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Palpitations
46 year old female. Palpitations since the age of 23. Gone for two EP studies, could not induce v-tach.
1. I just went for a echocardiogram and the tech said the only thing it showed was mild regurtiation of the mitral value. Could this be the reason for palpitations?
2. I usually get around 10 palpitations where it feels like my heart stops and starts again but last night I was thinking about palpitations when I was watching TV and it starting doing a rythum like this - normal beat, clunk, normal beat, clunk, normal beat, clunk. It did this for about 20 minutes. I have a stethascope and was laying there listing to it to this. Freaks me out. Is this normal??? This has happened a few times when I am laying there watching TV thinking about my PVC's.
3. It you were holter 100 people how many PVC's would most people have? My cardiologist says he doesn't get them but the tech who did my echocardiogram says he gets them.
4. I sometimes get this thing that happens as well. I will just be standing there and my heart will go fast and pound and I get hot and dizzy. This will happens for about 8 - 10 beats and then it pauses and does a thud. Once again the tech told me lots of people have that and no big deal. True??
5. I am going for a stress test today. What exactly does a stress test show in your heart?
I had a holter a couple of weeks ago and it showed some couplets, salvos, some PVC's and some PAC's. It said less than 1%.
1. I just went for a echocardiogram and the tech said the only thing it showed was mild regurtiation of the mitral value. Could this be the reason for palpitations?
2. I usually get around 10 palpitations where it feels like my heart stops and starts again but last night I was thinking about palpitations when I was watching TV and it starting doing a rythum like this - normal beat, clunk, normal beat, clunk, normal beat, clunk. It did this for about 20 minutes. I have a stethascope and was laying there listing to it to this. Freaks me out. Is this normal??? This has happened a few times when I am laying there watching TV thinking about my PVC's.
3. It you were holter 100 people how many PVC's would most people have? My cardiologist says he doesn't get them but the tech who did my echocardiogram says he gets them.
4. I sometimes get this thing that happens as well. I will just be standing there and my heart will go fast and pound and I get hot and dizzy. This will happens for about 8 - 10 beats and then it pauses and does a thud. Once again the tech told me lots of people have that and no big deal. True??
5. I am going for a stress test today. What exactly does a stress test show in your heart?
I had a holter a couple of weeks ago and it showed some couplets, salvos, some PVC's and some PAC's. It said less than 1%.
A related discussion, menopause and palpitations was started.
I have been reading these posts about palpitations after finding this site last week. Before I go into chapter and verse I wonder if anyone has the same result as me regarding palpitations. My palpitations started when I was 35 I am now 47, I find that when my palpitations start 7 times out of 10 when I stand up they stop. Does anyone else have this.
Thanks Vince
Thanks Vince
Haha. You have a good sense of humor.
And yes. It is just the most pleasant experience to be strapped to a table, dizzy and confused, with a cardiologist nodding his head saying, "Okay...I see what's going on now." I mean, really, that is just so comforting to know that he feels my pain. Like you said: "There's a lot of relief in that. Awesome."
Ignore my palpitations!? I thought...Is he crazy? I didn't know what to do. He doesn't know what it's like. Haha. Wouldn't he be worried if his heart just suddenly started skipping a beat like mine did? Well, now, I guess that would be a different story...Since he seems to be so calm about this whole situation.
Haha.
Thanks for that, ok_now!
And yes. It is just the most pleasant experience to be strapped to a table, dizzy and confused, with a cardiologist nodding his head saying, "Okay...I see what's going on now." I mean, really, that is just so comforting to know that he feels my pain. Like you said: "There's a lot of relief in that. Awesome."
Ignore my palpitations!? I thought...Is he crazy? I didn't know what to do. He doesn't know what it's like. Haha. Wouldn't he be worried if his heart just suddenly started skipping a beat like mine did? Well, now, I guess that would be a different story...Since he seems to be so calm about this whole situation.
Haha.
Thanks for that, ok_now!
Very interesting stuff. Sounds like most of the questions I posted earlier have pretty much been answered. "Orthostatic hypotension" is just another way of describing your low blood pressure issues, and sounds like you have a good cardiologist who really has a handle on things. That's great.
"Neurocardiogenic syncope" is not so much a diagnosis as a fancy way of saying you have fainting spells ('syncope' is simply the physician's word for 'fainting'). The real diagnosis is when they determine what exactly is going on with your heart that's causing this.
As a general comment, when doctors (or anyone else) tell you to "just ignore" your palpitations, that's about the most worthless piece of advice imaginable, isn't it? Only proves that whoever is saying it has never had palpitations, otherwise they wouldn't say such a silly thing.
And isn't it reassuring, even while you're going through all this ****, when you see the doctor nodding his head and saying, "OK, yes, now I see what's going on here." There's a lot of relief in that. Awesome.
"Neurocardiogenic syncope" is not so much a diagnosis as a fancy way of saying you have fainting spells ('syncope' is simply the physician's word for 'fainting'). The real diagnosis is when they determine what exactly is going on with your heart that's causing this.
As a general comment, when doctors (or anyone else) tell you to "just ignore" your palpitations, that's about the most worthless piece of advice imaginable, isn't it? Only proves that whoever is saying it has never had palpitations, otherwise they wouldn't say such a silly thing.
And isn't it reassuring, even while you're going through all this ****, when you see the doctor nodding his head and saying, "OK, yes, now I see what's going on here." There's a lot of relief in that. Awesome.
I have a big update. First of all, thanks so much for the questions, ok_now! Maybe I'll write some of those down and ask next time. I go back to the cardiologist in about 10 days.
