Is it possible to "live" with palpitations??

[momabird]

I feel very fortunate to have found this forum where people have the same condition I do and share the same concerns.  I am wondering, after reading all of your stories, is it even possible to "live" a normal life while dealing with the constant fear and anxiety related to this issue??  I am a 40 yr old female whose palpitations started four months ago after 6 months of suffering severe panic attacks.  I have quit smoking, eliminated caffeine, am on a beta blocker, and walk 3 miles a day on a treadmill whenever I am able.  But nothing has stopped these palpitations.  EKG's were all normal as well as the 24 hr holter monitor results.  I don't understand how there can be no apparent cause or cure for this condition.  I, along with all of you, am frustrated and tired of living in constant fear!!  I am, however, glad to find people who actually understand what I am dealing with every single day.  All the "normal" people I know don't understand that if it is not life threatening how I can't just ignore it and get on with my life!!  REALLY??   If it were that simple, we would all be doing it instead of joining this forum for support and possible answers!!  Good luck to everyone else suffering as I do!!  I would appreciate any and all correspondence on this condition!!  Thanks in advance!!

[Occupant]

I can only talk about my own experiences with this problem and maybe it will calm you down some. I have had Atrial Fibrillations for a long time - a Holter monitor showed 38,000/day. But during my last visit to the cardiologist he said: "Your Echocardiogram came up normal - so go home and see your family doctor from now on, you don't have to come back." Although, I am quite sure the fact that I am 81 years old had a lot to do with his statement.

[Petrified666]

Your words are what im feeling. Theres no life... i exist... are you still there? Please be there... im so terrified

[Bishopj128]

We are here, been having palpitations since 19, now 44 , some days pure hell questioning my excistence, some days are OK, just hold on to whatever good you find

[Myles_Miller]

Oh yes I use to have this about a year ago I'm actually now 14 and I'm also a guy. I had this it's basically just anxiety and your heart rate is very fast. I hated this and I missed lots of school because of this. I also was very very light headed and literally was feeling like I would just pass out every second of the day. But how I got over this was simple I just went back to doing things like having fun and even started ice skating. After this I started to become less stressed. Really it just takes time and even though mine happened because of puberty it's the same for you anyways. Really what you have to do is just take deep breaths and heck bring water every where you go. Then just start pretending like you don't have any of those problems and literally go run a marathon no matter how bad your feeling. After you start doing these things you will go back to normal and if it's just heart pounding just do those things and soon you will forget it or if not most likely it will go away. Seriously you only have about 3-4 months left of this because mine lasted about 8 months and it just started going down and down by the months. Also go see a therapist or something like that, that can help with anxiety for just about a month you will start to notice your going back to normal. Trust everyone thinks they are like messed up and having a terrible life from these symptoms all it is is anxiety and just start going back to things you use to do and trust I had it and I swear I have parents that say blah blah blah nothing is wrong with you stop acting like a baby and I just had to do something. So I acted like I didn't have anything wrong with me and next thing you know it's gone

[ChicagoNick]

I live with these just 6 months now, while also crippled with MS and a brain tumor survivor from 87, my soph year in college which caused me to leave and ruined my entire life..

I've had an echo last week, a new style stick on ZIO monitor, and I'm pushing the button all day long.. Using the first 7 days of 14 as the benchmark, that means I've had about 1200 of these events just in 3 months.. NOTHING..

3 er visits, 10 grand out the window.. Unlike you, I can't run, I can barely walk, my left leg has been paralyzed for 15 years. It's miserable.

Good luck to you.. I hope it gets better, mine are not. And they say this is normal.. yea .. right... @@

[vbonina]

Thank you all for sharing your stories. Even though I get PVCS on a daily basis for the last two months,  it seems like nothing compared to some of the problems other people have. I pray for you all.

