DS 6 palpitations - family history of sudden cardiac death

[SurvivalOfTheUnfittest]

I'm waiting for a call back from DS's cardiac consultant. He is having regular check ups anyway, following the death of my DH 20 months ago. However, DS has also being having bouts of palpitations since last May. He is awaiting a third period of monitoring to try and capture them so that the consultant knows what he is dealing with.

My reason for posting is that DS woke yesterday morning at 6a.m having a bout and I'm not sure whether this should concern me more, and until I know different, I am worried by it. I wondered if he'd had a dream that had caused his heart to race, but I think he would have remembered a dream that had caused that much of a reaction (plus his heart goes into arrhythmia, rather than just beating fast like you or I might expect after a dream).

If any of you are able to reassure me that a bout of palpitations that wakes DS is no more concerning than a bout in the day, (who am I trying to kid here? The whole thing is terrifying, given our family history!), could you please put my mind at rest. The consultant is in theatre today so I am unlikely to get a response from him today.

[Baddz]

Is it possible he is having palpitations due to anxiety?
Understandable given the circumstances.
I'm sorry for your loss x

[DeWee]

Sorry about your dh.

I think you're perfectly right to get him seen asap. But I've certainly waken from dreams with my heart (which as far as I know is normal) racing from the dream, but not been able to remember anything at all. If I'm jerked awake suddenly by a noise (even a quiet one) my heart will also race.
Obviously I don't have the arrhythmia, but I certainly identify with the waking with a racing heart for no apparent reason.

[SurvivalOfTheUnfittest]

Thank you both of you. It is hard to know if it is based on anxiety or not. In the circumstances, we have to try and capture an episode so we can see what is going on. DeWee that has reassured me a bit too.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Try contacting CRY for advice (Cardiac Risk in the Young). They campaign, amongst other things, for routine screening of kids for arrhythmia.
My DDs teenage boyfriend died suddenly a few years ago. Undiagnosed arrhythmia. Do whatever it takes to get your lad screened and sorted.

[noddyholder]

Is his heart regular but just fast? What condition is he monitored for? I have HOCM

[SnowLondon]

Can you not take him to a&e when these episodes happen? or even call an ambulance they can catch it quicker with an egc print out

[Baddz]

Has he been screened for long qt syndrome?

[SurvivalOfTheUnfittest]

Sorry for your daughter's loss Motherof..

Thanks all. We have been supported by CRY since DH died. Both my DS have regular ECGs and Echoes because of DH's sudden death from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The episodes DS1 has are quite short - about ten beats at a time at most. It isn't just fast, but definitely irregular. The head teacher has felt it too, so I am glad that I am not just losing my marbles! We have borrowed a proper monitor again now for three weeks. Really hoping something shows up so we know what we are dealing with.