Palpitations nonstop, could I be anemic?

[Toastandjams]

Since last weekend I have nonstop palpitations, seemed like my heart beats fast and loud, big thumps. I can also feel it at night.
Also I had suddenly cracked both corners of my lips, which now healed and have often restless legs syndrome at night for months.
And I feel like confused, forgetful, saying wrong words- like opposite what I want to say. Brain fog.

I had palpitations in a past and had tests done like ECG, heart Echo and Holter. All they find was some minor valve regurgitations which need no follow up.
As these palpitations seems nonstop I rang my GP on Wednesday and over the phone he said that as I had a ,,case of these ,,in a past and nothing was shown, than it’s unlikely it’s something else.
He said it’s my anxiety and he sent me a link about relaxation.
Now these palpitations are non stop.
I checked my heart rate, it’s apprx in 90-100. Blood pressure is normal ( I normally never check my blood pressure - have a monitor here since I was pregnant, like 10 years ago)
I rang again GP on Fri, spoke to another Dr and she is send me for a blood test.
I had very mild anemia about 6 yrs ago, which was literally borderline for blood tests, had a fast pulse and felt out of breath.
Had to take iron pills and it helped well.
I worry now as I’m not sure what’s is it. I feel funny like fainting..
Any Dr or nurse here who can tell me?
My blood test is on Wed.
I want to take iron pills now but I think if I’m anemic it will mess up the blood results?

Your stress will be pushing it up and doctors are very aware of white coat syndrome. Try not to worry

Glad you are getting seen.
I am sure they will be running all the tests but ask about B12 deficiency. This can cause many of these symptoms.

My blood pressure is always sky high when I am in a doctors or hospital and always normal or slightly low at home. It's something called "white coat syndrome" it's anxiety driven which is not surprising in your situation.

I have had ectopic heart beats for years- mainly since menopause. Had all the tests to be told it's fine. Stop worrying... I sometimes take beta blockers which help a bit but not if I take them all the time.

They come and go but are particularly bad at the moment and definitely connected to the current situation. Mine are often triggered by certain types of food- high carb or sugary. Also worse when I am tired which is ironic as it keeps me awake- which makes me more tired!

One small thing that I find helps is a breathing exercise. Breathe deeply in for 5 seconds and then out for 5 seconds- keep going concentrating for about 5 minutes.

I also found a consultant cardiologist on you tube (Sanjay Gupta- York Cardiology) who has posted some really helpful videos on palpitations really helpful ( he is a genuine Cardiologist - not some quack!)

Hope you get some answers but it is a frustrating condition where doctors just tell you it's benign and to stop worrying about it- easier said than done!

Oh god, op, hope you're ok.

My GP told me most palpitations are nothing to worry about, I hope that's the same for you and it was the stress making them worse.

Hopefully you'll find out soon enough. Keep us updated

So I’m back home.
The ECG came a bit wonky as the Dr said so they did another 2.
When she listening for my pulse, she said she could feel the missed skips.
She looked on hopspital files on my last Cardiology scan which was actually last year and said no any concerning findings at that time.
So she could not give me any clear answer really.
She said It could be anxiety too.
She said the skips are still on visible on ECG but it’s not Atrial fibrillation type.
My blood work was normal, so not anemic either also electrolytes were normal.
So I was discharged and she said if it won’t improve to go back to Gp and they will give me 24hr monitor ( I had this before too)

• missed skips- I meant skipped beats..omg. See that’s what I write I think the other..

She said the skips are still on visible on ECG but it’s not Atrial fibrillation type.

Well it's good that it's not Atrial Fibrillation.
Did she mention what your readings were on the blood test? It could still be you are on the low side of 'normal'.

Do you feel better now? I know stress can make palpitations much worse and the more you think about the worse they get.

I would be inclined to start taking a multivitamin just in case it is low iron/zinc/whatever. Did you mention to them you were also getting restless legs?

