Heart palpitations. Don’t these two words make you shudder with anxiety?
Well, maybe the words don’t, but the sensations caused by heart palpitations certainly do scare people.
In fact, it’s the main topic of emails that I get from people who contact me with questions.
And given that this anxiety symptom is so common among anxiety sufferers, I thought it would be helpful to do a “how to” article on palpitations.
First, a few basics. A heart palpitation is an abnormal beating of the heart AND your heightened awareness of your heart beat. Palpitations can cause your heart to beat fast (tachycardia), slow (bradycardia), flutter, or to even have ‘skipped’ heart beats (PVCs).
Heart palpitations can be caused by electrolyte imbalances, adrenaline, anemia, heart disease, arrhythmias, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and of course, anxiety disorders. There are more causes, but the ones listed are common.
Now, because heart disease could be involved, it’s always a good idea to see your doctor if you’re experiencing new or ongoing heart palpitations.
No need for fear, this is mainly a precaution to safeguard your health and your sanity. When you go to your doctor he/she will run an ECG and take some blood. If the results come back negative, then you can start your efforts to stop your heart palpitations without having to worry about having a heart attack.
How Palpitations Work
When related to anxiety, heart palpitations are triggered by the fight or flight response. If you’ve had problems with anxiety for any length of time then I highly recommend that you get acquainted with this term.
This is because the fight or flight response is the source of much of your misery, and a detailed understanding of it can help you to reduce stress. Because with knowledge comes less guess-work, more facts, and less anxiety.
So then, the fight of flight response is essentially your sympathetic nervous system gone wild. When you become scared, nervous, and worried, your brain will trigger a fear response, which, in turn, causes your body to undergo a few changes, like:
- Palpitations
- Cold/Hot flashes
- Dilated pupils
- Urge to urinate
- Diarrhea
- Tunnel vision
- Muscle tension
It’s also important to point out that palpitations are almost always accompanied by anxiety and panic.
Part of what also happens when the fight or flight response is triggered is that the brain signals the body to release stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, in preparation for violent action. But, in your case, there is no action to be taken.
The adrenaline and cortisol however still get injected into your bloodstream, where it acts on the nerves of the heart and causes palpitations. So, in most cases, it’s adrenaline causing all the havoc but, there could also be other causes.
One such cause is electrolyte imbalance. Electrolytes are electrically charged ions. They include elements like: sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, sulfate, phosphate, bicarbonate, and magnesium.
These elements are important in maintaining proper voltage levels in the body, and are also critical to muscle function. The heart, as we all know, is a big muscle. If these electrolytes become imbalanced then palpitations can occur.
This is because electricity and contraction are what makes your heart beat and keep a rhythm. If there is a disruption in the electrical impulse, or the contraction of your heart muscle, then you get things like a fast, slow, or weak heart beats.
How to Stop Heart Palpitations
There are several ways to stop palpitations. If you’ve been cleared of heart disease by your doctor the following techniques can be effective.
1. Balancing electrolytes: When it comes to matters of the heart, the four most important electrolytes are potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. If any of these electrolytes become too high or too low then palpitations may result.
A simple blood or urine test will tell your doctor if this is the case. If you have excessive/deficient levels of electrolytes then you can speak with your doctor about how to bring them back into balance.
In general, this would mean taking supplemental vitamins or increasing/decreasing the consumption of certain foods.
List of foods rich in the four major electrolytes include:
Potassium – See full list here.
- Bananas
- Apples
- Milk
- Orange Juice
- Potatoes
- Raisins
- Wheat bread
Calcium – See full list here.
- Dairy Products
- Almonds
- Beans
- Tofu
- humus
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Oatmeal
Sodium – See full list here.
- Meats
- Dairy products
- Frozen foods
- Snack foods
- Canned food
- Spices
Magnesium – See full list here.
- Nuts
- Cooked soybeans
- Peanut butter
- Yogurt
- Milk
2. Diet: Diet is an important part of any anti-palpitation strategy. Here are a few more examples.
Foods that you want to eat more often would include:
- Grapes
- Guava
- Honey
- Fresh fruit and Vegetables
- Whole wheat foods
Foods and activities that you should try to avoid include:
- Foods that contain caffeine like chocolate, soft drinks, etc.
- Sugar
- Alcohol
- Smoking
3. Hydration: Water is a fundamental part of what you are. If you don’t drink enough water then even mild dehydration can create palpitations. You don’t need to go overboard and start walking around with a gallon of water, either. Many of the foods you eat already have water in them, but it’s still a good idea to drink about 5-8 8 oz cups per day.
4. Medication: You may also want to talk to your doctor about medications. Doctors will usually prescribe beta blockers, which block the effects of adrenaline on the body. This would be a good option after experiencing palpitations for a prolonged period of time.
5. Valsalva Maneuver: This technique can be used to stop a fast heart beat. First, pinch your nose and close your mouth. Next, breath out forcibly. The idea is to strain as if you were trying to defecate while holding your breath. This will cause a quick spike in heart rate, followed by a slowing of the heart rate. If you have heart disease, or are advanced in age, please do not try this maneuver.
