Increased palpitations and heart rate with exercise

[Terri]

I am a 39yr. old female who is in good health, but started having palpitations and tachacardyia after the death of a loved one.  The Drs. said it was from stress and put me on xanax. The xanax would help some but my symptons persisted.  My Dr. had me take a echo. and a stress test.  Boths tests came out fine, but I was taking xanax while I took them.  Would xanax effect the results? I continue to be bothered by these and my Dr. put me on 60mg. inderal once a day.  This does help, but I notice that when I exert myself or bend over I have palpitations and increased heart rate that persists even after I have stopped the activitiy.  Mowing the yard particularly sets it off. When I finish mowing my heart rate will be up and it may beat at 120+ and skip beats for the next hour or so. Eventually if I sit and rest it will return to normal. I am concerned that possibly the xanax masked something on the tests.  I don't understand how I could be perfectly fine one day and the next starting have all these persistent palpitations and tachacardyia.  I also have worn a holter monitor and an event monitor and picked these events up on them. Should I be concerned about the increased heart rate and palpitations upon exertion?  One other thing I notice is that the top of my head tingles at times and I never had this before either. I don't know if this is caused by a change in blood pressure or something completely unrelated. I also noticed the other day when I had a beer that my rate went up and I had skipped beats.  Is this dangerous or just something that is annoying that I will have to learn to live with?  I do not normally drink, but occasionally will have one if we go out for supper. I know this is long and thank you for any answers you can give me.  It is scary to all of a sudden to develop these problems, but yet be told there is really nothing wrong.  Can you really have tachacardyia and yet there be nothing wrong with your heart? Thanks for all your help.

[ca605]

A related discussion, Can Palpitation be cause from Neck degeneration was started.

[jan]

I don't know how long it should take for your heart rate to go down. Sorry. I do know that before being diagnosed with inappropriate sinus tachy. I got to see 3 very different reactions from 3 different dr.s (a primary, a neuro., and a cardio.)! The cardio. didn't seem too concerned, but sent me for testing that an electrophysiologist did and when he saw it he diagnosed it and  was very concerned (my neuro. was concerned, too). I left my 1st cardio. and went to the ep and he is treating me for it. What I am trying to say is, if you're still concerned see what you can do to have an electrophysiologist review your tests or further test you.

[shelly]

First,I think I ought to point out that i live in the UK.
Im 34 years old with 2kids.4 yrs ago i was diagnosed with
atrial tachycardia.Long story,but i felt really ill
was convinced i was going to die.Spent 6 months on the couch
feeling every pulse beat,terrified to move.Had all tests which
showed nothing organically wrong.
Anyway,i started to get angry.I was bored of worrying about missed beats etc.So i thought right,this isnt ruling my life,
"COME AND GET ME!!!!". And guess what,im still here!
So, my advice is,if your docs have said all tests are ok.......
FORGET ABOUT IT.Dont waste precious time driving yourself
crazy.Dont read about it, dont think about it, dont talk about it.Just get on with it.Life is dangerous anyway....so enjoy it!

[Terri]

Is it okay for it to take sometimes an hour for my heart rate to return to normal after mowing or exercising? It will sometimes beat at approx 120 bpm and skip beats for the next hour or so. Sometimes I get lightheaded also. Thanks for your earlier comments.

[shelly]

First,I think I ought to point out that i live in the UK.
Im 34 years old with 2kids.4 yrs ago i was diagnosed with
atrial tachycardia.Long story,but i felt really ill
was convinced i was going to die.Spent 6 months on the couch
feeling every pulse beat,terrified to move.Had all tests which
showed nothing organically wrong.
Anyway,i started to get angry.I was bored of worrying about missed beats etc.So i thought right,this isnt ruling my life,
"COME AND GET ME!!!!". And guess what,im still here!
So, my advice is,if your docs have said all tests are ok.......
FORGET ABOUT IT.Dont waste precious time driving yourself
crazy.Dont read about it, dont think about it, dont talk about it.Just get on with it.Life is dangerous anyway....so enjoy it!

[jan]

There is appropriate tachy. and inappropriate.  When you have tachy. from exercise or mowing the lawn, stress, or a stimulant such as caffeine or alcohol, it is appropriate.  If you have tachy. while doing nothing or an exagerated response to exercise, etc. than that is inappropriate.  Do a search on this site and you can reassure yourself.

[Raymond Gray]

I can sympathise entirely with your position.  Palpitations, tachycardia and missed beats do occur as a result of anxiety.  I have had problems with this myself, it does also seem that there are several levels of consciousness, and that sometimes anxiety is sometimes 'out of our notice' as it were, but still symptomatic.
I had a rapid heart rate probably caused by Ritalin,(I no longer take any meds since) which caused me to go to ER, where I watched people die.  Afterwards I had panic attacks, depression, weight loss, lack of sleep, skipped beats, was very aware of my heart beating and could see my pulse in my neck and stomach.
I took up exercise (which eventually helped) and now run about two miles a day which takes me about 20 minutes, I also do sit ups and weights.  I still get the skipped beats but am not too worried about them, I also still see the pulse in my neck.  I have had a 24 hour holter which showed 2 episodes of sinus tach maximum 140 minimum 52.  I do not get chronically out of breath, but my heart rate during jogging (which I have been doing for some three months is about 150 bpm, I am 42 years old.  Originally my resting rate (when I was having the stress problems) was 97bpm, it is now around 60-65 RESULT!  I have low/normal blood pressure and low cholesterol, my physician says I should live forever, hmmm.
I would not worry too much about what is going on as it is probably causing more symptoms, these may or may not disappear over time, but will definately become less of a concern as time passes.
My physician says that, 'I should stop wasting peoples time and that when something goes wrong they'll think I'm crying wolf'.
Not very good huh!
Strange though during the last two years, my hands and feet have started to itch when first exposed to a drop in temperature, apparently it's not a circulatory problem as my physician says my hands go red and not white, it's likely to be some kind of irritation.
My best wishes go to you for a speedy recovery, and I'll also ask what others think of my situation, any comments?

Best wishes to you all

Luv Ray

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

Xanax would not affect the results of an echo or stress test. If these tests were normal, and if you have worn a holter monitor/event monitor while expericencing your typical palpitations (and the doctors saw nothing dangerous on the recordings), then you have nothing to worry about. It sounds like your doctors have done a thorough evaluation. I recommend avoiding caffeine and alcohol, as these can trigger palpitations, just like stress can.