We have already covered the definition of heart palpitations in the last post, so now would be a good time to talk about the causes of our heart palpitations. Knowing what may be causing our heart palpitations goes a long way to figuring out what will help manage or cure them.
Photo Credit: Justin Visser
This is where I made a big mistake. When I first got heart palpitations, I panicked. I went to the ER where they did some basic tests and found nothing wrong. I went straight home and googled “how to cure heart palpitations.” But I had skipped a step. I was looking for a cure without knowing the cause. It was like having a broken down car and googling “how to start a car that won’t work.” There are a number of reasons a heart will palpitate. Not every situation is the same and trying each possible solution is time consuming and potentially can make matters worse. So before we go into the possible cures for heart palpitations, it’s important to understand the different causes of heart palpitations.
Generally the causes of heart palpitations can be grouped into six main categories:
- An Electrolyte Deficiency, Imbalance, or Disorder. Electrolytes refer to minerals in our body that include: calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium. If any of these minerals get off balance (too much or too little) then our body is negatively affected and our heart can get off rhythm (i.e heart palpitations)
- An overactive thyroid (Hyperthyroidism) – This is where your thyroid gland produces too much of the thyroid hormone, which accelerates your body’s metabolism resulting in a rapid or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, or irritability.
- An over stimulation of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. These nerves control and regulate our internal organs and glands (particularly the functions of digestion, defecation, urination, salivation, and sexual arousal.) Inappropriate stimulation of these nerves (particularly the Vagus Nerve which runs through the stomach and heart) can be caused by:
- Stress and Anxiety, which elevates the levels of Cortisol in the body (Cortisol supports a variety of cardiovascular functions in our body).
- Gastrointestinal distress such as bloating, indigestion, or acid reflux
- Alkaline Deficiency
- Muscular imbalances and/or poor posture, which can also irritate the vagus nerve
- An over-activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System (The fight or flight nerves) – This over stimulation can be the result of many things but often by:
- Panic Disorders
- Hypoglycemia
- Thypoxia
- Antihistamines
- Mitral valve prolapse
- An increase in circulatory volume (Hyperdynamic Circulation). There are a number of causes for increased circulatory volume, but the main causes are
- Strenuous Exercise
- Anemia
- Pregnancy
- A cardiac dysrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat). We discussed the difference between an irregular heartbeat and palpitations last post, but by way of a reminder: an irregular heartbeat can cause heart palpitations, but obviously not all palpitations are caused by an irregular heartbeat. Some types of dysrhythmias include: premature atrial contractions (PACs), premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation.
For me, it was difficult to diagnose the cause of my heart palpitations. I was in denial about my anxiety and stress, and I never put much thought into what I ate or how I sat at my desk at work. So I finally narrowed it down to a few things by process of elimination.
So what about you? What do you think is the cause of your heart palpitations?
First of all, thank you for this blog. I just found it while having another episode or constant palpitations. I’m restraining myself from googling too much but am grateful that I have come across your blog!
Long story short, I’ve had this for a few years now (I’m 29 with 3 kids) and I can’t narrow it down to one (or a couple) thing. Sometimes I get a long break, couple of months, then it’s back with a vengeance 🙁
I have noticed however, that sometimes it gets much worse about a week before my period. Doctors don’t even want to listen to it and brush it off as anxiety. But I have read somewhere that it could be hormone related as well!
I don’t have an overactive thyroid, I’m a healthy person, however at the latest visit to the cardiologist he said he could see a leaky valve. He said it was very tiny and just needs to be monitored. Obviously it doesn’t help my anxiety at all 🙂 Just sitting here, trying to keep in mind that apparently “it’s not going to kill you but you might need a surgery at some stage”. Frightening much? I think so…
Morrigan, thank you for sharing your story! Sorry to hear that you continue to have to battle heart palpitations. Having three kids can be stressful, but I agree with you and believe that hormones can play a significant role as well. I think that when hormones are off balance people can be prone to anxiety which leads heart palpitations if not directly causing them as well. It sounds like you are doing the right thing by staying in touch with your doctor and having everything monitored. Hang in there!
Omg my drs tell me the same ANXIETY, it’s hard to control when your heart is pounding out of your chest and my legs are shaking
Hi Donna
Wow. Me too. Same age, periods all over the place, MVP with slight regurgitation, pvcs, and other palps. Suffering for the last 7 or 8 years. Now I got anxiety and panic attacks and I am hooked on anti anxiety meds. Hate that! Trying to get off is a nightmare, I even think I have small seizures! Anyway, what seems to be helping at the moment is magnesium (without B vitamins) and iron. Fingers crossed. I believe raging hormones must be to blame at least partly. I cannot wait to be over menapause. My life sucks right now. Good luck, keep posting. We all need not to feel alone.
You cunt
I found the troll!
I’m pretty sure two of these are the cause for me, this is awesome information! 🙂
I seem to get more around my period too. It can be a pain, because I already don’t feel well and then we get this on top of it. I’m thinking of getting checked for MVP. I’m currently on a heart monitor for a month to make sure its not an underlying heart issue. Its good to have people to talk to about this.
Thanks for this blog. I have been getting heart palpitations that last for several hours every couple of days for the past month. When they continue through the night it keeps me from sleeping, so I am missing a lot of work. No matter what time of day they occur, they make me tired. I wish I knew what is causing them. My doctor doesn’t think it’s anxiety, overactive thyroid, electrolyte imbalance, or hormone changes of menopause, and I consume very little caffeine. She sent me to a cardiologist, and I have tests scheduled for next week, so maybe something will show up. I just want this to stop because it’s interfering with my life!
Theamari, thanks for sharing! I hope your visit with the cardiologist goes well. Be sure to come back and let us know how you are doing. Few things are worse than being up all night with heart palpitations. Lack of sleep only compounds the problem and things seem to snowball. Hang in there though. I have been there and while it may seem like nothing will ever change, it can. All the best!
hello my name is ash ..I was just wondering if your doctor came up with a solution ..I am suffering the same way ..I need help ASAP …this is not how I want to live my life at all
hi ..what was wrong with you ?
I’ll take door number 3 and 4 above! Never heard of the Vagus nerve before but the whole posture / gastro thing makes perfect sense to my symptoms. If I try to do crunches or bend over too much my heart goes bezerk. More research warranted on that for sure. Thanks for such a great site. I’ve been dealing with these for years and years and, even with a clean bill of health heart-wise, they still pack a whollop of adrenaline and anxiety for me. I’ve gone so far as to yell out in anger and even punch my chest in frustration….not smart nor something I’m proud of but I’m sure people get it if they have them bad enough. Such a dibilitating condition…anyway, off to read more posts and hopefully learn more!
I know how you feel. I have cried and hit my chest. They come back with a vengence. I pray to God….
So it’s not just me…
I get heart pounding myself when I do crunches or just bend down to reach something at my feet. It didn’t make any sense to me as I’m in good shape and haven’t had this problem when doing cardio at the gym. At least it’s comforting to know that I’m not the only one. Something to mention to the doctor.
Sexual arousal or anxiety also brings on palpitations but I’m an anxious person in general so I don’t know when it’s the anxiety producing symptoms or when it’s something else.
All tests done before said I was fine but it’s maddening to get these because you feel helpless since you can’t fix the problem.
Hi I found out that if they happen a lot when you bend over you may have a hiatal hernia or some other digestive problem. Maybe ask your doc about it.
Oh that is so interesting I wonder why…..I have digestive problems and hernia and I always get them when I bend over. I’m so ecstatic to have found this website…I had no idea so many people are stricken with this abnormality. It definitely ruins your life but do feel better after reading all these posts! Great support.