Most importantly, I have to say that I have found out why I have been having blackouts. I have Neurocardiogenic Syncope. Friday, I went to take a treadmill test. It was fine, because I stopped when I felt like I couldn't breathe and I was very light-headed but they said that when I excercised, my skip beats went away, which was what is normal and that nothing was wrong there. The skip beats had nothing to do with the blackouts. Then, I went to take a "tilt table test" today at the hospital. I had an IV, an ECG/EKG hooked up to me, and two cuffs, one for blood pressure and one for heart rate and pulse I think. I laid down on a bed for twenty minutes, and then the bed was tilted up to a 80% angle, so I was pretty much standing up. I was to remain there for 30 minutes...Well, it's not like I could go anywhere...I was strapped down. HaHa. I stood up for 20 minutes and then began to feel light-headed. Then there was a lot of pressure built up in my head and I began to tell them I was having a blackout. My hearing was going away and my heart rate dropped, along with my blood pressure and my pulse. My cardiologist kept saying, "Just relax...You're doing good. It's okay. You're fine." He didn't let me lay down when I felt lightheaded because he wanted to make sure I was going to have a blackout or pass out and he was making sure my mom saw what happened (but he didn't tell me that until the end). I passed out for about 10 seconds and the next thing I knew, I was laying back down and the nurse was pretty much right in my face staring at me. She had never had anyone to pass out before with that test so I think she was a little excited. HaHa. I looked around and my cardiologist was saying, "Yes. I'm sure now." He knew what had happened and then explained that it's a blood circulation problem. My blood mostly stays down in the lower part of my body and when I stand up, it doesn't circulate like it should. He said my heart sends a signal to my brain telling it that it needs blood and my brain tells my body to black out or pass out. He showed me the EKG...It was so weird. My normal heartbeat is more of a "beat... beat-thud... skip... beat... beat-thud... skip" and that was what it was for 40 minutes. But then as I started to get lightheaded, it became irregular, like a bunch of scribbles and then a wobbly line and it did that over and over again and as I became conscious again, everything went back to normal. It was a really scary process but I'm glad I found out that I have Neurocardiogenic Syncope.
Here's a little about it:
Vasovagal syncope, the most common cause of fainting, occurs in otherwise healthy people. It can affect people of all ages, but is particularly common in young women. It is also known as Neurocardiogenic Syncope or Vasodepressor Syncope. As these terms suggest, the cause is low heart rate or blood pressure, leading to inadequate circulation to the brain. This results in fainting, or loss of consciousness (i.e., syncope).
I'm being put on a new medicine, taken off of one, and staying on another, so I'll keep updating this to let you know how things are going.
Thanks for all the help and support! I hope all of this information is useful to someone!
Most importantly, I have to say that I have found out why I have been having blackouts. I have Neurocardiogenic Syncope. Friday, I went to take a treadmill test. It was fine, because I stopped when I felt like I couldn't breathe and I was very light-headed but they said that when I excercised, my skip beats went away, which was what is normal and that nothing was wrong there. The skip beats had nothing to do with the blackouts. Then, I went to take a "tilt table test" today at the hospital. I had an IV, an ECG/EKG hooked up to me, and two cuffs, one for blood pressure and one for heart rate and pulse I think. I laid down on a bed for twenty minutes, and then the bed was tilted up to a 80% angle, so I was pretty much standing up. I was to remain there for 30 minutes...Well, it's not like I could go anywhere...I was strapped down. HaHa. I stood up for 20 minutes and then began to feel light-headed. Then there was a lot of pressure built up in my head and I began to tell them I was having a blackout. My hearing was going away and my heart rate dropped, along with my blood pressure and my pulse. My cardiologist kept saying, "Just relax...You're doing good. It's okay. You're fine." He didn't let me lay down when I felt lightheaded because he wanted to make sure I was going to have a blackout or pass out and he was making sure my mom saw what happened (but he didn't tell me that until the end). I passed out for about 10 seconds and the next thing I knew, I was laying back down and the nurse was pretty much right in my face staring at me. She had never had anyone to pass out before with that test so I think she was a little excited. HaHa. I looked around and my cardiologist was saying, "Yes. I'm sure now." He knew what had happened and then explained that it's a blood circulation problem. My blood mostly stays down in the lower part of my body and when I stand up, it doesn't circulate like it should. He said my heart sends a signal to my brain telling it that it needs blood and my brain tells my body to black out or pass out. He showed me the EKG...It was so weird. My normal heartbeat is more of a "beat... beat-thud... skip... beat... beat-thud... skip" and that was what it was for 40 minutes. But then as I started to get lightheaded, it became irregular, like a bunch of scribbles and then a wobbly line and it did that over and over again and as I became conscious again, everything went back to normal. It was a really scary process but I'm glad I found out that I have Neurocardiogenic Syncope.
Here's a little about it:
Vasovagal syncope, the most common cause of fainting, occurs in otherwise healthy people. It can affect people of all ages, but is particularly common in young women. It is also known as Neurocardiogenic Syncope or Vasodepressor Syncope. As these terms suggest, the cause is low heart rate or blood pressure, leading to inadequate circulation to the brain. This results in fainting, or loss of consciousness (i.e., syncope).
I'm being put on a new medicine, taken off of one, and staying on another, so I'll keep updating this to let you know how things are going.
Thanks for all the help and support! I hope all of this information is useful to someone!
Your post is totally ME! I have suffered with palpitations (Chronic PVCs and occasional SVT) until two years ago when I started having short runs of PVCs (up to six in a row) that caused me to have an EP study that they couldnt get sustained SVT or Vtach so they couldnt fix me but since then (two years ago) I now struggle day in and during my sleep with CONSTANT PVC's and short runs of PVC's and flutters that are making me agoraphobic. I have no reprieve from these constant palps and was wondering what kind of magnesium you are taking Celeste that has helped you. There are so many to choose from and I dont want to get the wrong one. I have heard numerous times how others have been saved from the dreaded PVCs from mag and I want to to try it as my heart docs just label me a cardiac cripple now and tell me to ignore them when they are wearing me down. PLEASE HELP! I am so tired of these things. ESPECIALLY the runs of them that happen more and more frequent.
