Heart Palpitation, does this look familiar?

Heart health and blood vessels
1

Hi all, I'm hoping someone here has experienced something similar and can shed a little light on this. I've been having sudden palpitation for the past few months. Sometimes every day, multiple times a day and other times can go a week without anything.

I haven't been diagnosed with anxiety but...I'm a worrier and a stresser and every time my blood pressure is taken it's elevated. I'm only 35 but I basically live life at a level ten stress, and while I've never had a panic attack I can be very emotional and easily upset. However, this has never caused any physical problems until three months ago, when I had sudden chest pains so bad that I went to the urgent care facility at 8am in the morning because they woke me up and I was convinced I was dying.

They did some blood tests, did an EKG and xrays and told me it's probably anxiety, that everything looked normal and not to worry because the odds of someone my age and weight (I'm only 108lbs at 5'2) having a legit heart problem is basically like winning the lottery. Even though I technically wasn't upset about anything at the time he seemed to want to label it as stress and anxiety.

He did suggest that I do a stress test...which I haven't scheduled, because shortly after I went home the pains gradually went away over the next few days. 

No more chest pain now, three months later, it's gone, but the palpitations are still here and while they've eased off some they are still daily in most cases and it's really starting to stress me out. I feel like it can't be normal to be sitting on my sofa watching tv and feel my heart thump and pulse out of the blue, or be laying in bed trying to fall asleep and feel the same.

I don't have to be doing anything stressing, emotionally or physically, to bring it on. It just seems random. Last time I was watching tv and perfectly calm. Only lasts a second or two each time. It's not prolonged and doesn't hurt, it's just a rapid, heavy flutter and then it's gone and my heart rate is normal again. Does this sound like afib? All the reading I've done says that if I experience this suddenly without warning so often that it might be a serious thing....so now of course I'm worried as hell.

Does anyone else reading experience something similar? I'm considering trying to find a doctor that will give me a holter monitor just to make sure I'm not secretly wasting away from some undiagnosed illness, but would love to hear any insight from folks that have read this and see anything familiar. I'm on the road to panicking because I assumed it would be gone by now 

Big thanks for getting this far in the post. I also hope it's okay to cross post this from another section since I also added it to the anxiety forum, but figured here is a good option as well.

Thank you!

2

Hi Ann, I've had a variety of arrhythmias for many years, and never gotten anything like a specific diagnosis.  Stress has little or nothing to do with it.

Here's a thing - do you like spicy foods?  I have one variety of arrhythmia which is definitely triggered by certain curries and Chinese chili sauces.  Which are unfortunately my favorite foods!  Or were, until I figured out the linkage.  The arrhythmias start about 24 to 36 hours *after* eating the food, which is maybe why it took me so long to figure out.  I'm still looking for *anybody* else who has the same thing!  The doctors just shrug.

Anyway there are a large variety of such things, which are apparently not nearly as dangerous as you might imagine, and are not at all rare.  Hope that helps.

3

Hi. Why not follow through and start with scheduling that stress test? When you go to book it, you could maybe ask about a cardiac holter as a further, future test? I see another reply refers to possible food triggers - I too have to be careful with foods. Maybe keep a food diary and run that alongside the other physical checks? By following through, you will begin to get answers and maybe eliminate aspects. By not going, youre not getting answers or closure on anything, and - whether consciously or not - you are likely worrying. Your choice of course, but not acting is also not dealing. Deep breath, dig deep and push on. We are all here to offer support. X

4

I would follow cardio congo's advice and schedule your stress test with the cardiologist, at which time you can ask him all the questions you might have.  You need answers and will just continue to stress out until you get them.   Good luck

5

Hi Ann.  I'm no expert, by a long shot, but it doesn't sound to me like classic Atrial Fibrillation.  There are many other arrhythmias, including Ectopic Beats which feel like isolated very strong beats of the heart which can occur in groups and described as palpitations (and which everyone gets, but might not know about them).  The thing with heart rhythms is that a simple check of the pulse is not going to give you the whole story, as a miss-timed beat might not produce the expected pulse to be counted/measured.  Most pulse monitors, even those on blood pressure monitors, average out the pulse rate and make the assumption that it will be regular.