It is very scary. To feel completely helpless. When the doctors don’t find anything it just makes it scarier. I rather it be something so I know there’s a reason. But I’ve had it for 5 years and I’ll go months at a time with out any, then there’s times I get a bad case of it that last all day even for a couple of days and I’ll feel lifeless and dizzy. I just hate that in uncontrollable feeling. I feel so alone at times. And I don’t drink or so drugs or intake caffeine..
omg I am so sorry I am so sick of it …please email me ..I think it would be nice to talk to someone and we can with the help of each other try to figure it out …best of luck …I am going to my doctor tomorrow again for the 10th time
Wow I’m feeling the same started in November. Went to cardiologist had test everything normal 🙏🏻but I get these flutters everyday all day very annoying and sometimes make me tired. I don’t take any anxiety meds. I just want these to stop making me miserable 😩 Please let me know if you find a cure or reason
I know exactly how everybody feels with these palpitations I have had since in my 20s but now there worse sometimes I have them everyday all day and every other breath grr
Have you gotten any clarity as to what is happening? This is my second year in a row that I have felt the palpitations. They always come about March. Part of me thinks allergies. It’s so scary
You cunt
I have had them since I was nine or ten and finally got treated for it five years ago. I am 39. I felt good for awhile and occasionally they would act up. I do also have an anxiety disorder but I can feel calm and have them. The metoprolol never completely made them leave. In the last several days they have returned and it’s almost like I am not taking anything. They ruin my life. Going for walks helps some. I got a last minute appt. to see the cardiologist today to see what can be done-maybe a new med? I feel like dying when they get bad. Once when I had a flare up the holtor caught 500 PVCs in 24 hours. But he told me others had thousands. I bet I can have 2 or 300 at least in a 24 hour period. I try to stay busy but how can I when I am miserable? Sometimes talking even brings them on or singing, yes singing. I am afraid to now the lawn anymore because afraid it will act up. I am spiritual, that helps me cope some. I hope I will be okay. Apparently this is all benign stuff I deal with. Ultrasounds and stress tests are positive meaning all is good otherwise. So now I will have to see what happens at the doctor today. I just want to cry. Only those who have been through these palpitations, PVCs can truly know the hell it produces. Well I need to finish getting ready. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for sharing your story! I can certainly understand your frustration. I am glad we have this community here, because no one can truly understand how maddening and frustrating heart palpitations can be. Hang in there! I hope your doctor appointment went well and that your heart palpitations calmed down a bit. It is a blessing knowing that your palpitations are benign. Take comfort in that and try not to let your heart skips get you down.
Me to! I’m on an improved version of a beta blocker. It won’t lower my pressure but will stop the affect of adrenaline causing the Palpitations
What kind of beta blocker u on that’s more improved I get these palpitations it seems every March then subsides after awhile
I get them in March too! I suspect allergies? I have no idea. I get the usual anxiety run around from my PCP
Yes what beta blocker? Dr gave me one but I’m afraid to take it. I get palps hard thumps then races but I have the alive core ekg and it just says sinus tachycardia.
This is the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life …it is so sad that life can’t be enjoyed without the feeling that my poor heart palpitating because something is not right in my body …so far I visited the ER more than 10 times ..had a echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MIR done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen is low ..as of next week I will be on the pills to control my hormones to see if that’s the problem. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get them I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..we can all share info and help each other
Hi Natalie,
You wrote:
Nathalie
March 21, 2016 at 6:10 am
“Me to! I’m on an improved version of a beta blocker. It won’t lower my pressure but will stop the affect of adrenaline causing the Palpitations”
May I ask what is the name of the improved beta blocker you are on? I to suffer from severe palpitations. I’m currently on Metoprolol. I take a low dose twice daily and it seems to help, though the palps are not completely gone. I have low blood pressure already and I also have high cholesterol for which I’ve read Metoprolol can raise cholesterol. I wish I didn’t have to take any meds but if I have to I would prefer less side affects. If you don’t mind sharing the name of the beta blocker you take, I could discuss it with my doctor. I would greatly appreciate!
Thank you!
GT
Hi, Thank you so much for all the information here. I have been internet-researching this for days and I feel like I just found the magic cure(s!) I feel so peaceful knowing everything I just read. It helps so much to know I am not alone! You have done something really great here!
I have the same issues as all of you. I am 43 and have had these heart “skipping beats and flubbing around ‘ since I was a teen. Slouching in a chair can start it for me, leaving back in the bathtub, lying on my back in bed, folding laundry, bending forward, and getting upset. Sometimes I cough to stop them, bend my arms and clack my back to stop them. They make me anxious.
As a child, I had heart palpitations which started when I bent over or changed position. Several people in my family had this problem, so my mother just told me to lie down and the problem would go away. For years, this was true. Sometimes just lying down would make the problem stop. As I aged, the problem became worse. In my 40s I visited a cardiologist, wore a monitor, and was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia caused by an extra electrical pathway in my heart. A cardiac ablation cured that problem.
A few years back my problem started up again. It wasn’t quite the same, but instead of heart irregularities it was more of a pounding heartbeat. My cardiac symptoms seemed to be secondary to gastric issues with a feeling of fullness and burping. I suspected a food allergy, so I started first eliminating one food then another. Finally my dear husband suggested simply visiting an allergist. Yes, my cardiac problems were caused by a food allergy. I am allergic to nuts, mustard and shellfish. I knew about the shellfish allergy, but nuts (especially cashews) were causing my heart problem. Nut reactions can take up to 36 hours to manifest, so it wasn’t easy to catch the cause/effect. I seldom have my heart problem anymore, as long as I watch what I eat. But mustard is a little tricky to catch because it’s in so many processed foods. Keeping a food log on something like fitday may help if you suspect gastic issues…but an allergist can rule out food allergies, that are not just sensitivities, very quickly.
Menopause…
I think mine is menopause also Maggie. They just started about a week ago and will not stop. I am having PVC’s by the hundreds. Almost every other heart beat is off. But the very strange thing is that they say that the Valsalva Method will cure them….but I started doing this a lot about a week ago due to several flights and a sinus issue. I kept trying to pop my ears. Do you think the Valsalva Method may have been what set my heart off in the first place?
Good god yes! You hit the nail on the head! The reason I know this for sure is I am 42 and I have had a recurrence of these nasties for over a year now. The only other times in my life I have had the skipped heart beats are when I had each of my children – for about a year after I had each of them my heart would skip around and I thought for sure I was a goner. I have just completed another round of heart tests (ECG, echocardiogram, 48 hour holter and a stress test), all were normal with the exception of a diagnosis of benign sinus tachycardia (my heart will race for no apparent reason – even if I’m sitting watching a calm tv show) and benign PVC’s. Fun times. WTF?! It has to be hormonal…for me at least. BUT, I also notice they happen when I bend down and I think those ones might be related to gas because a few minutes later, I usually burp. It just happened this morning bending over to find my son’s gloves…they lasted a few minutes, on and off, so bloody scary!
Reading your story, is so similar to mine, I had a baby 5 months ago & my skipped beats became worse about 2 months ago, I had them occasionally before usually around the time of my cycle & a few during pregnancy, I’m currently wearing a Patient activated monitor to try & catch the irregular beats, when I get them they come in a group if I have one skipped beat closely followed by another I know I’m going to get about 15 in about 20min then I will have them off & on for a few hours, I’m extremely anxious when it happens & I constantly worry about it happening again, so much so I can’t leave the house & hate being alone, doc also said I have post natal depression, the only thing that’s causing be to be down is the palpitations, also I’m obese & want to loose weight but I’m even afraid to exercise because I worry it will trigger it off, it’s like going around in circles 😞
This is the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life …it is so sad that life can’t be enjoyed without the feeling that my poor heart palpitating because something is not right in my body …so far I visited the ER more than 10 times ..had a echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MIR done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen is low ..as of next week I will be on the pills to control my hormones to see if that’s the problem. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get them I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..we can all share info and help each other
Friend suggested this to me too. I am 45,still having regular periods, no hot flashes & no sex drive…….so how do we know if it is menopause?
I was getting really scary heart palps and tried the eliminations in my diet. After a few months I finally narrowed it down….it was my morning (and sometimes afternoon) Banana! I’ve found since cutting them out I’ve had no more palps. I also found cashews give me a few small palps.
Hello everyone.
I will not describe what I am going through as it is exactly as you all describe. Cardio tests normal, thyroid normal, no hernia. Most recently I was free for almost 7 months after having them almost daily, and here I am today in bed so tired after a horrible yesterday. But this is what I have worked out over 7 years and hope it helps someone.
I recline in my chair as I work as sitting for prolonged times tends to ‘scrunch’ the stomach and bring them on. 80% dissipated after I discovered that. Bending for a time, tension also brings them on. I have come across an Australian naturopath who says it is all to do with inadequate breathing. That would totally make sense. I purchased his pdf and will try his exercises. Its called ‘Breath easy’. You can find him on you tube too. Placing a small pillow underneath the middle of my back when lying down when they act up, sometimes makes them stop, so maybe chiro can help. Lastly, for me sugar is a huge no no. I am slim and have a very good diet but if I slip even a little, I know about it. Also wheat makes my tummy bloat and that is also a trigger. Finally, don’t know for sure yet as this is a new discovery, the amino acid Tyramine (or Trosine?) not sure, can irritate some hearts. Found in lots of food but mostly fermented food, cheese and also ripe bananas. Someone mentioned bananas. Like I said, hope some of this helps someone out there. Please keep posting if you find solutions, you know what hell it is!
Yes I have heart about Tyramine, mine is not hormone related as I had a full hysterectomy with removed ovaries six years ago. So far no palps at all since no bananas (pity because I adore them).
