Palpitations & pounding pulse around body

[Bighugs88]

Hello guys,
I have already a thread started regarding my health concerns. I am not here for medical diagnosis. I just wanted to share my recent experience with you. I have been to A&E quite a few times with continuous and new symptoms relating to my heart (had blood tests done, short ecgs& many chest x rays which so far have come back all normal-no acute problem)
I am currently wearing the 24 hr ecg monitor requested by my gp. I am making a note of any palpitations on the diary sheet provided. However, 2 days ago at work and then at home I felt a fluttering/throbbed sensation in my left wrist, after 5 mins on my right wrist and later on the day at my ankle. I didn't think much of it . However, yesterday in the kitchen I experienced the same pounding sensation on my right wrist and I was able to catch a glimpse of my wrist visually as I was cooking and I literally saw my pulse pounding a few seconds in my wrist this scared the life out of me. I am getting pounding of my pulses around my body for the past 2 days including my wrists and abdominal region below my breasts. I am hoping the ecg monitor has picked this up. The surprising thing is when I get these pounding pulses I do not feel any odd sensation in my heart. I am so worried do you think I should contact 111 today. When I last went to A&E the doctor said any new change meaning more frequent palpitations or chest pain then come back. I have my initial appointment with cardiology in September, but have booked for a private echocardiogram of heart for this Thursday at Harley street. Whilst I have been to hospital I have also been feeling very sick, nauseous, upper abdominal pain and back pain but doctors have said there is no acute heart problem based on blood tests and chest x rays. I do have an abdominal ultrasound scan booked by gp at hospital on 23/7/2022 to rule out problems with gall bladder, pancreas etc. A lot of people have said it's my anxiety as I am getting very health anxious and any news about people passing away, collapsing due to misdiagnosed or untreated heart issues really scares the life out of me. I am really worried, I am 34, healthy, bmi of 19.1, don't smoke, no recreational drugs, no high bp, no high cholesterol, no genetic or childhood heart problems, no family history apart from that my mum (57 yrs old) does have high bp, angina pain and is currently having tests done through the NHS- there is a blockage of one of her coronary arteries so seeing how she is going, my mums symptoms started 8 months ago but she only has pain and breathlensss on exertion and has no palpitations.

I have suffered with health anxitey in the passed but have never experienced any palpitations, back pain and pounding pulses ever. So I don't know if this is manifesting with anxitey or there is something actually going on?

Dont have a stressful lifestyle, work as a Midday Assistant (1 hr & 30mins each day), have a daughter who is 5 years old and in reception. My husband does help out a lot.

Please anyone?

Sounds like your GP is doing all the right things by testing. Take comfort that your tests have done back normal .
Honesty , it does sounds like your anxiety levels are quite high so try to believe that will probably be the answer.

Thank you for your reply. It's just I been feeling so unwell that everyday is like this. Anxiety levels are high but seems to me like I am anxious about my symptoms rather than the other way around. I know anxiety can exacerbate symptoms but I the daily palpitations, unable to eat, nausea and upper abdominal pain and chest discomfort is ruining my life. Seriously I don't know what to do

Anxiety can cause stomach and digestive problems and high blood pressure among other pulse/heart/breathing problems. Note down what you feel and tell your GP when you see them. You can't do anything about it until then so just make sure you have all the information to tell them.

Are you on any medications? A lot cause digestive issues And some can cause palpitations.

@Zoeslatesttrope
The gp has prescribed lansoprazole to take 1 tablets before breakfast and gaviscon advance liquid 4 times a day & to take paracetamol for when I have back and abdominal pain. However, the gavison does provide temporary relief, but symptoms are not going away

Have you ever had back issues. I get a lot of 'throbbing sensations' that are visible but are actually twitching nerves from nerve damage in my back.
The rest of the issues it sounds like your GP is being thorough, which is great and keep following it up, but without wanting to trivialise them could all be down to you worrying too much about the initial symptoms.
Easier said, but try to stress less about it.

