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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Heart "palpitations"

18 replies

JessieMcJessie · 03/02/2016 07:59

I'm 10 weeks today and am becoming more and more aware of what feels like my heart beating oddly, like it speeds up and then skips a beat every now and again. Notice it most when I'm resting but is fairly frequent all day. It's not an unfamiliar sensation, I have felt similar on and off for years, probably from too much caffeine or a hangover.

I know that the volume of blood in the body increases buy up to 50% during pregnancy so the heart has to work harder, but am starting to worry that mine has a problem and isn't coping....

Mentioned to the midwife at my booking in yesterday and she didn't listen to it or anything ( and didn't mention the blood increase thing) just suggested I ask the consultant when I see him/her at 16 weeks. I am seeing consultant as a precaution as I am over 40 but have no health issues or unusual pregnancy risk factors.

Has anyone else had this and been reassured by a doctor? If I went to the nurse at my GP would she be able to listen and pick up anything odd? I am reluctant to waste GP time over something that's probably normal.

OP posts:

MadrigalElectromotive · 03/02/2016 08:02

I had this in the first trimester and my gp listened to my heart and was totally unconcerned. He said it was a normal part of pregnancy. I found it pretty terrifying though! It has settled down now and everything feels normal again so hopefully the same will happen for you.

superking · 03/02/2016 08:06

I had exactly the same, have always had some level of palpitations but they really picked up during pregnancy. I went to the GP, he wasn't overly concerned as it is quite normal in pregnancy for the reasons you mention. He did a blood test and ECG which both came back clear. Gave me the option of referral to a cardiologist but we agreed it wasn't necessary and we would just keep an eye on the situation. I'm 23 weeks now and they have become less frequent again.

So sounds very normal but do see your GP if you're worried.

Gunting · 03/02/2016 08:06

Do you have low iron? I had this due to anaemia

PhilPhilConnors · 03/02/2016 08:10

I had this with dc4, no-one was concerned, but following a recommendation here, I started to have spatone every day, which helped.
I think it was linked to iron levels, which were lowish but not low enough for concern.

Original poster

JessieMcJessie · 03/02/2016 08:12

Thanks! Your stories are reassuring. I've never had iron problems before and take pregnancare and eat lots of leafy greens, but hopefully any probs will be picked up in the bloods the midwife took yesterday.

OP posts:

madsaz76 · 03/02/2016 09:10

It sounds to me like you have ventricular ectopics. Essentially any cell in your heart can orginate a beat but usually the beats come from the sijoatrial node and conduct. Occasionally another cell gets in on the act and starts a beat. This one is usually a bit premature so there's a tiny gap and normal service is resumed.

They are extremely common and harmless - you can even take it as a sign your heart has a back up. Not everyone who has them is aware of them. It's likely that as your cardiac output increases you will become more aware of them as the gapplication is perceived as a thump and if you are doing that with 500ml more blood volume it will be stronger.

I would expect a midwife to know a lot about it. If it is making you anxious see you GP. an ECG would diagnose very quickly (provided it happens while wired up) however in the absence of other symptoms you ate unlikely to need anything else doing if BP ok and no collapses etc.

You can take beta blockers to reduce awareness - but as it's not harmful I wouldn't for this condition.

Original poster

JessieMcJessie · 03/02/2016 10:06

Interesting madsaz, thanks. BP all good, I have never had anything but an "absolutely fine" reading in my life and it has been taken countless times so that's reassuring.

I think I might have a chat to the GP anyway though.

OP posts:

bunnyrabbit93 · 03/02/2016 10:14

I would go to the gp to put your mind at ease. I had a overactive thyroid and that makes my heart palpitate but when preg your heart works harder cause you have more blood anyways

Cassie2015 · 10/02/2016 19:09

Interesting :)

Does this carry on when the baby is born though....??

Missingcaffeine · 10/02/2016 20:30

I had quite severe palpitations in the final trimester of my first pregnancy which terrified me when they came. I had tests including a 24 hour ECG and nothing of concern was found - it was just a harmless pregnancy thing that some women experience.
Having said that, there are a few treatable things that can trigger palpitations in pregnancy. These including anaemia and abnormal thyroid function, both of which are more common in pregnancy. Undiagnosed cardiac problems can also become noticeable for the first time with the increased workload of the heart, so it is always worth getting checked. Your GP is probably the best person to see.
Don't rule out anaemia either just because your diet is good and you are taking vitamins - I was slightly anaemic in the first trimester of my first pregnancy despite eating the right things and taking pregnacare.

gunting · 10/02/2016 20:33

The heart palpitations I had were pretty much confined to the first trimester maybe slightly into the second

Luckygirlcharlie · 10/02/2016 22:05

I have palpitations whenever I have braxton Hicks. Had it last time too. Had an ecg in last pg and all normal.

emami · 12/03/2016 22:57

Recommended for those who have already done thorough testing of the heart. use finger touch of salt before and after meal + 0.25 mg of Lorazepam nightly + stop heavy jobs + stay away from heat + try good sleep + Tranquility + healthy nutrition+ quit smoking completely.good luck

rew0077 · 12/03/2016 23:34

If a manage to get a GP to prescribe lorazepam I'd be amazed! Not something to take regularly or lightly.
If the palpitations last longer than 15-30 mins, you feel faint or nauseous please do get them checked out.

emami · 16/03/2016 06:48

I had palpitations not more than one minute. I have done thorough testing of the my heart (ECG at rest and while exercising (stress ECG), 48 hours Holter monitoring and Echocardiogram, the results all were normal. But still I had heart palpitations. I have monitored my heart palpitations for the past 2 years, and the following are the results:
0.25 mg of Lorazepam nightly (only for two weeks) + stop heavy jobs + stop bending + stay away from heat + try good sleep + tranquility + healthy nutrition + quit smoking completely (I was smoking only 2-3 cigarette/week). But still I had palpitations while I was walking uphill. Accidentally I found out adding salt to my food specially using finger touch of salt before and after the meals. Now I can walk uphill for 2 hours and everything is OK. good luck

FifiRebel · 16/03/2016 06:56

I had this in first trimester. I suffer from anxiety so found this very upsetting / convinced myself it was something more serious. It passed in a few weeks.

Cassie2015 · 16/03/2016 18:25

Had an ECG and a heart monitor at home for a couple of days so I could record the episods. Turns out the beats do originate in the right place so it is what they call sinus rhythm however when I do have episods of palpitations, you could clearly see on the recordings that the time between each beat was sometimes long and sometimes short. Dr said that when the beat takes a while to come, it will feel stronger because the heart is compensating. He is not worried but it does happen to me every day, especially when going to bed at night. I also find it takes a while for my heart to settle back down after I have just gone from sitting to standing position and I can get a little breathless. I spent so many months on cardiac wards with my baby boy that I am worried the GP is not specialised enough to actually confirm if there is an issue or not... I love him but compared to the cardiac nurses I basically lived with, I'm just not sure......

emami · 05/04/2016 21:00

I had Heart palpitations for 2 years. I have found out that is due to no salt diet. since I have added salt to my diet it seems I am OK. salt could keep blood pressure from falling, I think low blood pressure could cause Heart palpitations.

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