Thank you~
~EdieMarie
Thank you~
~EdieMarie
I just had a holter moniter done and it said frequent PAC's with 1 PAC couplet. im having a stress echo done on monday. I am constantly having this and it really sucks. I try not to think about it but its so hard. how long can your heart go on like this??? i also am on hormone replacement therapy and i wonder if this has anything to do with it also, although my mom says i started with palps at age 11. Im now 37.
anyone wanna email me feel free to ***@****
anyone wanna email me feel free to ***@****
Glad to hear you're not "freaking out" over all this. This stuff can be really scary, and unfortunately "freaking out" only makes it that much worse.
It sounds like what you're experiencing with your blackouts is something called "orthostatic hypotension". It's when your blood pressure suddenly drops when changing from a sitting (or lying) to a standing position. Has your cardiologist talked about this?
I was tested for this, but they found it was not happening in my case.
Here's an excellent article on these kinds of issues:
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/understanding-low-blood-pressure-basics
Next time you talk to your cardiologist, and also to your primary care physician, here are some questions you may want to ask:
Is 'orthostatic hypotension' the correct description of what's causing my blackouts?
How much does my blood pressure drop when I stand up?
How common is this in people of my age group?
What are all the different things that can cause orthostatic hypotension?
How many of them can we rule out in my case?
How have we determined that dehydration is a factor in my blackouts?
Why am I dehydrated? What are some things that can cause the body to get dehydrated (other than just not drinking enough fluids)?
Why is the medication not getting rid of the blackouts? Should I expect the blackouts to stop immediately once I start on the medication, or does it take some time to start working? What exactly does the medication do?
If this medication does not help, what does that tell us?
For your Primary Care Physician (some of the same questions to see if their opinions match up)--
What are all the different things that can cause orthostatic hypotension?
How many of them can we rule out in my case?
Are there any other tests you would recommend?
I've also found that lack of sleep and poor eating habits can make stuff like this worse. Going to bed early for about 2-3 nights in a row and getting a good, full night's sleep, along with eating really well for a few days usually helps me.
Good luck!
It sounds like what you're experiencing with your blackouts is something called "orthostatic hypotension". It's when your blood pressure suddenly drops when changing from a sitting (or lying) to a standing position. Has your cardiologist talked about this?
I was tested for this, but they found it was not happening in my case.
Here's an excellent article on these kinds of issues:
http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/understanding-low-blood-pressure-basics
Next time you talk to your cardiologist, and also to your primary care physician, here are some questions you may want to ask:
Is 'orthostatic hypotension' the correct description of what's causing my blackouts?
How much does my blood pressure drop when I stand up?
How common is this in people of my age group?
What are all the different things that can cause orthostatic hypotension?
How many of them can we rule out in my case?
How have we determined that dehydration is a factor in my blackouts?
Why am I dehydrated? What are some things that can cause the body to get dehydrated (other than just not drinking enough fluids)?
Why is the medication not getting rid of the blackouts? Should I expect the blackouts to stop immediately once I start on the medication, or does it take some time to start working? What exactly does the medication do?
If this medication does not help, what does that tell us?
For your Primary Care Physician (some of the same questions to see if their opinions match up)--
What are all the different things that can cause orthostatic hypotension?
How many of them can we rule out in my case?
Are there any other tests you would recommend?
I've also found that lack of sleep and poor eating habits can make stuff like this worse. Going to bed early for about 2-3 nights in a row and getting a good, full night's sleep, along with eating really well for a few days usually helps me.
Good luck!
Thanks for the comments. I really do appreciate the help and support!
...I went back to the cardiologist once again, and was put on another medicine for my blackouts. But, that was last Thursday, and I'm still having blackouts while taking the medicine every day. I think the stress/anxiety causing my skip-beats could be true, but as I said, I'm not really under any stress now that it's summer...I don't worry nearly as much as I do during the school year about stuff. All I can really do is just go on with my life and try to focus on other things.
About the skipbeats:
When I first visited my doctor and found that my heart skipped a beat, he told me that it was usually caused by an event in someone's life, like a bad sickness or stress. I never had a bad sickness, but it could have been stress because during school, I do stress a ton about everything.
Stress is likely the problem that caused my heart to skip a beat and my doctor said that my heart will either stop skipping beats sometime or keep on skippin' forever.
About the blackouts:
The whole blackout thing was first explained like this:
The blood from my heart doesn't reach my brain fast enough when I get up, causing a blackout and this is all because I'm dehydrated. So, as a result, I am now on two medicines and I'm trying to drink more.
The blackouts are really what is strange about this whole ordeal, though. I just don't understand why they are not related to the skip-beats...They both are related to my heart. My heart will be beating (skipping beats and all), I'll get up from bed and the blood coming from my heart doesn't get to my head fast enough...Couldn't that be because my heart is not pumping blood the same way it used to? I never had a skip-beat until I had blackouts it seems...It just makes sense to me that they would be related, but the cardiologist knows what he's talking about.
I'm not as "freaked out" now as I was then about all of this, but I sure hope that there is a cure...Where there's a will, there's a way.
...I went back to the cardiologist once again, and was put on another medicine for my blackouts. But, that was last Thursday, and I'm still having blackouts while taking the medicine every day. I think the stress/anxiety causing my skip-beats could be true, but as I said, I'm not really under any stress now that it's summer...I don't worry nearly as much as I do during the school year about stuff. All I can really do is just go on with my life and try to focus on other things.
About the skipbeats:
When I first visited my doctor and found that my heart skipped a beat, he told me that it was usually caused by an event in someone's life, like a bad sickness or stress. I never had a bad sickness, but it could have been stress because during school, I do stress a ton about everything.
Stress is likely the problem that caused my heart to skip a beat and my doctor said that my heart will either stop skipping beats sometime or keep on skippin' forever.
About the blackouts:
The whole blackout thing was first explained like this:
The blood from my heart doesn't reach my brain fast enough when I get up, causing a blackout and this is all because I'm dehydrated. So, as a result, I am now on two medicines and I'm trying to drink more.
