Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Palpitations destroying my life.

Hello everyone, I've been having heart palpitations since 10 years and now that I turned 31, I'm on a business trip since 45 days.

I've had dozens of ECG, Electrocardiography, MRI etc.. which ruled out any abnormal health structure. That was in 2008 . One doctor said that RVOT was the cause of my palpitations ( I get many everyday ). Another doc confirmed that I seem to have PVC/PACs RVOT randomly.

I went for a RF ablation ( cost $31,000 covered by insurance ) but unfortunately they were not detected so doctor advised to live with them as these are probably harmless and symptomatic only.
Since 3 days, I' ve been having terrible episodes of palpitations, stomach burning sensation, left chest pain ( stabbing that would come and go ) I feel like all my nerves or muscles are weak and cramped.
I feel nervous all the time. Sometimes palpitations ease when I sit down but if I go to bed I can't sleep as they start the minute I lay down and it comes and go as I change sleeping position. I also have this burning sensation moving in my back and left chest.

I feel like I'm about to die and it happened that when I think it's coming, I get an immense feeling of fear or adrenaline rush in my body which makes me feel like my heart is stopping and beating very slowly.
The last time I had them that bad was 7 years ago when I was on a business trip as long as this one ( longer than 3 weeks ). I do usually get palpitation episodes frenquently but not the terrifying one.
I was in perfect shape when I arrived 5 weeks ago as I could go out joggin, boxing etc.. but lately the minute I stand up and walk i get almost paralized from palpitations.

One last thing I noticed is that arousal/masturbation etc.. triggers palpitations immediately.
Also pressing on my stomach / end of my chest will trigger them
Am I having serious heart issues or it's anxiety? Can palpitations over time damage the heart structure ?  what do do ? I tried beta-blockers and Calcium chanel blockers in the past but nothing helped.
I'm returning to home country on Friday as this is affecting my work and life.
16 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
4385446 tn?1353798268
Hi dude! I to have the exact same problem and it’s also ruining my life, I’m on propranolol beta blockers and they seem to help a little bit. Having palpitations makes you feel really horrible and I’ve had enough, masturbation also triggers them for me too. It’s making me feel so depressed and down I have a ekg on the 20th but I have had a number of these also and they have been normal, I suffer with bad anxiety's
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
You ever get your thyroid tested? Not just TSH, but the ENTIRE panel.  How about adrenal glands like Cortisol, DHEA-S, Aldosterone, Catecholamines, Fractionated Plasma Metanephrines? Get them done. Buy the tests yourself online. https://www.mcssl.com/store/bltsystem ALSO, in the meantime try some magnesium. This one: Dr.s Best Magnesium Glycinate/Lysinate you find it on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Best-Absorption-Magnesium-Glycinate/dp/B000BD0RT0/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2H64BYB9PNJU0&dchild=1&keywords=magnesium+glycinate&qid=1632411856&sprefix=main%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-4
Avatar universal
Update guys :

I went to the US and now I'm back to home country. I did there many tests ( ECG/EKG 4 days holter + MRI + Echocardio + Stress test

Findings :

I have

- PVCs ( Bigeminy, Trigeminy ) and in couplets and triplets ~ 1200-1500 / day
- PACs ~ 400-600 / day
- Atrial Tach / SVT ~ 1000 / day

Doctor gave me Betablocker which did not help at all.

Echo result was excellent

Stress test is OK

I quit smoking 2 months ago and still cold turkey ~ that did change nothing.

MRI results turned to be a bit concerning but doctor wasn't : They found one micro-aneurysm in the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract but everything else is normal ( no ARVC/D )

He said this might be triggering the arrhythmia but it's not life threatening.

- Flecainide did not help. Isoptin did not help . Indreal/Nebilet did not help.


Now for the worst part... I am not a cather ablation cadidate. Why ? because doctor said that my PVCs and PCAs are multifocal. They are not from the same place and don't have a dominant pattern or morphology.

So what now ? I'm doomed ? seriously I'd rather die than live with this horrible nightmare that destroyed 4 relationships in my life and made me unable to travel to pursue my career
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes I did that and I had ulcer and it was treated but nothing more.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Did you ever had a gastroscopy? If the docters find your heart healty than they must look further. Maybe you got a hernia? I am actually Afrikaans and lives in South Africa. Trying my best to explain in english
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My docter put me on Serdep 50mg and increase it to 100mg after a month. Also taking Purata 30mg at night to help me sleep. Also Ativan 1mg to put under tongue if I am having a panic attack. Got a appointment with cardio. Just to make sure my heart is ok.
Helpful - 0
11849443 tn?1441302841
Snus is not a cigarette, its a form of chew from Sweden.

