Heart slowing down then speeding up - Terrified!

[Mike_NY]

Hey guys,

I got myself into a bit of a state last night. I have been getting the odd ectopic heartbeats admittedly after a night of overdoing it on the booze. I will feel a huge flutter in my chest which takes my breath away then I will cough. I usually only get 1, and I've been super anxious since the one on Sunday. Last night when I went to bed my heart was pounding and I started to get pain in my left arm and pins and needles in my hand. I tried to rationalize this with the fact I had been holding my phone with my left hand in bed playing a game (candy crush) before trying to go to sleep.

I had to keep shifting my head because I could hear by heart pounding through my pillow, even though my HR was only around 75-80bpm it felt like it was beating like a drum. Then all of a sudden through the pillow I felt like every 5th beat or so, my heart give one beat slightly slower then a quick one after to put it back into normal rhythm and kept repeating. This terrified me!

What the hell is wrong with me!?

I felt like my heart was pounding on Sunday too and I took my blood pressure which was 119/70 (perfectly normal) I don't know if I'm just more zoned into my heartbeat going to sleep because I am so anxious about heart issues but the slowing down and speeding up sensation has me really on edge right now.

[Fishmanpa]

I have been getting the odd ectopic heartbeats admittedly after a night of overdoing it on the booze. ... What the hell is wrong with me!?

Perhaps the booze? There are pages of threads where alcohol has had an adverse effect both physically and mentally. After all calms down and it stops happening, it will confirm the culprit. Take it easy next time if at all there is a next time.

Positive thoughts

[Mike_NY]

Perhaps the booze? There are pages of threads where alcohol has had an adverse effect both physically and mentally. After all calms down and it stops happening, it will confirm the culprit. Take it easy next time if at all there is a next time.

Positive thoughts

I'm hoping that's that case Fishman. It's getting harder and harder to deal with the effects if overdoing it, but usually all symptoms are gone by Monday. I run in a circle with a pretty young crowd in their early 30's and we are all Irish and are no strangers to overdoing it when we all go out for a day/night. I'll give it a day or 2 and see if it persists. I've already left a message for my cardiologist so I can ask him if this sounds sinister.

[Mike_NY]

The cardiologist called and said they are PVCs caused most likely by alcohol because they knock your electrolytes out of whack and make the heart "excited" He said usually different types of alcohol cause them in different people. He personally said he gets them only with red wine. It set my mind a little at ease, but I've just been feeling like crap all day because of it. I am anxious about how tonight is going to be. If they continue he said to come in for more of a workup.

[Beat_It_UK]

Hey guys,

I got myself into a bit of a state last night. I have been getting the odd ectopic heartbeats admittedly after a night of overdoing it on the booze. I will feel a huge flutter in my chest which takes my breath away then I will cough. I usually only get 1, and I've been super anxious since the one on Sunday. Last night when I went to bed my heart was pounding and I started to get pain in my left arm and pins and needles in my hand. I tried to rationalize this with the fact I had been holding my phone with my left hand in bed playing a game (candy crush) before trying to go to sleep.

I had to keep shifting my head because I could hear by heart pounding through my pillow, even though my HR was only around 75-80bpm it felt like it was beating like a drum. Then all of a sudden through the pillow I felt like every 5th beat or so, my heart give one beat slightly slower then a quick one after to put it back into normal rhythm and kept repeating. This terrified me!

What the hell is wrong with me!?

I felt like my heart was pounding on Sunday too and I took my blood pressure which was 119/70 (perfectly normal) I don't know if I'm just more zoned into my heartbeat going to sleep because I am so anxious about heart issues but the slowing down and speeding up sensation has me really on edge right now.

Could be Alcohol and Caffience. But this I do also get - and when you check BP and average HR it all is normal. The issue with anxiety is that it amplifies all the issues and the brain plays games on us :winks: