Scared and frustrated

[Mis]

For the past year I have been having an odd feeling. Sometimes it feels like a slight flutter in my throat other times it feels like a stronger heart beat in my upper chest. (no other symptoms)
One doctor did an ekg and holter monitor and said everything is okay dont worry about it. Another doctor said that it sounded like thyroid. Thyroid blood work came back normal but they did find a tiny nodule through a ultrasound. I am only 25 years old and sometimes I feel this on/off all day (like yesterday) and other times I can go days without feeling it at all. It seemed to have mostly been in the evenings (maybe cause I was resting) except for yesterday it was on/off all day. Basically I am really irritaed by this and it gets scarey. It seems none of the doctors are even concerned but it bothers me. My pulse always seems to be normal when this happens. 60-100 bpm depends on what I'm doing. I dont think thats abnormal. I have also been a person to belch quite frequently. Basically can you give me any advice as to what this could be and what I should do about it, its really frustrating. Thank you so much

[CCF CARDIO MD JMF]

Dear DN,

First, you should have this thyroid nodule fully evaluated by your physician.

As far as the fluttering in you heart and throat area, this likely represents PVc's or premature ventricular contractions.  This are very common and, in the presence of a normal heart , are of no medical consequence.  In the meantime, reduce your level of caffeine and stress and they will likely decrease.

You may check some of the many postings under PVC at this web site.

[Wendy]

I get the same feelings.  Does it feel like your heart skips?  Mine does.  This morning I was laying in bed and it skipped about every 5 minutes or so until I got up.  It is a very scarey feeling.

[Greg]

sounds like premature ventricular contractions (PVC's)to me, which, by themselves are benign. they could be a symptom of another more severe problem. if the ecg and holter were negative, i wouldnt worry about it (easier said than done)....stay away from caffein and especially alcohol....try to get more sleep. this all works for me. if they get too bad, maybe you could discuss having your doc put you on 25mg of atenolol (tenormin), (or some other selective beta-blocker) a day...in all but the most severe cases, this will put an end to it.

[DN to Wendy]

actually I cannot say that my heart does skip a beat. I cant feel my heart beating unless I am lying on that side. Other than that I dont feel it. And I dont know if it even is my heart, thats why I posted this. I also cannot take anything because I am 9 weeks pregnant!! Thanks for your advice

[Melissa]

It sounds exactly like what I feel when I have a PVC.  Which are basically harmless in most cases, but very bothersome to those of us who can feel them.  A lot of people that have them never feel them from what I understand.  Sometimes they can treat this with a beta blocker or other forms.  Since you are pregnant, it might be best to just deal with the feelings.  Good Luck...

[Susan]

I think I have the same thing, I went to my doctor and he did test, and he claims I have to much stress, I know exactly how you feel, sometimes its in my throat and other times it is im my chest area, I kind of lose my breath with it also, It is very scarry. I know how you feel. Are you under alot of stress, did your doctor ever say that. Write me if you want to at ***@**** I am only 33 yrs. old, I feel like I should not have this too.

[Susan]

This is for Jan, How did they find out about your sisters spasms, what did they do?  Let me know I am at ***@****, let me know her symptoms too, I have a feeling that mine has something to do with that, alot of times it happens when I am done eatting. Please let me know. Thanks, Susan

[jan]

They gave my sister Prilosec, suspecting she had a hiatal hernia and since it worked, they chalked it up to that.  With the hiatal hernia she feels the spasms in her throat and chest and sometimes she gets acid reflux (which can lead to belching).  She has a very stressful life, so she was given Zanax,also, which she says helps her symptoms alot.  She takes the Zanax more often than the Prilosec because she realizes it is from stress.  She practices biofeed back, too.  I hope this helps you.

[jan, p.s.]

For some reason she experiences these often after eating.

[To all from Denise]

Have any of you had your gallbladder checked out for gallstones?  My husband suffered with similar feelings (what he called a "funny feeling" to close to his heart.  We spent quite a few days & nights at the ER.  He also has GERD (acid reflux).  He did not have pain but would get more or less a feeling of dread - he really thought it was his heart and he was dying.  I don't think he's been sick a day since his surgery 3 years ago.