6. Coughing: Coughing vigorously causes pressure to build in your chest, which “squeezes” your heart back into a normal rhythm. This is not a preventative measure, so do it when you’re actually having a palpitation.
7. Cold Water: Splash cold water on your face. This technique works well for palpitations and panic attacks. The idea behind this is that the cold water shocks your nervous system back to normal. The water should be as cold as possible.
8. Relax: Palpitations can strike at anytime, even while you sleep. As a result, they tend to startle you and make you feel as if you’re going to die at any moment.
This is why it’s important to not rush around in a panic, thereby adding stress to your racing heart. It’s best to have a seat, breath deeply from your stomach, and chill out for a moment.
9. Exercise: Exercise might sound like the opposite of what you want to do when you know that palpitations can occur. But after a good workout your blood pressure and heart rate will generally decrease.
This is why it’s not unusual for highly conditioned athletes – like Lance Armstrong – to have very low resting heart rates. A normal resting heart rate is between 70-80 beats per minute. People that have conditioned bodies, on the other hand, can get their heart rates down in the 50’s or lower.
Let’s not forget that the heart is a muscle, and if it is worked, it will get stronger and more efficient and what it does. So despite the apparent contradiction, exercise is a great way to cope with palpitations absent any heart disease.
Caution: If your palpitations are accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, chest pain or shortness of breath, then it could be something more serious. The unfortunate reality is that panic attacks and intense anxiety can mimic symptoms of a heart attack.
One of the tell-tale signs of something serious is severity and duration. If you have chest pain or the like continuously for more than a few minutes, and if the pain is severe, you likely have a problem. Always err on the side of caution though and get checked out if you’re just not sure.
If, on the other hand, you’ve already been screened for heart disease and nothing was found, wait. Be patient and wait about ten minutes and the symptoms will usually die down on their own.
I know that heart palpitations can be frightening, but they are usually not dangerous. That’s why I encourage you to see your doctor if you haven’t already. Because once you’re cleared medically, you will have the confidence needed to cope with the fear tied to palpitations.
Understand that heart palpitations are a very normal part of having an anxiety disorder and stress in general. When they happen don’t over think things and start jumping to conclusions. Instead, try some of the techniques outlined above and try the best you can to not shock yourself with fear. I hope this helps.
My palps started about a week ago. Now it seems to happen in the morning when I wake up, and whenever I exert myself, like walking long distances or climbing out of the subway. This is NOT accompanied by any pain or loss of breath, even though I am overweight. It is just BRUTALLY disturbing. I am currently going through late onset anxiety disorder (I’m 41), and it’s gonna be a hell of a long week before my first psych consultation this coming friday (it’s saturday now.) Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated. Very frustrating to be a logical, forward-thinking individual, and let something like an awareness of skipped or elongated heartbeats cause me so many tears and added anxiety.
Ive been having heart fluttering now for ages but my doctor keeps saying nothing wrong ad ecg and still having them ive had 2 today scary feeling lightheaded and have the runs now what should i do
I’m having a bad time with missed beats/palpitations at the moment. I’ve had them on and off for thirty plus years but I’m really struggling with them right now. I’ve seen a cardiologist and had a 24 hour meter and he was happy that nothing was un towards. But recently I’m having them often and instant panic sets in. I’m at my wits end now as my gp says I just have to try to live with them and stay calm, but it’s so hard.
I have had palpitations on and off for the last couple of years, and my anxiety levels have been gradually increasing. However, I had a really bad panic episode about a month ago and it’s tipped me over. I am in constant anxiety mode, my heart leaps about, skips/ misses the odd beat and I feel a burst of panic that makes me fear death. I just cannot control it, the last two times I have exercised I ended up jumping off my bike/running machine in a panic when the palpitations started. I’ve been a gym goer for years but this anxiety and fear has now stopped me from being able to exercise. I feel horrendous – no energy, short of breath, when I walk up a flight of stairs I feel my heart beating faster and just feel shattered! I can’t stop crying, I feel so emotional all the time and scared of what is happening and just how on edge I feel all the time. I can’t watch scary to/movies or anything overly exciting or dramatic anymore, it’s almost like I absorb the emotion and I can feel my heart rate pick up and “wait” for the palpitations. I’m 42 years old, not overweight, always been a worrier, but never to this extent where I just feel my life is being ruined and defined by my fears! I know that it’s all in my head BUT the fear is just so very real.
My palpitations cime when i’m in stress or after heavy meal or when bent forward .. i did ecg ,echo,holter, electrolyte, CBC , thyroid profile and all are normal please help .. im young doctor and it scares me and i dont want to take a beta blocker because im still un married and it causes impotence
Sometimes anxiety can be in your head. I have had good results from telling myself that I just don’t care, and riding it out. It really helps if you live your life in a way where you have no regrets and you can accept death. When you start to get the feeling like you are going to die, you accept it, and it makes it much less intense.
