry there - and my mother was told by the doctors as a child (in the 1960s) that she had mitral valve prolapse, but this was never able to be confirmed because those *specific* set of events, the heart-stopping-adrenaline-surging 'feel like you've been defibrillated' restart of the heart' did not happen at any set interval or with any warning at all. Like I think you mentioned a couple years ago, it can happen when totally relaxed and it's even MORE of a shock because you know you aren't taxing your heart in any way. Anyhow, point of my story is that since I can remember, probably early childhood, I've had these episodes every few months. No warning, no trigger, nothing. Just feels like my heart stops beating in my chest for (what feels like 10 seconds) a few seconds combined with that horrible fight-or-flight surge of adrenaline. And then nothing like that for months ... so I can only go on my family history of "minor heart irregularities that had no effect on overall health or length of life." BUT I have been told by two specialists that women are more prone to MVP especially if they also have anxiety. Also I have no idea what you look like but supposedly "long" arms (for your height) and long fingers/palms are very very common among those with MVP. Just something you might look in to in case there is a family history b/c this thing does not always happen often so it is very hard to test for.
Now the anxiety thing, with the heart flipping and rising BP/HR and chest pain, etc, I have also experienced this, separate from the heart-stop-adrenaline-surge thing, including when exercising in front of other people, or doing something new in the gym, or even coming home after going out with a large group of people. Job interviews have been the most consistent (not surprising in the economy today!). And also, I'm 1 year younger than you, basically the same 'medical age' so while I don;t think I can give you advice per-se, I can share what have been VERY similar experiences. I would NOT tell you that yoga or acupuncture or even seeing a certain specialist will help decipher what you're going through (I've been to 5 specialists other than my neurologist and PCP since about 2009. The *only* solid advice I could give is that -to me- it sounds like you have two separate conditions, perhaps similar to me. And if this is the case, it is actually easier to treat the 1 (anxiety) and either continue to seek other specialists (I am not familiar with BHS, I speak from a US doctor standpoint so this would be up to you? the BHS? I'm not sure).
I know it's been about 5 years since you first posted this but on the off chance you still get updates from this forum, I thought I'd chime in with my experience & who knows, maybe someone will read this and have a similar experience, too. Hope you're doing well. I actually have been taking low-dose proponalol, the beta blocker, for anxiety surges and that helps with that but I still get the heart-stopping scary as heck event every few months. I've learned to differentiate from the two though and that has given me a lot of peace of mind. If you haven't already, perhaps this can give you some too :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I also had similar symptoms and for 8 months, I was in and out of doctors offices trying to find out what was going on and every test they would give me would come out "normal". After testing came back "normal" I was told to see a counselor because it was probably anxiety. She told me that when doctors cannot find the problem, they say it's anxiety.......to make a long story short, I wound up going to a party one night and had a bit too much to drink and wound up in the emergency room the next day and my "racing" heart finally showed up on the monitor........I was then sent to a heart hospital and had an EPS Study to find out which nerve was making my heart race because they told me they could actually burn it so it wouldn't cause me any other problems, but unfortunately, mine was in an area where I would need a pacemaker if they burned it so I told them to leave it alone........I found a cardiologist that specializes in heart "rhythm" and diagnosed me with "AFIB".  He put me on "Rythmol" and now I am aware of what is going on and what to avoid. I'm on meds that actually work. I now have a life again........keep going with your testing until you find what you're looking for :) Good Luck :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Strange reading all this, it sound just like what i have been experiencing. But for me its like a double beat an on the second beat i get a shot of adrenalin shoot up into my throat. It only lasts a millisecond, but iv had quiet a few today. Dont feel sick, or any pain..... anyone else get anything like this?.
Helpful - 0
11730233 tn?1423598950
Thank you. It's posts like yours that keep me from freaking out about this condition. My  pvc's actually settled while I read your post. That says something right there.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi everyone out there.  I am new to this forum which I happened upon when I punched in a search on symptoms I experienced yesterday for the 'umpteenth' time in my life.  I am 54 years old now and I have been having many of the symptoms and problems described above since I was sixteen way back in 1977.  The onset of these was triggered at the time by a high stakes state exam in which I was expected to do inordinately well...so no pressure!  At this stage of my life I can only talk common sense to all you young worriers out there.  You will not die from these symptoms but they are random and very, very uncomfortable to live with AND for those of us who haven't come to terms with this particular sensitivity/vulnerability we were born with the symptoms are very frightening.
However Medive gives us all very good advice on this forum as to how to deal with the life pressures that cause such symptoms in those of us with this particular vulnerability.  While some triggers may be personal to individuals among us (and we can identify these for ourselves over time) the overall message of 'healthy eating, exercise, fresh air, sunshine, rest, sleep, meditation/yoga if you can, a balanced lifestyle and as little as possible of self medication (i.e. alcohol, strong caffeine, self harming incl bulimia, smoking, cannabis or other soft/hard addictive substances, Xanax and it derivatives, painkillers) will go a very long way to alleviating the symptoms.
I totally agree with the many of you who recognise the 'vicious circle' aspect to the worry/trigger/attack cycle many of us can fall into.  It is very important to recognise this and accept that the less we stress over our symptoms, the less frequent and severe the attacks will be.  I say this with this added note of caution.  These symptoms can and do mimic heart issues/problems which are potentially serious, so in experiencing these attacks for the first time, the sufferer must consult a doctor.  However, if after satisfying ourselves that our hearts are healthy, the best remedy is the one which helps us to adapt a lifestyle to control and prevent regular occurrences of the symptoms.
I wish I had known all of this back in 1977 when my attacks first began.  They caused nightmare scenarios for me as a young adult which I will not document here.  Please rest assured, all of you fellow sufferers out there that you are are not mentally ill (even if you need to take anti anxiety medication).  I also agree with Medive that if you can avoid medication altogether, that is best but not all of us can.  The earlier we start with the healthy lifestyle and knowing our own bodies, its strengths and vulnerabilities, the better.  Starting on this healthy self care route is the best chance we can give ourselves and even starting on it later in life is tremendously helpful.
Remember this please.  We are born physically sensitive; that is all.  We are not mad or mentally ill or hypochondriacs or drama queens.  Don't please label us as this.  Physical sensitivities just lead us to react more strongly to certain triggers than others in the population.  In some ways this is a bonus as it acts as a very alert warning system to stress and other potential disease causing and fatal illnesses/attacks.  Oddly enough, I also suffer from acute hay-fever, rhinitis  and asthma.  Think of our sensitivity and symptoms in a similar manner to these and it might help explain what I'm getting at.
I hope this advice is helpful to a few of us out there.  It comes from a 'seasoned' sufferer.
Best of luck and DON'T WORRY!
Robin :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have some similar symptoms. So far I've been told they are panic attacks, but I'm still getting the symptoms checked out (and also making a therapy appointment). I'm also wondering if sometimes what I experience as related to my heart is actually awful heartburn that causes a "pulse" or "rush" feeling.

