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strange palpitations

car
Can you please tell me something.  I have palpiations every day.  They feel like a big thump and then my heart seems to stop and and then start again and sometimes it feels like a couple of fast beats and then stop and go again and I kind of feel a rush down to my hands and heat like the blood stops flowing for a second.

This seems to happen approximately 10 times per day.  I really hate the feeling but I have seen an EP doctor and he has said everyone gets palpitations and not to worry about it.  They have caught a 5 beat run of PVC's on a monitor but say it is not conidered v-tach and not to worry because I have no signs of heart disease.

I am a 40 year old female with no other health problems other than this heart skipping thing I have.  I am taking a small dose of Celexa (10mg) every day because of my high anxiety level about my heart skipping.

If everyone gets these things why is it that my husband, my sister and many friends I have talked to do not feel anything strange happening to their hearts?  The doctor says I am no doubt just "really tuned" into these things but I question it who wouldn't be tuned into these things when you heart is stopping all of the time?  

My next question to you is usually once per week I will be sitting quietly doing nothing and my heart will start going irregular or does a couple or three of hard pounds and then stops and I feel like I am going to pass out for a split second.  I always take a deep breath and it seems to go back normal beating.  Once again the EP doctor says don't worry (as this is quite infrequent he says), but I really do when this is happening.  

Do you think it is just a run of PVC's that is making me feel like that?  Is that not a bad thing?  Do other people actually get runs of these horrible things?  Am I making a big deal out of nothing?   I hate it but would really like to know if other people get the same thing as I really let these things control me.

I thank you for any input you can give me about this as I really value your comments.

Thanks!