The blackouts are really what is strange about this whole ordeal, though. I just don't understand why they are not related to the skip-beats...They both are related to my heart. My heart will be beating (skipping beats and all), I'll get up from bed and the blood coming from my heart doesn't get to my head fast enough...Couldn't that be because my heart is not pumping blood the same way it used to? I never had a skip-beat until I had blackouts it seems...It just makes sense to me that they would be related, but the cardiologist knows what he's talking about.
I'm not as "freaked out" now as I was then about all of this, but I sure hope that there is a cure...Where there's a will, there's a way.
Well hey, let's just go for yet another lengthy post!
I can see that y
I can see that y
My wife has recently been having what I think are PVC's. I took her to an emergency room a couple weeks back in Florida while on vacation because when I listened to her heart there was a 3rd beat after the normal "beat-beat" heart beat. This was happening about ever 5 to 10 "beat-beat" sequences. So, I took her to the Florida Hospital in Orlando and they kept her there for about 6 hours and said that she was running low on potassium. Okay...so this was I guess supposed to effect her electrolyte level to cause this problem. So, they gave her some medicine and sent her on her way. She's been taking potassium suppliments since then and the problem still comes and goes. Right now it's been doing it for the past 12 hours and she is dizzy from time to time. She went to a heart specialist and he said that she was probably having "acid reflux" problems. ?!?!?!? Okay, I'm no doctor, but this seems strange. She does cough frequently but she's had two chest x-ray's during the past 2 weeks and there's no cancer or anything of any sort of a problem there. She is taking the anti "acid reflux" medication and she still is having the problem. I personally think that it's anxiety or stress related as I know she's been going through some changes in her life.
My question is...what should I do to make sure my sweetheart is getting the best attention in this area?
My question is...what should I do to make sure my sweetheart is getting the best attention in this area?
Since you wrote a long post, I am going to have to respond with one...
First of all, Im sorry to hear about all the problems you have been having, and I know it is difficult to cope with. I can relate with everything you are experiencing with the exception of the blackouts.
I would take a guess that an overwhelming number of the people here who have palpitations, skipped beats, etc., have been having them for a number of years and have been told that they are nothing to worry about, including myself.
I would say that if your doctors are telling you that your heart is normal, then you should believe them, although that is sometimes easier said than done.
Before I started getting the skipped beats, I felt fine, but now I feel like I am just waiting for the next episode to come. Its hard to remember the time when I never even had the sensation that my heart was beating and now I am constantly checking my heartbeat / pulse, as I am sure everyone else here does as well. Its actually quite silly when I think of it, but Im sure I will continue to do so, at least for now, during and after pretty much every activity I do.
I think anxiety can make your body do alot of crazy things. I would love to actually listen to the doctors and ignore these things and have them go away, but it doesnt seem to really work that way. Mainly because there is always that "what if" out there...
What if the palps are different this time?...
What if this is the episode that causes my heart to stop beating?...
What if they were normal before, but now the constant skipping has caused something to go wrong with my heart now?..
What if they never stop?
These are all things we all think of, and I am convinced these thoughts are all had because of anxiety; but still we all think that "maybe I am part of that small percentage who does have something wrong?" That feeling never seems to really go away.
I used to be really into physical activities, but I have certainly cut them back to next to nothing, all because I am afraid that exerting myself will, basically, cause my heart to stop beating and cause me to die!
Its sort of a catch 22, in that I know exercise will only help my heart, but I dont exercise because I am afraid it will hurt me. It doesnt make much sense when every expert I have gone to has told me its fine to exercise or workout, and my heart is normal.
Alot of the times we like the reassurance that everything is ok. I would say that if you feel the need to keep seeing the doctors about your concerns, then do so. I wish I could comment on the blackouts, but that is a symptom I have not had, and since I am not an expert, I dont want to even begin to give a list of things I think it could be from.
I know it is also difficult to buy into the anxiety / stress reason that you will hear alot. I think that is because, as I feel, I never had an issue with anxiety before, and the skipped beats came first. I had always had myself convinced of this, but now I am not sure. Maybe they did come first, or maybe the anxiety did but I was not aware of it. Either way, I know they are here now, and much, much more so than they ever were in the past, and none of the hundreds of heart attacks I thought I was going to have as a result of them have occurred yet. Instead I fall asleep at night, and when I wake up they are gone, until later on in the day and it starts all over again.
Try to keep a positive attitude about them as much as you can, and understand that the more you become concerned about them, them more they will occur. I do beleive that.
This is a great site to look into though as you will find that there are alot of people out there who feel that there skipped beats are "different" from everyone elses, but whether we know it or not, we are providing support for each of us in knowing that we are not alone.
Take care.
-RJ
First of all, Im sorry to hear about all the problems you have been having, and I know it is difficult to cope with. I can relate with everything you are experiencing with the exception of the blackouts.
I would take a guess that an overwhelming number of the people here who have palpitations, skipped beats, etc., have been having them for a number of years and have been told that they are nothing to worry about, including myself.
I would say that if your doctors are telling you that your heart is normal, then you should believe them, although that is sometimes easier said than done.
Before I started getting the skipped beats, I felt fine, but now I feel like I am just waiting for the next episode to come. Its hard to remember the time when I never even had the sensation that my heart was beating and now I am constantly checking my heartbeat / pulse, as I am sure everyone else here does as well. Its actually quite silly when I think of it, but Im sure I will continue to do so, at least for now, during and after pretty much every activity I do.
I think anxiety can make your body do alot of crazy things. I would love to actually listen to the doctors and ignore these things and have them go away, but it doesnt seem to really work that way. Mainly because there is always that "what if" out there...
What if the palps are different this time?...
What if this is the episode that causes my heart to stop beating?...
What if they were normal before, but now the constant skipping has caused something to go wrong with my heart now?..
What if they never stop?
These are all things we all think of, and I am convinced these thoughts are all had because of anxiety; but still we all think that "maybe I am part of that small percentage who does have something wrong?" That feeling never seems to really go away.
I used to be really into physical activities, but I have certainly cut them back to next to nothing, all because I am afraid that exerting myself will, basically, cause my heart to stop beating and cause me to die!
Its sort of a catch 22, in that I know exercise will only help my heart, but I dont exercise because I am afraid it will hurt me. It doesnt make much sense when every expert I have gone to has told me its fine to exercise or workout, and my heart is normal.
Alot of the times we like the reassurance that everything is ok. I would say that if you feel the need to keep seeing the doctors about your concerns, then do so. I wish I could comment on the blackouts, but that is a symptom I have not had, and since I am not an expert, I dont want to even begin to give a list of things I think it could be from.
I know it is also difficult to buy into the anxiety / stress reason that you will hear alot. I think that is because, as I feel, I never had an issue with anxiety before, and the skipped beats came first. I had always had myself convinced of this, but now I am not sure. Maybe they did come first, or maybe the anxiety did but I was not aware of it. Either way, I know they are here now, and much, much more so than they ever were in the past, and none of the hundreds of heart attacks I thought I was going to have as a result of them have occurred yet. Instead I fall asleep at night, and when I wake up they are gone, until later on in the day and it starts all over again.
Try to keep a positive attitude about them as much as you can, and understand that the more you become concerned about them, them more they will occur. I do beleive that.
This is a great site to look into though as you will find that there are alot of people out there who feel that there skipped beats are "different" from everyone elses, but whether we know it or not, we are providing support for each of us in knowing that we are not alone.
Take care.
-RJ
I read the above comments and had to post something.
Only read this if you have a while...I'm sorry, but it's long...REALLY.
I have a ton of things in common with you all, but I'm not sure that what we have in common is the same thing...I just am hoping to help or get some kind of answer from you all, since I'm not getting any absolute answers from my doctor or cardiologist. I know it may be hard for them to give absolute answers, but I just don't think they understand what I'm going through.
I am a lot younger than you guys, although you are not old yet! HaHa. I'm going to a pediatric cardiologist, where you all are going to a regular cardiologist. He is one of the best in the area, and in the business. I don't know if my age will be a differing factor for our symptoms and problems, but I just think that what we have is similar.
I had just switched doctors and gone for my first check-up. I told him about some blackouts I had been having, for about 3 months (since around December), whenever I got up from bed. He listened to my heart and noticed an irregularity in my heart beat, which frightened me. He then did an EKG/ECG and found that my heart skipped a beat...The thing is, I had never had this before. He said it was probably nothing to be worried about, but he set up an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist, since this "arrythmia" seemed to have just developed. It was frightening. I had been experiencing blackouts (I guess that's what they are), then a racing heartbeat and dizzyness whenever I get up from bed or sitting on the floor or anything where I'm at an angle like a recliner. These "blackouts" lasted for about 5 seconds, where I could maintain my balance, but I was dizzy and felt like all of my blood went racing to my head, along with a rapid heartbeat.
I went for my first cardiologist appointment, where they did another EKG/ECG, showing the same skip in my heart. It was more like a backfire than a skip, but they called it a skip. It was more of like a "beat beat, thud" type of thing. They also said it was normal, but after I told my cardiologist about the blackouts, he said that those might be something to be concerned about. He set up an appointment at the hospital for an echocardiogram. When I had this done, it showed the same thing..."beat beat, thud". Although is was pretty awesome to see my heart on the screen, it was a little odd that they kept saying it was normal. I just didn't see how it could be normal!
Because nothing had been wrong, and suddenly, something was wrong with my heart, I was pretty freaked out. I went back to my cardiologist, who also said my heartbeat was normal. The thing was, my blackouts were still occuring. My cardiologist told me that I would wear a holter monitor for a day, to monitor my heartbeat and blackouts and make sure they were not related to my heart. It was the weirdest thing...I didn't have a single blackout. I got dizzy a few times and that was it! I took the holter back, they checked it, and I was told...once again, my heart was normal.
After all of this drama, I was really worried. Like you all, I thought, "What if there is something that I feel and they don't catch?". I still feel that way. I got to the point where every night, I would lay in my bed, and listen to my heart skip a beat. I would go to school and sit in class, feeling my pulse. My close friends would feel my pulse and would say, "That's kind of cool" or something to that matter, but I do NOT think it is cool, HaHa. Also, it was weird...During the day, my heart would do/still does what someone said above..."beat thud, beat beat thud, beat thud, beat beat beat thud, beat beat beat beat beat beat thud", but when this happens, it is so random that it is hard to count. I am concerned about this and will tell my cardiologist about it. It is so odd that these things happen when there are no tests running and no one is there to witness. AND they are hard to explain...I think I should just print this out and hand it right to my cardiologist, HaHa.
I was very active with school events at the time and kept busy with homework and all, so I thought it might be stress. It's not. It's summer...And it's still happening. I'm on medication because the cardiologist told me my blackouts were happening because I am dehydrated and just can't drink the amount of water and other beverages that I am supposed to. (I've never had any problems before...And I've never drinken the amount I am supposed to. Maybe it's catching up with me now, but I just think that's odd that it would be the problem.) I have been on medication for about four weeks and go back to the cardiologist tomorrow...I'll let you know how it goes! The medication seems to help some days, but even without the medication, I sometimes didn't have blackouts. I'm pretty sure the medication isn't helping...I'm still having blackouts and they kind of seem to be getting longer (the other day, one lasted for about 10 seconds)!
I am supposed to take a treadmill test soon, so maybe I will get some results...But from the above posts, it seems that some treadmill tests are proven wrong? I just don't really understand how all of these tests do not determine SOMETHING.
It feels like I just told someone my life story, but really, it's only about 5 months worth of it. I'm sorry it's so long and I feel bad for making someone read this, but I just wanted to get it all out...Tell someone. I hope it's understandable and I didn't leave something important out. Maybe there is someone out there that can relate or has a similar problem?