Feel better and have a happy and healthy 2015!:)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The same thing has been happening to me for years. After doing the same rounds as everyone else and nothing abnormal ever being found, I have stopped talking about it to anyone because of the usual "it must be anxiety" or "menopause" comments I get. It was even suggested I was just a bored housewife...despite the fact that I have a full time job, run a part time business and have a family so don't actually have time to be bored. That was until 6 weeks ago when I had another episode in a restaurant as we were celebrating family birthdays and I ended up having a convulsion and passing out while sitting at the table - totally out of the blue and totally random. I woke up to find myself on the floor and my daughter on the phone to the ambulance service. My heart was racing and my blood pressure so low the ambos wouldn't tell me what the reading was - they just kept saying it was too low. 4 days in hospital and as usual they couldn't find anything except that my heart rate kept going up and setting off alarms every time I got out of bed. I was sent home once I'd been cleared of any heart disease, stroke or epilepsy and told to follow up with my cardiologist in 6 weeks (only to discover the cardiologist that I had seen previously mad moved to another city).  I saw another cardiologist yesterday and as luck would have it,  I had an episode in his waiting room and became quite faint a couple of times while standing, so it was actually witnessed by adoctor this time. I didn't pass out, but at least it is now being taken seriously. I've been given a trial of beta blockers and will do a holter meter test (yet again) in a couple of weeks. It'll be interesting to see what they decide when the holter meter shows nothing, as I'm expecting. And yes, I'm also one of those that is woken by the episodes in the early hours of the morning and occasionally, every 20-30 minutes all through the night. The one thing I have noticed is that the episodes often precede a hot flush and once the hot flush happens, the episodes stop. Unfortunately the hot flush isn't always immediate so I can have them every few minutes for several hours before I flush and the episodes stop. I asked if it could be menopause related and was told no, menopausal hot flushes don't make you faint. Well I had an extended hot flush right before I fainted, so if it isn't menopause related, what are the heck are the hot flushes? Can't be pheochromocytoma because that causes episodes of high blood pressure and mine was very low, not high. Frankly I just want to get back in my box and not have to get back on this medical merry go round yet again because I know it'll end in the 'it must be anxiety"  basket. That seems to be the place for everything that is too hard to diagnose.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sounds like dysautonomia,POTS in particular
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Oddly enough, I found this while searching what an adrenaline rush feels like, and I'm so glad I did as it sounds like what I have been experiencing lately.  Brief history, I have had palpitations for a few years now, and after some research and realizing it was most likely nothing to worry about, I was able to remain calm when it happened, and experienced nothing more than a strong heartbeat feeling in my throat that would cause me to have to cough.  I usually am laying down when this occurs, but not always.  Sometimes it seems triggered by bringing my chin to my chest which may be vagus nerve related (?).  More recently, I have had a similar type of heartbeat, but slightly different, enough to cause me alarm.  I too feel as if the heart has stopped.  This is followed by a cold tingling feeling in my arms and legs and the need to get up an move (this feeling is why I was researching adrenaline rush).  A few moments later and I feel the heart beating again but at a high rate.  This causes me great relief as I know I'm not going to die!  I am then able calm down, but still feel panicky and worried that is going to happen again.  The first time, I tried to locate my pulse but haven't done so since since it just causes greater panic.  I don't know if the 'rush' creates the panic, or the other way around.  I should also note that I have self diagnosed benign fasciculation syndrome/peripheral nerve hyperactivity which has been on and off for about 10 years.  I have been particularly twitchy for the last few months.  I also have anxiety, but have never had a panic attack, and it is controlled with meds.  I'm wondering if anyone else has BFS, because there are a lot of strange symptoms that seem to go along with it, and I'm wondering if this is just another one of them.
Helpful - 0
10697529 tn?1412114796
I read your original note with great interest.  I had the exact same symptoms earlier this year for a few months.  I would feel a kind of sinking feeling in my chest followed by a few very intense heart beats.  Then an INTENSE rush of blood would go up into my head and down my arms.  Some times it would happen repeatedly a few times.  Sometimes it would be several times a day, and then not for a few days.  It tended to happen when I lied down, leaned back or after I ate. There was no emotional component of anxiety or panic. It was not painful, but was very disturbing.  My body was telling me that there was something very wrong.

