Palpitations - How do people manage them?

[Catherine S]

Slickadam, beta blockers reduce the amount of adrenaline being produced, so there's not really much excess of it in your system when taking these meds.

You mention your low resting heart rate in the evenings, it's typical for young people to have a lower rate, lower bp etc, so your doctor will advise you about beta blockers..whether they'd be ok for you to take on a low dose and only on bad days rather than every day for example.

However, even though beta blockers are not heavy duty drugs, they do have their side effects if taken long term. Adrenaline isn't the devil people think it is, our organs sometimes need the boost of adrenaline to keep them in optimum condition and that includes the heart function. The opinion these days is that there ought to be better ways of handling anxiety...especially in young people...other than taking these meds. I happen to agree with that. Short term and occasional use is ok, but we all need to try to find ways of living with some aspects of anxiety...it's how we know we're alive after all.

[slickadam]

thanks for your reply Catherine

yeah, i'm actually "against" pills in general, i always try to find a natural way first. i started CBT a few weeks ago too, but we're still in the "introduction" phase. i hope that the cardiologist won't find anything bad with my heart (it will be my very first proper heart check) so i can just ignore the strange symptoms and eventually forget about them (fingers crossed).

[Shazamataz]

I'm an 18 y/o female, and i can safely say these past few months have been the worst of my life. I used to be a free living, happy go lucky teenager, but ever since I started having these episodes of palpitations, my life has completely changed. I am too anxious to see friends, go out, and have even had to defer my end of year university exams, and at times have been completely bed bound from fear - all because of my constant worry there is something wrong with my heart.

I have seen 3 cardiologists, had ecg's, holter monitor's, echo, blood test, stress test which are ALL normal, yet I am still convinced they have missed something.

I had started to make a little progress this past week but then last night BAM a huge flutter/ectopic/whatever you want to call it, and now my confidence has just plummeted again and feel I am back at square one.

If any of you have any coping technique's with how to cope with palpitation's and the anxiety that come with them, please let me know, as I am desperate to get my life back.

I had a major issue with this at the time when my anxiety spiralled. I can't remember which came first now, the palpitations/flutters or the anxiety. I could not stop checking my pulse and every time I noticed a 'flip' it would make my panic worse. My GP insisted there was nothing wrong and a 24 hour halter moniter showed nothing to be worried about but I couldn't believe it because the sensations were so real and alarming.

Now that my anxiety is mostly sorted I have gone a long time (about 10 months) without noticing any heart issues. Then I had a job interview last week and was offered the job on the spot and the few days leading up to starting I was feeling anxious (but managable) and the heart flips came back. Because I knew they went away before and knew it was 'just anxiety' I managed to just accept them and not let them bother me and they've settled on their own now I've started work and it's going well.

I guess just noticing them and reminding yourself it's no big deal is the way to go.

[Bike Rider]

That would be a muscle spasm, they do that, hence bad back etc.

[scared1998]

Thanks for your reply - really helps knowing that you have gone through the same thing and come out on the otherside, it really gives me hope.

Bike rider - what would be a muscle spasm sorry?

[Bike Rider]

A muscle cramp, you often feel your calf muscles cramp or the hamstrings, well all muscles can do that and it can last for a long time.

[scared1998]

A muscle cramp, you often feel your calf muscles cramp or the hamstrings, well all muscles can do that and it can last for a long time.

I'm getting abit lost in the thread here bike rider sorry!! Are you referring to the thud in my neck I asked about, or the heart palpitations themselves?

[Bike Rider]

The thud in your neck.