Heart Beat Problems

[SecondCitySaint]

Hi there,

I am a 24 year old male, 6'6, 280lbs.

The problem I have I believe is cardiovascular related.

Over the last two months I've noticed that maybe once every 2 or 3 days my heart start going crazy.

It feels like it is beating slightly fast and then it takes one enormous beat which jolts my whole body and feels like it's going to burst through my chest. After the jolt I can't breath for maybe 15 seconds, then I have breathlessness for 2 to 3 minutes afterwards, then I feel ok again.

I have no outstanding medical conditions and I am not currently on any medication. I do not smoke or drink any alcohol. My caffeine intake is not particularly high, I drink 1 cup of coffee, 2 at most in a day, aside from these, I can't think of anything else I take which contains caffeine.

I don't exercise at all. However, I do consider myself to be in good health other than the issues I have mentioned.

I would like to know if anyone has any inclination as to what is happening to me and what the causes are. Is there anything I can do to stop tis from happening?

[mkh9]

You are welcome. I would really get in soon and get this checked.
Let me know how it goes.
mkh9

[SecondCitySaint]

Thanks for the reply,

I don't have any coughing or pains etc. which seems weird to me as I'd expect to have some pain during these episodes.

It's not being able to breath for the 15 or so seconds afterwards which allows panic to set in. However, I haven't as yet checked my heart rate when I notice it speeding up. It seems to come and pass too quickly to bare in mind to check. It doesn't increase so drastically that I feel in any trouble, but it is very noticeable when it begins. It is only when it takes the one, single, huge beat that I really feel in any trouble.

[mkh9]

Hi and sorry you are having this problem. It sounds like an arrhythmia. Some of these can cause serious problems while others are benign. I have one that feels like a flutter and makes me cough and when it gets bad it feels like I am out of breath, tired, and my heart beat skips etc. It turned out to be PAC;s which are benign and the echo was normal thank goodness. I had a EKG, a 24 hour halter monitor put on and then a echocardiogram. I highly suggest you do the same. You get this done at your family practise. If they don't have a cardiologist in the same building they will send you to one to get the halter monitor put on. In the meantime they need to do an EKG. Since you are stopping your breathing for so long you may want to go to the ER and have them get the EKG done to make sure it isn't really serious. What is your heart rate? Have you taken it when it speeds up? It could be tachycardia. Also, they should check your values and so forth for structural problems they do this on the echocardiogram.