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A related discussion, gas and bloating with heart palpitations was started.
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Hi Everyone!  I could have really used this site a year ago!! I did everything you all did; ER, Holter, etc....with everyone telling me "Nothing wrong!"...So, I learned to laugh at them! Literally!  I didn't want drugs, that always seem to create more problems, So I laugh, relax, and think about something else AND I almost never have them!!!! Cut out caffeine, started aerobic exercise again and learned to relax more...that's it.  Still enjoy a drink every so often...and now I just DON'T freak out when I feel "something"...my panicing literally made them 80 times worse!!!  Good Luck all, I KNOW how yuck it can be when you're in the middle of it all...seems like an endless cycle of stress and worry!  Stop and get out of it!  Take control again...Please e-mail me for support! ***@****
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I am also having heart palpatations.  Also having pains in left side of chest.  I was in ER in a-fib with 180 beats for 4 hours.  Doctors did c-scan found no problems with heart.  Blood pressure never went up, reading from blood were great and since I do not smoke or drink, and I had a heart cath 6 years ago, they ruled out blocked arteries.  They gave me lanoxin to keep heart regular and axid for butterfly and skipping beats.  Question is when do you know to go to hospital?  Pains, for no reason, go through my left chest.  I do not get short of breath but get warm sensations and it scares me.  What is it and how do I handle this?  Please help.  Thank you.
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I too for many years have had strange palpitations from wine/ heavy meal and harmonal changes. No one has mentioned an association with dental problems.  Have been trying to save a tooth that has been abscessed. Experienced heart palpitations along with chest pain. Had a heart catherization with no sign of any heart trouble and the symptoms disappeared.  Can heart palpitations be related to an abscessed tooth?
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Avatar universal
I've been on tenormin for a long time for rapid heartbeat.  My heart was doing 120 at rest; if I did the simplest thing, like making a bed, it was going over 160.  Tenormin has slowed it down beautifully.  Don't be afraid of this medication.  It also prevents migraines.  Good luck!
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I promise you that the more you think about the skipped beats, the more you prolong them.  If you can lose your fear of them the problem would resolve itself.  Not that you'd never have a skipped beat; this is common and everyone gets them though many people are not aware of their heart beating.  If your doctor says you're "tuned" into them, you are, and your fear of them actually causes it to happen more often.  I have a fear too; mine goes into an irregular beat when I bend over, but people who have answered me here on this forum have helped me a great deal.  Try to learn to laugh at your skipped beats; since you've gotten a clean bill of health from your physician, the skipped beats won't hurt you.  One person here told me my hiatal hernia could be causing my heart irregularity; now I just have to work on not being afraid!  It's hard, I know.  Good luck.
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MLS
Hi Ajax,
I read your post regarding the strange "thump" in your chest and then a feeling in your throat.  I think these palpitations, extra beats, skipped beats, whatever they choose to call them come in different ways.  I too feel the butterfly in the throat, and the thump in the chest which is sometimes much stronger than other times.  Sometimes the butterfly only feels like it's fluttering its wings in my chest, sometimes only in my neck and sometimes like it originates in my chest and flys up into  my throat like its going to fly right out my mouth.  This usually makes me pause and cough.  The thump in my chest reminds me of when I was first married, 23 years ago and moved to the country. One day I was outside and heard this strange thumping noise that started out very slow and got faster and faster but just never "kicked over."  I thought, I wonder who this poor person is that trys all day to start his tractor!!  It turned out it was a partridge doing its mating dance in the spring.  Anyway...when my heart thumps in my chest...this is what I always think of, because it starts out with a thump and like it can't "turn over."  This has happened to me over the years off and on.  I'm very used to it...sometimes its more frustrating than others, but I defintely know it happens with being more tired, before my menstrual cycle, with caffeine, and eating to much.  This generally alerts me to the fact that it is that time of the month again.  This all began with me when I was around 21 years old.  I think that makes it harder to bear sometimes because we feel we are so young, why should this happen.  Everyone has some cross to bear.....maybe if we look at it as "there go I but for the grace of God."  I know I can deal with all these feelings.....we have no choice and things could be worse.  Its nice to know this forum is here for when we need hope and help. mls
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I am 24 years old and have a prolapsed mitral valve, a heart murmur and a small hole in the right atrium of my heart.  About 3 months ago I started with severe heartburn and the GP thought it was a ulcer.  I ended up in the ER for a full cardiac workup and everything was okay.  I continued with chest pain, I then went for a ECHO, everything looked great.  I started with palpitations had a holter monitor, everything was good.  I stopped the Protonix that I was on, and the palpitations ended.  I had palpitations that felt like a "butterfly" when I was tired, hungry and a bit anxious.  Nothing since then until today when I I had a quick "thump" of my heart and then a strange feeling in my throat. Of course I got nervous and that just worsens everything.  I totally avoid caffeine and alcohol.  It is 1 week before my menstral cycle and I wonder if that has anything to do with it?  Does anyone else feel this way?
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Jonathan,
       I'm pretty sure the nicotine in cigarettes can increase the skip beats.  Try not smoking and see if you feel any better.
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I too have been having cases of PVCs especially at night.  Right when I am about to fall asleep, it feels like my heart has stopped and I jump up and have trouble breathing I get so worried about it.  It has been happening more during the day too.  Im 19 years old and last year I was diagnosed with Wolfe Parkinsons White syndrome but I never had any cases of extremely rapid heart beats.  I was put on an EKG, ECG, 24-hour heart monitor twice, a stress test and chest x-rays.  The cardiologists that I spoke with (2 total) never mentioned anything about PVCs.  Sometimes (during the day) they feel like very hard and slow beats coupled with a lightheaded feeling every now and then and sometimes its a little hard to breathe.  At night, like I said, its more of a skipping than anything. I used to take Zoloft for depression but I stopped taking it about 5 or 6 months ago, and have smoked for a little over a year now.  I was wondering if anyone knew if WPW was in any way related to the fact that I have been having bad cases of PVCs.  And also if smoking can make these feelings worse.  I almost feel as if I need to start taking the anti-depressant/anxiety medicine again to deal with these PVCs.  Any info would be much appreciated.
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JR
been on atenolol for 2 years now....it has help immensely but there are a few side effects. a little weight gain, a little tiredness, but a good exercise program is putting me back in shape. i guess it is really dependant upon your dosage. whatever you do, take half of your daily dosage twice a day. that will help to keep you from lowering your pulse and bp too much at one time, and still give relief from the thumps and bangs.
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Avatar universal
I have been taking Toprol XL since september 1999. In 1993 my heart started racing one morning, and it would slow down after a couple of hours. It has done the same thing everday since. In 1998, this one day it didn't slow down. I also began to feel fluttering, also I began to feel like a extra beat or a hard beat, you feel it once then it gone. Sometimes it is mild, sometimes it is stronger. Once I notice when I was  speaking and this happend, and it was a strong one, my voice jumped for a split second, when this hard beat came. I also get like a flutter, then my heart is either beating real slow, sometimes at this point I may start to feel like I might pass out, I cough or do something with a quick motion, then the beating picks up, I sometimes feel a warm or hot feeling, then this episode is over.
This scares the hek out of me, because I always worry wonder if when I cough, my heart beat doesn't beat faster, will I pass out. I know alot of it is panic when this episode comes on, because no matter how often it happens, it is scary and it is not something I can get use to. The fast heart rate I hate, but I am almost used to that, but not this other thing. Does anyone know what these different arrythmias may be? Also, if I take Toprol for a long time (I dont now how long I may be on it) is it safe?
I have tried to post these questions to one of the doctors on this website for the past year,  but each day I try so many times, and I always get the same page that comes up and says, this forum is no longer taking questions today.
Thanks.
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mjs
Wow, what a relief to know I'm not alone.  I was in the ER for 4 hours last night after an episode when I couldn't get a "normal" beat.  I've had these off and on for 2 years and had many of the same experiences as you all.  After an EKG and Holter, my doctor said nothing to worry about - EXCUSE ME......wouldn't you worry if your heart is beating strangely for no apparent reason?  Mine are definitely worse in the week before my period.  I'm not on medication yet but the doctor is talking about Atenolol - has anyone been on this?  Side effects?  Thanks.
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JR
hank...
the reason for the 1 or 2 day hiatus between the drinking and the problems is because the reactions that take the alchohol down to acletalaldehyde are time dependant and directly proportinate to the amount consumed.....thats one of the reasons that you can "head off" a hangover by having another early in the morning...you delay the process because the liver quits making acetalaldehyde (the bad stuff) so that it can take care of the new alcohol, breaking it down to its intermediary first(i forget what that is) and then to the bad stuff.. ENZYME REACTIONS ARE SO KOOKY!!!. i used to get horrible attacks of PSVT and PVC's the next day after a "binge", and after organic chemistry, i found a reason....turned out though that it was only one of many triggers though, (because i quit drinking and still had problems), but it might help a lot of peole who may even be just having the couple a day that the AHA sayes is good for the ticker.
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Avatar universal
By now, you'll notice that many people have palpatations, some very frequently.  I used to have them almost every other beat (hundreds per day) and I was very concerned.  Some things to try - I hope they help you.  By the way, my palpatations have been gone for one year.  I have no way of knowing whether the following really helped, or it was just coincidence:

