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Avatar universal

Heart Palpitations

Does anyone else have problems with breathing and/or heart palpitations?  My most recent flare up was preceded by rib pain then palpitations which led to a cough (this has been going on non-stop for 6 months now) Holter monitor showed that I have multiple PVC's.  My stress echo was normal so my heart is fine, but clearly something is causing it to go haywire.  I have runs of bigeminal pvc's (normal beat, skip a beat) which last off and on all day.  Now I wake up gasping for breath from naps and at night.  

I googled heart palps and MS and there seems to be some evidence that MS can cause disturbances in the autonomic nervous system, but there is not much out there or I am looking in the wrong places.  My Neuro didnt seem to disturbed by it, but he was more concerned about the other MS problems I am having and I didnt get a chance to tel him just how bad it is.  Any help you can give me would be appreciated.

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Avatar universal
I am currently experiencing the same issues.  I went to my GP and he told me my lungs and heart are healthy and I should go to my neurologist. He also said it most likely is a lesion on the part that controls my heart rate and breathing.  I just had an MRI in February and there was no new lesions, so what I want to know is how fast do they appear?  
Helpful - 0
429700 tn?1308007823
Please tell us what your sleep study shows.  I wake up gasping for breath quite frequently, too.  Deb
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Avatar universal
It is good to hear that the mask is working for you.  My sleep study is scheduled for 10/27.  I am not sure if it is even sleep apnea, because I only seem to wake up gasping for breath occasionally and that is during afternoon naps.  Will find out soon enough, I guess.  
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Avatar universal
Please let me know what your MS Neuro tells you about this.  I also have a history of very labile hypertension.  Yesterday I had a BAEP which I guess can tell if there are any brain stem lesions.  Apparently brain stem lesions are what can cause the automonic dysfunction you mentioned.  Thanks for your information.  Keep us posted.

Karen
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738075 tn?1330575844
Echoing Lulu, most PVCs in the presence of a normal echo and EKG are benign.  I've had the same problem for over 25 years, and I gave up worrying about it  about 24 years ago.  I have a ticklish alpha adrenergic system, and have frequent PVCs, PACs, SVT, and I've always been able to convert myself, even with 3 hours of SVT (my only symptoms with this are shortness of breath and a little anxiety).  I told the electrophysiologists I work with they don't get to touch me until I can no longer convert myself, LOL.

Try a Valsalva Manuver, or carotid massage for SVT, or just a deep savasana or biofeedback for PVCs (not medical advise, this is what works for me).

Best of luck,
Guitar_grrrl
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751951 tn?1406632863
Was just reminded that my home BP cuff displays a little vibrating heart icon if it detects arrhythmia while checking bP & pulse.  I just triggered it again, which seems to occur with about every 3rd reading.  BP's good tonight, though, 130/72 with a pulse of 63.
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429700 tn?1308007823
I used to have palpitations which were really bad when my thyroid condition was not treated.  I rarely have them now.
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739070 tn?1338603402
I also have palpitations. I have had 3 previous Holter monitors,two of which have been 30 day event monitors to have a better cance of recording the offending palpitations. Previous results showed bradycardia (heart rate of 40) and lots of PACs . I have a history of extremely labile hypertension.  My local neuro believes it is autonomic dysfunction due to MS. I haven't discussed it with my MS neuro yet but plan to at the next appointment at the end of the month.

The cardiologist also wants to be sure I'm not experiencing atrial fib which could be causing some of my stranger dizziness symtoms, i.e. confusion and an urgent need to sit before I fall. These episodes in the past two weeks along with an increase in palpations led to the monitor.

I hope that all of you with any sort of cardiac problems have it checked out. Remember you can have something else wrong in your body in addition to MS.

