Perimenopause & palpitation hell! Anyone else?

[Perihellopause]

Ended up in A&E last night due to an (out of nowhere) massive palpitation episode that went on for the entire night. It was so horribly frightening, it felt like my heart was going to burst - I also felt very faint / lightheaded, like I would float away and felt like I had to hold onto the bed to anchor myself (sounds ridiculous, I know).

All the tests, including heart trace (ECG) and various blood tests (including heart muscle proteins for heart attack) all came back clear (phew!). But I had really raised blood pressure, although given the circs, that’s hardly a surprise. That said, I have got a recent-ish history of some high blood pressure episodes, but it typically resolves back to normal range if I avoid the stress factor (usually work!).

Dr said it could be my hormones/oestrogen failing and causing palpitations, apparently she has seen it before and I should speak to GP about blood pressure monitoring and increasing my HRT.

For context, I’m mid 40’s, already on HRT (oestrogen only) as I had an early-ish hysterectomy at 40 (4 pumps of gel a day).

But seriously - what fresh peri-hell is this now?! Has anyone else had these palpitations episodes and managed to solve it with HRT increase? Feeling super fragile and could do with some wise words and other ladies experiences🤗

I'm 52 and getting them horribly at the moment. Had a battery of tests done a few years ago when they started. Not on HRT though and wouldn't take it due to medical history.

I try really hard not to panic, and find taking Kalms just sometimes takes the edge of my worrying about them. I find they're worse around getting/during a period. It's a horrible feeling but I've read lots and just try to convince myself that it's perfectly normal.

Thank you @Badger1970 - that doesn’t sound like much fun at all :( They are incredibly scary and fear inducing.

I’m hoping to speak to GP on a call this week to see what she recommends.

I realised this morning I had forgotten to use my HRT yesterday, so this adds credence to the A&E Dr’s opinion I suppose. I’ve not forgotten to use it for a good year or so. So perhaps I am closer to the end of peri-hell now, so my own hormones have buggered off and left the building! Hard to tell as I don’t have a uterus / periods (I do have ovaries).

I had a really bad spell a few years ago, with palpitations coming thick & fast, all day & night. Got taken into A&E, but they just sent me home saying as long I wasn't having chest pain alongside then it was just something that happened. Bot really reassuring, and was very scary. My GP wasn't helpful, either. She just told me off for wasting time at A&E, accused me of being "anxious" and said I should go home and breathe slowly into a paper bag 😒 Useless advice. Obviously I was anxious because of the palpitations, not the other way round.

I do still get some strong heartbeats and spells of palpitations, but hope the worst is over as I'm coming out the other side of the menopause now (not had HRT).

Hope you feel better soon. You're not alone. A nurse at the hospital (for an unrelated minor op) recently told me she had them too.

@Perihellopause I was in A&E last week due to non stop palpitations (ectopic beats) that went on for almost 24 hours. All tests came back normal. Has another non stop 24 hr palpitations two days ago.

GP upped my dosage of beta blocker and I'm waiting for an echo. I've palpitations since Jan and recently seems to be getting worse.

Are yours as bad as mine?

@CatOnAHotShedRoof I do hope mine will ease off when I enter menopause. Did yours gradually decrease?

Thank you @CatOnAHotShedRoof for your reply🤗

Your experience with hospital and your GP sounds really crap and not at all helpful, I’m so sorry you have had to endure it all without any proper support - sending hugs x Still, I’m glad to hear you’re nearly out the other side of the hellopause!🙏🏻

Eeek that sounds very stressful @Nets888 - have you got any other symptoms or are the palps the main one?

Mine are very recent, in that they have just kicked off with this big episode the past 24hr and then a few much more minor / shorter episodes over the past year.

I never properly made the connection to hormones, but since the A&E Registrar mentioned it and I’ve now Googled, it does apparently seem very common for peri!

I guess I have never forgotten my HRT before, or have only been late applying the gel during the same day, so have managed to avoid the worst of them. It has made me realise how bloody awful it would be without it - so I don’t envy any of you ladies having to endure this without HRT. They will have to prise it from my cold dead claws now!

I was getting palpitations but cut most crap out of my diet and fast until 12 every day. Also eat flax seeds. Once I got my eating under control the palpitations stopped.

Monitor your BP and protect your kidneys from the effects of prolonged hypertension.

