Heart doing great thumps sporadically

[DontstepontheMomeRaths]

Hello

I used to post on here a lot but life is too busy nowadays.
But I'm a bit worried and I was hoping the Mumsnet collective hive mind could reassure me.

I'll be going about my business and I'm not especially stressed or anxious and my heart will give a great thump. The gp sent me for blood tests which came back normal. They did a short ecg which came up normal and they're now waiting on the results of a 24 hr ecg.
The trouble is it scares me when it happens. I'm a lone parent with a rather useless ex who doesn't have them over night and I think the trouble is if I was seriously ill there's no one who could care for them, so I over think.

I am perimenopausal and I did wonder if it was hormone related but the gp wasn't convinced.

Do you have the same problem? What would you suggest? Is it nothing but stress or hormones?

It's been particularly bad today so I'm feeling really anxious.

I had terrible palpitations in the peri menopause stage, had a cardiology check up and everything was fine though. It was my GP who thought they had a hormonal link. Since I started HRT nine months ago they have disappeared, well apart from the occasional event.

It's a well known symptom of peri menopause iirc

I'm perimenopausaland have occasional palpitations. Triggers seem to be PMS, a carb heavy meal and dehydration.

I'm peri and have this too. Sometimes for a few days at at a time and sometimes nothing for ages and it will happen s couple of times.

Thank you for stating this thread as I've just started getting palpitations. Im definitely perimenopausal so it must be that!

Yes, definite peri/menopausal symptom

So glad it's not just me. I do get a racing heart but it's these great thumps that really freak me out. My hormones are all over the place and my period is erratic and heavy when it does come. But the gp thinks it's anxiousness and stress.

I wasn't an overly anxious person until now!

I might try drinking more water as I don't drink enough. Pms I have loads of palpitations then too. I've even given up caffeine but I'm not sure it's helped.

I have this feeling of doom like something awful will happen lately which isn't me at all.

Anxiety and feelings of doom can be symptoms too..... It's all great fun you know 🙄

I find it helps to drink something cold, lie down (if you can) and slow your breathing or try and hold your breath

If it helps, a huge number of people have these 'ectopic beats'. The heart is putting in an extra beat occasionally. Most people don't notice them. Some hearts are naturally more bouncy and people can feel the extra beat happening. Nearly always harmless, but annoying. The 24 hr recording will show what's what. Keeping things crossed for that.

Do you ever get palpitations as well? I used to get both the thumping/racing heart and palpitations fairly regularly (although never when I had an ecg!) and it turned out I had B12 deficiency which was causing it. Have you had any blood tests?

Hello

I did have bloods but to check for things like thyroid etc.
I rang the gp today and my ecg was back and it's normal!

I get racing and great thump thump thumps not necessarily at the same time. If that makes sense?
May try b12. Doctor said magnesium can cause palpitations so do I need an all round multi vit?

Amber your message really reassured me when I read it at work, as I have been getting worried as I never used to have a heart beat like this when younger.

I do think some is hormones as it's worse just before a period and first few days. But they come and go to a lesser degree all the time.

B12 deficiency is usually caused by some sort of absorption problem because it's readily available in meat and dairy products. In which case, taking B12 supplements is useless, it is usually supplemented with injections. It has a huge list of potential symptoms, have a look and see if anything rings a bell, my main one was the weird heart rhythms and breathlessness but in hindsight I had quite a few others as well.

www.b12deficiency.info/signs-and-symptoms/

Welcome to the world of PVC's/PAC's.

Yes, they can be hormonally related.

I'd also test for various vitamin deficiencies, as well as ferritin (iron).

I've always had PVC's. What I've not had, until September, are hundreds a day. Low ferritin was the cause and it's slowly improving.

They are harmless in the absence of structural abnormalities, and even then, not overly concerning. However, you might feel like you are about to drop down dead!

My G.P says not to bother about them unless you get any other symptoms, e.g. chest pain.

All that is happening is that a beat has occurred early, and so, more blood needs to be pumped out on the next beat. Hence the BOOM, Flip-flops, and one - what - was - that sensation.

P.S. If you take 100 people off the street, about 80 of them will have these things each day. The problem is that once you have noticed one, you tend to notice them all!

Look up Sanjay Gupta's videos on YouTube.

Hrt sorted me out from these, and the feelings of doom.
Pop over to the menopause section for more detailed advice and support.

I've had this for 19 years (since I was pregnant with ds2). I've had every investigation under the sun and nothing found. I have spells where I don't get it for months and then have loads over the course of a few days. It's often worse when I'm coming down with something. I definitely get it less these days. I am reassured by the fact that I'm still alive!

I am not perimenopausal but I get these and one of the most predictable causes I've found is a sugar crash from eating too much ice cream or something ( so a carbohydrate rich meal as a PP said.) I'm glad all your tests have come back normal I don't feel quite so worried about it now

Ive had these too and im perimenopausal - read somewhere that when its happening to do a couple of deep coughs and it will stop and it seems to work for me 0

It's so reassuring to hear I'm not the only one. And your suggestions.

I'm taking them all on board.

Thank you