I went to multiple doctors.  GP, endocrinologist, internist.  All were dismissive.  They did not really examine me, or delve more deeply into my symptoms.  two of them suggested I see a psychiatrist, noting anxiety, depression, or mania as potential diagnoses.  I did see a psychiatrist who said there was nothing wrong with me mentally, but that I was sick and obviously frustrated.  Finally, after being a good patient and taking anxiety meds and antidepressants (even though I told them that I was neither anxious or depressed) my problem was solved.  One morning I woke up with terrible abdominal pain.  To make a long story short, I had a bowel obstruction surgically repaired, and after that the symptoms all waned away and stopped in about 3 or 4 weeks.  My diagnosis was that of an internal hernia, where the bowel gets intermittently partially abstracted and pinched off in some narrow opening in the abdomen.  I believe the adrenalin rushes were due to special nerves called sympathetic fibbers that line the bowels getting stretched or compressed.  They secrete adrenalin, and I believe they were being set off and causing abnormal signals to other parts of my body (e.g.. heart).

One thing I am brutally aware of now after being a patient, is that women's unusual or difficult to explain symptoms tend to be automatically explained off as anxiety.  I doubt that a male physician presenting in the ER with my symptoms would have been jerked off and sent to a psychiatrist like I was.  I actually told this to the ER doctor because I was getting really frustrated and mad, and he essentially told me that I was hostile and paranoid. Can you imagine what that felt like?

I am a doctor (family practice and maternity).  This is the advice I will give you.  IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON AND YOU FEEL IT IS ABNORMAL, IT PROBABLY IS.  DO NOT LET YOUR DOCS IGNORE YOU. Take this note to your doc and discuss it with him.

In retrospect, I had hints of my bowel problems.  I had ongoing bloating and abdominal distension on and off for 1.5 years.  I had a decreased appetite, I had vague discomfort with eating.  If you have any of these sorts of symptoms too, but are ignoring them because the heart palpitations and head rushes are more intense, them take this to your doc and discuss it.  You may have what I had and it is treatable.  Best of luck.  DocKa
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
A lot of good advice and observations for people in that post, Medive. Thank you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
there are a couple of things i like to mention that may help you friends.

1. things we are experiencing , are not fatal. its a problem with heart signals and even in its very most severity for a healthy heart usually dosen't end up killing anyone.
let me tell you something about arrhythmia , arrhythmia that kill people are usually caused by heart attacks , obesity , cardiological problems , old age and bad genes. so please do a check up on your general health and heart.. if you didn't have the risk factors then the chance of you dying because of this is actually lowest possible.

this is important. cause when people experience these , they develop death phobia and that make this happen more and with more severity and ruin life quality as well.