Well wishes to all,

Ren
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Avatar universal
Honesly, if those are your only symptons, I highly, highly doubt you have MS. Come on now, just because it could be a sympton of MS does not mean you have it. Your symptons point much more towards something else. problems with the MS are very rare, usually people who have them, just have them, and just assume its from there MS, when in reality its just another problem they have.

get an echo, and pumonary function tests.
Helpful - 0
736590 tn?1280291565
This always seems to be a topic that is avoided because it's an area of our body that is just to important to ignore and brush off as an MS symptom.  I'm even uncomfortable saying that I believe my problems with heart rate are from MS.

In my case, I still think they were.  It just doesn't mean that it can't still be serious enough to have it checked.  

I hope you get some answers!  

My problems were also very bad at night.  Enough to keep me up or wake me up!  

Helpful - 0
751951 tn?1406632863
Yes, pup, I have been diagnosed with OSA for about two years now, I think.  The mask has helped tremendously with the quality of my sleep.  Now if I can just turn off the computer and go to bed on time.....
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771085 tn?1268010265
I am anemic...  but I take iron pills every day.  
Good to know that I'm not the only one who has this problem =))
I was starting to think I was crazy.  haha
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Avatar universal
Momto2grls,

It took me 12 years to really get a definite MS diagnosis, so hang in there.  For me, episodes of rapid pulse and unusual BP was probably one of my first symptoms.  I just googled autonomic nervous system and it appears that many folks with MS do present with BP and cardiac rhythm anomalies, breathing difficulties and sleep disturbances,  but it is still not studied very well.  So keep looking for answers if you suspect MS.  Some neurologists are better at diagnosing it than others.  Thanks for your input.

Lulu54,

I thought about asking my GP to order an electrophysiology study.  Now I am sure I will talk to her about it.  Maybe PVC's are not a big deal to the rest of the population, but if they are caused by MS, I do not believe they can be considered harmless.

Maybe discussions like this will provoke more studies.  Afterall if we can go to our Docs and say "I know 99 other people with MS that have this same problem!!" maybe someone will get curious and look into it.  Thanks for your advice.

Karen

Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
I should have added you can have a structurally sound heart muscle, and you can pass all the EKG's, echocardiograms, and holter tests and still have electrical problems with your  rhythm.

Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
Just like we search for neuro's until we find one who listens and takes us seriously, we also need to do that with cardiologists.  Not all of them are the same and definitely don't take *nothing wrong* for an answer when you know there is a problem.

I still find no scientific connection between heart problems and MS, everything I read falls in the anecdotal area.  I wish there was a way to really study this and find the connection, because in my heart I know my heart attack was caused by my MS spasms.  Its the only thing that makes sense.  Both my neuro and cardio indulge me when I talk about it to them, but there is no evidence to prove I'm correct in my thinking.

As for the irregularities in your heart beat, if it gets bad enough, you may consider having an electrophysiology test done.  This will check your heart rhythm for irregularities, by provoking your heart.  You can learn more about this test at the Heart Rhythms website -

http://www.hrspatients.org/patients/heart_tests/electrophysiology_study.asp

Don't settle for no answers -

my heartfelt best,
Lulu

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
I have experienced just what you describe for just over a year now.
I am not diagnosed, but absolutely could have written your post! I had the same tests done - echo, holter, event monitor, stress test. All normal, just showed pvcs and episodes of tachycardia. Doc couldn't tell me the cause and said everything is normal. I am very suspicious that this could be connected with all other symptoms I am having. I have pvcs so frequently throughout the day and it is so disturbing. I went from having tachy. maybe 2-x's/month to almost daily. More than one doc told me they did not want to put me on meds for it/meds not necessarry (that's easy for them to say). My blood pressure also runs very low - has for years.
I had a period of about 3 months within the past year when all of my "MS" symptoms subsided, including the heart symptoms, so this makes me very suspicious about the link between the two.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the input!!  I wonder if there are more of us experiencing this in one form or another, but not making the connection to MS unless the symptoms get severe.  

