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Heart Palpitations: Is it My Heart or GERD?

26 Male. No drugs, tobacco, liquor, or caffeine.
Only health issue according to my doctors is Gerd/Acid Reflux and Anxiety.

So I get these heart palpitations that are strong and big beats. Sometimes I get squeezing ones which feels like someone squeezing my heart then my heart races and I feel weird like a shock and have to sit down. I've done all of these tests echo, ekgs, stress, holter monitor, and all negative. Only one left is CT scan Angiogram test but I'd have to take Prednisone to do it which is a big no to me.
Anyone else have similar issue or have advice?

Thank you!
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Avatar universal
You can consider other stress tests with nuclear medicine or echocardiography. Another option is cardiac MRI, although that is only performed at certain specialized imaging centers, such as academic hospitals. None of these use iodinated contrast.
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Avatar universal
Why do you have to take pred for cta?
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7 Comments
Oh contrast allergy?
Oh contrast allergy?
I have a shellfish allergy and they want to play it "safe"
With iodine contrast
So why concern about pred predose?
It is a myth that patients with shellfish allergies cannot safely receive intravenous contrast because they are allergic to the iodine in both of these substances. While it is true that patients can have allergies to shellfish and shellfish contain iodine, the actual allergens are proteins called tropomyosins and parvalbumin. There is no direct relationship between shellfish and contrast allergies. In fact, the American College of Radiology (ACR) Manual on Contrast Media states:

Patients with shellfish or povidone-iodine (e.g., Betadine) allergies are at no greater risk from iodinated contrast medium than are patients with other allergies (i.e., neither is a significant risk factor).

Routine premedication or avoidance of contrast medium for other indications, such as allergic reactions to other substances (including shellfish or contrast media from another class [e.g., gadolinium-based – iodinated]), asthma, seasonal allergies, or multiple drug and food allergies is not recommended.

Based on the literature currently available, as well as the professional recommendations from the ACR, medical personnel should stop asking patients about shellfish allergies. Even if the question is asked, we should all be clear that there is no relationship between a shellfish allergy and an iodinated contrast allergy.

Source: https://www.acr.org/-/media/ACR/Files/Clinical-Resources/Contrast_Media.pdf
Interesting.  Thanks for letting us know... appreciate the added knowledge.
20748650 tn?1521032211
Always possible they missed some isolated Ectopy. Anxiety can also be a factor.

This shock/ sit down aspect though.. do you feel like you’re fainting or almost fainting when this happens?
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3 Comments
I have no idea anymore what cause is or what to do. By shock I mean like the heart palpitation was so big, strong, or scary that it scared the heck out of me.
I've had this condition for over 30-35 years, heart beat flutters and feels like a massive dump of  adrenaline, I have two stents due to  coronary artery blockage and I have had 2  minor heart attacks and 1 very minor TIA stroke  , so needless to say I've had nearly every test possible and I would suggest going by my experience that  the condition you're describing is most likely anxiety, I would still consult a physician and possibly a mental health counselor for stress and anxiety.
Best of luck,
sincerely Scott
If you aren't fainting that's a positive sign.
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