Been to A&E yesterday felt really nauseous, hardly could eat and heart was jumping all day. But ecg came normal while in hospital. But have horrendous abdominal pain. A &E doctor said to stop taking lansoprazole if it's not helping. When I was lying down she pressed on my abdomen it was hurting but she noticed the pain is travelling around middle, around belly button and middle left and right, but already have abdominal ultrasound scan booked on Saturday so they didn't do anything in emergency. When I came home my heart was fluttering so much. I feel really uncomfortable around my abdomen and feel really sick. I am taking gaviscon but it's not helping. They are asking me to wait for 24 hr ecg results from gp, but I gave back the monitor on Monday so will take around 2 weeks. I don't know what to do as with paracetamol the pain in the abdomen keeps coming back and has gotten worse whereby I am unable to eat. Stools and urine are fine no change in pattern. What shall I do? I feel really unwell

Have you had your b12 tested?

A&e tested vitamin b12, ferrtin and vitamin d yesterday but will take 24 hours to get results. So will call outpatients today in the afternoon.
My stools have been very loose, I am going once a day but I have noticed for the past 4 days since I have become more unwell with nausea, lost weight and can hardly eat the stools have been loose

I woke up now to use the toilet, and had loose stools, but I have never woke up this time to use the toilet. I am currently awake lying upright as I feel so sick. I don't know how I will manage like this till Saturday.

Also for the past 3 days my muscles around my body have been twitching/spasms along especially both legs and arms

Vomiting now on empty stomach. Was burping really loud, went to bathroom passed out yellow liquid, shaking 😒

If this continues I will call 111

Hope you are feeling better now

Spoke to gp she said need to wait for abdominal ultrasound scan this Saturday. The 24hr ecg results will take a week or 2 to come. I have booked a private echocardiogram for tomorrow at harley street. Called ambulatory care to get back vitamin b12, d and ferrtin result. Was told if results are out of range doctor will call u. If they are within normal range u will not receive phonecall, receptionist not allowed to give results on the phone or call the doctor. Have been prescribed citroplam (20mg) & proponlol by gp for 1 month as symptoms are being excavated by anxitey. She said physical symptoms are being investigated in the meantime. She said muscle twitching is sign of anxiety. Hardly ate much for now. My mum is coming over to stay with me tonight as husband has a night shift.i told gptgat I have suffered with health anxitey before (on the system) and been very stressed but I never have continuous vomiting, palpitations and chest pain or muscle twitching which has stated recently. Having said that I am super aware of any sensations in my body.

Hi there,

I am a fellow anxiety sufferer. I honestly think your suffering from extreme anxiety and you have become so intune with every sensation in your body and it's causing you to focus on it and stress. Therefore leading to symptoms getting worse and becoming so unwell.

Personally I feel you are doing the right thing to rule anything out. But I do that too!

As soon as I am given the all clear from one thing, I start thinking I have something else.

I hope the medication works for you,
I have been on it too and it did help. Although the first 2 weeks can make anxiety peak, so be prepared for that.

All the best

Have they checked your thyroid? Overactive thyroid can cause some of those symptoms (including anxiety). It should have been checked when I presented with severe palpitations at A&E) but I know mine was missed by A&E and a GP until I checked it myself, so check that someone has ordered a thyroid function test.

(The anxiety from an overactive thyroid btw feels quite different to "emotional" anxiety. Overactive thyroid anxiety feels very physical and like you've had way too much caffeine. You feel wired and like you have energy but tired at the same time.)

Having said that your symptoms could all be anxiety as PPs have said. And being anxious will only make things worse even if there is something physical going on. Sounds like GP et all are not just fobbing you off with "it's anxiety here's some ADs" they are trying to investigate possible physical cases too so that's great. There's nothing more you or they can do than you and they are doing so try to stay calm while the necessary steps happen if you can.

The hospital not providing blood test results to you really fucks me off though. I've had this problem before. Appreciate it can't be given by a receptionist over the phone but there is absolutely no reason why they can't be emailed or posted on request. It's your data. If you feel it would help you (for some people it might make them more worried - I like to see my results and do my own research which then allows me to prepare questions for my consultation - I find it reassuring to know what's going on) then I would either contact PALS or submit a SAR to the hospital (unfortunately the SAR can take weeks). If you think it will worry you more then I'd just wait for the doctor to contact you.