For the moment, the only thing to do is live your life, like someone had stated above. Don't worry about this stuff...God has it covered!
Thanks! :D
Only read this if you have a while...I'm sorry, but it's long...REALLY.
I have a ton of things in common with you all, but I'm not sure that what we have in common is the same thing...I just am hoping to help or get some kind of answer from you all, since I'm not getting any absolute answers from my doctor or cardiologist. I know it may be hard for them to give absolute answers, but I just don't think they understand what I'm going through.
I am a lot younger than you guys, although you are not old yet! HaHa. I'm going to a pediatric cardiologist, where you all are going to a regular cardiologist. He is one of the best in the area, and in the business. I don't know if my age will be a differing factor for our symptoms and problems, but I just think that what we have is similar.
I had just switched doctors and gone for my first check-up. I told him about some blackouts I had been having, for about 3 months (since around December), whenever I got up from bed. He listened to my heart and noticed an irregularity in my heart beat, which frightened me. He then did an EKG/ECG and found that my heart skipped a beat...The thing is, I had never had this before. He said it was probably nothing to be worried about, but he set up an appointment with a pediatric cardiologist, since this "arrythmia" seemed to have just developed. It was frightening. I had been experiencing blackouts (I guess that's what they are), then a racing heartbeat and dizzyness whenever I get up from bed or sitting on the floor or anything where I'm at an angle like a recliner. These "blackouts" lasted for about 5 seconds, where I could maintain my balance, but I was dizzy and felt like all of my blood went racing to my head, along with a rapid heartbeat.
I went for my first cardiologist appointment, where they did another EKG/ECG, showing the same skip in my heart. It was more like a backfire than a skip, but they called it a skip. It was more of like a "beat beat, thud" type of thing. They also said it was normal, but after I told my cardiologist about the blackouts, he said that those might be something to be concerned about. He set up an appointment at the hospital for an echocardiogram. When I had this done, it showed the same thing..."beat beat, thud". Although is was pretty awesome to see my heart on the screen, it was a little odd that they kept saying it was normal. I just didn't see how it could be normal!
Because nothing had been wrong, and suddenly, something was wrong with my heart, I was pretty freaked out. I went back to my cardiologist, who also said my heartbeat was normal. The thing was, my blackouts were still occuring. My cardiologist told me that I would wear a holter monitor for a day, to monitor my heartbeat and blackouts and make sure they were not related to my heart. It was the weirdest thing...I didn't have a single blackout. I got dizzy a few times and that was it! I took the holter back, they checked it, and I was told...once again, my heart was normal.
After all of this drama, I was really worried. Like you all, I thought, "What if there is something that I feel and they don't catch?". I still feel that way. I got to the point where every night, I would lay in my bed, and listen to my heart skip a beat. I would go to school and sit in class, feeling my pulse. My close friends would feel my pulse and would say, "That's kind of cool" or something to that matter, but I do NOT think it is cool, HaHa. Also, it was weird...During the day, my heart would do/still does what someone said above..."beat thud, beat beat thud, beat thud, beat beat beat thud, beat beat beat beat beat beat thud", but when this happens, it is so random that it is hard to count. I am concerned about this and will tell my cardiologist about it. It is so odd that these things happen when there are no tests running and no one is there to witness. AND they are hard to explain...I think I should just print this out and hand it right to my cardiologist, HaHa.
I was very active with school events at the time and kept busy with homework and all, so I thought it might be stress. It's not. It's summer...And it's still happening. I'm on medication because the cardiologist told me my blackouts were happening because I am dehydrated and just can't drink the amount of water and other beverages that I am supposed to. (I've never had any problems before...And I've never drinken the amount I am supposed to. Maybe it's catching up with me now, but I just think that's odd that it would be the problem.) I have been on medication for about four weeks and go back to the cardiologist tomorrow...I'll let you know how it goes! The medication seems to help some days, but even without the medication, I sometimes didn't have blackouts. I'm pretty sure the medication isn't helping...I'm still having blackouts and they kind of seem to be getting longer (the other day, one lasted for about 10 seconds)!
I am supposed to take a treadmill test soon, so maybe I will get some results...But from the above posts, it seems that some treadmill tests are proven wrong? I just don't really understand how all of these tests do not determine SOMETHING.
It feels like I just told someone my life story, but really, it's only about 5 months worth of it. I'm sorry it's so long and I feel bad for making someone read this, but I just wanted to get it all out...Tell someone. I hope it's understandable and I didn't leave something important out. Maybe there is someone out there that can relate or has a similar problem?
For the moment, the only thing to do is live your life, like someone had stated above. Don't worry about this stuff...God has it covered!
Thanks! :D
Okay, first of all I have to say your nickname made me laugh because I can relate. My husband and I call them palps all the time. He will even ask me how are your palps today? It has become a regular discussion in our household. A day doesn't go by when I don't stress out about them.
Well, I can totally understand what you are going through. My palps started about nine months ago. I get them every day sometimes all day and other days a few. Yes, I also get the beat, beat, thud, beat beat thud. Sometimes mine come on just from eating and I hate it. Tonight on the way home in the car I think I got like five in a row.
I have had two cardiac work ups one here in my home town and the other one from a cariologist at UCLA. I had a stress test here in my home town and my heart did the same thing...it was fine during the whole test and them when it came time to warm down i had a pvc about every third beat. The doctor said after my normal echo and stress test there was nothing to worry about. My 24 hr. Holter showed I had over 200 pvc's a day which is about what I estimated. So I went home and an hour later my heart was still in a weird arrythmia. I tried to take a nap but it was so annoying I coulnd't sleep. I had to call the Dr. and he said to come in and gave me a beta blocker to take. He still said this is just a bother, but nothing to worry about.
