Heart Palpitations

wonderwoman

wonderwoman

Cathlete
I usually have them everyday. It doesnt last very long but it just feels really weird. Does anybody have experience with them?
 
I have them, too. I have mentioned them to my doctor, who seems to think that it's nothing to worry about. But, since I'm almost 57, & my mother has 2stents in her heart, it tends to make me worry. I've found that if I cough, it helps. How old are you? Have you mentioned them to your doctor?
 
No I have not mentioned it to my doctor. I've read many article's on it and the majority of them say it usually nothing to worry about. I'm 37 years old and have always had them but not as much. I noticed that since I've been drinking more wine these days and now have 2 smaller girls at home it's been more frequently. I read that alcohol and stress can cause them. At least it's good stress :) I dont have any family history of heart disease so who knows!
 
I agree with the alcohol & stress part, and with me, it was beer, so I quit drinking that years ago. Mine started when I was in my 20's. Scared the crap out of me! I'd be interested to hear what other peoples' experiences have been. I'm sure we're not the only ones!
 
Hi girls,

I am an ER nurse, not a physician. I will tell you that we see a lot of young, healthy people with what is called PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) which are usually benign in nature. However, with that being said, it's never a bad idea to get a baseline EKG done of your heart's electrical activity and maybe ask to wear a Holter monitor, which monitors your heart's rhythm for 24 hours (or longer depending on the doc). Just thought I would help you out here.

Becky
 
I also have experienced heart palpitations, and stress was definitely the trigger (also too much caffeine). Stress has such a negative impact on my body in so many ways. Thank heavens exercise is the cure for me.
Sherry
 
becky2500 said:
Hi girls,

I am an ER nurse, not a physician. I will tell you that we see a lot of young, healthy people with what is called PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) which are usually benign in nature. However, with that being said, it's never a bad idea to get a baseline EKG done of your heart's electrical activity and maybe ask to wear a Holter monitor, which monitors your heart's rhythm for 24 hours (or longer depending on the doc). Just thought I would help you out here.

Becky
Click to expand...

This is very good advice. I happened to have the baseline EKG done - mostly because of anxiety. I was only 46 when I had it done. Everything was okay, but now I have a baseline on file I guess. It probably is due to stress - last week I had to see my beautiful 28 year old niece buried. It was so upsetting - I had heart palpitations for two days.

Check it out. You're never too young to die unfortunately!
 
I have them sometimes. Hoping to get a general check up in the up coming months... sometimes right after my chest feels sore inside; like I need an ice cold glass of water to sooth it a bit, but it still worries me.
 
I have had them pretty regularly...and more so in the last 5 years because of just the stressful situation in our lives. I have had the EKG, Holter monitor, ecco cardiogram, and xrays of my chest.... and the doctors say I am fine, my heart is fine....sometimes though the palpitations last a really long time and that can be scary...so I have some blood pressure med that is supposed to help it. I only take it when they are extended.

The thing is that when I am really anxious and stressed they are really bad. Also I completely avoid any caffeine...No diet pepsi or coffee unless decaf...because that certainly aggravates it. Also I just completely have to watch my stress and nerves and when I feel I am getting nervous or stressed...just breathe... Also, I find that if I am dehydrated it can aggravate it or if I have a lot of sugar.... Also alcohol is a huge NO - NO. I have also found that intense exercise when I am over-tired and over-stressed can trigger it... So adequate rest, nutrition, and learning how to cope with life's stresses is totally mandatory if this is part of your life....However, exercise is very important to keep the heart muscle strong AND to battle the stress....the stronger the heart muscle, the better with this issue. I know this may sound really involved, but it is something that I have had to learn to live with and manage...

Part of my problem is that my heart has extra "wires" that stimulates my heart...which is very common and does not bother some people even though they have them...so what some people have done is to have a procedure where the doc goes in through a vessel in the groin up to the heart muscle and cauterizes these extra stimulus "wires" which stimulates the heart...I forgot what the procedure is called, but from what I understand it is very common. My husband's cousin had this done and it was effective.
I have not chosen to do this though.

