Heart Palpitations

[ChrisnSteph]

I saw my doctor today and told him about my heart palpitations. I've had them my entire life, but lately they seem to have gotten more frequent. He did an EKG then tells me that i have PVC's and an abnormal sinus rhythm. He referred me to cardiology and I have to wear a halter monitor for 24 hours, and that I may have to take medication. Oh, and my thyroid might be low/high too, so that might cause the palpitations to be worse. He said it's usually a benign condition. Does anyone else have this sort of thing? Do you have to take medications? My mother had a minor heart attack earlier this year, so this news is a little unnerving for me!

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Hugs Steph! I have hypothyroidism and I had heart palpitations before I was put on Synthroid. That may be related. Make sure that the doctor that orders the test on your thyroid orders the detailed test - not the basic screen. I don't remember the different names of the tests but my regular doctor did the basic screen several years in a row and I was always "on the low end of normal". After years of symptoms I took myself to an Endocrinologist who did the more detailed test and gave me a complete evaluation then told me I was the poster child for hypothyroidism!!

Oh I also found that certain over the counter meds (especially Excedrin Migraine) made my heart race (supposedly from the extra caffeine).

 

[#1MMFan]

I saw my doctor today and told him about my heart palpitations. I've had them my entire life, but lately they seem to have gotten more frequent. He did an EKG then tells me that i have PVC's and an abnormal sinus rhythm.

I'm curious as to how much of this medical language you guys understand. I hear Americans use medical jargon a lot, but until my cousins started using it and I realised they didn't know what it meant, I always thought "Geez, Americans are so clued up on this stuff"!! Did the doc explain this, or did you already know or what?

 

[poohandwendy]

Yes, I actually have experienced exactly what you are describing (although the tests on my thyroid showed no problems).

I was diagnosed with PSVTs (paroximal supraventricular tachycardia) at the age of 34 when I decided to give blood and all of the technicians in the Red Cross donor van thing couldn't get a regular heartbeat. Funny thing is that I was used to my heart beat being like that, it had been that way for YEARS...I think since I was a teen, at least.

I ended up going to the ER to get it checked out because they told me it was NOT normal...and holy cow, I was admitted for 5 days! It took time for them to run tests and get it regulated by medication.

Long story short, after 10 different medications, MANY holter monitors and 3 hospital admissions over 1 year, I finally opted to have the radio frequency catheter ablation procedure. It ended up that they were able to cauterize 4-5 different 'trouble spots' in my heart, but 1 spot was too close to the sinus node and they left it alone (because if they missed and burnt my SN, I would have ended up with a pacemaker forever, which I did not want if I could avoid it)

So now, I have periods where I will go into PSVTs, but not very often...nothing like pre-ablation. And I am on no medications.

If you have ANY questions at all, please send me a pm or ask here, I will check back. It is scary when you are first diagnosed because it's your heart!!! But, it can be managed with medication for the most part and as you doctor said, it is usually benign (mine is). The only thing is that each medicine has a different set of side effects. And sometimes what works now, will not work later. It's a real balancing act.

Also, I highly recommend your seeing an Electrophysiologist (EP), if possible. Especially if medications have a hard time 'curing' you. A cardiologist specializes in the plumbing of the heart...an EP is a cardiologist who specializes in the electrical system of the heart. You need an electrician, LOL.

I am sure you have tons of questions and I could go on and on...just let me know what you are interested in knowing. Good luck, it's not that bad!

 

[poohandwendy]

I'm curious as to how much of this medical language you guys understand. I hear Americans use medical jargon a lot, but until my cousins started using it and I realised they didn't know what it meant, I always thought "Geez, Americans are so clued up on this stuff"!! Did the doc explain this, or did you already know or what?

Oh, you learn when you need too, LOL. I didn't know anything about any of this until I was diagnosed and wanted to know exactly what I was dealing with.

 

[arminnie]

Also, I highly recommend your seeing an Electrophysiologist (EP), if possible. Especially if medications have a hard time 'curing' you. A cardiologist specializes in the plumbing of the heart...an EP is a cardiologist who specializes in the electrical system of the heart. You need an electrician, LOL.

I also recommend that "electrician" - Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology are the words you should look for.

Exactly 10 years ago I was having trouble exercising - I've exercised my entire life and I just felt like I couldn't do it anymore. I'd leave in the middle of a step class.

I asked my internist about when a stress test was necessary - there's a lot of heart disease in my family and one of my cousins had his first heart attack at 37. My doctor said that she doubted that I needed one yet, but she would schedule one for me anyway.

So I go across the street for my stress test - after about a minute they suddenly stopped the test and sent me into a room to wait for the doctor. This is where I was lucky. I was at the lab of one of the best Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology specialists in the country. (I didn't know that at the time).

It scared me to death! Mine is the kind that when stressed my heart will skip every other beat - that's why I would just have to stop exercising. But I did discover that mine was not the kind that people drop dead of - when the heart goes "wild" and beats itself to death.

I was diagnosed with asthma a couple of months later. Keeping the asthma under control and taking medication seems to do the trick for me. Now that I know what asthma feel like I realize that I've had it for decades. I thought that's what it was supposed to feel like when you exercised!

My asthma is primarily exercised induced (although reflux will affect it also). Allergens don't really affect it - unlike most people.

The heart and lung functions are very connected so it's not unusual for one to affect the other.

I've had a couple of friends who've had the electrical fix that Wendy had. It's really not that bad, but you probably won't even need it.

 

[Blondie]

I have benign palpitations, have had them for as long as I can remember now.