So then I went to UCLA and had another echo and they put me on an event monitor for a month. The monitor also constantly took my pulse and I could see the number on it.....not good. I think just having the monitor gave me extra palps. Just walking around the house my pulse would be 95-100 and that would stress me out. Anyway, the echo at UCLA also came back normal and the event monitor just showed PVC's. I actually saw an electrophysiologist and she said after looking over everything my PVC's are probably coming from the same spot in my heart. She said it is not life threatening just life altering. Yes, I have already figured that. She put me on a beta blocker called Acebutolol which is safe and doesn't go through the brain. She also said beta blockers are very safe with no long term effects on the liver or kidney. But I am telling you every night when I have to take the beta blocker it stresses me out.
I think I will feel better when I can get another echo next year and see that there has not been any damage to my heart after having the PVC's for a while. I guess everyday gets a little easier. I also think you will feel better after your other thallium test comes back normal. I wish you all the best!
Well, I can totally understand what you are going through. My palps started about nine months ago. I get them every day sometimes all day and other days a few. Yes, I also get the beat, beat, thud, beat beat thud. Sometimes mine come on just from eating and I hate it. Tonight on the way home in the car I think I got like five in a row.
I have had two cardiac work ups one here in my home town and the other one from a cariologist at UCLA. I had a stress test here in my home town and my heart did the same thing...it was fine during the whole test and them when it came time to warm down i had a pvc about every third beat. The doctor said after my normal echo and stress test there was nothing to worry about. My 24 hr. Holter showed I had over 200 pvc's a day which is about what I estimated. So I went home and an hour later my heart was still in a weird arrythmia. I tried to take a nap but it was so annoying I coulnd't sleep. I had to call the Dr. and he said to come in and gave me a beta blocker to take. He still said this is just a bother, but nothing to worry about.
So then I went to UCLA and had another echo and they put me on an event monitor for a month. The monitor also constantly took my pulse and I could see the number on it.....not good. I think just having the monitor gave me extra palps. Just walking around the house my pulse would be 95-100 and that would stress me out. Anyway, the echo at UCLA also came back normal and the event monitor just showed PVC's. I actually saw an electrophysiologist and she said after looking over everything my PVC's are probably coming from the same spot in my heart. She said it is not life threatening just life altering. Yes, I have already figured that. She put me on a beta blocker called Acebutolol which is safe and doesn't go through the brain. She also said beta blockers are very safe with no long term effects on the liver or kidney. But I am telling you every night when I have to take the beta blocker it stresses me out.
I think I will feel better when I can get another echo next year and see that there has not been any damage to my heart after having the PVC's for a while. I guess everyday gets a little easier. I also think you will feel better after your other thallium test comes back normal. I wish you all the best!
I just stumbled across this post while looking for other stuff, and just had to respond.
I had similar experiences until a few years ago when my palpitations started while I was in my doc's office for a routine checkup. Turns out I have a mild form of tachycardia and am taking meds that control it well. However, there's something else I think you need to check into, because I also began having similar episodes at a later time that turned out to be not associated with tachy.
If you:
-Have dizzy spells with rapid heart beat that come seemingly out of nowhere
-Have been to the emergency room, only to be told there is nothing wrong
-Have seen a cardiologist and other doctors and have been determined to have no heart problems or underlying medical conditions
-Fear, sometimes extreme, associated with these episodes
Then I would encourage you to look into the possibility that you
I had similar experiences until a few years ago when my palpitations started while I was in my doc's office for a routine checkup. Turns out I have a mild form of tachycardia and am taking meds that control it well. However, there's something else I think you need to check into, because I also began having similar episodes at a later time that turned out to be not associated with tachy.
If you:
-Have dizzy spells with rapid heart beat that come seemingly out of nowhere
-Have been to the emergency room, only to be told there is nothing wrong
-Have seen a cardiologist and other doctors and have been determined to have no heart problems or underlying medical conditions
-Fear, sometimes extreme, associated with these episodes
Then I would encourage you to look into the possibility that you
Hey I emailed you!
wmac
wmac
I had to snicker at your post. Yeah that is how I live. I get a little one and then I sit and wait and wait for the next. I know that because my stomach is in knots most of the time worrying about it that it will happen again and again.
That is what the doctor told me as well. Everyone gets them, most don't feel them. Yeah right. I feel every little miss it does. The cardiologist I went to see said he didn't get them and I thought to myself "yeah well you just can't relate then". I live like this every flippin' day and I want my life back as well.
I can't wait until you go see that EP in Utah and see what the heck he says. You will have to email me at ***@**** and tell me. I surf the internet constantly, go to the library to look at everything I can possibly find about palpitations. I probably know more than the flippin' doctors now! They just tell me the same thing over and over. In a normal heart don't worry about it.
So how many skips to you get a day? I usually get around 10ish which is way too many for me.
That is what the doctor told me as well. Everyone gets them, most don't feel them. Yeah right. I feel every little miss it does. The cardiologist I went to see said he didn't get them and I thought to myself "yeah well you just can't relate then". I live like this every flippin' day and I want my life back as well.
I can't wait until you go see that EP in Utah and see what the heck he says. You will have to email me at ***@**** and tell me. I surf the internet constantly, go to the library to look at everything I can possibly find about palpitations. I probably know more than the flippin' doctors now! They just tell me the same thing over and over. In a normal heart don't worry about it.
So how many skips to you get a day? I usually get around 10ish which is way too many for me.
I thought I was reading my own post when you wrote that one. You have to keep me posted what the ep doc says. I live in Canada so and I have exhausted my search for answers about these god damn things. I stress all day, every day about my heart. That is all I think about 24/7.
I just recieved a letter from my cardio and it says "we are pleased to inform you that no signifnicant abnormalities were found on your echo". I guess that makes me feel a little better. They did find some ST depression on my treadmill test so I am having a thallium test on July 17.
I have been suffering like this since the age of 30 when they caught vtach on my monitor. I have never been the same since that day. My anxiety level went up 10 fold and has never come back down.