[tracey]

I tried to stop smoking 1 year ago and took Zyban.  The severe heart palpatations started then.  It goes beat, beat, beat.....pause beat beat beat.  Feels like a dip, like getting butterflied in your stomach.  I would feel short of breath, so for the longest time I thought it was my lungs.  I started smoking again.  They became so severe that one day, my heart rate went up to 140 and I felt sick to my stomach and thought I was having a heart attack (I am only 34-not that that matters).  So, I went for a battery of tests, heart monitor etc. and the cardiologist said it was smoking and coffee and I couldn't be treated until I gave up both.  April 2000 I started taking Zyban again.  I quit this time for 2 weeks.  The first week I felt great, then the 2nd week the heart palpatations became so severe the doctor prescribed anti-anxiety pills.  They worked for the first two days.  Then they returned so severe, I stopped taking zyban and within a week they were gone.  I have started smoking again and only get them maybe 2-3 times a week.  Explain this one?  Quit smoking and quit drinking coffee and they will go away - BULL.  There is some other answer - I do get them when I drink alcohol - but never use to.  I am convinced, it is the zyban - it has done something to my brain.  I have had these for years, but they would come once every 3 months, sometimes 6 months---until I took the zyban.  How can I have this reversed.  Although Zyban is excellent in helping you quit - no side effects at all (except the first week) - It has altered something in my brain.

[Barbara]

hi i have had flutters and papations since i was 23, they are bad at times and small at others. ive been to many doctors and they all tell me not to worry. they even went away for two years now they are back and have been bad the last two weeks so i went back and wore a heart montor for 4 days . the dr said it was just extra beats not to worry easy for him to say, i do worry and i think it makes it worse, but i know it has not killed me yet so i try and ack like they are not there sometimes it works most times it dont, i have panic attacks from them some times, they are scary and its not easy to ack like you dont feel them, but i guess the dr are right and they are nothing. i have a lot of belching to so sometimes i wonder if its not from my stomack . who knows i have also had gall bladder surgery and i still have the problems so mine was not from that. its nice to be able to talk to ya and know iam not the only one having these . i guess we just need to try and live with them , and i have iam now 40 and been having them a long time so please if you have them go to dr , than try and relax they are very commom.

[Kristy]

A few weeks agor I took my pulse anf it was 155, the next day it was 123.  Last week I was on a rollercoaster and blacked out. I now have atightening feelind like consatnt presurre in my upper left arm.................should I be concerned?

[Cindy]

I have the skipping then hard thump, have had it non stop since October, did the holt monitor, showed an elevation at one point up to 185...have an appt with cardiologist end of May, my blood pressure is too low already to put me on beta blockers...

question, I am on zoloft 25 mgs, could that be contributing to this? I also smoke marijuana occasionally, wondering if that is contributing to the palpitations, but I wake up with it & go to bed with it, doesn't seem to matter how long in between smokes, and I smoke very little when I do.

[Ron]

I have gerd and Barrets esophogus and occasionally expirience chest pain, sometimes severe. It is often precursed by pvcs very frequent, about 10-12 per minute. While undergoing endoscopic esophageal dilation, I noticed on the monitor these unifocal pvcs
but the DR. was not worried and said a lot of folks have them. I know I didnt have them Two years ago because I expirenced my first chest pain episode while taking Phenfin and was diagnosed with Barrets esophegus after a good stress test. My current Doc tells me That the stimulation of the nerve that serves both the heart and the esophegus is the culprit. treatment is this..
Stop acid entering the esophegus, previcid or prilosec is the treatment of choice, no caffine, no citrus, reduce fatty foods, get your weight in line, exercise, reduce stress. Its that simple.   HA HA This is a lifestyle issue. get back to basics
Ron

[Ruth]

Last week I had a cardio catherization.   The drs. couldn't
go through my groin, because both arteries in my legs are blocked.

After the cath. the dr. said that I needed aortic valve replacement,because my aortic valve was close to closing, and also, bypass because my coronary arteries are also blocked.  I am really scared of the valve replacement opperation.

  I am a 60 year old female, and I had rheumatic fever when I was a child.  I was wondering how many of these opperations are done, and what is the chance of something going wrong.  Also, I am confused about the different types of valves that are being used.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You,
Ruth

[Sheri]