The Holter monitor would probably reveal what's going on, but you are going to need a referral not to a cardiac doctor but one that specialises in arrhythmia, known as an ElectroPhysiologist (EP).  You will not get such a referral unless some other doctor can catch something on an EKG, which of course won't happen other than by chance, if your problem comes and goes.  The only other device that I know of which could give you a record of what's going on is a Alivecor Kardia.  This is a small electronic gizmo that will interface to an Android phone/tablet or an iOS equivalent.  They cost about £100 each though.  You might ask at your GP practice if anyone has one there, that they might loan to you.

The other thing is that heart arrhythmias are rarely too serious a problem, although they can be uncomfortable and distressing, and may leave you short of breath.  There is also a raised chance of stroke, which can be addressed with regular anticoagulant drugs.  

The link with foods is well known among AF sufferers, but only applies to a minority of them.  It is believed to be associated with the vagus nerve which services both the heart and the digestive system.  The majority of AF is not believed to be the same cause.

Good luck, and I hope you can settle your mind and get a clear explanation.

6

Hi Ann, from what I've read and experienced, AFib incidences can vary in duration. Some lasting less than a minute while others for hours. Though I haven't experienced symptoms like yours here are my two cents.

There may or may not be any causes for AFib but from my experience I think you need to work on two things :: Identify what is the trigger (if any) and secondly (and more importantly) why the chest pain.

In my case my AFib was accompanied by a mysterious fever. After 4 months it was diagnosed as TB! Once tb medication was started, AFib stopped! My point being, if it indeed is AFib, don't worry about the flutter, but worry about the other unexplained symptoms. Probably might help you get to the root cause.

And just in case it helps, my doctor always said, AFib will never kill you, it's the other problems that will.

7

Hi ann. I have 100 percent same symptoms that you have. I dont want to like long story here. You can read my posts.

Did cardiologist took your echo test. I have holter at this time on my chest. Today i will take its result and then show to doctors. Many cardiologist check me and said i hv anxiety but i dont believe. Do you smoke. I feel weakness in my arms pain in heart and some time sudden throat close like breath is stoped. So i guess its very compluxed siruation. The real thing is that dr diagonsed it. I know how hard it is. Upset all day and night. Do u feel like your heart is sinking or going down and its is weak and will stop working and failed. Stay in touch with me and send me msg in i nbox. I will update you about my progress and u tell me your. Stress test is good for diagonsing. But u have same fear of this test like me.be brave.

8

Hi Ann, 

As others have said, it’s important to explore every avenue, so the stress test should definitely be followed up on. There are many possible reasons for your symptoms and the fact that you have sporadic palpitations which quickly revert to normal rhythm is a good sign. I do think you should consider a full work up, especially thyroid levels. I have AFib and Hashimoto’s and there is a relationship between thyroid disease and fluctuations in metabolism which can cause palpitations. The holter monitor is useful in picking up arrhythmias but needs to be worn for more than the usual 24-48hrs to pick up occasional irregularities- whenever I’ve worn one my heart behaves itself so nothing was recorded. Others here might have more info on recording devices?

Good luck with your investigations, and try to stay calm! Xx

9

Interested to see your comment about Thyroid. Ive wondered recently whether my levels are low. May go and get an updated bloodtest!! Its a family trait for us girlies, so worth re checking methinks.

10

Always good to check things out! The meds for thyroid disease (usually thyroxine) can also cause palpitations and arrhythmia etc unless the dosage is spot on- as the thyroid is damaged/destroyed it can put really varying levels of hormone into the blood stream, so you can go from hypo to hyper at times. Good luck with it all!

11

My cardiologist was the one that put a holster monitor on me. I did not need a referral to an EP until ablation surgery was discussed. 

12

Any relationship to weather fronts arriving? For high BP try egg plant every other day.