Racing Heart/Breathlessness

[JoyRenee]

Hey all! I'm 17 weeks and some mornings when I wake up my heart races and I feel breathless. It's only in the morning though. Has anyone else experienced this? Is this what high blood pressure feels like? I think I should call the doctor but wanted to get some information first. I know that breathlessness can be normal. But the racing heart sometimes? Is that normal too? I can't remember from previous pregnancies.

[JoyRenee]

Thanks ladies! The nurse called me back (again) this evening and told me that my doctor wanted me to call my PCP (regular doc) to be seen and get tests done. Unfortunately I don't have a PCP so the nurse is going to talk with him again and call me tomorrow to see if he has references or will just do them himself. She said, since I wasn't having issues at the moment, it'd be okay to wait until tomorrow to figure it all out.

I'm trying to catch up on water right now and rest. I personally feel that it's probably dehydration and sleep deprivation. I always feel really sick when I'm sleep deprived. Hoping it's nothing more serious than that since these things can be taken care of.

I sleep on my left side mostly (even when not pregnant). But I have woken up on my back before and I quickly correct myself.

[LauraB78]

I had the same thing when I was pregannt with Jaxson, it turned out I was severely dehydrated, and I had slightly elevated blood pressure, but I started drinking LOTS of water and it went away! Good luck! Let us know what your Dr. says! Yay!! 17 weeks already!!!!

[spade22]

Dehydration (amongst other things) can cause certainly cause your heart to go into various "abnormal arrhythmia's" including tachycardia (heart racing).  These things are definitely more pronounced during pregnancy due to increased blood volume.

Lots of things that are not too potentially serious could cause this but it wouldnt surprise me if your doctor wants to see you and run a few more tests to rule these out.

How are you sleeping?  Side, back, partially elevated?

[JoyRenee]

Thanks Gerry. I just got the call back, gave the nurse all my symptoms and answered her questions. She's going to talk to the doc and give me a call back, hopefully today. Otherwise probably tomorrow.

It's just really scary when it happens. I don't want something to be wrong with my heart.

[Gerry774]

Yes I had the same thing happen to me. My heart was racing and the doctor said its just that your heart has to work so much extra for the baby, that it could happen.  He told me to lay down on my left side when it happened and to keep myself hydrated with water, and yes sleep helps as well.  Hope this helps.

[JoyRenee]

I looked up my symptoms at webmd and it gave me an entire list of reasons why this could be happening, so I'll know what to talk to the doctor about. One was low iron, dehydration, fatigue and heart arrythmias. So looks like you both were spot on. I don't have low iron so I think it most likely  has to do with dehydration and fatigue. I'm off to call and drink a ton of water.

[Mumita]

true heart palpitations or racing can be due to many things but most commonly it is fatigue.  Specially at 17 weeks I would say that it may have a lot to do with fatigue since your baby is going through some major growth spurt and this drains your energy levels.
But deffinitely talk to your doctor.

I meant to say that "things to watch for" with high blood pressure is sweating, feeling hot, swelling and dizzyness.

[JoyRenee]

Spade, I have sinus arrythmia but that is not life-threatening and this is different from that. Sinus arrythmia is actually VERY common. Most people have it and don't know it. Just means your heart skips every now and then.

So I don't know what could be going on. I did have a stabbing pain behind my right breast (NOT left) one day, too. Please pray nothing is wrong. I'm freaked out about calling but I know I must.

[spade22]

-ohhh good idea about calling your doctor, Joy.  You may need a 24h holter test to see if your heart is having any out-of-the ordinary arrhythmias.

[spade22]

No, high blood pressure typically doesnt have "symptoms" associated with it (many ppl with high BP do not know they have it until their BP is measured).  Sorry, but I also have to disagree with the above comment that "heart racing is basicaly fatigue".  Yes, this can be one cause but there are MANY other causes of a racing heart - some are serious, others are not.

When you say your heart is "racing", do you have an idea of how high your heart rate is?  If you dont, you should definitely measure it the next time this happens.  Do you feel like you might behaving palpitations too (abnormal rhythm such as skipping or missing beats)?

[JoyRenee]

I have to add that if I take a nap, I wake up refreshed and don't have this breathlessness or racing heart. So maybe it is sleep. I'll call the doctor anyway, just to be sure.

[JoyRenee]

Well that definitely makes sense. I have NOT been sleeping at all. I'm going to try to go to bed a lot sooner from now on. It's not high blood pressure because I don't have the symptoms associated with it then.

I probably need to drink a ton more water, too. Drinking water is like the cure-all for everything.

[Mumita]

That usualyl happens to me with my belly tightening so to me its braxton hix contrctions.  However high blood pressure you feel hot and sort of dizzy and your extremities swell a bit.  Heart racing is basicaly fatigue, your  body is tired and when you get up to do something your heart overcompensates to bring oxigen to your cells.
High blood pressure and rapid heart beat are related but are different things.
Do a search on fatigue and do another search on HBP.
Also call your doctor, he may want to check you out just in case.