Last month I collapsed in my bathroom while checking out a hairdo
my daughter had done for me...(Must have been some do, huh?) Any
how, one minute I was on the floor with my son & fiance hovering
over me, then time flashed & my bathroom was full of Paramedics.
Another flash & I was in my living room on a streture...the
flashes just kept coming until finally I was in the ER of a local
hospital.   I had temporary memory loss that covered a 3 month span but regained it in approx. 48hrs.  I still can't remember much of that night, but the rest has pretty much returned. good   I am a good 100lbs. over weight & had used the Redux program 2 years ago which was 100% successful.  I lost a good majority of my weight, was exercising regularly & felt terrific...until my back went out...YIKES!!!   I was flat on my back for 3 weeks & then in Physical therapy for 6 weeks.  I then was told to discontinue the Redux, due to the recall & now I'm at square 1 again, only now I've really got trouble...For the last year I've had extreme high BP up to 214/134 & just recently had to wear a holter monitor due to an arrhythmia. In 24hrs. they found 25 pauses & my heart raced to 204BPM my resting rate averaged 55BPM.  Although in most of these comments I am reading  that this isn't  necessarily anything to worry about, I am concerned because
of the fact that they have determined that what I had was a seizure due to the arrhythmia that evening I blacked out.  What should my next step be?
Thanks for your time folks...I appreciate it VERY much...

[jan to sheri]

Dear Sheri,
Please tell me you are being treated (hopefully by a cardio.)!!!That blood pressure is out of this world and your heart rate.  What meds. are you on?  For info. from this site, I think the best way to get it is go to search and put in words that apply to your condition.  Of course, the are good, too, but search is more specific.

[jan to sheri]

Dear Sheri,
Please tell me you are being treated (hopefully by a cardio.)!!!That blood pressure is out of this world and your heart rate.  What meds. are you on?  For info. from this site, I think the best way to get it is go to search and put in words that apply to your condition.  Of course, the archives are good, too, but search is more specific.

[Carol]

I have the flutters in my throat, too.  But my biggest problem it at night, only when I'm sleeping, my heart goes down to 50 bpm and almost instataneously jumps to 160.  It wakes me up and I feel horrible for a few minutes, then I'm fine and go back to sleep.  This happens several times a night and several nights a week.  I know how fast my heart is beating because a cardiologist put me on a 30-day monitor.  He doesn't know what is causing it.  I have real low blood pressure so there aren't many medicines I can take.  Inderal helped but I got extremely depressed on it.  I feel like I've awakened from the dead when this happens and I'm so tired of it.  During the day it never happens with the exceptions of skipped beats and some fluttering in my throat.  I can get passed that, but no sleep is killing me.  I have MVP

[Joe]

to carol
I have identical symptoms waking up at night but usualy only one or two nights a week. I also frequently have a vague feeling of pressure on the left side of my chest and mild pains there and also up my neck and face and down my arm (all left side).I also Have frequent "missed beats". These symptoms all occur in bed or at rest but rarely with exercise. However they are all most common when I am under emotional stress,and particularly after taking too much beer. I am a very fit 49 year old. Tests show my heart to be fine. I'm not so sure. Any advice anyone, please?

[sally]

How frequent are your missed beats. I get hard thumps and bumps about 10 times per day and they scare the heck out of me.  I wanted to know how many others suffer from the same..........

[Joe]

to sally
Frequency varies. Sometimes I get them 4 or 5 times a minute for hours. Sometimes only once or twice a day. Definitely worst when I'm stressed or after eating or a day or 2 after drinking beer. They are scary but I've had them for about 10 years now so I'm not as frightened as I used to be.I'm worried about the other symptoms which have developed more recently. I wonder if it could be an eosophogus problem as mentioned in a previous comment

[Robert]

This is a revelation to find these pages and to find I am not alone. Why dont our docs explain things the way you folks do. I am 60 and have suffered from PVC's and Afib for the past 8 years. I seem to get a row of what I call the catch up (strong) beats that can last for hours. I get very tired and light headed when it goes this long. I also get what most other folk describe such as buzzing sensation in the chest, throbbing swelling feeling in the arota region, sick queezy or butterfly feeling in the stomache (feeling of dread is a good description), dizzy, short of breath and just plain sick of life.
Strangly, I start to burp volumes of air just after the episode starts. And no, I dont "gulp air" as some docs have suggested.
Mostly but not always after a meal. (Forget monitoring the food you eat.....there is no connection). I dont know if the episode causes the burping or whether there is a connection with the vegas nerve that senses a full stomache and tweeks the heart into these rhythms.
I opted for an AV ablation and dual chamber pacemaker 2 years ago when there was no relief via beta blockers ect. Amiodarone worked well for 3 years but it whacked out my thyroid so I had to get off it pronto. As you will see from the above the pacemaker hasn't been the ultimate answer in my case but at least I do get some good days, even periods up to a week. At least the pacemaker stops the lower heart from speeding up and I now usually remain at 60 to 85 BPM.
God bless and good luck to you all.