[Iva_87]

Hi,
I ask often the same question! Whenever Im in some arrytmia, let it be skipped beats, heart block, svt or ist, I just cant do anything! I just spoke a bit about my svt experience on youtube here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHLgXxFl3K8&t=19s
I will sure speak more about the fears and palpitations. You are not alone!!

[jzdt]

I have been experiencing shortness of breath since july of 2016 and it's more than a month already waking up with palpitations and SOB. Im done with ecg and 2d echo with normal results. And tomorrow i'll visit the doctor for the results of my holter. I've read the conclusion on the results it shows a lot, the reason why I was on this page because of isolated PVC and PAC stated on the results. I've read all the comments in this topic and I can relate to almost all of the comments. Praying for good health to everyone.

[Anthony_B]

I'm so sorry you have such terrible experiences with palpitations. :( I know what it's like to have that constant fear with all the "what if"s and being too afraid to even get up and do anything. It can be so overwhelming.

It isn't easy, but you have to keep going. They're terrifying, but you can't let them ruin your life. You should try to live it the best way that you can, despite the fear. Take little steps. One step at a time. Try to keep eating, even if it's just a little at a time and drink plenty of water. Slowly try doing some of the things you used to do, the small things first. See how it affects you, then take it in and adjust. Then do it again. It'll be slow and it'll be scary, but keep moving. Keep trying to do more and more of the things you used to do. start small and work your way up.

Enjoy the little things. Surround yourself with people who love you. When the palps hit, just breathe. Close your eyes and feel them out. Acknowlefge that they are happening, but realize you've had them before and you're still here. Talk it out with anyone who will listen. Talking always takes my mind off of them a bit. Keep breathing, slow and steady. Remind yourself that you've felt this before, but you survived.

I know this is a few days late, but I sincerely hope this helps in somw way. Don't give up. It's scary, but just take it one day at a time. Slowy push your boundries and try to do the things you used to do, little by little until you can do more. You'll have bad days for sure, but there''ll always be good days too. Try to enjoy them.

[achillea]

Wise words.

[BrokenH]

I also have psvt . I was diagnosed Dec 2013, but had palps for years.My last attack ended me up in the hospital with a hr of 236 bpm.I had an ablation Feb, 2014. Everything seemed fine up until a few months ago. I notice I get winded easy with palps . It normally only lasts a few minutes then everything goes back to normal.I have also notices over the past few months, flip flops, the feeling my heart skips a beat and then a strong one follows.I have felt this throughout my life,but now it seems to happen more and more. I will turn 53 this coming summer and I am having some symptoms of peri menopause.I'm wondering if its hormonal or does one arrhythmia follow the other...I've read alot about pvc's, plap's and menopause.

[scottishsusie]

I first stared having terrible heart palpitations beginning of 2015   I was put on medication and they stopped  Now 1.5 years later they are back worse than ever  After having lots of tests ie angiogram, wearing halter monitor, stress test etc my cardiologist has tried me on three different types of medication and nothing has worked  The palpitations are daily and really quite bad   I think I may have to learn to live with them which in this day and age, with all the modern medicine available is really quite daunting   Any feedback would be appreciated    

[BrokenH]

I also have psvt . I was diagnosed Dec 2013, but had palps for years.My last attack ended me up in the hospital with a hr of 236 bpm.I had an ablation Feb, 2014. Everything seemed fine up until a few months ago. I notice I get winded easy with palps . It normally only lasts a few minutes then everything goes back to normal.I have also notices over the past few months, flip flops, the feeling my heart skips a beat and then a strong one follows.I have felt this throughout my life,but now it seems to happen more and more. I will turn 53 this coming summer and I am having some symptoms of peri menopause.I'm wondering if its hormonal or does one arrhythmia follow the other...I've read alot about pvc's, plap's and menopause.

