Palpitations after exercise and eating

[trdapostle]

Hi,
The past year I have been getting small palpitations after vigorous excercises and eatting large meals., sometimes after a vigorous excercise I sometimes get a bit dizzy.  I have had a perfect health record my whole life.  The only thing that has changed in my life is the fact that I quit smoking and I been eatting much more healthy (no more fast food or greasy foods, I eat more fruits and vegetables, etc).  This resulted in a 15-20 pound weight loss the past year, I am now 5'11" 160lbs (20 year old male).  I'm starting to think it has alot to do with my weight loss with me feeling my heart all the time.  Even if I sleep on my stomach I get can feel my heart beating against my bed, it gets annoying.  Or if I get excited at the movie theater, I'll feel my heart escalating a tiny bit.  I have a normal heart rate when I'm calm and blood pressure is perfect.  Any ideas or recommendations? I know there's more people out there that have this, I just want to know if it's something serious and I should go to the doctor for.  Maybe me being unhealthy during my teenage years of smoking and eatting all that greasy food has damaged my heart in some way?

[trdapostle]

I had blood work exactly a year ago, and everything was normal.  I used to have anxiety and panic attacks from fears that I had health problems (which was the reason I quit smoking and started to eat healthy).  Since I went to a psychiatrist, my anxiety has almost completely diminished.  But everytime I exercise and feel my heart rate escalate, my anxiety will return and I'll think that I'm having a heart attack.  My fears also come back after I eat, since I've known somebody that has died from a heart attack after eatting.  Do you think my anxiety plays a role.  I also want to add that my anxiety will only get triggered if I can feel my heart escalate.  I am pretty sure my anxiety does not trigger the heart first.

[Brooke_38]

Hello...

Sorry you're having a rough time. Have you had a physical in the past year? Had cholesterol levels checked?

I can only make a guess to what you may be experiencing. The symptoms you describe sound like premature beats. Whether they are PAC's (Premature Atrial Contration) or PVC's (Premature Ventricular Contraction) cannot be determined without monitoring.

Changes in your body’s autonomic tone can affect how frequently PVC’s occur, or how prominent the sensation is when they do occur (most of the time PVC’s are asymptomatic). Sometimes, the increased vagal tone after eating  causes a slower heartbeat, which facilitates the premature beats. I know they are very annoying and sometimes even scary.

If you have not had this checked out, it might be best to make an appt with your Dr to rule out anything significant. It is most likely a benign condition, a Dr would be the one to determine this.

I hope you find some relief from this:)
  

[trdapostle]

I also want to add that I don't excercise as much as I should, maybe once a week at best.  So perhaps I over do it?  I also want to add that I get no chest pains during these episodes what so ever, just the minor palpitations.