Jeanne
Maybe this will give you some hints: The maneuvers you mentioned are designed to ACTIVATE the vagus nerve. It’s role is to SLOW your heart. In some people an overactive vagus actually causes fainting. Like when some people faint at the sight of blood. They get anxious, heart goes fast, vagus kicks in too strongly and boom, they’re on the ground. It happens very quickly and subconsciously. So this may be of some help to people suffering from FAST heartbeat. I for one feel as if my heart actually slows down when the ectopic beats start, as if it does not have enough energy to beat. So in my case this valsalva method makes mine worse. Just a thought. With regards to hormones, I have not reached the big M yet but I am well on the way, my periods are very irregular. Funny thing, when I have a long break (low estrogen) I seem to have less palps. Hmm. Hope it will get better with the M and not worse!! My husband suggested that the cause is so hard to pin down because it may be more than one thing converging and triggering. Like hormones + stress + food sensitivity. That is why looking for one cause leads us nowhere. Maybe we should look for patterns.
This is the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life …it is so sad that life can’t be enjoyed without the feeling that my poor heart palpitating because something is not right in my body …so far I visited the ER more than 10 times ..had a echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MIR done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen is low ..as of next week I will be on the pills to control my hormones to see if that’s the problem. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get them I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..we can all share info and help each other
The pillow trick worked for me! You may be right, it could be posture problem.
Oh, I forgot. Definitely, hormone connection! Mine happen around ovulation, period and now that I am getting towards menopause… getting worse, albeit less frequent. Maybe because I apply what I wrote above. But mention THAT one to a invariably male cardiologist and you can kiss your credibility bye bye!
The primary cause for me is electrical fields associated with wifi, cell phones, wireless links, certain electrical appliances, cell phone antennas, high voltage AC electrical lines.
All the mentioned causes in this fine blog are relevant and important to note.
Sometimes our man-made electrical frequencies mess up the natural electrical conduction in the heart muscle and cause palpitations, etc.
This can be the straw that tips the balance.
So I try to minimize exposure to the above influences…challenging these days.
Good Luck!
WV
Am also having heart palpitation for the past two years now I don’t know what cause my palpitation, all I know is that I have heart palpitation and it really pisses me off
I also think it has to do with an irritated vagus nerve caused by gas as I get it often after eating. Especially if I eat before lying down. I haven’t touched a banana lately but I had a lot of pasta one night and that triggered them again. Now I chew my food slowly so I create more enzymes to break the food down. Seems to work.
Glad to have found this post and to see I’m not alone. I had my first bout of palpitations a year ago, I am 42. It seemed to trigger based on alcohol intake and caffeine. ekg was fine, but ultrasound did show a leaky valve. They said they could do a halter, but I decided to wait and see as they had pretty much gone away by the time I was seen. I cut back on alcohol and caffeine for about a month and it didn’t happen again until a year later, which was 3 weeks ago.
At the time I again had some alcohol on the weekend and had a good amount of caffeine Monday at lunch time and it started all over again.
At my annual follow up two weeks ago, the cardio doc mentioned that it could be the leaky valve and it could be alcohol/caffeine but if it only happens once a year, it would be hard to see on a halter.
So I again cut back on the alcohol and caffeine and after about 4 days it stopped. Then oddly it came back again this week without the caffeine or alcohol triggers.
It isn’t constant, but it does seem to be worse after eating and usually sitting makes it worse. Although sometimes lying down makes it worse.
This time I am making a longer term commitment to my health and am trying to completely eliminate soda/caffeine and alcohol. I will see how things go and if they continue I will keep track of exactly what I am eating and see if there are any particular good triggers as well.
Thanks for this site and I hope everyone gets relief from their palpitations. I know how scary and annoying they can be!
I am so thankful that I found this site. I started having palpitations and fast heart beats a year ago. My cardiologists said everything was fine but put me on metropolol to stop the adrenaline rush I was having. It doesn’t always help and I too found myself seaching the web continuously for cures. I have noticed that they are worse when I slouch, or lay on my side and I get indigestion all the time. I started taking high allicin garlic pills about a month ago and I’ve noticed that the palps have lessened quite a bit. One of the bad things about searching for causes is that I always say….”oh I have that on everyone of them”. I just wish they would stop….I’ve done everything everyone has….I’ve cried, screamed, pounded on my chest too…everything except howled at the moon and that may be next. I hope everyone finds relief.
Great info here guys.
I started with very mild and short chest pain a hand full of times over 3 months.
Then I was hit with worse chest pain and short of breath that lasted a few hours. So I went to hospital but was given the all clear.
That was 2 months ago. Since then I have had days with non stop polps, either in my chest, neck or stomach. And some nights with stomach pain.
My gp and a few specialists later found hemeroids, 2 small stomach ulcers and a small hiatus hernia.
I thought The hemeroids was a anal fissure for 3 months and was on metamucil for 3 months.
But out of the 2 specialists and 2 gps (I got a second opinion) only 1 gp believes the hernia is the problem.
One thinks it’s anxiety and one is now checking for food elegies. And one is honest and says he has no idea… I think none of them have any idea. Their guess is as good as mine.
I believe it’s got to do with the hernia and perhaps the long term use of metamucil giving me a lazy bowel.
Felt a little better The last day or 2. Perhaps the bland diet I am on
This is the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life …it is so sad that life can’t be enjoyed without the feeling that my poor heart palpitating because something is not right in my body …so far I visited the ER more than 10 times ..had a echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MIR done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen is low ..as of next week I will be on the pills to control my hormones to see if that’s the problem. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get them I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..we can all share info and help each other
I would say, ask your dr. to do a comprehensive stool testing, esp. H pylori. If that comes negative, test for food allergies, yes those are real. read about histamine/tyramine intolerance- a newly emerging area. I have all of these. and just to give you some relief, my symptoms are much worst than discussed here. I have been to all kind of specialist, neuro, cardio, ents what not, still having worst phase of my life, who knows what is next? Important thing is keep trying. I don’t buy anxiety/menopause story easily. you need to dig deep.
Hi.
I don’t know what I’m doing exactly, I spose I’m looking for some sort of reassurance.
I have a complicated cardiac history. Dating back 30 years. When I was a kid I had a hole in the heat repaired. During this procedure my sinus nose was damaged, and I was left with bradycardia. Which has never caused me any issues. I tolerate it well with zero symptoms.
10 years ago I had a episode of AF that was eventually cardio verted. No big deal, I understand AF is not a particularly serious thing.
But just last week, as part of my yearly medical requirements ( I am a commercial pilot) the 24 hr holter monitor picked up one single , 6 beat run of VT.
My cardiologist made an appt with an electrophsiologist for me and got his secretary to call me and let me know.
So of course I’m stressing my ass off now.
I did the same thing everybody does, and googled VT. so now I’m convinced I’m dieing ! I guess my question is, does anyone know how likely short lived self terminating VT is to deteriorate into full blown Vt and kill me? I’m so scared at the moment:(( any help greatly appreciated.:(
It brakes my heart to hear your scared of dien. I have these same fears too. Heart palpitations are so scary. Have you found any relief? How are you?
I’ve had 2 ablations. It usually takes two or three. First didn’t work, the second was great two week recovery and worked for 4 months. Then out of nowhere, two episodes last week. They were less intensive, and in sinus for 4 days now. I will be wearing an event monitor to pin down the remaining areas that are misfiring. I’m actually looking forward to a third touch up. It’s really not that invasive and you go home the next day with some soreness in your groin area. Recovery usually 2 weeks. 60-70%success rate. If all else fails, we have one of the few medical centers that can perform a new procedure called a hybrid conversion/ ablation. I would have a third tomorrow if I could. Living with this is life changing. If anyone wants more info on the hybrid let me know. Best wishes in your journey….
I was born with a hole in my heart also (ASD) fixed at 8yr. I have mitral valve prolapse. I’m 25 now and got diagnosed with PSVT and PVC I’m on a calcium blocker now, doesn’t help much. Palpitations and PVCs come mainly after I sit and eat lunch than continue through the day. It’s the most frustrating feeling ever and no one understands:( it is very scary my Cardioligist didn’t fill me in much so thinking of seeing a new one
So happy to find a site like this! At first I felt like I was the only one! I’ve been dealing with this for almost 2 months now, 24 hour Holter monitor came back good, echocardiogram came back good, I have Mitral Valve prolapse with trace amounts of Regurgitation, so seeing that on here is a slight relief. My palpitations have cause me such bad anxiety I’m now on medicine, these can truly ruin your life.. i find myself worrying and looking up things on google all too often…
So glad I found this site! I’m 48 and just started having my heart “flutters”. I have had them in the past but only one or two. Last week they began every day in clusters. I went to my cardiologist and while on the EKG I had an episode and they were diagnosed as benign PACS. He told me they couldn’t hurt me and as I am in perimenopause and was on my cycle at the time, we are waiting to see if they are alleviated as my estrogen goes down. He may decide to increase my metoprolol when I have my period if that’s when they flare up. I also have mitral valve prolapse with mild regurgitation and a hypercontractile left ventricle. The ventricle is why I am on the metoprolol.
I am also a nurse and let me tell you that I am still scared every time I feel these flutters even though I know they can’t hurt me! My body seems to have a reaction when I have them and it feels like all the muscles in my chest and upper back lock up from the anxiety. Then of course it all feels worse! I really am trying to focus on SUPER- relaxing but it’s hard when you feel the flutters.
It is, though, very helpful to hear from others with the same condition, so thank you all for sharing!
I too have had palpitations for 7 years that come in waves. I’ve been on Metoprolol for a few years. Right now I’m going through a week + of consistent palps and can’t take it. It throws off my whole life! I’ll go a long time only getting a few per day, then suddenly they are occurring consistently. I ended up crying out of frustration today. I’m 48 with 4 kids, good health generally (had anemia that’s fine now, had Holter monitor many times. Docs see the PVCs and say it’s ok. Now I get bigeminal palps too. I did have an episode in 2007 with coronary artery that was “frayed” on an angiogram exam but was so small the doctor said it may heal itself. Then starting in 2008 I got the palpitations. They would come and go. I would go through lots of anxiety when they happened so often; then they would dissipate. I really don’t know the cause. No caffeine in my diet. Maybe hormonal? I take Magnesium, CO-Q 10 B vitamins, eat healthy. I exercise regularly but get scared to when it’s this bad. I’ve tried many of the suggested remedies but they don’t work. If I’m standing and feel a few quick beats I feel lightheaded. This is scary. I feel it in my neck too. Easy for docs to say don’t worry about it! Any advice on how to deal with it AT THE MOMENT they happen? It’s so unnerving. Help!
Half a glass of wine. White or red. Dry is better than sweet. I know, weird. Alcohol is not an answer to anything but in my case, stops the palps after about a minute or two. Everyone I tell thinks I’m crazy, but the last cardiologist agreed with my suggestion it may act as a vasodilator and temporally stop the palps. But be warned, any more than a little and it will make them worse! GOOD LUCK.
I too had heart palpitations and they really freaked me out, I thought they would never go away. They would normally last for weeks at a time. They were usually triggered by anxiety symptoms and panic attacks. I found that eliminating the anxiety symptoms got rid of the palpitations almost completely. That was until I ended up on daily OTC Nexium for acid reflux. I did some research and found that Nexium can cause a deficiency of Magnesium, so I added a daily Magnesium supplement 3 months ago and so far so good. Fingers crossed! I hope everyone finds some relief from their symptoms!
You Tube: (Dr Sanjay Gupta cardiologist) He can enlighten all that research this area.
You Tube: (Dr Sanjay Gupta cardiologist)
It was nice finding Life Offbeat, today. I’m 57 and have had short periods of palpitations for years. When I was 18, a flight surgeon said my heart wasn’t beating quite right, probably from my scoliosis. I’ve been sleeping with ear plugs for several years, so can hear if my heart’s not beating right. I’m a side sleeper. Sometimes laying on my left side hurts my heart or area, but is the first position to transition to sleep. This summer while hiking in the mountains twice, I had heart palpitations and vomiting. The first time, I had a day and a half hike back to the car. I had no energy. Fortunately it was downhill the first day, as I had zero appetite. The palps continued until I was asleep. The pad was only one inch thick and kept waking up every 10-15 minutes the night before. Told my dr., went to the hospital, checked EKG and enzymes. Negative.results. Bought a heart monitor for my last hike. Am convinced at least part of the problem was dehydration. Max BPM for the hike, which was very difficult was 148. I ran out of water an hour before camp and the last 10 minutes was craving water, a slight downhill and my HR was 182! Last year when I returned from a day’s hike also threw up when returned to camp. I had been nauseus for quite some time. I don’t know if that was a dehydration / heart issue or not. Possibly different food while hiking. When I’m having palps, if I take a quick breath, in a couple seconds it returns to normal for a few beats. Sometimes my heart feels like my cell phone is vibrating next to it, even when not carrying it. Anyone experience either of these?
Ted- Hi, thank you for all your information. Sorry to hear so many suffer with heart palpatations like I do, but there comfort in your understanding from simular suffering. Mine have been going on for years but in a milder manner that did’nt seem to bother me to much. Recently, however, I’ve had an ear infection, and the palpatations became more frequent and more pronounced. I also had a racing heat beat (up to 90 beats per minute). I went to ER but when I got there the racing stopped. They checked my heart with ekg, blood work, and xrays but said nothing was wrong. It’s was very upsetting and when I worried they seem to come in a flurry; when I was distracted they’d go away. I started taking magnesium and that seems to help, but, you know the one thing I’m doing recently that seem to work the best, is just SITTING UP STRAIGHT and KEEPING A GOOD POSTURE when standing. Please try this too. I’ve only been doing this for short time, couple days, but the frequency and rate of the palps have decreased a great deal. Would’nt this be great if something simple as this would cure this suffering? Best of luck to all, I’m praying for all of us.
So thankful I found this site. Reading your comments helps to reassure me that its not all in my head. Everyone waves it off as just anxiety, stress or panic attacks. Even if that is the cause it doeI have been told to try and calm down and relax….well geez wish I had thought of that (sarcasm). Thank you everyone that has shared your experience and story here. This has given me some things to be on the look out for so that maybe I can track what is a cause or trigger for my palps. I have multiple EKGs that are all normal and even did the holter monitor thing when I was in my early twenties and still nothing. I can’t make them happen, they just happen, there is no rhyme or reason to them but they are certainly scary. I have been in tears frustrated with this and suffering in silence cause most people don’t understand. Thank you again to everyone that has shared your story and I hope for us all to find the solution to this unnerving condition.
I an a 32 yr old female . I have been struggling with anxiety and depression for years . I have been dealing with heart palpatations since I was 19. the past couple years have been horrible please any advice would be awesome. I am at my Witts end. .
Hi. We all feel for you. Read all the lifestyle changes posted on this website and test what works for you. You just have a ‘twitchy’ heart like the rest of us… but above all: DO NOT TAKE BENZODIAZAPEMINES !!!!!!!!!!!! They will fry your brain and make the heart worse in the long run. And the Detox is months or ever years of sheer hell. Worse than heroin, cocaine, alcohol, cigarettes and antidepressants put together! Please trust me I am in the middle of it. They promise calmness and screw up your life. Just be as healthy as you can and practice relaxation all the time. Like mindfulness. Chat anytime.
My heart started this dance performance since 2 months….it started all of a sudden….I was trying to sleep after my night duties and found that something unusual is going on with my cardiovascular system…
It continued for hours together n landed up in ER…. everything was perfectly alright wen the doctor checked…. thankfully there was one vpc in the EKG otherwise they would have thought I have gone mad of not sleeping…echo shows MVP with mild MR.. some days the vpcs last for hours together…at times the whole day….started on metoprolol 25mg od…but no much relief..antacids help me much more…. indigestion precipitate s my vpcs….had fresh dates one day and I had it for the day….raw vegetables (salads)are a big no no for me….have taken an appointment for holter this Fri…let’s c …thanks to all those who have shared there experience…I am not all alone….take care…
Also, look at Dr Sanjay Gupta’s from YORK CARDIOLOGY in UK you tube videos. He is fantastic. He will reassure you. (Be careful you get the right man, there are 2 on you tube with the same name. You want the one from YORK CARDIOLOGY). Best wishes
THIS SITE REALLY MAKES ME FEEL A LOT BETTER THOUGH I WAS HAVING HEART FAILURE HOPE EVERYONE FEELS BETTER AND REMEMBER TO JUST STAY HEALTHY…LOVE AND GOOD LUCK..CLEVELAND.T
I’m glad that i ran into this site. I’m also dealing with these palpitations. I’ve been having anxiety and i am sure they are related to mine, however, they only happen when i walk on a slight incline up the road. I do have poor posture at work, i’ve realized this. I just cannot make a connection to why they only happen walking uphill, unless there is something related to the heart itself. I am due to see my primary in 3 weeks. I may stop these walks, i’m not sure. Any advice would help or if someone share this similar situation.
Does your head jut further forward as you walk up an incline?
I’m very grateful for this site as well. I have had two previous episodes of SVT where I thought I was going to die both times. Absolutely terrifying. This Saturday I started getting flutters in my heart. Over the next hour they increased in frequency, now I was sitting in the car and they continued to get progressively worse. So I drove myself into the next ER I saw. Nothing showed up on my EKG and they monitored me for hours and no more flutters. They seemed to stop after I laid back in bed. They returned as soon as I got up again, but quickly subsided so I continued on my way. They chalked up the flutters to allergy medicine, which I have since stopped taking. Today driving into work the palpitations returned, so again I headed to the nearest ER. This time the PVC’s showed up on the EKG, but again subsided when I laid down. Now sitting up at my desk, I feel the palps returning. Has anyone else experienced this positional change?
FYI, my heart goes out to all of you. I have been dealing with this for essentially 72 hours and I feel like I’m going insane. I’m going to try some of your suggestions and hope this feeling goes away. I have an appointment with a cardiologist on Thursday.