1. Regular aerobic exercise (I do tae kwon do)
2. Avoid caffeine (this may have had a slight effect for me)
3. Avoid becoming over-excited from watching sporting events, etc. If you do get overly excited, make sure you breathe (don't hold your breath).  

For me, the "beta blockers" made me tired, lowered my blood pressure, and made the palps worse!  Also, the supplements (CoQ, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium) did not work.  Interestingly, anti-acids like axid did seem to help.





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Avatar universal
Two more suggestions:

1. Avoid ALL alcohol. Very important.
2. Try eating smaller, easy to digest meals.

For other writers, my doctor also told me that all people have these & some just notice them more than others.  Anyone who has these big chest thumpers knows better than that.  My wife could actually detect MY palpatations in bed by lying NEXT TO ME!  Can anyone top that?  Glad to say they went away one day last year, never to return.
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Avatar universal
I noticed a couple years ago, that after drinking a glass or two of wine, a while later my heart would race. I never connected  the wine, because my heart races anyway. Sometimes when I get up in the morning, when standing up after bending down, after eating even though I try to eat light and slow. Since 1993 I have had fast rate, flutters and different arrythmias. ALWAYS two weeks after my last menses and then two later they all get much more frequent and stronger. Doctors always say it can be a laundry list of things that can cause all this. I feel its a combo of what someone drinks or eats, a womans time of month, lack of sleep, stress, also my mother and sister had and have the same problems. So also genetics. I noticed that after just taking a sips of wine, a few minutes later my stomach tightens up for a few minutes. It is almost like a slight allergic reaction . But when I get my ususal symptons, I always feel it in my stomach. Especially when my heart is racing. I feel that tightened up feeling in my stomach more than I feel pounding in my chest.
Does anyone else get that feeling in their stomach? Does anyone else take Toprol XL and feel sometimes like it is not working?
Some days are fine, and some days I feel as if I didn't take my ususal dosage.