2. I seen many of you keep testing your heart. stop doing the same thing over and over again. if you had holter tests , an echo and stress echo and 2-3 ECG then move on. a lot of other things can cause this but the heart itself. neurological problems , Anexity , drugs side effects even even gastritis and acid reflux

3. use a pulse oximeter , its a device that shows your heart beat per minute and your blood oxygen. but most importantly your pulse graph. wear it. and wait for next attack to happen. if your heart skip a beat then the graph will drop to zero. and if your blood oxygen started to drop as well then you know you have a heart condition. if none of these happened then you obviously are stressing yourself over nothing life threatening.

4. the heart beat raise and palpitation most of you develop after a heart skipped beat is adrenaline side effects not a heart condition. the body goes into a adrenaline shock. it suddenly faces a near death experience(or so you make it think unwantedly) and your heart pulse goes up at once. and you get a pounding heart that you can feel it.

5. Magnesium supplements really do miracle about this problem. in addition to this please try beta blockers pay attention beta blockers lose most of their efficiency if you take them after the attack. so its better to take them daily and on a regular basis to avoid the condition although it can help to treat it as well sometimes.

6. please sleep well. try to sleep.. do whatever it takes to sleep. bad sleep make this stuff happening 100x more than other times.

7. Oversensitivity about this will ruin your life and get you in more trouble , at the end worrying all the time for this doesn't immune you against it possible bitter ends. so let it go.dont over think it it will lead to over sensitivity and that will ruin just everything. do a full scale of check up. take special care with supplements and anti stress exercises and sleep enough and i assure you it will work better that putting even more pressure on your heart by over-thinking and lots of stress.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Here is my story.  I write this in a hotel room in Johannesburg, South Africa.  I am 40 yrs old and the CEO of a listed company.  Today, for no rhyme or reason on the plane I started to feel dizzy, my pulse rate went up, missed a few beats and pretty much raced for the rest of the day.  I popped a beta blocker which brought it down to normal as I cannot stand the feeling. As my heart raced throughout the day I became more and more panicked - arms and legs were tingling, felt dizzy etc.  This lasted the whole afternoon.

In 2005 I had a random episode of atrial fibrillation which lasted 12 hours and self corrected.  Had all the tests done and everything was fine and they advised that it was a random event.  Since then I feel every ectopic beat I get and when I get them, I still panic which sends the heart racing.  I have had multiple echo's, EKG's, stress tests etc and am always told my heart is in great shape - in fact, I had one as recently as a month ago.  

You would think given all the tests I have had, especially considering I have just had one, that when a random event of a racing heart strikes I should be able to deal with it - I am ashamed to say I still struggle deeply.  People have real problems, heart disease, cancer, epilepsy etc and here am I freaking out over something I have been told by experts is fine - why is that?

Here is why

Due to the randomness of these PVC's etc we never know when they are going to strike - we them find ourselves constantly waiting for the next one which puts you in a constant anxious state which results in more PVC's!  All we want is to not have them - they go away for a while, we think we are done with them and then they strike!  What I battle to deal with is the dissapointment of admitting that they are not gone for good and I have to deal with them again (sometimes I go for months without any - think I am clear and then WHAM!)

It is the vulnerability that I cannot stand, it is the constant guessing that I cannot stand, it is the pulse checking, the no coffee rule, the no red wine rule, the no big meal rule etc etc - we must (speaking for myself) be seriously boring people to have around.

I have taken the following decision - no longer will they get to me.  This is my Achilles heal and I am blessed to have it rather than something serious.  God has given us finite time on this earth and there is no point moping around waiting for the next jolt and not enjoying life - as it says in Mathew - worry cannot add one second to our lives - our time is our time so really, what are we worrying for - it will not change a thing!!!  And besides, these palpitations are benign!!!

What has helped me reduce them is;

Low carbs
Low caffene
No red wine - which *****!
Reduce sugar
Try and reduce stress
Exercise

All of the above are good for us anyway so we  may as well just suck it up and do it.  Magnesium supplements help me massively.

Lastly, carry a beta blocker as a crutch - if the pulse goes mad, pop one and just keep on trucking!

I hope this helps someone out there as I have dealt with this for 10 years, am still around and still coming to terms with them

Good luck, Gold bless
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi , ive just had one of them episodes now and im pretty freaked out tbh , im 20 years of ae but i can recall startin to get them when i was about 17 but only every 2 months or so but over the past 12 month ive been gettin them very very frequently. i work for a casino dealing poker and sometime out of the blue i et this and after my heart socalls(restarts again) i get the adrenaline rush and hae to jump up of the table and start to panic , eventually it calms down. im start to get the at least twice a week now and they seem to be lasting longer and loner , the onei just had now i was convinced i was gonna die and i had to wake my brother up saying to help me. i really need some advice , ive noticed this pae has been going for over 5 years now , surely someone found out what it is in that time ? please get back to me soon ,  thanks
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community

Top Arrhythmias Answerers
1807132 tn?1318743597
Chicago, IL
1423357 tn?1511085442
Central, MA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
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.