This is the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life …it is so sad that life can’t be enjoyed without the feeling that my poor heart palpitating because something is not right in my body …so far I visited the ER more than 10 times ..had a echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MRI done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen is low ..as of next week I will be on the pills to control my hormones to see if that’s the problem. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get them I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..we can all share info and help each other
I have PVCs as well and they act up more when I’m standing up and moving around. Even more so when I go walking or even doing dishes. As soon as I sit down, they stop. It’s very weird. I’ve been to the dr and blood work is fine. I was diagnosed with these PVCs 7-8 yrs ago, I am 35. I’ve had them on and off for the past years but lately they’ve gotten bad but I’ve also been disgnosed with major anxiety and I also have a MVP but with little regurgitation. My dr did put me on a beta blocker, lebetalol. It has helped me to have less of them a day but they still act up when I get really busy. I’m glad I found this blog because I know now that I’m not the only one who is going through this and that I’m not going crazy!! So glad to have read all these comments. It sure does help ease my mind!
I have MVP and regurgitation also with PSVT and PVC I just got digonised with and I’m now in a calcium blocker which does help some but when I’m busy I feel the pvcs it’s nice to not feel alone !!! And it’s nice to know someone else with the same past heart issues like MVP.
Thanks Guys this site is great. I started have palps about 2010 when I started lexapro. I’m now off of that. I had a holter done last April had 10,319 pvcs pacs but I was really stressed. I had a crazy episode I was asleep at night I felt the thump and fluttering then my heart went off racing lasted about 15min and just stopped didn’t slow down just stopped and went back to normal sinus rhythm. I went to ER had all test came back normal this is the second time this happened on the lexapro. Dr said either Svt/afib I wore a 24 monitor then one for 32 days then another for 30 days. Other ones showed isolated pacs pvcs no runs or pauses. Now I noticed if I miss a birth control pill I mess up my cycle and I had what felt like a cluster of palps with no normal beat for about 15seconds then it raced into sinus tachy prob bc I was scared to death. Then yesterday four hours apart I had the hard thumps then raced but better today. Everything Normal echo etc I suffer from anxiety take a half of Xanax as needed.
DO NOT TAKE XANAX!!!!! If there is one person I can spare the ABSOLUTE AGONY HELL UNIMAGINABLE from coming off benzos, then I would have done much good. These tablets are evil, they may help momentarily but in the long run they will fry your brain and make heart issues much much worse. Imagine your current pain multiplied by millions. No exaggeration. If i could go back in time… please google benzo withdrawal and log onto benzo buddies website. If you have these heart issues than your experience will be so much worse than anything you read. Trust me I am currently in bed for 6 months and not sure I will live. Heroin addiction is a picnic compared to this. So i hear. Best of luck.
Thank you for that. I got a bottle of 90 pills like 6 months ago .25 Xanax and I have like 80 left lol I only take a half when and only if I need it. Example flying having a panic attack. I’m aware of what benzos can do, that’s why there only used as needed. I won’t take a antidepressant ever again too many side effects.
Good. Just be so very careful the as needed does not sneak up on you. I was also like that. Flying and panic attacks. Sounds like me! Where I got hooked was when it seemed to help PVCs. There are many natural ways to minimise them. This website is good. Read it and try everyone’s suggestions. Also, Google Dr Sanyaj Gupta from York cardiology in the UK. He has some fantastic videos on you tube. Just make sure he is the UK guy, as there is another one on there with the same name and not relevant. Cheers.
Hi everyone,
also trying to pinpoint why I get tons of those stupid PVCs since 2 years almost daily. Have had a million checks and tests like many of you did.
Didn’t take any of the prescribed drugs, but tried so many different nutrient-supplements its not even funny anymore.
Last week I found out it could have to do something with posture, so I searched especially for that and found this site. Thanks everyone for sharing their story.
I sit a lot on chairs and probably don’t have the best posture,
problem is like you all know from experience, if you have those PVCs frequently, the last thing you feel like is sports or even sit/stand up straight.
You simply slouch. Period.
I think it helps if I sit/stand upright, put my shoulders down and back and take some deep breaths into the chest.
But I’ll try to figure out if it really helps over the next few weeks as it makes some sense to me that pressure on the wrong places can trigger the heart.
Does anyone else have problems when talking for a longer time that the neck muscles feel strained? I got Vocal fold nodules 2 years ago, they got removed, but the doc told me they appear when you talk “wrong, now I got problems again (its a really nasty poking feeling near the vocal cords when you speak), I think these things may be connected.
For Plusha: I also have big trouble with even the smallest amount of sugar (diagnosed with fructose and lactose malabsorbtion, but normally sugar should not be such a big issue, and I never found anyone with the same problems)
I would very much like to talk to you to find out about other similarities in our daily lives and don’t want to bore the rest of the world with all this. If you like, you can simply write me an email. I created a temporary email-address: it is my forum nickname at icloud.com. Would appreciate this a lot.
Of course anyone else is welcome to write as well, if its a little off-topic like this. Anything related should be posted here to be of use for others.
Best of luck everyone and don’t give up, this may be harmless, but is not normal. It’s annoying like hell and preventing us from living fully, despite what the docs want to tell us.
Cheers,
PVCbuddy
I’m going to go see an Ep Dr in May I can’t wait to go. I should have went the first time. I’m gonna give him all my test and hopefully he can ease my mind when I get these I’m not gonna die and that there just annoying. I have a whole list of questions to ask him.
Hi. Read your message this morning and it caught me at a truly desperate time. Yet again I hardly slept due to continous pvcs one on top of the other, all night. This has gone on for 3 weeks now. Started with a hospital stay due to sudden development of POTS. They gave me a beta blocker and it does help the POTS but I think it lowers my already very low pulse rate and BP. All this is most probably due to the benzo withdrawal I am going through. I am so tired and so desperate. Other withdrawal symptoms a horrid enough but manageable, pvcs are not! They have literally broken me. I have very dangerous thoughts…. why can’t the medics help??? I too found that if they are bad and I half sit with a small hard pillow or something firmly wedged between my shoulder blades or bit lover and arch my back, they tend to improve. Not always. But that is no way to sleep. Other times when they are quiet, I can sit or lie any which way and it doesn’t bring them on. Also, they are bad when I’m tired. And lastly, I seriously considered a stomach connection but unlike everyone who finds this, I have to eat to make them better. Lots. Preferably carbs. I don’t know anymore. Hope this helps someone. Best of luck.
Hi, I am having around 20 PAC’s a minute, every minute of everyday. I can’t feel them, so it does not make me feel bad. My last echo showed between grade 2 and 3 mitral regurgitation. I am getting very much out of breath with exertion. I am 67 years old, not over weight and I do work out on weights. I do not smoke. Oh and my diastolic dysfunction is grade 2. What should I do????
Gary that you might have to talk to your cardiologist about. If there that bothersome maybe look into ablation if you can get it and granted you have no other issues.
Calcium deficiency. It took me more than 6 months to find that 1000mg of calcium took effect within an hour and lasted for days.
Hey guys so I went to EP Doc, basically said all the pvcs/pacs are benign. I said I get them sometimes when I exercise he stated they don’t know why it happens but it does and but he said that it’s fine and I have no risk factors so I feel better. I think once you get checked out you should try and to just acknowledge them and then let them be.
Yes I know I see that!!! I was responding to a text from awhile ago since I’m not always on this dear. Well mine are anxiety induced and sometimes they just come on. Blood work is excellent no imbalances. Some of us are just more aware of them. Sometimes certain things I eat or if I eat heavy meal I get them but now that I saw the Dr I’m over it and I understand them more yea they suck and there uncomfortable but it’s just how my body works.
so happy i found this site …This is the hardest thing I have ever had to face in my life …it is so sad that life can’t be enjoyed without the feeling that my poor heart palpitating because something is not right in my body …so far I visited the ER more than 10 times ..had a echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MIR done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen is low ..as of next week I will be on the pills to control my hormones to see if that’s the problem. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get them I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..fortuna522@aol.com …we can all share info and help each other.