Take Care.
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JR
the problem with drinking alcohol and a fast rate is that the break down of ethanol in the body has a end state byproduct known as acetalaldehyde wich is very cardiotoxic, and triggers allergic reations in some people (especially those of asian decent) who lack the enzyme to take care of it. its the same chemical in the body that causes "hangovers"..... it causes rythm disturbances for A LOT of people...look up "holiday heart syndrome"....
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I too, noticed months ago, not only wine, but any alcohol, makes my heart race. there has to be a connection. before only red wine would do that, now it is all. i have been on atenolol for months now to keep my heart rate lower and have never heard of it causing blockage. would like to know more. i too, think the flutters have to be hormone related. i am 45 and all doctors tell me no signs of menapuase, all hormone levels fine, but i can't help but think they are related. hair growing real fast, skin changes, etc etc......i also can see a connection with stomach gas and flutters, like has been posted here many times. never heard a doctor confirm this, but sure have more when stomach gas is present and lack of sleep, they increase greatly. nancy
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I cannot drink wine at all.  The last time was a few years ago when I had a glass at dinner.  My heart started racing at 190bpm after this and I have not touched it since.  I also get some wheezing from it which I believe is from the sulphites.
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Avatar universal
I wanted to add to my above post, is when drinking just a half a glass of wine, about half hour later my heart will race also.
I have been told it is the sulphites that are in wine. Does anyone else get this as well?
Thanks.
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Avatar universal
I see so many people here that have the same symptons as I have. In 1993 they started with a fast heart rate. That came on evereyday since. Then one day in 1998 when it didn't slow down like it normally does, also that day I first started to feel that fluttering feeling, at the same time my heart was racing. If I sat down and not move to much it would slow down some, but as soon as I got up and went just a few feet, it took off. I finally saw a doctor after all this time, in the er, and then a cardiologist. I have had blood tests, different monitors, but I continued to have problems, that were not recorded on one of the monitors. When you have one of the monitors, the heart always seems to behave. Its when its returned back to the doctor, it starts up. The things I noticed other people post here, is exactly what I get. Like the fast beating sometimes in the morning as soon as I get up out of bed, the fast beating after a meal, all the symptons much worse around my menses, I take toprol twice daily, and somedays I feel like I hardly need any toprol, and somedays I feel I need more than my usual dosage, like its not even working. But comparing what I was like before I started the medication and now, it has helped. It's just if you should fall behind in the dosage, you pay for it, the symptons really come on, as I understand it, that it was can happen with a beta blocker. I have been told when going to the dentist, to tell him to keep the epinephrine out of the novacaine. That will make your heart speed up. When my heart is racing I get a like a tightened feeling in my stomach, as if it is all the muscles tensed up. As soon as the racing goes away, so does that tightened up feeling.
Also the funny beats or flutters you can feel sometimes down in the center of the stomach, or up in the base of the throat.
It seems alot of us share the same misery, but it is true to talk or think to yourself calming, positive thoughts, especially when having some symptons are just feeling funny. I have been told to try to forget about it, but it is truly hard, especially when the symptons come on. The anxiety or fear comes on, and I know it magnifies the symptons.

Take Care.


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Avatar universal
I have also suffered from these "harmless" palpitations.  I have had stretches that have lasted for 36 hours.  all the tests and the usual "don't worry".  Took atenelol but that slowed me down too much and ended up with second degree heart block.  On digoxin now and have been palpitation free for almost 2 months.  I strongly believe mine are hormone related.  I am a 47 year old female with no signs of menapause yet.  Just hang in there.
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