Frequently recurring, long duration palpatations?

Heart health and blood vessels
1

This write up will be pretty lengthy, I apologize, but this issue has been active for around 2 weeks now and it's driving me insane. For reference I am 26, I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder.

So on September 2nd I had a serious period of heart palpatations. The first day was the most intense, the palpatations were happening probably every 5-10 seconds and the episode lasted the entire day. The next day I awoke to palpatations but they subsided after a few hours, only to return again when I laid down to go to bed.

The same happened the next day, palpatations for a few hours after waking up, and then going away for the entire day and returning the moment I laid down to sleep.

On the 4th day I awoke to no palpatations but felt very unwell, I decided that this wasn't normal and went to the hospital. At the hospital they did blood pressure and gave me an ECG. The caridologist said my ECG was perfect and said that my palpatations had possibly been brought on by benign issues such as sleep problems, stress or diet related and my anxiety disorder may have been exacerbating the issue and making it appear worse. I went home and had a full day without issue.

I woke up the next morning not to palpatations, but instead extreme dizziness. For the next SIX DAYS I felt dizzy without end, turning my head made me feel disoriented, closing my eyes or walking down a dark hallway would make me feel like I was flying everywhere. It was very disturbing.

After these 6 horrible days the dizziness subsided, only to mark the return of my palpatations again. Same as before, I woke up to them, after a few hours they went away and would return at night, getting worst when I lay down. My body also feels very weak and achy, especially my arms and legs.

Today I returned to the hospital and went through the tests again, I once again got a perfectly fine ECG back and was told it is not a heart issue they can see. The biggest problem is that my palpatations always subside before I reach the hospital, so they never can capture the palpatations on the ECG. I returned home and a few hours later as the night rolled around, they returned yet again, I am experiencing them now as I type this.

The doctor seems to think it's anxiety but as someone who has suffered anxiety disorder for 11 years, I can absolutely assure that it is not, this is nothing like anxiety symptoms I have felt in my life.

For a description of the palpatation feeling, it is a pause between beats followed by a very strong thudding beat that feels like it's right around the bottom of my sternum (around the top of the stomach on an anatomy chart).

They seem to be independent of heart rate, sometimes they frequently happen while my heart rate is high, sometimes they don't happen at all despite a very high heart rate from psychical activity. If I check my pulse and one happens during it, I can feel the pause between beats and the thump of the next beat, it's definitely there and happening.

Has anyone had experience with this? After having this for nearly half a month I am starting to feel like I am going crazy, I can't get comfortable, sleep well, watch movies or do anything because I am cosntantly reacting to these palpatations and it's driving me to the edge.

2

Hi xathian

Just wondering if something has happened that may have caused you some emotional upset? If that's the cause it could be extreme stress and anxiety causing it. If not perhaps request more investigations i.e. Heart event monitor.

All the best

3

Hi xathian

I dont know where i will start, i was 22 then. To cut the story short . i had all what you said your having now. My dr. Was my uncle our next Street neighbor. Everytime i had severe palpitations . anxiety set in next. Thw weird thing is when my uncle dr. Checks me up my anxiety and palpis siezes to exist. Its a bummer. I was given inderal 25. It worked i am 56 now and have. Arythmia. and if i were to choose with palpitations and arythmia. I'd choose palpitation. Xathian, i feel your having panic attacks and anxiety issues... Yes you have palpis. But there are meds for that

You dont have to suffer.. Look for another dr. That may prescribe you a suitable medicine.. I speak from my experience.. Get well soon bro

4

The best option at this point I think is the suggestion from Amber , a heart event monitor. All my best.

5

Hi Xathian,

I have had and still get Palpitations where my Heart misses or skips a beat, and have also experienced the thud you've described. After having Blood tests, ECG scans, X-ray everything was all clear, even though I could feel my Heart beat in my chest without placing my hand upon it, all very frightening.