[Lilymin]

I'm just wondering what kinds of arrhythmias you are having.  I started with ectopic beats when I was 40, and could deal with them.  Now 21 years later they have changed where I get my breath taken away and feel a little weak, scared after.  I've had one episode where for around 13 minutes I didn't have one normal beat, went to the hospital was seen right away, they took my vitals and was sending me to a room to hok me up to a heart monitor when it went back to normal rhythm, very scary and no one was able to see it, so don't know what kind of rhythm it was.  I told my Cardiologist who specializes in arrhythmias, but wasn't concerned, has not happened again and its been almost 4 years, and at the time my left arm was tingling and I could feel my heart beating hard in the upper left chest.  I take Klonopin to help when they make me nervous.  I have good days and it feels so good to feel almost normal again, its just not a predictable condition, some days I wake up and just know its starting off with pvcs, and sometimes tachycardia, I exercise, just don't like to plan anything because of the fear of pvcs, especially the ones that take my breath away.   I am a social person so I do try to get out and have fun when I'm not having a bad spell.  Maybe someday there will be a pill or procedure that helps all arrhythmias, until then I guess we need to all stay positive!

[MaryMary1307]

Hi!
I may be relocating to Austin and was wondering which doctor you see and the hospital you had the procedure done in. I'm in my mid 40's and have been experiencing heart palpitations since I was 39. They have gotten much worse and I had three SVT episodes within the last year (all while walking for exercise). My cardio  doc in Atlanta said all tests results came back normal. I have shortness of breath often with the PVC's. Glad results were normal, but I feel like crap! I worry I am going to drop dead :(

[MaryMary1307]

Hi!
I may be relocating to Austin and was wondering which doctor you see and the hospital you had the procedure done in. I'm in my mid 40's and have been experiencing heart palpitations since I was 39. They have gotten much worse and I had three SVT episodes within the last year (all while walking for exercise). My cardio  doc in Atlanta said all tests results came back normal. I have shortness of breath often with the PVC's. Glad results were normal, but I feel like crap! I worry I am going to drop dead :(

[Martinez_21]

Oh wow this is me ive had a rough year it all started nov of last year i had my daughter nov 4 and during my pregnancy i would have occasional skipped beats my ob told me to look for a cardiologist but i ddnt listen so going back in nov i had my daughter 2 weeks after i had the hemmorage everyone says to be careful with so i went to the e.r bleeding severly i had to get a d&c to stop the bleeding and i had to get a blood transfusion thats when they saw i had a small clot in my left leg n saw my heart rate higj they ddnt think much of it then on jan i went in with severe kidney n bladder infection n once again a fast rate also they saw my heart was super fast i was put on coumadin n they dissmissed my heart rate so on april the clot grew and got lodged into my lung i was drove to the hospital my heart in the 160 couldnt breath i was put on meds n hospitalized yet they still saw my heart rate fast they ddnt do much so i started suffering fron anxiety n panic attacks by june i was rushed to the e.r severe palpitations and heart rate going at 180. N up i was rushed to the icu where they diagnosed me with atrial flutter i was put on beta blockers but my body ddnt react well so on july 28 i had a heart ablation with hope of getting rid of palpitations boy was i wrong turned out they got my diagnosis wrong once in my heart they saw i had atrial tachychardia right after the surgery i was hospitalized for a week because the palps wouldnt stop so now im 5 months post op n i still feel them not often but its nerve wrecking my anxiety keeps me scared of what if i get then again? Whar if the docs are wrong n i die from this? Its hard but i tell myself atleast i dont get them often i just dont like living in fear

[Lia1927]

It's great to have found this community.  53 year old female who's suffered from PVCs 20+ years.  Have had tests done and now learning to live with them.  Not easy, but can be done.  Trying not to let them take the joy out of my life.  I do like seeing a cardiologists regularly just for peace of mind.  I don't take medications and try to use natural "relaxation" methods.  They get worse with stress (very bad).  Glad to be here with you all.