In the meantime though, I'd try to focus on other things if you can. Is there anything you could do that would distract you? I have an anxiety disorder and one of the suggested strategies is taking up a hobby. I was dubious but having a distraction has been remarkably effective. Might be tricky at the moment while having these physical symptoms but even something like watching an engaging programme can give your head a bit of time off. The other thing I've found very effective is just "sitting" with the anxiety. Don't try to neutralise the thought and don't feed it (ie by letting your thoughts run away with you or by doing things to "make yourself feel better"). Just sit with it and be kind to yourself by saying sympathetic things that you might say to a friend feeling this like "what a difficult thing you are going through, feeling this way, poor you that you are feeling this anxious". Focussing on the anxiety itself rather then the "problem" you are anxious about. Can be difficult at first but if you can manage it you might start to find that any anxiety starts to wane.

I hope you can get to the root of things soon. It can be very worrying not knowing what is underlying physical symptoms, you just want an answer, so I hope you get your answers quickly. Good luck.

I think this all sounds like anxiety which of course can cause physical symptoms that you are describing. Hopefully the beta blockers will help calm you and please don't forget to speak to the GP about the dose if you feel it isn't working.
I suffer with daily palpitations which are benign but do not fell very nice so I totally sympathise. I also had GAD with very similar symptoms to you - even had endoscopy at one point which was all out down to anxiety. It's really not nice at all.

Do you have your blood results back? I'd be interested to know what your b12 and folate levels are as I would say there's a high chance you have a deficiency. They work together so its important to keep levels balanced, a long with several other elements too.

I have just been diagnosed as I have had some horrendous symptoms- many similar to yours. I need a loading dose course of b12 shots and likely shots every month for life.

Even if they say your results are fine you are well within you rights to request a copy of all findings. It's incredible how low some of these thresholds are and what they say is fine often really isn't. It's also likely that oral supplements may not be suitable as if your diet doesn't explain a deficiency it could be a malabsorption issue.

I don't want to scare you but B12 deficiency is a serious issue and can result in permanent nerve and can't damage if left untreated but if caught quickly and managed well, effects can be completely reversible.
I would definitely probe a bit further here.
Good luck op.

Are your results- if you are in the uk you are able to access them through the nhs app. You need to sign up using facial recognition and id, and then request full access from your gp but it gives you freedom to see everything at your fingertips.

@Hopevoyager Thanks for your message I do have the NHS app and I am looking through how to access my results. I am collecting blood tests form today from out of hours gp surgery in the evening. As I tried making an appointment with the gp yesterday when I called in the morning but there were no appointments only out of hours service which I accepted for 8.30pm. I spoke to the doctor who was very kind and listened to all my concerns. Recently I am staying at my mums as husband is working full time until holidays in the coming weeks. I have started talking therapies, did mention to the doctor that my own gp thinks its health anxiety, but I have never experienced these symptoms ever before in the past:
These are my current symptoms which are happening daily:
Internal tremors from abdomen, chest all up to the back of my head when resting during the day and night about to fall asleep.
Muscle twitching in legs, face, eyelids, arms etc.
Constant dizziness like swaying on a boat, feeling the ground is bouncing, when suddenly moving my head to the side can cause this.
Back pain which is very stiff
Unable to concentrate and head feels very heavy and a lot of pressure.

All these symptoms having been happening for 5 weeks now had no viral infection or cold.
The palpitations have reduced, but my brain or nervous system is in over drive and I cannot relax properly.
I did have my ferrtin, vitamin b12 and d levels checked and apparently were normal told by gp the next day but don't know the actual figures. Did have an abdominal scan on 23/7/2022 called my gp surgery today and receptionist said results are here and to book an appointment this Monday or Tuesday.

I am collecting my blood forms today and once the results are processed I will definitely request for a copy. How do you gain full access to your results via the nhs app?
I definitely need to be investigated apart from blood tests such as mri. I am anxious because of the symptoms and I am trying to ignore them but the ate not going away. I am awaiting for my 24hr ecg monitor results which should be back to gp by end of next week and will ask for a copy and from there will book for private ultrasound scan of heart for reassurance.

The back of my head is pulsating, like a heartbeat? Feel pins and needles back of head. When I tilt my head backwards I feel stiffness and pain back of head and neck