Anyone suffer from palpatations?

[janx]

For the last week - my heartbeat seems to be all over the place..and it feels quite uncomfortable - have made an appt with the docs tomorrow - can it be stressed related?..am knackered and stressed at teh moment - but not had this before

Yes, I do quite often. Definitely get it checked out by the doc, but it's probably harmless. It can be stress-related, though isn't particularly with me. I've had the odd one for as long as I remember, but started getting occasional quite lengthy, startling bouts a couple of years ago. No obvious cause.

You'll probably have tests for thyroid activity and, er, whatever else they test for, and you may have to wear a very annoying heart monitor for 24 hours. If you're anything like me, you won't be able to produce a single palpitation for the monitor and you'll feel a bit foolish.

I did once manage to register a couple of good ones in the gp's surgery, and the doc was thrilled to have such a good example to show people whose palpitations always ceased in the presence of medical equipment.

Take care.

Thanks - feel worried as there is a history of heart disease in my family (dad had angina)...will try and take my mind off it now with a cuppa before ds wakes up from nap

If it's a cuppa of strong coffee, you might want to think about your intake - forgot to mention that.

Yes I did think of that - I drink about two cups of coffee a day...not sure I can get through the day without them

I have regular heart palpitations, and I have recently had it checked out. Had ECG, 24 hour monitor, and an echocardiogram. I have premature ventricular contractions which causes a big heavy beat when the heart resets itself back to normal. Apparently it's completely harmless and up to 17% of the population get them, so nothing to worry about.
It's possible you have had palpitations before but just never noticed, and it's more noticeable due to the tiredness and stress. I didn't notice mine until recently but the cardiologist said I probaby have always had them.
Definitely worth getting checked out, but try not to worry, it's most likely harmless.

2 cups a day shouldn't cause a problem, IMHO.

Thanks RR

Hi janx - I have had palpitations recently and it is so scarey, I feel like I might die. I am about to have the annoying 24 hour heart monitor but my GP is ceratin it is from my antidepressants - are you on any medication?

No not on medication - but am worried about my stress levels. Do you feel short of breath?

I have nonstop palpitations and am one of the one-in-about-a-hundred-thousand for whom it is potentially life threatening... so by the rules of probability, you're probably alright.

But I had no other real symptoms, either... so best to push for all the tests others mentioned. And IMO caffeine actually does help regulate my heart, so I shouldn't worry about the coffee.

Chocolate helps too, as does a crisp glass of dry white wine. Seriously, whatever helps you relax...

I get palpitations if I've been too stressed for too long. In my case it's a problem called Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation. I went to a cardiologist four years ago and carried a heart monitor for a day. In my case it's a reaction to the adrenaline triggered by stress and basically means that my heart forgets how to beat properly. If I measure my pulse during one of these attacks it's noticeably irregular, plus I tend to feel a bit dizzy and I can feel the "skipping a beat" thing quite clearly.

The good news is that if it is PAF you have then the chances are it's not going to cause you any noticeable long-term problems. I've got some tablets to take only if I have an attack and the tablet sorts it out within half an hour. That being said, I kicked my ex out a few years back and I haven't had an attack since...

Do get it checked out, though.

Thanks for all your posts
Went to the doctors today and he was really helpful - took my bp and listened to my heart/took pulse. He said it all seemed fine - of course I wasn't have palpatations then! But he has arranged for me to have blood tests and an ecg and have a heart monitor for a day...so will just have to wait for the results of all that

Hi janx - must be reassuring to get the tests started. I do my 24 hour ECG next week but since I cut my dose of anti depressants I have been better. Good luck.

I had this feeling for a week after i'd had a stomach bug. It turned out it wasn't my heart but more like a juddering of the esophegus that had been itrritaed by the bug. Have you had such a bug recently? You can tell if it's definately your heart if your pulse changes when you feel the palpatations.

I used to get palpitations regularly until I discovered it was coffee! After switching to Decaffeinated coffee I have never had them since!

I'd still get them checked out by a doctor though!

I suffer from this too. My heart sometimes skips a beat, or puts in an extra one - or just goes a bit all over the place!

It's defintely worse when Im tired, stressed or unwell. I've cut out caffine completely which has helped.

I had lots of tests done about 5 years ago but everything came back normal.

iv had them to in past , stress and anxiety related , and the more i worried the more i had them ....
had ECG all was fine , so i then relaxed a bit and they went ...
although i do get them from time to time specially after alcohol ...

hope you feel better soon janx.

Hi,

I just found this thread, i also have alot of palpitations .. but been to the doctor about 3 times and got all clear had blood tests etc. I got told stress is a big factor and deppression!! I'm on AD'S at the moment and have recently gone up in dose and noticed last night they had got worse, but on the AD'S packet it's a symptom!!
Also before i went on my tablets i was told they are so common hardly ever anything to be concerned about :-)

I get them from time to time - one time when pregnant was v. scary as they wouldn't stop. Did get checked out - ECG/ultrasound of heart etc. and they said all normal so due to faulty electrical impulse.

Triggers can include; caffeine, smoking and drugs (in the past as well as present), stress and also - which happens to me a lot positional. Not sure of the medical reason for this but sometimes if I bend in a certain way it sets it off, confirmed by the consultant as possible although seems a bit odd.

I was told I can either have drugs which if I start I will be on forever (possibly beta blocker but I can't remember) or an operation. When I asked when would this be necessary I was told 'at the point where it is really getting you down'!

Usually I can link to position or caffeine, but haven't given up as love coffee too much.

to sort it I usually lie flat on the floor and try and control breathing which normally gets heart back into correct rhythm.

how scarey!!! i dont smoke and can't drink caffine as i have some sort of intolarance to it. and as for drugs i am far to much of an anxious person lol always has been i would prob pass out with the fright of taking them.

I think mine is def link to worrying etc the more i do the worse they get i just learn to ignore them now, but last night i did have a good few one after another but i went to sleep and woke up and there gone for now.

x