[AshLovesFlowers]

I have recently started having heart palpitations a month ago and it has been a very frightening time for me. I've been to the er, my primary care  physician and a cardiologist and they all do not seem to be alarmed. They try to reassure me that I will be OK but it's a very scary thing to live with. I am happy that I found this forum with others like myself who are living with this condition. It's very encouraging.. Thank you all.

[ozzie0]

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and wisdom!

[ozzie0]

Thank you

[Gemstar92]

Hey,
I've had heart palpitations my entire life, I learned how to get rid of the attack fast, by quickly speeding my heart up even more then lying down with short breathes. Mine can be very painful, jaw tightness, sweating and blood rush, they can happen when ever relaxing, exercising but you can live with it it's just tolerating it. I have also fainted during an attack when I was 6 years old, all I was doing is sitting down. My advice is keep strong plenty of cardio keep your heart muscle strong.

[sugarcane77]

Today I've been feeling some skipped beats or palpitations so decided to search for people like me wow after reading all of your stories its what I live through daily....so happy to have found you all...take care,be happy!!!!

[oney199274]

i know how u feel i started with them now and again now i have them ever min of the day they r so frightening u r scared to do anything incase they start i dnt know about u but as soon as i go outside or in a crowd they start and i know they will so i get ancious before i even step out the door and then its a vicious circle that y cant get out of . they r so scare and it is not easy to forget about them not when they r there all the time and u cant stop thinking about them its not nice at all i have had them now for about 15yr

[momabird]

You guys are all so great!!  Thanks for taking the time to share your stories and for all of the encouragement.  I am soon to have the echocardiogram done which should provide me with alot of peace when they can tell me with confidence that nothing is structurally wrong with my heart.  After that, I intend on coming off of the two medications that I am on since they lower my heart rate and blood pressure to the point to where I am exhausted ALL the time.  I can't stand the "down" feeling all the time, especially when they DON'T stop the palpitations.  And then, we will just go from there.  I do have faith, and I do pray ALOT!!  He is the only reason that I have not completely lost my mind yet!!  LOL!!  =)  I will be praying for all of you as well!!  And coun79try, congrats on your baby!!  I have four myself, ages 18, 16, 6, and 3!!  They are why I am fighting hard to find a way to live with this!!  I don't want to miss any of their lives while feeling sorry for mine!!  Thanks again, EVERYONE!!

[capecoddebbie]

Hi!  I am a 60 yr. old woman who started having lots of pvc's 2 years ago.  Actually, I have had them all my adult life, back then they were about 1000 per day, now they are over 3000.  I have had the echo-cardiogram, holter monitor and see my cardiologist every 6 months.  He said they were benign (unless the heart starts to beat rapidly, I faint or get very weak, or get considerable chest pain.)  Benign, unless....! Yeah - Well, it is very hard NOT to think of these things stopping and crashing all the time.  

I also have a very difficult anxiety problem.  It does seem like a never ending struggle.  One thing that has helped me is taking a couple of slow cleansing breaths, and consciously thinking of relaxing my chest and abdomen.  With practice, this is very effective for me.  They actually seem to slow way down.  

My pcp, my cardiologist, and my daughter (an RN who has worked lots in cardiology) said tons of relatively healthy people have pvc's, and lots of those people never even know they are having them.  I can't imagine someone could not feel these stops and thumps, but I guess they are not lying!  

I keep telling myself that it has been almost 2 years, and I am still alive and still do most of the things I use to.  The times when I have gotten really anxious, like at the doctors, and the pvc's went wild, I still lived and was fine.  I hope this helps!

[SLG46]

I am new to this and still haven't had all test dones.  I had >10,000 PVC's on a Holter Monitor and they haven't gotten much better in two weeks.  Very scary.  I have been a nurse for 20 years but didn't do alot of cardiac care.  Mainly orthopedics.  This stuff is scary especially when youhave young kids.  I am driving and feel like a frog is trying to jump out of my throat.  People don't get it unless they live with it.  (Husband)  I try to act normal so I don't scare my kids but they don't stop easily,