Anemia,low blood pressure,dehydration and indigestion, i think thats the main problem having a heart palpitation,.just shaeimg my experience, tnx:-)have a good day!!!
i am 35 years old …I feel very compelled to write this only because it scared the living daylight out of me ..on feb 18 2016 I was sitting at my desk at work and all of a sudden my heart went crazy ….i feel two skip beats and then it went up to about 180 heart beats per minutes. I was so scared , I left my joy and I was taken TO the ER..had an echo , ekg , chest x-ray and MRI done …couldn’t find anything except for mild TR which my doctor reassure me it’s not the reason for my palpitations..he sent me to a GYN specialist who suggested it was probably my hormones ..again more blood work ..shows my estrogen was low. I don’t know what to do ..every time I get the palps I get instantly tired ..out of nowhere ..i can fall right there and sleep for days ..i am trying everything …vitamins .iron pills ..i am going nuts trying to find an answer. Before all this starting to happen one year before I was constantly feeling sleepy and my period stated to coming irregular..went to the gyn same story ..they couldn’t find the problem..around my period I would feel tired , sleepy and literally I can’t do anything …my heart rate would be like 115 walking around and even higher sometimes…ladies I am sharing because I know whoever else is facing this must be in the same boat with me. some days I am o and other days I am scared of something might happen to me….i am on a beta blocker carvedilol 3.125 mg ..1/2 in the morning and ½ at night…I do have acid reflux which I was given omeprazole 20mg once a day..i take it for 2 months first thing in the morning…then I started to see the doctor for constipation which I took linzess for ..i am doing so much better now …I think we need to get stuff moving in our body and cleaning it out so we can make room for improvement ..i don’t know if I am 100% better but I am trying everything so far ….i will keep you posted on my next period and the palps… I am eating small portions ..i am also on a no salt and no sweet diet… My doctor is from LIJ ..please feel free to email me ..fortuna522@aol.com …we can all share info and help each other.
thank you
I am so glad I found this site. I am a 45 year old female and have been having PVC’s since I was 14. Here of late mine have gotten to be really bad. Would love to hear from others like me, because these really make me feel like I’m going crazy. Feel free to contact me via email at terrece08@yahoo.com. I would be happy to share my story and talk with others who are just like me.
Hi. Im 48 female and suffering for 8 years. Lately due to another sickness and menapause it has gotten so bad I’m on antiarrhythmics. .. Im on flecainide. It sure does the job but they say these are the most toxic drugs in medicine. Im hoping that I can get off it soon and manage them myself. Reduce stress, no sugar, and no wheat seems to help most. Maybe consider this medication as a occasional thing to stop a bad attack? I think our declining hormones at this stage in life are responsible for the pvcs getting worse. Best of luck. You can write to me anytime.
i am sorry to hear about your problem …since 02/18/2016 I am having palps before my period and sometimes after …my heart rate are elevated but I truly believe its the hormones …I read so much on this and I started to take iron supplement and I am taking my one a day vitamin ..I don’t eat anything with salt and I stay away from sugar which was advised by my doctor . I know how scary this can be but the important thing is to get in contact with cardiologist and get a work up done ..once your heart is ok try to relax and stay clam when it’s happening ..put your feet up and lay down ..so far I mines is subsiding to one time per month …I only get it for about one min and then I have to deal with the elevated heart rate for another couple of days ..I was home for 2 months ..scared to walk or do anything ..I realized I cant let this control me ..I have to control it … I know it’s easier said than done…
the only medication I am on is a beta blocker 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the afternoon ..no side effects …no salt and sugar and I try to stay away from carbs ..take a good vitamin everyday …also my doctor wants me to go on birth control but I don’t want to at all …I might have screwed up my self by taking the pills before and stopping them in the middle of the pack …I am trying for my body to fix it self back on schedule …I wish you well …please email me if you need to chat ..forturn522@aol.com…
i am sorry to hear about your problem …since 02/18/2016 I am having palps before my period and sometimes after …my heart rate are elevated but I truly believe its the hormones …I read so much on this and I started to take iron supplement and I am taking my one a day vitamin ..I don’t eat anything with salt and I stay away from sugar which was advised by my doctor . I know how scary this can be but the important thing is to get in contact with cardiologist and get a work up done ..once your heart is ok try to relax and stay clam when it’s happening ..put your feet up and lay down ..so far I mines is subsiding to one time per month …I only get it for about one min and then I have to deal with the elevated heart rate for another couple of days ..I was home for 2 months ..scared to walk or do anything ..I realized I cant let this control me ..I have to control it … I know it’s easier said than done…
the only medication I am on is a beta blocker 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 in the afternoon ..no side effects …no salt and sugar and I try to stay away from carbs ..take a good vitamin everyday …also my doctor wants me to go on birth control but I don’t want to at all …I might have screwed up my self by taking the pills before and stopping them in the middle of the pack …I am trying for my body to fix it self back on schedule …I wish you well …please email me if you need to chat ..forturn522@aol.com…
I am in my late 60’s female. I remember my mother when she was older used to complain about her heart “beating”. She felt it in her neck for hours. She would sit very still in a chair for hours. I never asked questions then and don’t know if she took meds. Now i have inherited it. All my life my heart would flip, but these past two weeks it”s much worse. Happens mostly right after i eat. I am terrified to eat now. I went to ER twice this wk. They were not concerned. I had pac’s the first nite a lot and the second nite a few or so they said, but i felt it flipping/extra beat a lot. They diagnosed me ectopic beats/pacs and also low potassium as my blood level was 3.4 and it shouldn’t go below 3.6 and even that is low. I was taking a water pill for high bl prssure for 5 wks and that may have depleted the postaasium. They gave me 2 huge pott. pills to swallow. The second nite my pott level was still low and they gave me two more huge pills. Had to chew as they were too huge to swallow! The EKG only showed a few flips/pac’s. So i go to doctor today. I stopped the water pill 4 days ago and stopped the Lisinopril at the same time as it causes heart palpatations. Now my bl pr is higher. Lisinopril is made from the Brazillian Pit Viper a snake that kills it’s prey by lowering it’s blood pressure! It can also cause the tongue and throat to swell up and yu can’t breathe and could die. Even if you take the pills for ten yrs and were fine out of the blue you can have an allergic reaction. It’s called Angeodema. I am trying hawthorn herb now to lower the bl pressure, but it takes a few wks. I have lost 3 lbs this wk as i am afraid to eat. The palps start right after i eat and sometimes before i even finish. I think the heart is working too hard due to low pottassium and making it flip. I see the doctor today.
I don’t understand why all test are usually normal , however, we have all these heart related problems. The dr.s say it might not be the heart? Does’t matter what the cause…it IS the heart that is malfunctioning and that is a heart problem to me. Furthermore, they do not completely understand the causes and solutions so that is why things aren’t being cured, however, they will prescribe medicines which is ONLY to keep one comfortable.This is my opinion and that has been my experience over the years!!Started with afib and eight years later have had extreme fatigue ,pvcs and now am experiencing all kinds of symptoms and have been in and out of the ER many times…too many times.Iwas just diagnosed with bigeminy and am 53 years of age,female.
How can on function with all this side effects from the pvs/s. Of course things could get worse as one ages.We have used our organs more so of course they are going to be changed. And , if one has had issues since a teenager and am now in their forties and fifties,
hi guys
hello everyone …my name is ash ..I am just reporting my heart palps …so far thank god it’s seem to went away …I was tested for everything under the sun…all test came back good…the only I can come up with is you have to stay away from MSG and try not to eat a lot at once …every 7 to 10 days I would get a slight elevated heart rate which goes away in about a hour or two ,,I believe its caused by what I eat …take care everyone and best of luck …if you need to ask me anything please email me at fortuna522 @ aol.com ..thank you
Has anyone here had palps that started after being put on high blood pressure medication? I was a normal person with no heart problems what so ever until I was put on enalipril for high blood pressure. Every since then heart palpitations are a daily occurrence in my life.
I’ve been on different high blood pressure medicine and nothing seemed to help. Then I was put on Toporol and that’s when my heart palpitations started. I also had a heart monitor for a month and the doctor just said I had some extra heartbeats and palpitations, but not to worry. Makes you feel crazy because you KNOW something isn’t right, but nothing can or will get done to help get it fixed.
Oh yes…this is another thing that concerns me….the Lisinopril drug. It too can cause heart palpatations i have read. I saw another post somewhere that said to stay away from all the “prils” as they are very bad. I have been taking Lisinopril for the past 6 months and i never had these palps this bad! I stopped taking it 4 days ago. I read that it takes a couple wks to get out of the system. So i don’t know if my palps are from low potassium or the Lisinopril drug. Either way, the drugs have harmed my body!
