Palpitations- can anyone talk me down!

[ChangingStates]

Hello, am working myself into a bit of a state here and could really use some reassurance! I have been having palpitations pretty much non stop for about 1.5hrs now- a mixture of fast pounding heart rate- irregular and fast but not pounding. HR is fluctuating between 90- 120, my usual resting rate is very low.
So as not to drip I do get palpitations sometimes, mainly middle of the night, but usually gone in 10-15mins. I have benign ventricular tachycardia so not a stranger to heart things. I've had a shit day and a really stressful week so I know stress can contribute. I do not feel light headed or short of breath or in pain, I'm hot but not sweaty & I look fine so I logically know it's stress or just palpitations but it isn't stopping and am beginning to freak out. At home alone with 2 young ones tucked up in bed.
Really could do with anyone to talk to 😞

[ChangingStates]

Shameless bump

[Mouse14]

Oh that's horrible!!
I had palpitations most evenings a few weeks back (12 weeks to 17ish weeks pregnant) They've gone now, thankfully!!

I'd make them worse by constantly monitoring them on my Apple Watch...

Sorry I can't help you but hope they stop soon

[NosyBarbara]

Aw, sorry to hear this, have you tried any breathing techniques? X

[OhHolyFuck]

Ok, sit or lie down somewhere

Think of 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can smell - try and focus on 'outside' of you if that makes sense?

Deep, even breaths

How is it now?

[MissSmiley]

I used to get them a lot when my iron was really low. Have you had it tested lately?

[ChangingStates]

Thanks for replying!
Mouse I have an oximeter thing that I get obsessed with - oxygen levels too. I am propped up in bed trying to distract myself- doing slow breathing. HR had slowed to low 90s but now started pounding at 110+. Is there a point at which I call nhs direct??

[ChangingStates]

No blood tests for long time- take daily vitamins with iron on them though. Have taken oximeter off as seeing the fast rate is making me more anxious than just feeling it.

[OhHolyFuck]

If you're worried, call now
Better to talk to a professional and get some proper advice if you're concerned

[ChangingStates]

I might do that, just feel a bit stupid bcs my logical head knows it will pass. Hate it when I do this!

[Sleepdream]

I had exactly this a few weeks ago. I am very prone to racing heart and they can never find a cause. I called NHS direct and they sent a paramedic.

Last time I had taken some paracetamol without realising they had caffeine in and I'm sure that's what set it off for me. You haven't done anything like that have you?

I know exactly how you are feeling and I always make my self worse checking it and getting more anxious. Hope it passes soon.

[Titsywoo]

I find that sipping a glass of water with a very cold cloth on my head helps a lot

[ChangingStates]

Sleep dream- no had nothing unusual today and no more than usual caffeine.
Distracted myself for a bit with amazon and that has helped.
Hope I can get some sleep soon!
Thank you for all the replies, it has really helped to share my freak out and get calm reasoned replies!

[Sleepdream]

Glad it seems a bit better.

[zazasabore]

I had this a few weeks ago. I have had atrial fibrillation but thought an ablation in 2012 had cured it. I lay in bed and could feel the palpitations and panic just starting to build up and stupidly took my blood pressure which was high and getting higher every time I took it - pulse rate high which it never is normally. I called 111 and they sent round an ambulance. Had about 6 grizzly hours in a and e and they found nothing wrong on ecg etc. Then saw my cardiologist and had a 24 bp monitor and a week long holter - absolutely nothing out of the ordinary, had an echogram heart as fit as a fiddle. I know for a fact just by thinking I can build myself up into a panic its so easy to do so now I just keep a firm grip and just knowing there is nothing basically wrong have not had another attack. I know I can make my blood pressure and pulse go up purely by the power of thought - just try and get back on an even keel, read a book, listen to a podcast, just say to yourself you will be alright very firmly and dont let the negative thoughts take hold!

[Biscuitrules]

I don't know whether it is the same thing but I occasionally get palpitations from supra-ventricular tachycardia. They used to go on for an hour each time at 160 bpm. Since being given a few simple tips by the cardiologist I have been able to stop them in about 30 seconds - either by holding my breath whilst bending over forwards as if to pick something off the floor, or doing the Valsalva manoeuvre (holding one's breath and bearing down as if on the loo). Hope it passes soon.

[PurpleAlerts]

I get phases of ectopic heart beats combined with a racing heart.

Have had it investigated- nothing apart from tri/ bigeminy heart pattern. Dr put me on slow release beta blockers but didn't really feel they helped.

I can go 6 weeks with nothing then bam it all starts up again.

I find it's worse when I try to go to sleep. As soon as my head hits the pillow bump, bump............................BUMP. Drives me bananas. Kept me awake for hours last night. Anxiety and stress definitely make it worse.

I have tried everything- no caffeine, no alcohol, no stimulants. nothing makes any bloody difference.
I feel your pain- it is scary but everything I am told and read on internet suggests it is largely benign. So frustrating.

[gleegeek]

Reading with interest. You're not menopausal are you? I'm struggling with palpitations and anxiety just now. Ecg normal apart from a few odd bumps at night but I didn't have the racing heart when I had the Ecg. ... think it's due to being perimenopausal. I'm 46.
It's awful. Can go to bed with it and wake up with it. Mad!

[ChangingStates]

Zara- I had all my investigations 10yrs ago which turned up the benign tachycardia and runsvof ecropics. I have an ecg & echo every 3 years to check on things. I am well used to unusual beats & some bouts of high blood & usually keep myself together. Last night it was that it was going on for over an hour that I struggled with- 3hrs before it calmed enough for me to relax.

Wow biscuit 160bpm sounds incredibly scary- I panic over 125bpm, can't imagine how awful that must feel. I will have a go at those techniques next time too.

Glee- I'm 45 and although the heart rhythm thing has been around for a long time, the racing heart in the middle of the night is probably only in the last year at the most, I do think it is linked to being menopausal, but I am pretty sure what happened yesterday was stress related or both.

In the end everything slowed down enough for me to sleep until now, need more if I'm going to get through another hectic day tomorrow though.
Thanks for sharing your stories- sorry that you are all also dealing with this too.

[zazasabore]

I had a little go at betablockers but because my pulse is usually quite low they slowed me down to a standstill and i felt terrible on them. I take medication for high blood pressure which usually controls it fine. My last bout was 100 percent stress induced - surpressed rage due to mega annoying action by one of multitudiness offspring! I really try and stay on board of the calm plateau now - often tricky.

[zazasabore]

In my experience there are two sides of a wall. One is the healthy well side and life goes on as normal. The other side is Armagedon - the palpitations start maybe combined with nausea, feeling faint, a panic need to empty the bowels and a strong feeling detachment from family and the healthy world and overiding fear of "OMG IM GOING TO DIE" - the trick is staying on the healthy side of the wall which I am currently managing to do by just dismissing my own fears. Dont like to speak too soon but think im succeeding!

[Ellapaella]

Are you nearing or going through the menopause? Palpitations waking you in the night are very common during times when hormones are fluctuating a lot. Only way to know for sure what's going on is to ask your GP to arrange a 24 hour heart monitor. Plenty of GP surgeries have them these days and if not they can refer you to your local cardiology department.