It will help you quit.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
What are you taking for your panic attacks ? We share many things in common. I used to take Xanax and it helped a bit but side effects are what made me quit.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Coffee,chocolate,smoking,spicy foods can cause palpations. I was diagnosed with GERD and anxiety/panickattack. I am having palpations every day. Constant heartburn. Docter prescribed Nexium. Making everything worse!!! They explained to me because of the reflux and anxiety,' it affects my vegus nerve system' and that can triggers palpations .and the adrenaline also when i am having a panic. Also got chestpain. Went to ER, they did tests,everything normal. Since i am on meds for anxiety,i am feeling bit better. The panickattacks is less...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Actually mint cigarettes trigger palpitations like crazy. I even get shortness of breath when I smoke these not to mention the awful heartburn i get along.
Helpful - 0
11849443 tn?1441302841
Have you ever considered using Snus instead of smoking, I know its still tobacco but its not as harmful.

That might help you out in the long run...

Its called General Snus and mint and mini mint are excellent.
Helpful - 0
12492606 tn?1459874033
When you said you jog and box, I had assumed that smoking wasn't part of your life style.  That's is a modifiable risk factor that you will need to control yourself.  Especially since you have PVCs.  The reason for going to a top center is that they are not limited in scope as to what they will ablate once they get the catheter into your heart.  If they see PVCs beyond RVOT, they will hunt for them by mapping and will go after them.  Same for the PACs, since they have to pass those chambers to get to your ventricle(s).  But first things, first.  Stopping smoking would be my top priority if I was in your position.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks! actually I am not living a healthy life due to lots of work and interrupted sleeps. Also I'm a heavy smoker. I know I should stop but smoking less or stopping seem to make my heart palpitation worse for some reason.

Btw, before going to the ablation procedure, doc told me clearly that even if the procedure is successful and RVOT is treated, they won't be able to get rid of the PVCs and PACs as these can't be ablated and I will have to live with them.

@Pix101 : yes I had heartburn when I was young and it comes and go but it's mild. Was on Nexium and it helped but as much as I want to believe that my stomach is causing me all this as there seem to be a link, my doctor didn't agree.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Did you ever had a gastroscopy? Do u get allot of heartburn? Burning in chest? Feeling like something stuck in your throat?
Helpful - 0
12492606 tn?1459874033
You are welcome.  Because you have had PVCs for so long now, I doubt medication will stop it and it sounds like you live healthily so you are really left with ablation.  The risk to progression to heart failure (years down the road, not acute risk) is significantly higher for anybody that has 700 pvc's per day according to the UCSF study recently published.  If I was in your position, I would seek out an ablation center that do a decent volume of VT ablations and get the issue resolved now instead of waiting another 15 years or when you get to 20,000 PVCs.  Why wait?  15 years with a better quality of life is worth the risk and success rates at top centers for RVOT is high.  Because you travel all over and a lot, you probably have far better choices than Lebanon.  I would suggest France (U. of Bordeaux), Germany (U of Hamburg), Netherlands (Thoraxcenter), etc..  Lots of choices out there.  Let me know your travel destinations and I can help with researching your choices.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the reply.

I live in Lebanon ( American hospital )

My doctor was from Cleveland with specialty in
Abnormal Heart Rhythms, Long QT Syndrome, Atrial Fibrillation, Supraventricular Tachycardia, Ventricular Tachycardia, Biventricular Pacemaker, Catheter Ablation, Lead Extraction, Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator, Pacemaker Implant, Pulmonary Vein Isolation Ablation..

That was few years ago unfortunately he left and went back to the states.

Answers to my previous questions is also appreciated.

Helpful - 0
12492606 tn?1459874033
Sorry to hear about your troubles.  Ablation technology has improved a lot since 2008 so you may want to consider another attempt.  Although RVOT is one of the easier VT procedures (because of easy access to right ventricle), you still want it done at a tertiary referral center that do at least 50 VT ablations a year.  The risk of tamponade is significant so going to a high volume center improves your odds for success with lower complication risks.  In the USA, only around 30 centers would make that cutoff the last time I checked.

You mentioned your first ablation cost $31k which is relatively cheap in comparison to USA cost.  Where is home for you and which hospital provided the RF ablation the first time?
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Heart Rhythm Community

Top Arrhythmias Answerers
1807132 tn?1318743597
Chicago, IL
1423357 tn?1511085442
Central, MA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Are there grounds to recommend coffee consumption? Recent studies perk interest.
Salt in food can hurt your heart.
Get answers to your top questions about this common — but scary — symptom
How to know when chest pain may be a sign of something else
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.