I just recieved a letter from my cardio and it says "we are pleased to inform you that no signifnicant abnormalities were found on your echo". I guess that makes me feel a little better. They did find some ST depression on my treadmill test so I am having a thallium test on July 17.
I have been suffering like this since the age of 30 when they caught vtach on my monitor. I have never been the same since that day. My anxiety level went up 10 fold and has never come back down.
I now know why people take up drinking or drugs.lol thought about it many times. That would be bad to have no where to go with your situation. Im sitting here taking it easy today and boom now I just sit and wait for the next and the next. I am at wits end. cant take anymore. How do people not feel these things. thats what got me.
I WANT MYLIFE BACK AND I WANT IT NOW!!!
I WANT MYLIFE BACK AND I WANT IT NOW!!!
I have been dealing with this stuff for the past five yrs straight. Although since I was 19 I have had palps. Never worried back then but of course didnt have computer then either. lol...Im 43 now and everyday is a struggle. I just had a hysterectomy on the 23 of may went back to work to soon but I was pushing myself. then yesterday I was booked at my shop, so I got up was hurting pretty good but thought I need to do this anyway so I got into the shower and boom my heart took off like a race horse that was it I cancelled my day and stayed home. I think body was saying hey you are over doing it. The only thing I ever listen to is my heart. But thank god I have an appt. at the utah heart clinic on weds. Im really looking forward to it. The cardio im seeing specializes in vt. So I cant wait to see what he says.
Everyday for the last five yrs there has not been one day that I dont think about my nsvt, pacs, svt, pvcs, it has taken over my life. somedays are easier than others but for the most part its still hard. I dont wish this upon anyone but its good to hear some encouraging words from fellow suffers. I sometimes can give encouraging words too and sometimes in the dumps over it. Like someone said even when I get one little thump thats it. well me too. I just wait for the next and the next.
I have had two eps and no luck inducing it. hopefully this doc will reassure me or fix me. lol I think I need to see a doc every month just for the reassurance.
Good luck to all. keep posting cause it sure helps to read all this.
wmac
Everyday for the last five yrs there has not been one day that I dont think about my nsvt, pacs, svt, pvcs, it has taken over my life. somedays are easier than others but for the most part its still hard. I dont wish this upon anyone but its good to hear some encouraging words from fellow suffers. I sometimes can give encouraging words too and sometimes in the dumps over it. Like someone said even when I get one little thump thats it. well me too. I just wait for the next and the next.
I have had two eps and no luck inducing it. hopefully this doc will reassure me or fix me. lol I think I need to see a doc every month just for the reassurance.
Good luck to all. keep posting cause it sure helps to read all this.
wmac
Hiya, you sound just like me. I have had everything you've had (unsustained vtach, mild regur, palps and pvc's). I was also ruining my life worrying about my heart. This site has helped me become a much calmer person. (though I still have the odd "freak out"). Please listen to some of the advice on this site, it helps.
ps I love your name!
ps I love your name!
Hi wmac. Yes they caught some non-sustained v-tach on a monitor years ago and haven't seen anything since. Just PVC's and PAC's and some salvos and couplets. They don't seem overly concerned but I sure as hell am!
I have developed a major anxiety disorder these things and just want them to stop as well. I went for a stress test the other day and it showed some abnormatilties but once again they say a lot of these tests with woman are false positive or something like that. I go for a thallum test on July 17th. They also did an echo and the tech said there was minimam mitral valve regurtition. He said it didn't look like any big deal (easy for him to say).
I stress constantly over my heart and freak out every skip I get. I make them ten times worse I am sure.
I was making the kids lunches this morning and I was stressing about my heart and it skipped, did a normal beat, skipped again and normal beat and then went klunk, klunk, klunk and then went back to normal. I mean really how can normal hearts act like that??? I still think there is something seriously wrong in there.
I demanded another EP study after they couldn't make my heart go into any funky rythums but they couldn't make it do anything again. I know I am just ruining my life with this constant worry.
I have developed a major anxiety disorder these things and just want them to stop as well. I went for a stress test the other day and it showed some abnormatilties but once again they say a lot of these tests with woman are false positive or something like that. I go for a thallum test on July 17th. They also did an echo and the tech said there was minimam mitral valve regurtition. He said it didn't look like any big deal (easy for him to say).
I stress constantly over my heart and freak out every skip I get. I make them ten times worse I am sure.
I was making the kids lunches this morning and I was stressing about my heart and it skipped, did a normal beat, skipped again and normal beat and then went klunk, klunk, klunk and then went back to normal. I mean really how can normal hearts act like that??? I still think there is something seriously wrong in there.
I demanded another EP study after they couldn't make my heart go into any funky rythums but they couldn't make it do anything again. I know I am just ruining my life with this constant worry.
All I can say is that every time I have a skipped beat, I just let it go. I don't know when the next will happen. I don't dwell on it. Just live to your fullest.
Remember, as long as your heart is structually normal with no evidence of heart disaease, then you dont need to worry!
Remember, as long as your heart is structually normal with no evidence of heart disaease, then you dont need to worry!
You said they could not induce VT?? Did they say you vt or nonsustained vt??? why did you have two eps?? What have your monitor resulsts suggested? When reading your story I thought I was reading about myself...
Do you get lots of palps??? Just curious. I have been going through this for the last five years next month. I do have nonsustained vt and had two eps and they couldnt induce it either. Very frustrating. I go to another ep doc next week in utah. Cant wait to see what he says. This is very scarey stuff. I just want to be fixed. just wanted to know alittle bit of your history.
wmac
Do you get lots of palps??? Just curious. I have been going through this for the last five years next month. I do have nonsustained vt and had two eps and they couldnt induce it either. Very frustrating. I go to another ep doc next week in utah. Cant wait to see what he says. This is very scarey stuff. I just want to be fixed. just wanted to know alittle bit of your history.
wmac
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