Two things, Firstly, when you are Anxious you are extremely over aware and exaggerated of what's happening to you, when you are calm your Heart beats are soft but once in fight or flight mode is what's called exaggerated beats where the beats are loud and thud like.

Secondly, a Cardiologist said a skipped or missed beats isn't uncommon, many, many people have them but go unnoticed, where a person with Anxiety disorder noticed them big time. Also, the skipped or missed beats are extra or premature beats and it is only the Pause that is noticed. If I could post the written text to putilise you at ease I would, palpitations are not life threatening just a uncomfortable and scary experience and is common through out. Your just doesn't get weak there would be symptoms to say otherwide, your tests prove your Heart is healthy, I've done what you did going back up the Hospital being kept in because of my horrid experience, to be told there is nothing wrong. This is called White coat syndrome when you think the worst is happening to you, but you get to the Hospital and the episode you've had for sometime decides to go on a few hours vacation, only to start up again at home a few hours after. I'm on 50mg Sertraline and have been for Six weeks and in all honesty I feel 98% myself, also was told to drink lots of water and slow deep breathing exercises and it does make a difference. Thing is and it's true when you are working or busily active, you never notice the palpitations, hope I've given you some food for thought.

6

Hey daveydee

Your food for thought is nutrituious. Seems we all have similar experiences. White coat syndrome? That is theExact meaning..... If there was such a switch in our brains we could just turn off and on, During episodes , would that be fantastic. In my case its just so hard. There is a trigger, why our heart. Beats this way. Anxiety and panic.? If there is anyone or anything that could rid us of this is oursevles. The dr.s and meds are just tools... Tnks davey for the insights

7

I agree with you totally Garry, it isn't a nice experience for anyone let alone ourselves to go through. And being amongst people people on here with similar symptoms is a great help, if not a relief that you are not alone. Even though your told your Heart is fine and that there is nothing wrong, we still think otherwise. I wish you all the best Gary and thank you for your kind world's and comfort 😊

8

You feel it's anxiety much as both cardiologists did. But this just doesn't feel like it to me. This whole problem started 2 weeks ago in a period where I was feeling absolutely no anxiety.

Also, when I suffer anxiety problems, distracting myself away from the issue helps. With these palpatations (which again today I have been having all day and still am right now) come even when I am distracted and not feeling anxious. I can completely forget about the palpatations, watching a movie and suddenly they start again.

They also spike worst when I lay down every night, that doesn't seem like anxiety, since it's such a specific trigger relating to my bodily state (relaxing to sleep)

If this really is anxiety, it's nothing like any anxiety symptoms I've felt in the 11 years since my disagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder.

9

Thanks for your advises…….your supports are invaluable…now i need an advise…i dont know how to behave… as i say i had a cryoablation nine month ago for Atrial Fibrilation as doctor said…why i am saying ” as doctor said” because it was his diagnose… untill cryoablation i had only one episido af but i dont know if it was af episode or it was a group of extra beats…how i was diagnosed it was af… and after ablation passes nine month, i had severel extra beats, but how you said there is no reason for annoying… and i now too it is not daengerous for life… But yesterday after work i felt something in the heart are like a palpilation,like something is thrilling… and it lasted almost 5-6 seconds… and now i dont now what it was an short af episode or a group of extra beats… my father said that it was a group of extra beats and it is nonsense, he said that it is sympathetic depending on your nerves system… he is a heart doctor….and i write to my ablation doctor he said too Forget… so you have a great experience…. what is your advise… what must i do? to sit and wait another episode or do something,as a said i had no sustained episode…what i had till this time only several extra beats, sometimes whit pause, and a one episode of thrilling a about 30 seconds a year ago and again yesterday lasting 5-6 seconds.

10

i sometimes think people now change their heart,do many operations,what is the thing that we cant do anything,what to do to sit and live whith thing odd thing,to feel the senseof dieing every day,and hear the. advice of doctor it is not thereat life)iam not going to sit and wait!)) execuse me for my write,i hate extra beats!