@PickwickThePlockingDodo
I stupidly forgot to mention the restless legs.
The iron( hemiglobin was I think 139. So in the middle.
I looked on the male scale and it starts on 140 so 139 would be low but females scale starts on 120.
I had quite few palpitations later when being at home, but then I sort of stopped thinking about it and it felt a bit better. I can still feel them but not so frequently as yesterday- that was nonstop.
I will be starting multivitamins with minerals, it has iron and magnesium, just in case.
Also I have thyroid test on Wed.

Also I have thyroid test on Wed.
Oh good.

Hopefully the vitamins should help and the fact they've ruled out AF might help you relax a bit more too.

You need your ferritin checked. The NHS reference range is woefully low (about 15) but you can experience symptoms below 50. I was lucky that my GP had just been to a seminar run by a consultant who specialised in low ferritin so recognised it. It would explain all your symptoms.

I've been anaemic which was resolved with iron tablets - I felt like I was dying, and I've had low ferritin (level was 21) which wasn't as easy to treat, so I had an infusion (privately unfortunately, wasn't cheap) which turned me into a different person, all my symptoms went within a week or so (palpitations, hair loss, angular cheilitis, forgetfulness/brain fog/inability to speak properly, fatigue etc.). If they're taking bloods it might be worth a call before they take it and ask that they are checking your ferritin level.

@Vinosaurus
Thank you.
I thought it could be the ferritin.
I had a wry slight anemia some years back and while it was ok for some Drs another Gp said it’s just borderline and gave me ironpills which
helped quite fast too.
I had fast heart rate and I was out of breath. My heart pulse was about 150. I remember I felt so tired walking the stairs in our house.
My daughter was still in pram and I was to tired to even push the pram on our road!
I though the Hemoglobin in full blood count checks for iron?
In A&E they said it’s normal 139. But I if I would be male it would be already low as their normal range starts on 140.
I will wait for Wednesday test. Perhaps they wil do it in depth.

Yes the shortness of breath/breath hunger is horrid. Unfortunately my symptoms are back (9 months post infusion) - that being one of the main symptoms. GPs are notoriously dismissive or anaemia (especially borderline) and low ferritin.

@missrks

Awh bless you! It's a rotten thing to deal with, hopefully mine eases off, thankfully it's not a horrific case of it and managing not to bad now.

My BP stays fairly stable, sometimes up and sometimes down. it's my HR that goes up by 40 + when I stand up. My BP was usually 80/50 which is stupid low. I've got it up to around 100/90 by taking salt tablets and 4 litres of water a day. Haven't fainted in a few weeks! ☺️

80/50 is very low, good you've managed to get it up and haven't fainted recently ((((hugs))))

It is a nasty thing - especially when you are young and standing still is so horrible (people don't expect young people to have that problem e.g they expect you to offer your seat on the bus to an elderly person). I was prescribed pressure tights and they helped a lot.

Best wishes x

My ferritin dropped to 4 - I felt horrific and the palpitations were awful then!

Ooh this might be me. How do you get ferritin infusions? Am IV clinic? Sounds intense!

Had mine done privately at the Iron Clinic, wasn't cheap (£700) but it was a game changer. Believe it's very difficult getting one in the NHS.

Thank you will google 👍

I had my blood test, now waiting for results.
They test for ferritin and folate, b12.
Lipids, FBC, creatinine .

I had anemia when I was 17/18. I think my levels were around 4 (low ferritin too) and all the heamotologist told me is she'd seen lower My symptoms eventually got horrific - heart rate 250 BPM, couldn't walk, slept all the time (well when I could 'cos I could hear my heart thudding.) I honestly thought I was going to die of a heart attack/heart failure but my ECGs kept coming back normal. I ended up having an infusion eventually and 10 years on I'm quite healthy and iron levels have remained pretty good since

Definitely something to keep an eye on though. I never knew low iron levels could make you feel like you're literally dying.

Did you get your blood results back @Toastandjams?

@PickwickThePlockingDodo all apparently normal, no other action needed.
I started taking multivitamins with iron, felt a bit better.

Also spoke to Gp last week, she sending me for Holter montitor but said it will take months to get it.