I've had them on and off since my early 30s when I first had a mirena coil fitted. (this was removed shortly afterwards though at the time I didn't make the connection).

Am now in peri and I now realise that when I have too much (any) progesterone I get them. So for the last 15 years I get them the week before my period. They were at their worst when taking utrogestan.

I have also had paper bag advice, and one older male GP told me to get a grip basically.

I find that yoga breathing and meditation helps.

I've been having palpitations (ectopic beats) pretty constantly for the last 3 months. Went to A&E at the beginning and all tests clear. Did a 24hr ECG and just showed lots of ectopic beats. GP just said not to worry about it; didn't seem too concerned about it. I struggle with anxiety so she has put me on a starter dose of antidepressants. Has helped the anxiety but no change to the palpitations. I'm 42 but have had an ovary removed. Wondering whether it's peri.

I'm 45 and I've been getting these for the past few months. My heart doesn't seem to be beating faster, just harder, if that makes sense! Feel like I can almost see if pumping out of my chest.

Tends to be worst in the evenings.

@Nets888 They come and go but, fingers crossed, they are easing off now.

One thing I did read about that's supposed to help with palpitations is taking a Magnesium supplement, which I have been doing ever since that episode.

I've been getting them the last weeks and suspect it's perimenopause. (Are there any symptoms you can't find on a list of perimenopause??)

As a PP said, it doesn't feel fast, just harder and mine is in my throat/neck, not chest.

I have had them for years and earlier this year I had them constantly for several days in a row - also left me feeling really lightheaded and I didn't sleep much. Now on HRT and I get them before my period but not for long.

I've had them daily for 18 months. Came on 2 weeks after second covid jab... make of that what you will but am pretty sure they're related to hormones. I'm late 40s. Hrt not made a difference to them though. Def worst around period time but literally have them daily and worse after eating & at night/ first thing in morning.. don't get them when moving/ doing serious exercuse. Had 3 day monitor recently & waiting for echo.. assuming they can't be anything serious as I'd have dropped dead by now! You have my sympathy, they're debilitating but once I relaxed about them they did improve a little in intensity.. and magnesium taurate.

I had several months of this about 5 years ago, perimenopausal related. They would go on for days and I was exhausted as well as feeling lightheaded all the time. Lying down made them worse and diet was definitely a trigger, chocolate made them particularly bad but any large meal would exacerbate them. It resolved itself before I got HRT.

This is a big fear for me as my mother passed away at 64y with kidney failure (she had high BP, which they blamed on smoking - I don’t smoke).

I had a terrible time with the Mirena coil. Before hysterectomy - they tried me on one as I had horrendous flooding periods, it did reduce the periods, but it made me feel incredibly mentally unwell, like nothing else I’ve experienced before/since! Progesterone isn’t good for me. Fortunately I don’t need to take it in HRT as no uterus! I read up later on about progesterone intolerance - that’s me!

Sorry you’re going through this too, it’s shite.

I should think you’re definitely in peri, as average age for meno is 51 and typically peri lasts up to a decade. Personally, I know a few ladies who went through meno before 51 too - it’s just an average and I think it can be anytime from 40-60y tbh!

I read this exact thing today about how you can feel the palps in your neck / throat. It’s made me realise I’ve stopped lying on one side as much when trying to sleep as I can hear / feel my heart booming away.

Thank you, you sound very calm about it and that’s admirable💛 it was so scary last night as I was so lightheaded for ages - literally felt like I would float away like a balloon (and trust me, my arse isn’t that lightweight🤣)!

Going to look into magnesium taurate, thank you.

Interesting how common they are at this stage of life.. my only concern is, if your heart beat goes array regularly for such a prolonged period, could there be long term consequences, even if there's nothing 'wrong' with your heart... but hey, when our time's up it's up I guess!

I had this. Reduced my oestrogen and they went away.
Trying a few weeks off hrt now.

@hursty900 I worry about this too.

I started to have really bad daily palpitations last August which a GP attributed to perimenopause. I just tried to put up with it and after about 2 months, I happened to have a relapse in an unrelated chronic illness. As well as prescribed meds I took some supplements to try and address it - Co Q10 (300 mg) and magnesium (500 mg). Don't know which one it was but within days, the palps stopped and I've not had one since.