I am going for a BAEP today which from what I have read can confirm brain stem lesions.  I have so many lesions, however, that I guess I would not be surprised if I have one there.  I am glad your symptoms are getting better.  I am glad you mention getting overheated, however, because I have found that my palps get worse after exercising, when exercise is supposed to make them better.  I also am fine in the morning with most of my episodes happening when I am tired or at night.

Karen
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
That sounds almost exactly how it started for me with previous and this current exacerbation.  My neuro listened to my heart yesterday and  said "You are nervous today."  I said "If you are referring to my tachycardia, that is normal for me."  At one visit to my rheumatologist, the nurse thought the pulse meter was broken because my pulse was 109 and I was just sitting chatting with her.  I told her "it's not broken.  It is just me."    At other times my pulse is as low as 60 which is borderline bradycardia.  No rhyme or reason.  

You might consider talking to your Dr. about your heart rate, in case there is a connection to MS.  Please let me know what you find out.  I am not sure cardiologists have any answers, because it seems they are concerned with diseases and defects of the heart.  If the palpitations and rapid heart rate are MS related, it seems to me it is some sort of problem in the "wiring" which controls the heart.  But I am just a lay person with MS.  Then again, who knows how we feel better than we and our fellow sufferers do?  

Karen
Helpful - 0
736590 tn?1280291565
Yes!! My last flare came with rapid heart rate.  Of course, everything else was ruled out.  I knew it was MS related because when I became overheated, this was one of the old symptoms that appeared.

I saw my neuro in Aug and as we were looking at the MRI, sure enough there was a lesion on the area of my brain stem that can effect your heart rate.  It was smaller than the previous MRI so I'm sure that is why this problem has gotten better for me.  My blood pressure is also very high dispite my meds.  

It is really nothing to mess with.  Don't take these symptoms lightly.  

To be honest, my neuro still isn't convinced that this is what caused my symptoms.  I don't think any good doctor is going to commit to saying heart symptoms are only MS related.  No one should ignore that type of symptom.  

If it is MS related, I think it's usually a brain stem lesion???
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Avatar universal
I have not heard of migraines causing palpitations, but I have heard that sleep apnea can.  My guess is that you have been dx'd with sleep apnea as you referred to your CPAP mask?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Your lung function test results "poor neuromuscular control or the pt isn't trying." makes me wonder.  When I googled I found that to be the result that many with MS get.  When I exhale before taking in my inhaler, I feel as though I should be able to do better but cannot.  My GP says asthma, but I am 52.  In my head, that's kinda old to get asthma.

My cardiologist isnt concerned because my heart is structurally sound.  He doesnt seem interested in why a sound heart is acting so funky and causing me such difficult symptoms.    The cardiologist says lots of people get pvc's and they dont even notice them.  My issue is that they are getting MUCH more frequent and much harder to deal with in terms of catching my breath, and I do notice them.

I wonder if this may be an uncommon and under-studied problem for folks with MS.

Karen
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Avatar universal
I had this problem when I was very anemic.  It did get significantly better when my iron levels came up.  Have you been tested for anemia?
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771085 tn?1268010265
I'm not sure if my new "heart" problems are related to my MS, but since the beginning of this current exacerbation, I've been having random episodes of my heart rate all the sudden jumping to about 150... even though my BP stays around 95/60 (my norm).  It doesn't seem to matter what I'm doing...  working in the flower garden, or just sitting on the couch watching TV.  It's a little scary.  I have yet to talk to my dr about these episodes, but they do go away on their own after about an hour or so.
I would def talk to your dr about this... if your neuro isn't concerned, I'd talk to your GP or cardiologist.  
Let us know how things go!

Rhi
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Have you ever been tested for Tachycardia???
Avatar universal
I don't think I have anything as bad as what you're describing, but I do get palpitations and shortness of breath that I have no good explanation for.  I had lung function tests that said "poor neuromuscular control or the pt isn't trying."  Since I was trying, it seems to imply there's something screwy going on.

What does the cardiologist make of all this?

Stephanie
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