I hope this info helps.
 
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Any kind of alcohol seems to get these going for me sometimes, and extremely heavy meals particularly if I eat dessert with them do it. I read about dealing with the palpiations caused by big meals, and it seemed to help for me whether it alcohol drives or large meal caused, drink water, drink green tea, and I think the best trick for me is to take 1 aspirin too. That combo gets things back to normal for me.
 
I've had heart palpitations regularly for years. I went to the ER in July for this reason. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong. I discovered on my own that I was slightly dehydrated. I had been having them consistently for about a week after my trip to the ER until one day I decided to drink alot of water to see if that would help and it did. They went away. After that, I searched internet for signs of dehydration and heart palpitations was one of the symptoms. I hadn't had them since then because now I stay well hydrated. Now looking back, I see that they would always start after working out harder and longer than usual and also in the summertime when I spend alot of time outside. I realize now that during those times, I also have to drink more water than usual. Drink lots of water.
 
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Although I don't have anything new to add, I do also have regular heart palpitations. I'm 50 and I've been having them for years. I also had it checked out and the Dr. essentially laughed at me for being there, jerk. But he did a chest x-ray and EKG to rest my fears and everything was normal. However, an EKG only checks your heart rate for the 1 minute it takes to run the test. If you don't have a palpitation during that 1 minute then of course it doesn't show anything. He offered the holter monitor, but because he was laughing at me I declined. I should have died the next day to show him huh, lol. Obviously jk! Sometimes is feels like my heart skips a couple beats and then when it restarts it beats hard and fast for a few beats and then gets back in its normal pace. I'm sure my problem is one of the valves stays open too long. But it is scary and one day I may go have it checked out again.
 
This has been good information for me. I too suffer from irregular heart beat. In recent months I've experienced irregular beats, slight pressure, and some warmth in the upper left chest area. My doc did send me to a cardiologist that ran EKG, 24 monitor, then a nuclear stress test. The first two were normal. The second test showed a slight change when they asked me to run on the tread mill. That doc said that if I were a man he'd say my heart was fine, but women are a bit more complicated. The final outcome was that my heart pictures were fine and the cardiologist chalked it up to.....stress or anxiety! My stress is what I consider normal stress...anxiety? About what? sheeesh!

Just yesterday I could feel warmth and very slight pressure in the same area again. I also had some heart palpitations when at dinner with my hubby. I coughed and it made me think of this thread. :eek:

My cholesterol fluctuates, I'm taking a baby aspirin every day, and I work out 6 days per week and I'm 52 yrs old.

I'm glad I'm not alone experiening this. thanks for the company and validating its not in my head!!

Carmen.
 
Dela,

You might want to do some research on Gastric Reflux Disease. The fact that you are feeling these symptoms after a heavy meal or rich dessert goes hand-in-hand with Reflux. The "fluttering" or spasms of the diaphram can mimic the feel of a heart palpitation.

I have a mild hiatal hernia and when it is "acting-up" I suffer from Reflux it does feel like extra heart beats.



Debbie Russo
 
Thanks Debbie. I probably do have something going on with the reflux, for a while thought it might even be an ulcer. I don't like the medications associated with helping with reflux, but did find these licorice pills that I chew sometimes, they actually seemed to clear up whatever it was that made me feel like I had an ulcer. Alcohol is a definite culprit for the palpitations for me too.
 
great advice here - will only add - could be a condition like A-fib - usually not a health risk .. but if it is A-fib and continuous could contribute to a higher stroke risk ..

may also want your thyroid levels check - hyper thyroidism (sometimes hypo too) one big symptom is heart palpitations (also higher body temps, tremors, weight loss ..etc) .. thyroid levels usually are not checked in your yearly blood work ..

STRESS tho .. man it does do so much to the body!!! Good luck!! Hope is is nothing to worry about -
 
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