Something weird happened to me in middle of the night :(

[AddictedToLuv]

I woke up at 3am and my heart started racing madly. It was like I had just ran a sprint. I then had a weird feeling and then it happened again about 10 mins later and then a short one after that. Then I had a burning sensation, like heartburn to the left.

I was really, really scared. At first I thought OMG I am having a panic attack, but I am not worried about anything or I wasn't panicking about anything at the time aside from the racing heart.

I couldn't get back to sleep and now I am really worried about what this was.

Op I had this a couple of years ago. It kept happening, waking me up in the night with my heat racing. I had ecgs and bloods and the Dr said he would refer me to a specialist, but I said I'd rather wait as everything seemed OK. I took up running last year and run regularly now, the only times it's happened since are if I've had a glass of red wine. I go to bed fine, then wake up with panic attack type symptoms. So I avoid it like the plague!

Op if it helps, I often get this when I'm awake and very tired (late at night) and sometimes In the middle of the night when I've had a little too much...

1. Alcohol
2. Sugar!

It's an awful feeling.

I'm 32. Glad you got checked out but if they found everything normal maybe it was your intake as I know that's a sure fire way to make me have a physiological response like that

Glad you are ok OP.

Did any of the heart specialists mention peri meno to you? They didn’t to me when the same happened to me. I do think there is a lack of joined up thinking about this stuff

It can be a peri or menopause thing. I would get it checked out though as far better to know about heart issues sooner than later.

some people get the heart racing effect as a post -COVID thing?

Have you had the vaccine?

Sounds like a panic attack or are you on any new meds. Sugar rush probably doesn’t help. I can’t sleep if I eat too much in the evening . I have had burning sensations with panic attacks….how v, itchy hands. Are you sulphite intolerant?

But call a GP and don’t rely on us crackpots

Possibly sugar rush - I used to get it when too much wine, alcohol turns to sugar, normally about 3 in the morning! Stopped me drinking too much wine 😖

Menopause join the club! Get your levels checked, don't take beta blockers and see a meno specialist if it is.

Get it checked with GP as it could be an abnormal heart rythym or panic attack

I am so glad u got checked out it will help you get to sleep at night knowing u ruled out the heart factor. It’s interesting that at 16 I got anxiety and panic attacks heart racing palpitations and recently I have started taking the together pouch magnesium supplement because the symptoms of deficiency are similar but what interests me most is that it must be hormonal because its teenage girls, post natal mums and menopausal women that get these episodes of panic and then those under stress when cortisol is messing with your hormones. So much about our hormonal function in our female bodies is left undiscussed or investigated. I went through hell waking at 3am with Palpitations and I got it checked out apparently not peri menopause not heart no reasons given. I just had to make my own conclusions . Anxiety can be things rising to the surface that you buried in your subconscious . It’s also sometimes a wake up call that you need to make life changes because we are good at just shelving stuff. Covid I have no idea although I do believe we all start to suffer with inflammation from too much sugar in our diets , hot baths etc heating too high? ( I wish) We are meant to be eating less complex foods as well but its hard when we all get tired and weary with modern life expectations of work and home. Eat plenty of green leafy veg , keep hydrated and put the best fuel in your body. I am so glad you found some tools to help you de stress bless Nigel Slater and this community of caring ladies

I was going to respond and say this only happens to me when I've eaten a lot of rich food and had a lot of wine. Then I read your post saying this is exactly what you'd done! I'm sure it's that. My body is very sensitive to overindulgence of food and alcohol. After a night of feasting and drinking my heart can be pounding furiously for hours throughout the night. It's scary it's really stopped me drinking too much. I've now started having dinner much earlier to avoid this.

OP I had something similar happen to me numerous times over a number of months, they only lasted a minute or two but I felt awful afterwards. GP diagnosed as panic attacks which didn’t seem right, it was happening at times when I was doing every day things. Then I had an episode that went on far longer than usual. I felt silly calling for help over a “panic attack” so I rang 111 who sent an ambulance. Turns out my heart was going 270 bpm and I was rushed in and given a drug to “reset” my heart. I was diagnosed with something called Supra ventricular tachycardia. Sounds scary but honestly and it was at the time but I had a procedure called catheter ablation which fully fixed the problem. If it happens again don’t be afraid to call for an ambulance, if it is something similar to what happened to me it will only show on an ECG/EKG if it is actively happening. Also avoiding things like alcohol, caffeine and cold and flu medicine helped while I was waiting for procedure as these can all affect your heart rate. Best of luck.

