NWR: Anyone have experience with palpitations?

I say that I love coffee (and I do... we just got a nice burr grinder as a belated wedding present, and we also received a Keurig for quick cups of coffee) but I also only usually drink 1-2 cups (mug sized) per day and I might have 1 can of Coke Zero per day. I guess I need to total that intake.

The other thing... I've felt extremely tired over the past week. The other night DH said that I was really out of it at bedtime, and then I'd become alert but confused because I wanted to know why he wasn't paying attention to me. "Ummm... because you were groggy 30 seconds ago?"

Dig - I'm always exhausted. You have to remember that if your heart rate is high and it's anxiety, the adrenaline you have pumping through your body is very tiring. It's like running a marathon, your body is recovering from the "fight or flight" syndrome.

That explains that - autonomic nervous system FTW! =D

Poor hubby, he was completely confused by my behavior... one minute, I'm just about unconscious... the next I'm demanding, "why are you rolling over???"

LOL, Dr. Tracy - glad that kicking the sweet tooth helped you! It *is* scary when it happens!

Yeah i'm ALWAYS tired.. it comes and goes.. IMO, you'll be fine, and it was probably just a more severe palpitation, or something more common that's like inflamation of the chest lining.. i wouldnt sweat it thats what happened to me when i went to my cardiologist last time with severe palpitations and chest pains.. you just gotta take it easy on yourself.. i should really take my own advice, work ft, school ft, house to take care of with fh and a dog lol

I had similar symptoms a few years ago, but I didn't have shortness of breath like what you are describing. I had unusual chest pain/pressure, palpitation, and I felt very tense a lot, like I was aware of my breathing and it made me feel terrible.

So, I went to the doctor, and he did EKG, and that turned out normal, except my heartbeat was higher than normal. But I think for me that's normal, as my gyn noticed that too. Anyway they checked my thyroid, and that was fine. So he told me the chest pressure was probably due to acid reflux, and he prescribed me Nexium, the purple pill, and told me to take it easy as my family was causing me a lot of stress during that time period. After I started taking the pills for acid reflux, I felt ten times better! I also made sure to distance myself from my family, and deal with any of their drama once a week and not daily like I was before.

I hope cardiologist can shine some light on what's going on with you. Keep us updated.

Oh my gosh, I have been so tired all week, I feel like I've had absolutely no quality time with DH!

Jass, I'm glad that everything turned out normal with most of your tests. Interesting that it was being caused by reflux! Sounds like you took good steps to relieve your symptoms.

Last night was really bad, my heart was pounding so hard that we could watch my clothing moving and DH was watching my pulse in my throat. I can't wait for next Wednesday and the cardio appointment because it's so uncomfortable and distracting. All I want to do is fall asleep so that I'm less aware of it.

Plus! I'm afraid to run or really do any form of exercise, especially since I don't have a heart rate monitor.

I have to ask are you on birth control? I was on Yaz OOooo bad stuff.(do not take this EVER!) had everything that you had described Heart Palps anxious. Let us know how you are keep us all posted =) one more note...did your these feelings get worse when you laid down?

Yaz is TERRIBLE.. Michelle is SO right. it can cause strokes and all of these terrible things.. I got off Yaz when I started crying uncontrollably for no reason.. Loestrin = my friend.

Thanks digiscrappy. And you know what, I didn't really pay attention at how often I took the Tums for heartburn, until FS pointed it out to me, and it's a good thing the doctor suspected right.

I hope your visit with cardiologist goes well, and I hope they can figure out what's causing these symptoms. I'll be thinking of you next Wednesday. Meanwhile, try to take it easy, relax and breathe, leave all the stress away. Try not to focus on the awareness, it's hard I know. I used to wake up feeling uneasy and aware of my heart/lungs. It was not comfortable.

Yeah I agree Yaz does not work for everyone. I had horrible side effects, but I forget if I had palpitations during the time I took Yaz, I was only on it for 2 months.

@ Lauren: LOL, I used to be on Yaz too... and I used to cry ALL THE TIME. My FH has a video of me, curled up in a ball inside my closet, crying. LOL. BAAAAD STUFF!

@Dig: I have palps too. Docs can't pinpoint what's wrong. I have EKGS for days and nothing, they never happen while at the doc's. I have noticed them happening around my period. So, the docs thought it was hormonal. Then one of them referred me to a psychiatrist because she basically told me I was making all of it up and that I needed to see a "head doctor". Rude. lol.

Michelle, no BC. I actually had an hysterectomy 3 years ago, so I'm not taking any hormones. The only med I take right now is 2 puffs of albuterol before I run and I haven't ran since this started.

I think I'm more aware of it when I'm lying down, but I have it no matter what... sitting, standing, walking. It really bothers me while I'm at work, sitting here quietly at my desk.

I was just reading the symptoms can actually sometimes be caused or worsened by being dehydrated. I'm going to try flooding myself with water and see if it's less distracting.

Jass, thanks for keeping me in your thoughts on Wednesday.

Danya, yikes, how rude of that doctor!

I have had palpitations for several years, at sort of random times, but also when I get extremely stressed/panicked or have far too much caffeine. It's a disorder called supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and my mother also had it. It isn't particularly dangerous unless you have an episode while driving or doing something similar, since you can pass out. My mom had surgery to correct it because she was having a lot of episodes and it was interfering with her teaching. If you Google it, Wikipedia and WebMD have some good information about it. They should be able to tell if they have you on a monitor for a few days. Good luck!

Kate, thanks for sharing your experience and diagnosis. I just read the wiki on it. I just want to get to the holter monitor and then find some answers - it's really happening more often and it's very uncomfortable.

Dig ~ I was actually hyper-thyroid at first. Symptoms include: rapid heart rate (palpitations at times), increased respiration (feeling like I couldn't catch my breath - even while speaking), tremors/shakes - my handwriting was THE worst, always warm, even when everyone was freezing (mom chalked it up to "hot flashes"), dizziness, ability to lose weight very quickly.

Once I underwent radioactive therapy, I became hypo-thyroid. That was no picnic, either. Before getting on hormones, my symptoms included: cold all the time - even while standing in front of a heater, fatiqued/tired/fall asleep anywhere and everywhere, hair falling out almost in handfulls, gained weight rapidly and alarmingly, became sluggish/loss of energy. Eventually, over the past 13 years, my eyebrows have disappeared (the outer 2/3's) and my fingernails are thing, peeling, stumps. I almost hope what you have isn't thyroid! It truly is a PIA! Sending lots of good vibes your way!!!

Thanks for sharing your symptoms with the thyroid, Michele. My TSH results were supposed to be back in a "couple of days" - I'm going to call and see if they have them in yet.

Dayna~just a note~ thanks to yaz I was suicidal and had to have my gallbladder removed. I started to get sick from it 4 months in. never connected the dots that yaz was the cause. depression fights with my now FH we almost broke up. Still to this day (in the YAz lawsuit too) my life is forever changed and still recovering from all of the side effects. this was the 1st medication I have EVER been on. was healthy too before it.

Ok... well, it's not my thyroid. Cross one thing off the list.

I have had these for years. My Dr. told me that they were caused by sub-conscious stress. At the time that he diagnosed this, I drank a lot of caffeine. He told me to stop....caffeine was sending me over the edge.

I still have them, from time to time, but at least I now know what they are.