It was getting to the point where I was having them so often that I was getting scared, so I scheduled an appt. with my PCP who did an EKG in the office and a bunch of lab work--all of which came out normal. He told me that being anemic and dehydrated can be the cause of some palpitations. I've found that when I don't drink enough water during the day I'll have them.

He also referred me to a cardiologist of my choosing for a Nuclear Stress Test which also came out normal.

So....I just have to live with them I guess.

 

[agotta]

I have had heart palpatations for years now. I had them checked out when I was 18 because my mom has Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome and I wanted to make sure it wasn't more serious in my case. I get them everyone once in a while. The doctor put me on Atenelol for my migraines and for the first couple weeks, the palpitations got worse, but they seem to have calmed down now.

 

[TxJasmine]

I have PVCs. I first started getting palpitations when I was pregnant with my second child. Then they went away for a few years. About 3 years ago, they came back. It was so bad that I couldn't even walk up a flight of stairs, and when I would walk down the hallways at work, I would have to grab on to the walls to keep from passing out.

My regular doctor did an EKG and there was nothing even remotely regular about it. He referred me to a cardiologist who said that I had PVC and was skipping every 4th beat. He put me on beta blockers and after trying different ones, I am now on Atenolol which is really a blood pressure medication. I call it the miracle drug because it changed my life. I'm not 100% better, because I still have moments where I have palpitations. But it's nothing compared to what it used to be. I am doing so much better that the cardiologist doesn't even want to see my for 2 years!

Good luck to you! I hope you can find a medication or treatment that will work for you.

 

[Poohgirl]

I have PVC's too. They were first noticed during an EEG for my head. I was then sent to the cardiologist and put through every test in the book. Although I was having (and still do) an abnormally large amount per minute, I was actually given a clear bill of health otherwise. Benign condition. No meds etc. Best of luck, don't worry too much there are several of us that live with it every day without further heart problems. Take care...

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I'm curious as to how much of this medical language you guys understand. I hear Americans use medical jargon a lot, but until my cousins started using it and I realised they didn't know what it meant, I always thought "Geez, Americans are so clued up on this stuff"!! Did the doc explain this, or did you already know or what?

I understand it completely. Not only did the doctor explain it to me, but my dh is a paramedic who teaches 12 leads, I have an EMT cert, and I've dealt with more medical issues with my children than I would have liked. So I already had a basic knowledge of the heart and how it works. It's really not that difficult to understand! Plus with the internet, you can teach yourself just about anything!

 

[luvwinnie]

Just wondering how you are doing now?

 

[SeeDisney]

Chris,

How are you doing now??

I've been experiencing heart palipations for the past three days now. I don't drink anything with caffiene or taking meds. I'm not overwieght either nor do I have any stress. But I could be excerising more.

I have an app't with the doctor in about week and a half but I may want to see a doctor sooner.

At first I was freaked out about this issue and annoyance, but after doing the search and reading everyone's posts, I'm feeling more at ease.

 

[mrFDNY]

hi,
PVC's can be caused by many different things moslty all are nothing to be worried about.but go get the test done!!first do you intake alot of caffine??coffee,soda,choclate?second dehydration will cause your body to throw a pvc.a very high percentage of people suffer from dehydration all the time and are not even aware they are not drinking enough water.stress will sometimes cause this too,when your stressed out your body will prodouce a certain chemical that causes pvc's. good luck and try not to worry about it,i know easier said than done!!

 

[ChrisnSteph]

Just wondering how you are doing now?

I still have them frequently, but laying off the caffeine does seem to help a little. My doctor's nurse dropped the ball on processing my referral to cardiology, so it'll be a couple more weeks before they can see me. I try not to worry too much because I get stressed and anxious, and that makes them worse! I'll let y'all know how my tests turn out. Thanks for asking!

 

[minkydog]

My husband developed mitral valve prolapse, which causes palpitations. The his thyroid began to fail so it made the palpitations much worse. Getting him on synthroid really made a big difference.

I hope they get to the bottom of it soon. It's so worrisome when your body doesn't work right or starts doing weird stuff

 

[eclectics]

I have had heart palpatations for years now. I had them checked out when I was 18 because my mom has Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome and I wanted to make sure it wasn't more serious in my case. I get them everyone once in a while. The doctor put me on Atenelol for my migraines and for the first couple weeks, the palpitations got worse, but they seem to have calmed down now.

I take atenelol also. I have a skipped beat so I would get palpitations as the heart made up for lost time! Very uncomfortable feeling. Medication works well. Most likey due to a small heart murmur I have. Nothing to worry about, I was told.

 

[LaLa]

Just wondering...what exactly does a palpitation feel like to you?

The reason I ask is b/c I have what I think is palpitations from time to time, nothing really frequent or consistent, but it is kind of scary. What I have noticed is that when I am overly tired or have drank a few too many Diet Cokes lately, that I have them.

Just told DH about it yesterday and he thinks I should be checked out, just to be on the safe side.

 

[elgerber]

I do not have the thyroid issue, but I do have benign PVC's. They had scared me for years, and I have had to do the holter monitor twice. After the last time, they sent me to a cardiologist. He said the same thing my family docs had been telling me for years. They are benign and not dangerous. I have tried several medications, but none of them helped. What they did do was drastically lower my blood pressure which the cardiologist said may actually make them worse. He took me off the meds asked me to wait a week and see if they got worse without them. They did not, so he just took me off the meds permanently. I just have to deal with them now. Most of the time I don't worry about them anymore.

 

[Cass]

What do heart palpatations feel like, exactly?