Allergies and Heart Palpitations

[cmd182405]

Does anyone know if allergies can cause an irregular heart beat?  I have been having an irregular heart beat for several months.  It usually happens in the evening after dinner.  Many nights I go to bed with a heart beat that keeps me awake.  When I wake up it has stopped and I feel fine.  I have been to the doctor and had an ekg and an electrocardiogram and everything looks normal.  I have noticed in the past if I am exposed to a strong perfume or strong candle my heart will pound.

[sah376]

I know this thread is old but the subject itself is timeless. I want to share briefly my experience. Bottom line, one day, out of the blue, my heart started skipping a beat and the next beat was strong, as if my heart tried to catch up. These episodes occurred several times a day, but the frquency increased as i went to bed at night.  All started in early May in the Washington DC area. I mention this because, as you will see, allergies were the culprit, if not the cause per se, at least the exacerbation of symptoms. The point is that the doc didnt find any problem with my heart, although he could see the ECG and see clearly the abnormal beat. He even put me a Holder for 24 hours and made all kinds of tests. Although he didnt know what to do, he put me on atenolol for two years, but the abnormal beats were there every alergy season (may and september), although subdued due to the beta blocker. Finally, and suspecting that somehow allergies were involved, i decided to start taking over the counter antihystaminic about a month before the allergy season went full blown. Simce then I already went through four allergy seasons and havent had any of those episodes again, even when i havent taken atenolol for more than two years. I have made some experiments with myself, for example, stopping taking allergy medication in the middle of the allergy season and, as predicted, the skipped beat reappears, and goes away again slowly after i retake the over the counter allergy pill. Everbody seems to agree that the problem is not the allergy per se, but that allergies somehow triggers a condition that i must already have, but nobody knows what it is. Hope this helps you guys experiment a little in these lines.

[dianeo33]

I am soooo happy to have found this site and this thread.  I have been having these pvcs off and on for 1 1/2 years now.  Trying in every way to figure out the trigger.  I have had cardiac workup, GI work up and all kinds of CT scans and ultrasounds, bloodwork.   Nothing!  Mine seem worse after dinner at night but also seem to be during allergy seasons.   Can you tell me which allergy medicine you took that worked?  I am thinking of trying Claritin.  I am very cautious with meds, as I am one of those people who usually get reactions or side effects.  Thank you and it is comforting to hear that I am not alone.  angelrev

[Ehrma]

I am so happy I came across this post, I am so worried about this condition I have now had for about 4 weeks. My PCP had first blamed what was going on on panic attacks however I have not ever had any and my anxiety level is super low. I have had a "weird" heart beat where I can feel almost all beats and a tightness in my chest that feels almost difficult to breath. I am at a loss on what to do but after reading this I am starting to wonder about the seasonal allergies playing a role. I have a cardiologist appt this week and I guess it wont hurt to mention this. I feel like my life is revolving around my heart issue and it is affecting all my normal activities. I need help!

[tom_h]

Springtime was always a peak period of supra ventricular tachycardia events for me.  I didn't take any allergy medicine because it too cause arrhythmia.  I always suspected it was the excessive sneezing that aggravated my heart into racing and skipping during allergy season.

Tell us what your're feeling.  Is your heart skipping, or beating quickly?  Elaborate for us.

[Margo1829]

Ehrma, did you find out anything at the doctors? i have your same symptoms. i have had every test even the cath. they say i am fine. if i am fine why do i have these palps and dizzy spells. i take xanx for i and a panicky person. just wondered what you found out.

[KmanOz]

I too have experienced everything you're talking about. Im convinced that GP's (General Practitioners) are absolutely useless at diagnosing and treating conditions that fall out of the norm. At least the ones I know of anyway.

It's spring time here in Australia and I have to be careful what I eat as well as it can aggregate the condition you're describing above. I knew I wasn't alone and am glad I found this thread. My doctor says, don't worry about it but he doesn't have to live with it.

Had a bad case last night and today I noticed my glands are hurting a little as well but at least my rhythms are back to norm. It's irritating trying to fall asleep when every second or third beat is a stronger one. At least this Allergy season I haven't broken out into welts yet.

I love Spring for all of its changes BUT I HATE SPRING !!!

:)

[Livesimply4]

What allergy medication did you take that was over the counter? I have tried some but they too have caused my heart to beat irregularly.

Brenda