Hello, I am new to this site. In 2014, I went on a crash diet for my son’s wedding. I lived on diet pepsi and yogurt. Well, I lost 30 pounds in 2 months. One evening, I was very tired and was having stomach problems. I bent down to pick up something and BANG, my heart rate was 195. Went to the ER. Was in A Fib. Reverted back to sinus rhythm after 2 hours and was sent home. Two months later, I was back in the ER with the same elevated heart rate. This time I was admitted. I had a LOVELY physician tell me in a very matter of fact manner that it will continue to get worse and that I will need an ablation. I am a cardiovascular technician and knew this guy was blowing smoke up my skirt. Went to an EP. Echo was normal, EKG was normal and was given Multaq. My boss also started me on Lopressor. I take 12.5mg. four times a day. Everything was quiet I was just very tired. Fast forward to June 2016. Made the mistake of using Synex nasal spray!!!. Woke up in the middle of the night with severe PVCs and PACs. I woke a sleeping monster. Have been plagued ever since. Now, I can longer sleep on my left side, eat after 6pm, and sugar is a real problem. I truly believe my problem is the vagus nerve. When my stomach is upset, I have palpitations. I go into bigeminy and trigeminy which can last 10 minutes to 3 hours. I take Mag Glycinate 120mg 3 times/day and 2000mg of Vitamin C which had been helpful but not as much now. If I have a bad dream, I wake up with PVCs or as my patients describe it, “flip flopping.” I am tired of this but I feel foolish after reading about the episodes other people are experiencing. Anyway, thank you for letting me vent. God Bless.
wow sounds almost like what has happened to me in feb 2016 ..please email me so we can talk winterrose5551212@aol.com..hope we can talk soon
I gave myself a b12 injection Tuesday before I left work and have been arrhythmia free since. I also started vitafusion vitamin c gummies. I eat 5 per day. Somewhere I read about posture and the vegus nerve. So. . . I keep my back straight all the time and pay attention to my breathing. Helpful for now. I sometimes feel like I am grasping at straws but I’ll take it.
this is so crazy but this has all happened to me .. I think the breathing comes from being nervous.. I control my nervousness now so I am managing it better ..I don’t feel like that way anymore …. I am on carvedilol 3.25 ..1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night …I truly believe this all has to do with my hormones …my period was all over the place and its coming back to normal … I don’t have the palps anymore except for the elevated heart rate when I eat certain food with msg..i stopped all that and I am managing it more better …I saw my cardiologist but he still wants to keep me on my beta blocker incase I get the papls …he didn’t find the reason for this problem ..I took a MRI , CT , XRAY AND I EVEN SAW A LUNG DOCTOR because of the breathing problem ..all is clear ….I am only take one medication so far …also I had a bit of acid reflux which is better now …this was all very scary but I hope yours goes away also …please let me know …I am from queens new York …my doctor is on marcus ave ….MY HEART RATE GET A bit high when my stomach is full so I don’t eat that much anymore..i weight about 97lbs now …I am 37 years old ..please keep intouch with me ..I feel so better talking to someone who is experiencing this too
I always had pvc’s during my period but I am in menopause now. I eat very small amounts during the day also. I live in Bucks County, PA. It’s funny because all these years I took care of cardiac patients, never gave a thought to my own mortality. I will keep in touch.
afraid to take your advice when you stated you lived on diet pepsi and yogurt for sometime.Being in the medical field how would one not know to do that?
Contrary to popular belief, even those in the medical profession are human. We make mistakes but this blog is to try to give others with the same problems some hope, not to pass judgement.
Apologies if you were offended by my comments. Was not the intention to offend.Hope all works out to the best for you. Kind Regards.
for the breathing if you take your left arm and put it over your right shoulder and turn your self slightly it will help you take a more full breath.. may sound crazy buy I am willing to try anything at this point and I would like to share it when anyone …god bless ..thank you for replying …hope you have a good weekend and if you need someone to talk to please ..I am here ..
this is a great start
my papls all started in Feb 2016 …2 years before this all happened I was about 110 lbs and I donated blood to American red cross ..when I got home on that day I felt a little dizzy …after that my diet was the same …healthy but not enough I think …no vitamin or anything …about a year later I started to feel tired ..sleepy to the point where I could’ve slept any where …then I started to get a lot of break out on my face ..I went to a dermatologist who put me on birth control for the break out .. junel fe …I took it like for 1/2 the month and stopped suddenly …my period came and then is when my hell broke loose …..my period started coming late and the break out where even more ..still i didn’t think anything of it …I went to my GYN and she put me on the same pill to control my period now ..stared to take it and then i felt depressed and decided to stop ..didn’t feel like myself taking the birth control ..I am not in a relationship or anything so no stress and my job is easy going..after being hit with the palps I started to get heart burn every time the palps happened ..then I did an upper upper endoscopy..took omeprazole and I stared to watch what I eat …I am on a diet with no salt and no sugar for my palps which is working just great …I am starting to feel so much better thank god ..
now I only experience heart elevation …my heart rate goes up about 97 or so and when its really bad it goes to like 132 …it would last for about 30 mins or so …
I do notice that after i eat my heart will go up, but only to 100 whereas my normal resting rate is 65. I read that it’s normal for heart to go up after eating as all the blood rushes to the stomach to digest the food. I think it’s normal to speed up after eating. Mine will stay fast for 2-3 hrs.
oh I am also taking the B12 ..
Does anybody ever get sinus tachycardia due to anxiety with pvcs/pacs thrown in? I do and makes it so much more scarier.
so sorry to hear …you should try taking some yoga classes to relax you …try not to stress yourself and get to the bottom of your anxiety ..the better you can manage these problems the better your palps will get ..I find when you talk to people who are experiencing the same problem it helps ..if you ever need to talk I am always here …you can email me if you want ….winterrose5551212@aol.com
I do . How often do they occur and how long are the episides? When I do not get enough sleep and if the day is stressful, I will have a run of tachy or multiple PVCS. and PACs . Are you on medication? Today I fell asleep sitting up and because I am over tired, I woke up in arrhythmia . I take lopressor and multaq, magnesium glycinate and multi vitamin. I also take a very small mg. Of ativan when needed.
I wanted to ask all of you if you live in humid or hot climates? Do you get them when it is about to rain? Also, do you get them when your legs are crossed or knees bent? For me, I recently moved to North Carolina, and about a year after moving here started getting them hardcore! I’m wondering if climate and recent weather changes in the world have anything to do with it?
Yes! I DEFINETELY get them more in hot humid weather! In fact last summer I had my worst bout ever. This summer, not so bad as I have taken care not to overheat myself. I stayed indoors more and didn’t exert myself on really hot days. I felt much better this summer compared to last. Remember to keep cool, don’t exercise too much in the heat, and don’t exert yourself when it’s hot out. You will feel better, good luck and I will send you good vibes! Donna
Also wanted to add to that, that my wife, daughter and dad get them as well. Most of the time my wife will look at me or I look at her and neither of us has to even say anything, we know what is going on. My dad,62, suffered a heart attack 9 months ago. Scary stuff. seriously considering moving if the region/weather is what is causing this. Don’t have any other symptoms. Just went for a bike ride and did a couple miles with no problem… So I’m really confused! If a bike ride won’t bring on a heart attack, what will! I read earlier that someone pounded their chest in frustration… Well I went for a bike ride to basically say bring it! I said fuck it, let’s go. If I’m going to die from this, let’s get it over with! Are any of you on any other medication?
They do tend to be worse when the weather is hot. Not so much in my case. My very good cardiologist and conduction specialist said if you don’t get them when exercising then that definatelly means they are harmless. I have been suffering for many years and recently due to an extremely traumatic benzo withdrawal they were non stop day and night so I got put on flecanide 50mg twice a day. Works very well but a terrible drug to be on. If yours are only sporadic but debilitating, flecanide can work as a pill in the pocket concept. But your heart must be healthy and you usually have to try it first in hospital as they need to monitor your reaction. If you can stand them, don’t take it. Stress and unhappy stomach are big triggers. Good luck!
I had fast heart best when getting up or when bending and also climbing staircase occasionally until July while I was lying down on my bed. I was scared that I was diagnosed with ulcer. suddenly palpitations started.went for ECG .it read tachycardia. premature ectopic heart rhythm. which I was given diazepam’s And propanalol. I was on it for over 3months morning And night ,it slows my heart beat. it help’s but the palpitations starts when I lay on my bed at night. I begin to change sleeping positions. taking The propanalol reduces my anxiety when am driving and I see another car or when watching movie. one eveningI started to have cold feet’s ,panic attack,lump in my throat,felt something grabbing my heart.its so painful And numbness,difficult in breathing which The doctor injected me with omeprazole and gave me amitripdyline. the next Day the numbness worsen and I was rushed to another hospital which I was injected with cimetidine And amitrpdyline but the grabbing worsen and My Head was pulling. I started to hear noise in My ears.weakness, feeling like fainting,felt my heart was weak,I was having weak muscle, numbness,my brain was pulling me.My heart was no longer responding to panic. when I was rushed to the hospital. The doctor felt I was going crazy with my discription,And referee me to psychiatric. which the psychiatrist said I needed to be admitted And I cried. I knew I was not crazy. am 23years old filled with life until it all started and am confused about life.I refused to be admitted and I came And refused to take medication. waiting for anything to happen. asking God for forgiveness cos I ran 2nd ECG I was normal. I was motivated to check The medication I was given on Google And found it was too many drug’s amitrypdyline ,propanalol, cemetidne that worsen My situation. for 7days I have Left all my medication. still feeling weak,lightness in My body,fainting feeling. palpitations occasionally but I don’t want to take medication again.I use like four pillow s to sleep for proper breathing. am scared of hospital because it seems The doctors don’t know what they are treating. they say its anxiety disorder. I’m really confused and frustrated.
