palpitations when laying down

[sue]

Could you please tell me the heart has to adjust in any way when you go from standing to laying down?  I have noticed that when I am busy doing things and then go to lay down my heart seems to have to adjust itself and I feel it sort of skip or beat harder every three or four beats.  This happens until I stand up again.  Why would my heart be doing this?  I do have palpitations throughout the day that I notice (maybe 3 or 4), but I really don't like these ones when I lay down.  Thank you for your time.

[willye]

I too have many of the symptoms that have been posted.  The problems with sleeping are so familiar!  I am a 55 yr old female and have experienced these PVC's/skipped beats/thumps for several years.  I too had panic attacks after some surgery and there does seem to be a link with the increased PVC's starting after that.  The other thing that I think affects or triggers attacks is MSG. I sort of tracked it down as a likely culprit about 5 years ago. In trying to figure out what was causing the severe skipped beats that would not let me sleep and seemed to be worse after eating I played detective.  I also notice many comments posted talk about a link with meals. I traced my eating back to the start of the attack and noticed all the meals were heavily laced with MSG!  I first noticed a link when eating in Chinese resturants (most Chinese resturants do not use the MSG anymore).  However, it is in sooooooo many prepared foods and I am sure used in many resturant dishes.  Another possible link is lowered Potassium.  This can happen easily while taking high blood pressure medication.  I asked my dr about these and he said it is quite possible since they both can cause those kinds of problems.  These are only possibilities, most of the time there seems to be no rhyme nor reason to an onset of the dreaded skipped beats!  Take all.

[jean zegar]

I just went to my gp yesterday because of palpitations I have been having for two days.  They were happening as much as every few seconds.  He did and EKG and was able to document them, but he felt that my heart is fine and that these are benign.  I don't use cafeine, alcohol or drugs but I had been drinking gingkoba tea ( one a day)for the past two weeks.  I'm hoping this was the cause and as soon as this is out of my system it will stop.  I sure hope I won't have to live with these episodes for too long. Did anyone else out there have any problems they could relate to herbal supplements or herbal tea?  If yes, please e-mail me at ***@****

[Violet]

I was just diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia. Same symptoms as most. The most troublesome is the disruption of sleep because of the intensity of the palpations. I had a nuclear stress test yesterday and it should no blockage, good news! Only advise the cardiologist has is to take a beta blocker, not so good news! Beta blockers aggravate asthma, I am Asthmatic. I dont feel any closer to an answer than before the holter monitor test. I have read in many posts a referral to an EP. Can anyone tell me what that is?  This is so depressing. Like some one said, the Dr. says its not a problem, it is if you are the one who cant sleep! Thanks for any info.  Violet   ***@****

[Evelyn Brown]

To All,

I have had the same problem in the past.  About the last 6 months, I experienced alot of Stress and Anxiety in my life which worsened the PVC's and skipped heart beats.  I no longer have PVC's, but my heart skipps alot of beats, and I still don't know why.  All I do is worry about it, and it scares me everytime I think about it.  I do know that Stress, Anxiety, Hormones, Caffiene, and certain medications will induce PVC's.  If anyone would like to E-mail me about the skipped heart beats, please do so, (***@****) and let me know why this happens.  I'm lost.

[Bobbye Davis]

I was born with a "hole in my heart". At least that was what it was called in the 1940's. I would turn blue and parents could hear me breathing where ever the were in the home. Diagnosis. I wouldn't live two weeks. I married and had two daughters. Later in the 1980's I developed irregular beats and thumps. I was diagnosed with MVP. Now in my 50's I find that I too am having trouble with heart beating so hard and some times when I lay down I have to sleep on left side or my stomach. I had EKG & Doppler and wore monitor for 24 hours.I have been On Inderal since the 1980's  and have just increased my amt. to 40 mgs. a day. I noticed that when I began to tire it affects me more. It has continued to increase over the last three years. Some time I have to cough too. I was told that the test revealed a minimal leaking in the aortic valve and I remember reading some thing about Tachacardia. Some times my heart beats so hard that it will
skip a beat and then start again. I am going for test again because I am so tired of this. A lot of times I feel better up walking than sitting or lying down. I have Osteo arthritis and osteo porosis too and some times I hurt too badly. I also take fluid pills. I would like to know when the aortic valve is leaking what is that called and what is done for it.

[vincent]

Barbara,
I started to have terrible panic attacks about 5 yrs ago,4 visits to the ER. With those attacks I began for the first time in my 40 years to have PVC's. The panic has subsided but the PVC's are still here almost daily. My docs won't tell me that the massive panic attacks "caused" my PVC's, but I believe it. The coincidence is just too strong. I've been cardiac tested with most recently being told I have MVP. I not sure about the chicken or the egg here. What do you think? Thanks.