Palpitations

[LegoTherapy]

I had them in pregnancy and now I've hit perimenopause (ongoing for about 7 years I think) in the last couple of months I've been having random episodes of palpitations and tachycardia at rest. I was sent to A&E but bloods ok, BP ok. I'm waiting to be seen by cardiology. ECGs have been ok. I have high blood pressure (genetic and stress the GP thinks) but it is well controlled on a low dose medication. I use vagifem for VA. Periods are all over the place. Endometriosis pains are worse.

Is this another joy of perimenopause? It's making me anxious. I'm otherwise fit and healthy, slim, lots of cardio exercise, eat well, don't drink or smoke.

I'm surprised you are being seen by cardiology if your ecg, bloods and BP are all OK?

I don't mean that to alarm you, but when I went to A and E with palpations I had slightly raised cardiac distress markers in the blood test and even then I had to wait to be seen by medical team before seeing cardiology the next day.

Did they say why they think you need to be seen by cardiology?

Normally you would be discharged if your ecg, bloods and BP (and possibly chest xray) were all fine and your only symptom was palpations is what I mean... maybe they are just really thorough which is of course great.

Sorry have I misunderstood and you have been referred to a cardiologist as an outpatient? Apologies

What was your ferritin/iron levels? They can still be low even within ‘normal’ levels. My anaemia caused heart palpitations as well as breathlessness. I also had them in pregnancies and getting them again now in Peri.

Palpitations here... Had heart tests and all good. Stress related cardiologist diagnosed.

I had palpatations and atrial fibrillation at the start of peri, had all the tests and heart was fine. I've been on beta blockers for 5 years now and that seems to manage it well.

I agree about the ferritin, my levels were technically normal but I was so low in the range. After a few months the palpitations were hugely reduced. After 5 months I have almost none, in fact the only time I really get them now if if I eat something quickly that has lots of sugar and flour in it, then I get a little flutter. But the days of having a whole day of thundering palpitations have, thankfully, stopped. I had been on HRT prior to going on the iron but the HRT didn’t fully stop them, just took the edge off.

@LegoTherapy Palpitations are common in peri.

HRT can help as long as you use transdermal estrogen.

Also some types of progesterone like Utrogestan can lower blood pressure.
Transdermal estrogen used within 10 years of menopause also lowers risks of heart disease.

It's worth talking to a menopause specialist on this.
If your BP is controlled there is probably no reason why you can't have HRT.

Sorry, I should have explained better. I'd had a nasty virus/infection and had been on antibiotics and steroids for my chest and sinuses a few weeks prior to having traumatic dental treatment and then had sudden onset severe pain in all my teeth when walking quickly uphill. It was definitely my teeth and not my jaw but my chest has continued to feel not quite right since that infection-a bit achey.. I'd also been having more palpitations than normal. The GP gave me a GTN spray to use if I had the pain again and referred me to the rapid access chest pain clinic. I've never had that pain again but developed random fast heart rate/palpitations that lasted a few hours and 111 sent an ambulance. ECG was ok, bloods ok. I've had a chest xray done and am waiting for an appointment. I felt perfectly well the whole time and the GP does not think it's cardiac but the whole thing has given me anxiety every time my heart speeds up incase it goes really fast and lasts for hours again.
I'll check my bloods but the last I knew my ferritin had come up from something like 8 to 70. All other bloods ok.
I thought maybe it's likely to be menopause related and that maybe I should see about HRT. I'm intolerant to any progesterone due to severe headaches and mood changes. Awful experiences with it as part treatment for endometriosis with HRT and also the mini pill. Evil stuff and made me evil too.
I missed a lot out, sorry.
Does any of that sound familiar?

I know you said you had bloods done but did they check thyroid? I've got hyperthyroidism but it wasn't found until it caused an embolism in Jan and I still felt terrible in March. I've had "anxiety" for years thinking the racing heart was the physical symptoms but actually now think it was thyroid. Only really noticed when began loosing weight after the embolism when I was meant to be "completely healthy" - made them test bloods when I lost so much weight all my cellulite went (yay but for bony bum) and there it is. Worth making sure T3 and T4 levels are OK. Also check B12 as that can cause a multitude of issues if you have a deficiency that are quite similar to thyroid issues (I had it alongside, fun times!).

I was managing to cope with the hot flushes, lack of sleep, brain fog but palpadations and a general sense of wooziness was the thing that pushed me to go on HRT. I had an ecg and blood tests to rule out anything else first.

My palpitations were caused by low ferritin, so get that checked.