blondielady
14-12-15, 18:46
In the past, I've had issues come up that caused me a great deal of anxiety. Last year around this time of year I had too many things going on and I felt that weird almost like internal vibration feeling, off-balance, insomnia, tiredness, and a lot of panicking while in the car. I mean full blown I had to pull of the road and take a bunch of deep breaths because I was convinced something terrible would happen while driving. My doctor found nothing wrong and then 2 weeks later I was in the ER having a spell of tachycardia (something I've had for 20 years) and they found I had low potassium. So, I had a 3 hour potassium IV and then made sure to eat lots of bananas and drink coconut water almost every day of the past year. I'm not sure if there was a direct link, but I did start sleeping better, the dizziness went away, and I haven't really had problems while driving either. I had a lot of financial problems last year and this year they have improved quite a bit. So, I've been feeling pretty good overall. Well, up until Saturday anyway.
This past week I've noticed a few heart palpitations, but I get them every once in a great while so I wasn't too alarmed. I tried to make sure I was drinking my coconut water and eating bananas in case my potassium was dipping. Then Saturday I was out shopping and I started getting palpitations regularly to the point where I was feeling such a thud in my chest that I figured I better go home and relax so I wouldn't bring on a bout of tachycardia. When I got home, I sat down and noticed my heart was having long pauses between beats and then thumping really hard. I'd say it was anywhere from every few beats to once or twice a minute. I've never experienced them that frequently in my life so I decided to go to the ER just to get it all checked out. They did an EKG but it didn't catch anything (just happened to be like 30 seconds where nothing happened... grrrr) and quite honestly I'm pretty annoyed that the EKG was so quick because I know if they'd have left it on for even a couple more minutes they would have easily caught one. They hooked me up to another heart monitor and my husband could easily see the palps on the monitor, but the woman watching the monitor in the other room didn't notice anything (WTF??!!). We told her that while I laid there I had at least 10 palps and my husband noticed each one and she was like "hmm.. I must have been looking away". They did an x-ray too and that didn't show anything. So, I got sent home and the palps have continued since then. I feel like they maybe are getting a little less noticeable now, but they are still there, sometimes coming a couple in a row.
Now I know they say anxiety can cause palps but I've never experienced anything like this where they come on so frequently and for days. I've googled like crazy and I know they are either PACs or PVCs, because i get a couple beats closer together, a long pause, and then a thud. The first day that I had them, I had a faster than normal pulse, often between 90-100 just resting, when most days my resting is anywhere from 60-75bpm. However, yesterday my pulse was around 60-70 almost all day and I could still feel the palps regularly. As I sit here now, my pulse is at 73 and as I've typed this I've had at least 10 palps. I have a Fitbit HR so it is easy to check pulse. I've calculated my palps out to being probably 2000 a day if they are happening while I sleep, but the ER doctors acted like this was nothing. I was told that a lot of people get this and they don't even realize it. I don't know how someone could NOT realize their heart has extra beats and skips because I feel a rather profound THUD quite often.
I have an appointment with my family doctor tomorrow. It is hard for me to accept that this could just be anxiety because it is so regular and frequent. Other than this, I've felt pretty decent. I've broken down in tears a few times this weekend because it is making me anxious. I've tried to ignore the palps which works a little sometimes but then they come back and I feel defeated. Last night I slept decent and couldn't really feel them, but when I woke up, I could feel them a bit. They are not as noticeable lying down, but when I'm just sitting or slouching or bending over a little they are very noticeable and frequent.
I was thinking about taking a walk today hoping that maybe a little exercise would help, but it scares me. The day that these came on I had gone on a walk, and I haven't really been exercising much at all the past few months. I tried doing a workout video a couple of weeks ago and I had palps like crazy when I was increasing my heart rate. I had to keep my HR under 155 or my heart would start pounding and going bonkers.
Anyone ever been through anything like this? I'm actually a candidate for ablation for the AVNRT that I have occasionally, but I'm scared of surgery. However, this weekend made me wonder if I should just go ahead and get it. Of course I've heard some people who get it get palps worse than ever for a few months after. So yah.
This past week I've noticed a few heart palpitations, but I get them every once in a great while so I wasn't too alarmed. I tried to make sure I was drinking my coconut water and eating bananas in case my potassium was dipping. Then Saturday I was out shopping and I started getting palpitations regularly to the point where I was feeling such a thud in my chest that I figured I better go home and relax so I wouldn't bring on a bout of tachycardia. When I got home, I sat down and noticed my heart was having long pauses between beats and then thumping really hard. I'd say it was anywhere from every few beats to once or twice a minute. I've never experienced them that frequently in my life so I decided to go to the ER just to get it all checked out. They did an EKG but it didn't catch anything (just happened to be like 30 seconds where nothing happened... grrrr) and quite honestly I'm pretty annoyed that the EKG was so quick because I know if they'd have left it on for even a couple more minutes they would have easily caught one. They hooked me up to another heart monitor and my husband could easily see the palps on the monitor, but the woman watching the monitor in the other room didn't notice anything (WTF??!!). We told her that while I laid there I had at least 10 palps and my husband noticed each one and she was like "hmm.. I must have been looking away". They did an x-ray too and that didn't show anything. So, I got sent home and the palps have continued since then. I feel like they maybe are getting a little less noticeable now, but they are still there, sometimes coming a couple in a row.
Now I know they say anxiety can cause palps but I've never experienced anything like this where they come on so frequently and for days. I've googled like crazy and I know they are either PACs or PVCs, because i get a couple beats closer together, a long pause, and then a thud. The first day that I had them, I had a faster than normal pulse, often between 90-100 just resting, when most days my resting is anywhere from 60-75bpm. However, yesterday my pulse was around 60-70 almost all day and I could still feel the palps regularly. As I sit here now, my pulse is at 73 and as I've typed this I've had at least 10 palps. I have a Fitbit HR so it is easy to check pulse. I've calculated my palps out to being probably 2000 a day if they are happening while I sleep, but the ER doctors acted like this was nothing. I was told that a lot of people get this and they don't even realize it. I don't know how someone could NOT realize their heart has extra beats and skips because I feel a rather profound THUD quite often.
I have an appointment with my family doctor tomorrow. It is hard for me to accept that this could just be anxiety because it is so regular and frequent. Other than this, I've felt pretty decent. I've broken down in tears a few times this weekend because it is making me anxious. I've tried to ignore the palps which works a little sometimes but then they come back and I feel defeated. Last night I slept decent and couldn't really feel them, but when I woke up, I could feel them a bit. They are not as noticeable lying down, but when I'm just sitting or slouching or bending over a little they are very noticeable and frequent.
I was thinking about taking a walk today hoping that maybe a little exercise would help, but it scares me. The day that these came on I had gone on a walk, and I haven't really been exercising much at all the past few months. I tried doing a workout video a couple of weeks ago and I had palps like crazy when I was increasing my heart rate. I had to keep my HR under 155 or my heart would start pounding and going bonkers.
Anyone ever been through anything like this? I'm actually a candidate for ablation for the AVNRT that I have occasionally, but I'm scared of surgery. However, this weekend made me wonder if I should just go ahead and get it. Of course I've heard some people who get it get palps worse than ever for a few months after. So yah.