Hi OP, sounds really scary but so glad you got checked out. Just wanted to say I had very similar a few years ago (and my sister had it last year) and it turned out to be an underactive thyroid. As soon as I started taking the medication it all settled down. Not saying that its what happened with you, but just something to have ruled out I guess. Good luck

@JollyHostess when you say you take a beta blocker, do you mean you just take a beta blocker occasionally when you need it, a bit like you would a paracetamol for pain?
I have occasional palpitation/anxiety attacks and would like to have the option to take something when needed, but not all the time?

Magnesium is your friend

I also suspect it’s a menopause thing as i’m the same age and also experienced heart palpitations, always in the middle of the night. They’re horrible and scary. Once I stopped drinking every day when the lockdown eased and adjusted my diet they disappeared so I think alcohol is exacerbating your menopausal symptoms. But definitely get checked out. Best of luck 💐

@pegasus78

I agree with phoning 111

The same thing has been happening to me the last 3 weeks. The doctor booked me in for ECG and blood pressure check. But before this could be done, It got worse and I ended up in hospital.

ECG, bloods and chest x-ray all fine.
They have put it down to stress, I am not stressed over anything, other than the racing heart.

I spoke to the doctor last year saying I think I'm perimenopausal, and was just told no way I'm to young at 42.
After doing some research the last couple of weeks, I've again said I'm convinced it's hormonal, I want to try HRT, and been sent away with antidepressants!

Hope you're feeling a bit better now OP, it is scary!

Please insist on seeing another doctor in your practice.

Too many GP’s prescribe anti-depressants when they should be investigating peri-menopause symptoms.

You could have had acid travel into your throat and your natural reflex could have closed your airway whilst you were asleep - it happens so you don’t inhale stomach acid.

This happened to my friend recently she is 34.. she thought she was having a heart attack.. she went to a and E and dont think they could find anything.. from what I seen to remember.. but if definitely get that checked out x

Op l had very similar at 48, and after a series of tests it was diagnosed as peri menopause symptoms. Yep really..... although l was shocked at how ill l felt, (thought l was having a heart attack!) it is quite possible at your age it could be a menopause symptom.

Also l am unable to eat rich foods and wine in the evening at all or l wake feeling dreadful, heart racing, hot and dizzy.

I would visit your GP to rule out anything serious, have blood tests, thyroid, blood sugar test, hormone levels etc...Please don't panic it is unlikely to be anything very serious.

Straight away cut out or cut right down alcohol and sugar, and eat earlier if possible. (l need to eat by 8.30 or have a very light meal like an omelette with no alcohol.)
Go from there...

@Darlingx

I am so glad u got checked out it will help you get to sleep at night knowing u ruled out the heart factor. It’s interesting that at 16 I got anxiety and panic attacks heart racing palpitations and recently I have started taking the together pouch magnesium supplement because the symptoms of deficiency are similar but what interests me most is that it must be hormonal because its teenage girls, post natal mums and menopausal women that get these episodes of panic and then those under stress when cortisol is messing with your hormones. So much about our hormonal function in our female bodies is left undiscussed or investigated. I went through hell waking at 3am with Palpitations and I got it checked out apparently not peri menopause not heart no reasons given. I just had to make my own conclusions . Anxiety can be things rising to the surface that you buried in your subconscious . It’s also sometimes a wake up call that you need to make life changes because we are good at just shelving stuff. Covid I have no idea although I do believe we all start to suffer with inflammation from too much sugar in our diets , hot baths etc heating too high? ( I wish) We are meant to be eating less complex foods as well but its hard when we all get tired and weary with modern life expectations of work and home. Eat plenty of green leafy veg , keep hydrated and put the best fuel in your body. I am so glad you found some tools to help you de stress bless Nigel Slater and this community of caring ladies

Yes yes to all this. Teens are at the mercy of their hormones, and then think it’s their mental health, which it is in a way, but it can be a physical thing causing the feelings. Add sugar to the mix too doesn’t help. Happens all over again at peri

Yup a racing is DEFINITELY a menopause thing ☹️

@AddictedToLuv

There is a Christmas thread about Nigel Slater’s book The Christmas Chronicles and I grabbed it on my way out the door. It’s a beautiful book and it kept me calm and entertained whilst at A&E.

Glad you have been checked out Op. I saw your comment above and I remembered I ordered that book on the strength of the recommendation on that thread. So glad it kept you calm. I'm looking forward to reading it. All the best.