DO NOT, I REPEAT, DO NOT TAKE DIAZEPAM. You may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Very dangerous drug from the family of benzodiazepines . Avoid at all cost. Good luck.
also i experienced the feeling of myself going out of control …i felt all of what you described and even worst ..i was home from work for about 2 months …i felt like i was going nuts ..i also didn’t take any of the medication that were given by the doctors….they thought i was emotional disturbed …i stick to the no meds and now i am on a very low dosage of beta blocker which is working very good for me …
@queen ..just asking but are you or were you on birth control? junel Fe?…i truly believe this has to do with your hormones …i could be wrong ..so sorry to hear …I myself used to experience these heart palps …mine started 02/08/16 …it scared the living daylight out of me …first you have to tackle the anxiety, keep calm when you feel the palps …take slow and deep breaths ..remember you are not going to die from it , you just need to control all the anxiety you are feeling at the moment …try to keep yourself cool ..the heat also brings it on …secondly stop eating hot pepper …cut down on salt and try to stay away from any thing with MSG …these are all the things that helped me so far …also make sure you have a bowel movement everyday …at the present time the only meds I am taking is a low dosage of beta blocker …I truly believe mine was linked to my hormones ….I used to take birth control ..my monthly got screwed up but thank god so far I am doing well …I still do get an elevated heart rate but nothing too serious …i have a pulse oximeter which i take everywhere with me just to keep track …try not to go to bed with a full stomach …have your last meal around 7pm and nothing more …please let me know if you need someone to talk too ..i am here and i will reply …take care and try to go and see a cardiologist as soon as possible ..winterrose5551212@aol.com
I have been having heart pipitation it comes regularly now and it can last for hours and I don’t seems to get myself because I experience pains in my chest and my back too and I feel dizzy,my left hand and legs feels weak,shortage of breath and very tied.it is so scary sometimes because I can’t do anything at all.I have three kids and a widow pls what can I do help me out
Hi Joy Abonde …so sorry to hear …I myself used to experience these heart palps …mine started 02/08/16 …it scared the living daylight out of me …first you have to tackle the anxiety, keep calm when you feel the palps …take slow and deep breaths ..remember you are not going to die from it , you just need to control all the anxiety you are feeling at the moment …try to keep yourself cool ..the heat also brings it on …secondly stop eating hot pepper …cut down on salt and try to stay away from any thing with MSG …these are all the things that helped me so far …also make sure you have a bowel movement everyday …at the present time the only meds I am taking is a low dosage of beta blocker …I truly believe mine was linked to my hormones ….I used to take birth control ..my monthly got screwed up but thank god so far I am doing well …I still do get an elevated heart rate but nothing too serious …i have a pulse oximeter which i take everywhere with me just to keep track …try not to go to bed with a full stomach …have your last meal around 7pm and nothing more …please let me know if you need someone to talk too ..i am here and i will reply …take care and try to go and see a cardiology as soon as possible ..winterrose5551212@aol.com
Hi Joy Abonde Ash is right. You must try to control your anxiety. I know is easier said than done especially since I have been having PVCs and PACs since 4AM . Please watch your diet. I did research about caffiene and was shocked to find that decaf coffee and tea are NOT caffiene free. I do not eat after 6 but I find that ANY sugar after 6PM will cause arrhythmia during sleep. Sometimes I feel like I am being tormented. Keep writing and sharing your feelings. It really helps to know others are out there to give support.
hi everyone ..hope all is well with each and every one of you ….thank god I am ok ….eating healthy and getting my sleep …off all meds except my 1/2 beta blocker daily …everything else is awesome …hope it’s good news for the rest of you ladies …take care and please drop a note or two …it really do help to talk about this … have a wonderful weekend …and may god bless and keep each of you healthy always.
Hi Ash, so glad you are doing better. I am just the opposite. Seems stress is increasing my arrythmia. Reduced the metoprolol to 6.25mg twice daily and I am able to breathe, saw my EP last month everything was normal. I swear the basis of my arrythmia is the vagus nerve. Must eat small amounts during the day and nothing after 6PM. Stay well!!
that you so much Lisa G..thank god..i can now go back to some of my usual eating ….I hope and pray you all get better ….
thank*
Did anyone else notice their palps got worse during the recent Supermoon? I got them for the first time on the day when it was at it’s maximum and ended up in the Emergency ward. My wife suffers from migraine and she and all her friends that have migraines have had them far worse this month!! I’m not a maniac but I live in New Zealand and we had a series of massive earthquakes during the supermoon too. If the moon can move the oceans, surely it can effect us? Thanks for any feedback.
really ? Mmmm I have never heard of this before now ..hope you are feeling much better now … what did the ER told you ?
hi everyone …hope you guys are all having a healthy and happy 2017 …I am surprised you guys are not checking in …this is one way we can help each other ….please guys give updates so can all know what Is helping and what is not.
my update ..thank god I am palps free yayy !!!! thank god and thanks to my dedicated work out everyday …I rest on Sundays ….everyday for about 5 month I am working out.. doing cardio for 30 mins , bike 15 mins @ 15 miles and lifting weights ..about 20lbs ….eating right …no gmo , no sweet or little salt …oh and importantly I am off birth control for about one year now which put my hormones back to normal ….no more palps before or after my period ..I am allowed to eat salt again but not too much … I pray and wish everyone well ..it is scary the palps but you have to know your body and take notice of what is bringing them on ..take care everyone and please do your updates ..thank you
Hi Everyone,
I’m glad I found this site. Thank you for sharing your experiences and providing inputs.
I suffer from anxiety, but thankfully I’ve learned to manage it through meditation, TFT (tapping), herbal supplements, distractions (games) and trying to stay positive. It’s tough living with anxiety but when I go each day without one, I consider it a victory and I feel better.
I’ve been anxiety-free for a while, until I started to feel “palpitations” after waking up in the morning. I checked my heart rate but it’s between 75-80. It felt like it was 100+. So, I find that strange. It lasted a few minutes and it was gone. But I worried about it so it made things worse. My real problem is that I became so much more aware of my heart beating. It’s more annoying than frightening. I’d like to believe there’s nothing wrong with me because I’ve recently had my ECG and bloodwork and everything seems to be fine. Still, I don’t understand what brought this on.
Then I had faint stomache and acid reflux. So I suspect it has something to do with acid reflux or GERD. Also, I only feel this when lying down.
So I did a bit of research and here are the things I tried. Please note that most of these are related to acid reflux / digestion.
1. DO BREATHING EXERCISES.. Guided breathing exercise and meditation helped me learn how to breathe properly while having palpitations and anxiety. In my experience, the palpitations dissipate after 2 minutes. I use the app called “Calm”. I use the free version.
2. KEEP MOVING. I noticed that even doing stretchings and simple exercises can help. I use a stepper. It might seem counter-intuitive but I think it takes your mind off anxiety.
2. DISTRACT YOURSELF. I know this is silly, but try to recite the alphabet backwards.
3. PUT A SMALL PILLOW UNDERNEATH THE ARCH OF YOUR BACK. When I did this while lying down, There were no palpitations and I was able to sleep well.
4. HAVE A GOOD CRY. I was watching a particularly sad movie and I cried (pls. don’t judge haha). I think all the stress and frustration came out and crying sort of lightened the load.
5. MASSAGE. This particular massage is called ‘cool your digestion’ self-massage. You can search youtube for Dr. John Duillard. (Since I suspect that my palpitation is related to my digestion, I tried this). He has other videos so you might find something that will address your concerns, if you know what’s causing your palpitations.
6. TFT (Thought Field Therapy). Tapping specific points of the body to unblock energy flow. This works for anxiety in general. Since having palpitations causes anxiety, it helps to settle down the anxiety.
7. PRAYER. If you believe in a god, prayer still works.
Even if I no longer feel the palpitations, i will still see the doctor just so I could get a proper diagnosis.
I hope the comments get updated. Let’s work together to fix this.
greetings all …hope everyone is in good health ..my update as of today ..my doctor could not find anything wrong with me so I started to keep track what I eat , my period and how much water I drink …my diet is consist of organic food..i avoid salt and sugar but not totally …I drink 40oz of water daily ..I don’t over do on anything …I am 5’2” and I weigh 107 lbs ..36 years old..I exercise daily on the treadmill ..I do one mile …my period is a bit off but over all I must say thank god all is well ….I am still taking 1/2 of beta blocker daily in the morning and at night …no palps and I am sleeping well …diet is good and healthy ..my exercise is on point … and I think it’s working ….it’s been about 8 months now …if there is something I can help with in any way please feel free to contact me …thank you guys and I hope and pray you are all doing good .. stay strong and remember to trust in god …treat yourself good and follow your doctor’s advice.
Hi Ash. So happy you are doing so well. I have been AFib free for over 2 years. I take metoprolol 6.25mg 2x/ day but the EP doctor still has me on Multaq. Very few palps mainly when I’m tired. Stay well and continue to trust in God.
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