Can anxiety cause palpitations for days?

[foodanddrink]

I suffer from palpitations and had all the tests done which came back normal, so I put down to anxiety. I have been getting palpitations since Tuesday evening. Palpitations with no other symptoms. Can anxiety cause palpitations for days? I'm seeing a nurse today.

Oh and I am about to start my period, wondering could it also be due to hormones?

not a doctor, but speaking from experience, I'd say yes.

are you on any anxiety meds? Mine settled after going on them.

Not on any medications. I have slightly low blood pressure so doctors are reluctant to prescribe beta blockers.

I usually get palpitations on and off, sometimes none at all for weeks or months. So this time getting them for a few days in a row got me slighyly worried.

It does happen with anxiety I'm afraid, doesn't mean there's anything organically wrong.

Other symptoms resulting from anxiety are chest pain, tingling of extremities and down left arm. You'd be surprised the number of people presenting to A&E, thinking they are having a coronary, and it is a manifestation of acute anxiety.

Betablockers can make you feel worse and as if everything is happening in slow motion so I'm glad you haven't been prescribed them.

I hope you feel better soon.

Any suggestions on how to stop the palpitations? They are pretty constant since Tuesday evening.

Try the Valsalva manoeuvre- pinch your nose and then 'blow' through your nose (like you are trying to pop your ears). Or drink two glasses of cold water very quickly. Both help to stop palpitations.

Hi op, constant palpitations are not normal, do you feel well in yourself? If they are intermittent then yes, I have had these with anxiety, I found cutting out caffeine helped. Have you had your bloods checked for thyroid levels?

Yes. Night and day.

Oh sorry for forgetting to mention that all the tests came back normal, apart from ectopic heartbeats, which are PVCs.

So you don't think these recent palpitations are anything to worry about? I was told to get them check out if it goes on for hours but since I already had many tests I don't really want to spend hours in A&E.

I get this with anxiety.
I think it's also linked to low iron, even if your levels aren't low enough to concern the GP. Taking an iron supplement like spatone might be worth a try.

Thyroid normal and all othere blood tests came back normal. 7 day event recorder normal. Exercise stress ECG normal. Echo normal.

What shall I do? I've got an appointment with the nurse but there is no ECG machine in the surgery.

Iron level normal but ferritin low.

Yep, very normal unfortunately with both anxiety and hormones.

you sound like me years ago - low blood pressure too.

I think you need proper medication. I'm not sure how I'd have had a normal life without it. I spent a few years on citalopram, then switched to fluoxetine - about 10+ years on that. Also I work out nearly every day - that would have seemed impossible at the time of my diagnosis, but meds gave me my life back.

is that something you'd consider?

It can very much be hormone related. How old are you approximately?

I'm the same but despite over ten years of trying many types of meds I've been unable to find anything that works because of various physical disabilities (including unstable blood pressure and heart rate), which means exercise is also out for me.

Am posting to watch your thread for useful suggestions.

Palpitations caused by anxiety is not harmful?

I get these and my GP put me on beta blockers. My BP is in the lower range too.

They work well and fast though.

I hope the nurse helped you OP.

I definitely cannot have betablockers because my blood pressure goes so low when standing up I can lose consiousness, happens several times a week. I was put on them because a consultant said I lost consiousness because of panic attacks but actually that wasn't the case and he made things a lot worse (several times every day worse).

I always, without fail, get lots of palpitations before my period. It is much, much worse when i am anaemic (heavy periods) or if I drink alcohol at that time. I think some people are just more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations. If you have had the all-clear from routine tests that is very reassuring.

I also have OK Hb but low ferritin. I bought OTC iron supplements and megadosed for a bit. They completely went away, my wounds healed, and my lips went pink again. IF you have low ferritin I'd be getting me some iron supplements.

Low ferritin can cause them too. I had them a lot during pregnancy and I was anaemic.

Get it checked anyway - even you have existing palpitations, a dramatic change in frequency needs a quick check.

Could be hormones, could be anxiety, could be other things.
The thing is the more you worry about it, the more you get them. It's a vicious circle.

There are many relaxation techniques. Breathing exercises? CBT if it goes on for longer.

Hope the app went well.

I felt a bit better so I cancelled the appointment. The palpitations are still here but intermittent. When I'm relaxed I can't feel it as much.

My ferritin is under 30 and HB normal. Should I take a iron supplement and how long? I don't want to overdose on iron as it's within the normal range.

Food intolerances? Cheap bread etc send my pulse through the roof