Irregular heart rate

[Amanda_Kelley]

I've been having irregular heart rates. It all started when I took my children to school one day. Then about 2 years later it done it another time when my husband and I were watching a movie. Now again here lately I been having them again but only this time I have them more often. I havent went to a doctor yet many of my family that I've told believe this to be panic attacks or a bad heart. This is what I know runs in my family cause this might help. Heart Disease, Asthma, Diabetes, Mental Illness, Cancer, and High blood presure. I really need to find out if these symptoms are something serious and what these symtoms could be. I'm 27 years old, a smoker, about 1 pack a day, and I drink very little caffine Mountain dew to be pacific.

[rilesnic]

I have always heard that Mountain Dew is the soda with the most caffeine..don't know how true it is, but I never drank it b/c of that.  Caffeine and smoking will increase your heart rate.  This can also cause you to feel palpitations.  Asthma will also cause you to feel heart palpitations if it is not controlled.  Panic does come out of no where and usually hits when you seem still or calm (sitting, driving, etc.) Your fight-or-flight (adrenaline) response kicks in, usually from having a lot of stress or high anxiety (worrying is a culprit),  Panic too will increase your heart rate and may cause you to feel palpitations.  With your family history of heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure, I would go in for a doctor's visit and let him/her know what's going on, not to worry...but to be on the safe side.  Be sure you tell him/her that you smoke and drink caffeine.  Best of luck to you.  

[cindy707]

Hi Amanda i read your post....altho your family hx. has some things that could be hereditary in it you really didn't give us alot to go on here.  It is such an old term of someone saying you have a bad heart so excuse the pun but don't take that comment to heart.  You need to be a little more specific with what is going on with you.  When you say you have an irregular heart beat what is it exactly that you are feeling?  Are you taking your pulse and what is the rate? Are you feeling anything else when this situation is going on? There are tens of questions we could ask you but you need to be as specific as you can with whatever it is that you are feeling.  Have you  ever been told that you have heart issues?  Try re posting a new post Amanda and try telling us as much as you can so that we can weigh in and try to give you our thoughts.....

[is_something_wrong]

Hi,

As Cindy is saying, we need to know more about your irregular rhythm to be able to give some recommendations.

In your (our) age, I would say with 98% certainty that irregular heart rhythm is caused by extrasystoles (PACs or PVCs) and usually harmless and should not be treated.

You should ask your doctor for a Holter monitoring (24h ECG) or an event monitor, just to rule out atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is not completely benign (though short events are) and should be treated, especially if the incidents last for some time.

Some relevant questions are:
- How long time?
- How fast heartrate?
- How irregular? (just a few skipped beats, or long pauses followed by runs)
- How often?
- Do you feel dizzy/lightheaded (and not just the classical anxious feeling)
- What trigger them?

We can't get any closer without more information. If this condition is bothering you, you should quit smoking (you should anyway, by the way) and stop drinking Mountain Dew.