Palpitations on Lying Down

[ZigZag]

Hi, I get regular palpitations when i lie down, which go away when I get up again. It doesn't happen every time I lie down but is occurring more and more frequently. It makes me feel anxious and I find it difficult to go to sleep. As soon as I am lying down I can feel regular fluttering, every ten seconds or so, which doesn't go away until I sit up and then my heart is fine again.
Anyone else experiencing this? I have mild chest and stomach pain. I think I have GERD and ulcers. Just not sure why this happens.

[Apple86]

Hi Zigzag,

Sounds a bit similar to my situ. I started with stomach problems (been told it’s reflux/ulcer/gastritis) and have developed palps when trying to sleep. Mine are more heavy beats that can be fast with an occasional flutter. The problem is the vicious cycle - now I’m aware that this is happening I’m struggling to sleep and keep waking up with my heart palpating not long after I drift off. Last night I was still awake at 3am.

I think this is probably a case of mind over matter but it’s hard to refocus the mind. I’m trying to ignore it as much as possible throughout the day today and then only worry about it if it happens again tonight. Are you on any meds? I’m on beta blockers but would like to wean myself off them and see what my heart does naturally.

---------- Post added at 12:00 ---------- Previous post was at 11:59 ----------

Also, when I wake up my heart is always racing like I’m in a panic attack.

[Carys]

If by palpitations you mean ectopic beats - then yes ! I have periodically had this for about 40 years. The vagus nerve, which can be irritated by anxiety and anxious gastric problems , is near the stomach. Therefore, for me, when lying down it seems to put pressure on that nerve and therefore runs of ectopics with their slow missed beats and fast ones to catch up.

Any kind of GI distress can put pressure on the nerve and irritate it, with a hiatal hernia being a frequent culprit. Poor posture along with muscular imbalances can also cause the vagus nerve to misfire, as can excess alcohol or spicy foods. Stress can inflame the nerve, along with fatigue and anxiety

[ZigZag]

Thanks for your replies. Yes, I am on beta-blockers. I don't mind taking them if they help. They don't seem to make much difference but I am on a low dose. I usually have low blood pressure and my resting pulse can go down to the low 40s, so I don't really want to increase the dose.
My stomach is very active today, twitching, gurgling, sloshing about, so maybe it is irritating the nerves.

[Carys]

You are on beta blockers for anxiety? and have low blood pressure and a very low resting heart rate.....has that been assessed recently as that could be making you feel a bit worse in my opinion (I'm not medical - disclaimer). Betablockers won't do anything for ectopics and vagus nerve irritation I'm afraid.

[ZigZag]

I'm not on beta-blockers for anxiety. I get episodes where my heart races really fast out of the blue, for no reason. It can last for over an hour. Fastest pulse rate I have recorded was 201 bpm. My blood pressure rockets during these episodes. I sweat, get bad chest pains, feel sick, like I'm going to pass out. I get arrhythmias, pauses etc.
I am being checked out and due for more tests. So far tests have shown I have 1st degree heart block and rare pauses >2 seconds but nothing major. Hence the beta blockers. When I get the attacks it's really really scary so I'd rather keep on taking them!

[Carys]

Oh yes, thats obviously entirely different, apologies for assuming something different. It seems like you have some legitimate reasons for being concerned with the random episodes you are having - have they settled with the betablockers?

[ZigZag]

Yes, the beta blockers have helped stop my pulse going too high or irregular. Still get the pauses and heart block though, plus nausea, sweating and high anxiety when it happens! It usually only happens at night, with just occasional daytime episodes.

I've only started getting the palpitations lying down very recently. At least, I have had them many times before but only when I first lie down, then after a few flutters that's the end of them. Now, however, they keep on going for ages, until I get fed up and prop myself up on pillows to stop them so I can get to sleep.

I'll just have to wait for some more tests to see what's going on.