Palpitations long after exercise

[cheeser]

The details:

38 yr old male. 6'3". 175 lbs.
No medications, no "recreational" drugs (ever), never smoked, no caffeine, healthy diet, couple beers a week. No family history of heart problems (to my knowledge).

I've been exercising regularly for about 16 years - weight training and running/x-country skiing (in season)/indoor rowing.  4-5 times per week.  My resting HR is typically 45-50.  

The issue:

Heart palpitations that start 3-5 hours AFTER I finish exercising...most of the time, but not always.  If they appear they'll continue well into the next day (usually) and will gradually go away.  I'll exercise again, and the cycle seems to start all over.  Very annoying and a bit disconcerting.

Tests:

EKG (2)
Treadmill stress
24 hr Holter

All were normal, but I don't think much happened when I was wearing the Holter.

Question:

Should I be concerned?  It annoys me enough that I'm beginning to fear my workouts.  I feel great while doing them, but am afraid of what will happen later on.  

By the way, I have had "anxiety" issues and my wife thinks that it's more related to that than my heart.  Hard to say for sure, but the palpitations certainly feed my anxiety.

Thanks MUCH!

[Fran71]

Hi guys and thanks so much for standing by me!

Upbeat, what you say is so wise...We will deal tomorrow with whatever we need to face tomorrow, right? Since my ER visit last Tuesday I am on the BB daily and I hardly get a PVC at rest. Still I feel so scared the bigeminy will come back! I want someone to tell me this might decrease with time...but I usually hear otherwise LOL.

Upbeat, I can

[upbeat63]

Last spring I did a 48hr holter that showed 20,000+/pvcs/day and my GP Rxd toperol xl. I was resistant to taking any meds at all because I've had high frequency PVCs for so long, and a cardiologist 10 years ago said BB may not work and might make PVCs worse. So I didn't take BBs.

That was until I went into bigeminy last summer and I couldn't stand it anymore. So I took the toperol for three days and the bigeminy stopped. But then I stopped taking the toperol because I was just so darned tired on it, and it wasn't doing anything for the high frequency, that remained.  

Now, with the constant trigeminy the toperol isn't working to stop that......but I must admit, I don't feel the PVCs so much. And that's good enough for me. I still sense them every day, but believe me, the less I am aware of them, the more of the day I have to get on with things.

Ablation is an option, I know. So if it ever gets bad enough, I'll pursue it. But for me, for now, I'll live with the PVCs. Geez I've been researching another procedure--Lasix surgery for a long time also, but there is still a 5% chance that your eyesight could be worse so I figure glasses are ok for me until they can predict a 99% success rate!

[upbeat63]

I guess a body will get used to just about anything, over time.

The trigeminy that I'm in right now has been going on for so long I can't remember when it started, it's been a couple of months for sure, before Christmas some time. It has become my "normal" rhythm, I just expect it.

I think I am used to it for the most part, EXCEPT when I am: tired, dehydrated, low-blood sugar, eaten MSG, haven't exercised, overly stressed, and maybe too much coffee (more than one cup). Then I get frequent dizzy moments, feel short of breath and wonder when the dang PVCs will stop because they drive me crazy!

I think (I hope) I have begun to watch the PVCs less but I watch my habits more. Got to be good or else the PVCs definitely clobber me, bang, bang, bang. Hang in there, sounds like you've gotten some relief from the bigeminy, lets hope that it lasts. Enjoy it now, and deal with whatever comes up tomorrow--tomorrow!

[tictock]

Hi Fran I'm happy for you that your bigeminy has gone, I was trying to explain that rhythm to my husband but unless you have it your self no one can know what it feels like. all i can tell him is that it feels like my heart is limping along when i'm in bigeming.at least bb works for you. with mine i get the feeling that even if i don't take bb which sometimes in the passed i didn't it will wean off eventually to what is normal for me.i'm just glad i've found this forum.If there is anything that you want to ask me feel free to Fran. take care.

[Fran71]

Thanks tictock,
I can manage with PVCs very well. It's the constant bigeminy that I dread! After the night at the ER Monday they haven't come back. It seems that BBs generally work for me. They seem to eliminate the most part of PVCs, only that night at the ER they weren't working...Even if they increase with age, I hope they don't get more noticeable, or maybe less?

Let's all hang in there! The best of luck to you for your ablation.
Thanks again

Fran

[tictock]

Hi Fran, most people and doctors say that pvc's do increase with age i know mine has. i get them off and on when i've got a virus or if i'm tired i notice them more. on the whole i try to carry on best i can and not let it take over too much of my lifestyle. But the (BIG BIGEMENY RHYTHM)is another kettle of fish for me this time i hate it it's so uncomfortable and gives me pain and breathless, never did before.  it's hard to say if yours will get worse you might find it will go just as quickly as it came mind has in the passed and it's going now i've had it for 5 weeks and upbeat has his most of the time. try the different meds it's seems to be trial and error, what works for you may not work for another. good luck!