Heart Palpitations

[Elfy]

For someone who already has health related anxiety this is a nightmare.

A couple of days ago I started feeling heart palpitations a lot more often than I normally do. A skipped beat, an extra-hard beat, the fluttery feeling... I was getting these pretty regularly. I called the doctor and have an ECG scheduled for Tuesday, I doubt it will pick anything up though since the palpitations are, ironically, irregular. Since I'm not getting any other symptoms they don't think it's an emergency.

Yesterday I had a lot less (though still more than expected) palpitations but today it seems worse again. I'm freaking out.

I know they can be caused by anxiety and there is a definite correlation between how much I'm thinking/worrying about them and how often they happen but I can't stop. Heck, it seems the liklihood of palpitations being from heart problems is actually quite low. I just don't know what to do. I'm almost always focused on my heartbeat at the moment and any deviation from the norm is sending my anxiety into orbit (which is likely CAUSING the deviation from the norm)

I don't know what I'm asking for here... Advice, reassurance, something...

[Apache Raccoon]

Probably sensible contacting a doctor, hope it isn't anything too serious.

[Little Cub Pants]

9 minutes ago, Apache Raccoon said:

Probably sensible contacting a doctor, hope it isn't anything too serious.

Hi my Little Ashy! *BIG HUGS!*??????♥️??♥️????????????♥️?

[warpiper]

If you drink caffeine, I would cut it out of your diet entirely to start. If they are doing an EKG, they have a low likelihood of catching anything, but they might put you on a Holter monitor which is a long lasting EKG. That's more likely to pick anything up. 

[DailyDi]

[~Brian~]

@Elfy

I wish you all the best:  when someone has health issues, I guess you have a "sixth sense" to tell you when something "doesn't feel right". I've done that when I don't like the way I feel, or how something makes me feel - Heart related problems are something that you should NOT mess with, and I would follow all the recommendations of your doctors/medical professionals.  In 2020, while online in the CHATROOM, I felt chest PAINS, and I called 911, and while waiting for the ambulance, I was talking to people online - I was diagnosed with Hyperventilation Syndrome, and they gave me 2 Nitros, but there was nothing serious wrong, but I DID NOT screw around with  that. because I did not want to take chances.

Good Luck Sir ***HUG***

Brian

[Elfy]

52 minutes ago, warpiper said:

If you drink caffeine, I would cut it out of your diet entirely to start. If they are doing an EKG, they have a low likelihood of catching anything, but they might put you on a Holter monitor which is a long lasting EKG. That's more likely to pick anything up. 

I don't drink caffeine at all. Pretty much all I drink is water and fruit squash (don't know if you have that in America or if it's called something else... basically fruit juice you dilute at home with water)

I had a 24-hour ECG last September which found no problems. Well, there was one point where my heart rate went very fast and then slowed down again but they contacted a cadiologist and he wasn't concerned by it.

I'm fairly sure it's being cause by the same thing that causes all my symptoms. Anxiety. I say that because the first day I felt it it was happening a lot, like every 15-20 minutes. Yesterday it happened only a few times and I felt a lot less anxious. Today I feel a little more anxious and it's happened sporadically but only really the same amount as yesterday I think.

[oznl]

8 hours ago, Elfy said:

 

I don't know what I'm asking for here... Advice, reassurance, something...

Welcome to my world!  I started to experience episodic cardiac arrhythmia in of all places, a gym (I’d set off alarms on some cardio-monitoring exercise equipment).  It took quite a while before it was finally “caught” on an ECG and then lots of things happened over a long period of time, culminating for me in open heart surgery about 10 years later.  This is because for me, it became severe over time.  For most people it does not. 

For me, I’m fixed, drug-free today (I have impressive chest scar and some horrible memories).  I am still here, I am fine BUT…  

I STILL get occasional bouts of arrhythmia.  For me, these residual arrhythmia episodes are absolutely anxiety-induced.  There is a physiological explanation as to how stress affects the heart.  A couple of negative life events (notably my COVID-induced redundancy and the associated death of my career) pitched me into arrhythmia for weeks.  Of course the worry of the prolonged re-emergence of this compounds the problem!

My GP isn’t too bothered now.  I carry a “pill in my pocket” prescription: a fast acting beta blocker to manage the (infrequent) episodes.  I think I’ve used two tablets in like six months.  I don’t count “skip beats”, they are practically normal.

For me, I know these episodic bouts of arrhythmia are not of themselves dangerous but I can well remember the sense of doom when things started going “wrong” in that department.

PM me for details if you need.  Unfortunately I have loads of lived experience with this ?

[feralfreak]

you might have low electrolytes, that can cause arrythmias, try drinking some gatorade, and if you need a monitor those things have been made so its much easier to wear, the last 2 times mom needed them there was a little thing that stuck to the skin of the chest and the other part looked like a cell phone with a holster, easy and the chest part can handle being in the shower.

[Elfy]

I had my ECG today. I didn't have any palpitations during it and as a result it all came back normal. Next step will probably be me asking to have a longer ECG (as in 24-hours or more) to pick up the problem. They're closed this evening though so it'll have to be tomorrow or soon.

[babycakes]

You may have atrial fibrillation ("afib"). Seems like a lot of people are being diagnosed with it these days. If tests reveal you do have afib there are several different levels of treatment from blood thinners to oblation.  Don't get freaked out, it can be dealt with. Just make sure you have a good cardiologist.

[~Brian~]

1 hour ago, Elfy said:

I had my ECG today. I didn't have any palpitations during it and as a result it all came back normal. Next step will probably be me asking to have a longer ECG (as in 24-hours or more) to pick up the problem. They're closed this evening though so it'll have to be tomorrow or soon.

@Elfy

I would have them do a sleep study, or some testing through the night, so that they have an idea whats going on:  If you have an ECG and they can't find anything, this is possibly due to the fact that you are not experiencing the problem when you get checked:  If they do a longer term test, they may find what they need

****HUGS*****

Good Luck!

Brian

[feralfreak]

one of those wearable monitors would be better, it would have a better chance of catching the cause when it normally happens.

[oznl]

On 6/1/2022 at 5:31 AM, babycakes said:

You may have atrial fibrillation ("afib"). Seems like a lot of people are being diagnosed with it these days. If tests reveal you do have afib there are several different levels of treatment from blood thinners to oblation.  Don't get freaked out, it can be dealt with. Just make sure you have a good cardiologist.

I believe you are right and that AFib (AF) is pretty common.  It didn't stop NASA sending Deek Slayton into space so if you must have an arrhythmia, AF isn't a bad one to pick.

The use of blood thinners (anti-coagulants) by the way doesn't actually TREAT AF at all.  It's meant to mitigate one of the risks of AF which is an increased chance of stroke (and don't freak out, we're not talking about certain-doom-stroke, it's just that AF slightly increases the chances as the irregular pumping can mean more clots forming). 

There are other meds that might stop (or at least slow) AF and if they don't work then yes, cardiac ablations may be performed.

I've been down this road...  I'm still here ?