Worry is a cause of anxiety. Ever anticipate a situation with an image about it in your head? That image never turns out to be like reality. That’s because the brain can’t reach 100% of a future reality with imagination. That means that worry isn’t real. The things you think of in your head that are making you more anxious are not real. Don’t believe them.
You all should try taking Magnesium Taurate, Magnesium Citrate & CoQ10. I take all three a day and my palps have diminished, they’re not gone but the severity of them has diminished. I went to FIVE cardiologists ( two were Electrophioligists ) and they gave me every test imaginable including two CTA angiograms and in short they said my heart was great but not one of them could pinpoint to reason I was having very strong palps to where I got dizzy after a big one ( I get them in one shot not ongoing for minutes ) so in my case, no diagnosis, no treatment and obviously that didn’t stop or diminish mine. So try the supplements I mentioned above, give them a few weeks to kick into your system, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying them.
Is heart palpitation common among pregnant women? Advice please
Hello All, especially ladies,
I am a 47 yr old healthy female. Healthy diet, normal weight, but have also dealt with heart palpitations for 2 years now. It started with an ER visit with EXTREME heart racing. They couldn’t find any problems, have had various heart testing, stress test, CT, ultrasound and have worn a heart monitor two different times. All with no real problems. I am currently on Atenolol, the lowest dose possible. I know first hand what it’s like to experience these SCARY moments. When they happen anxiety and panic set in and make them worse; sleepless nights (which magnify the problem) and constantly thinking of them. I’d like to mention to the ladies that perimenopause or menopause could be one of the factors so do some research. (Perimenopause could occur for up to 10 years BEFORE menopause starts. You could be having symptoms and not even be aware of them.) I’ve been to two different OB/GYN doctors and they both have said I just have to roll them. (One said perimenopause DOES NOT cause them (I disagree), they other said they could and the cardiologist said YES hormones do play in the role of the normal heart beat. Men you have hormones too that change with age.) I have anxiety medication that I take when these occur and it seems to help, I’m hoping once my hormones become adjusted to my “new body” and the changes are complete, that these will indeed settle down. A great book to read is Christiane Northrup, MD’s “The Wisdom of Menopause”. Great book detailing Hormone Balancing Food Plan, whether to take bioidentical hormones, etc. I’m just a normal person that wants to live a normal life and not worry about whether I’m going to be here to raise my twin boys, this is very worrisome, but I’m doing my best to overcome. I’m hoping one day I will be at peace with my palpitations. Wishing you all the best in your journey with these issues.
Hello. I’m 30 years old and was taking cipralex for almost 2 years. I gradually decreased the initial dose 10mg and after stopping it by 10 days started to suffer from tachycardia and panic attacks. I really don’t want to retake this drug. What should I do
Hi I’m 30 years old. I started taking cipralex. 10 mg 2 years ago and now stopped it. After one week I started to feel anxious again and now after 2 weeks I started having panic attacks and tachycardia I went to the ER and did an ECG and the doctor said nothing’s wrong. I feel very sad and don’t want to retake the drug again.
This site has calmed my fears a great deal this evening. I’ve been having palpitations all day and have been trying not to freak out. I feel fine except for them, and the hypersensitivity it triggered. I’m aware of every hair on my body. I drank red wine two nights in a row. Trigger? I am drinking my Gatorade and eating a banana as I type. I am 51 and peri to regular menopause at this point. I will try and relax, say my prayers and get some sleep. From the sound of it I can expect it to happen again. Will definitely keep this site in my favorites.
Thank you again for all your comments, they have helped me a lot in calming down.
Hi my name is Bongiwe,I have these symptoms but I’m not sure what is it exactly,feeling dizzy,shaking body, sometimes feels like I would collapse, what should I do pls help
Hello, my name is Jordan. 29 yr. Old male. About 3 months ago I had my first noticeable palpatation. It scared me tremendously, and instantly threw me into a full blown anxiety attack. I ended up in the ER with high BP 109/199. It was horrible. I had a Ekg and blood work done and everything came back “textbook”. After the doctor told me I wasn’t dieing of a heart attack my blood pressure dropped immediately. This really made me realize how our brains control more than I thought. I prayed and promised myself I would be healthier, and made a promise that I would treat each day like it could be my last. Unfortunately I broke this promise, and my unhealthy lifestyle slowly took its course again. Last night I had the palpatations start again, and here came the anxiety with it. It’s horrible. I have been super emotional and upset that I let this happen again. Drinking alcohol and smoking Marijuana on a daily basis are my addictions I battle. I fell off the horse, it took me a couple days but I’m back on. Praying and promising. My wife has been my rock, and as annoying as I have been complaining about it, she always brings me back to a calm state of mind. Reading all of your comments has really helped me tonight. Palpatations equal anxiety, and anxiety equals palpatations. They go hand and hand. I’m trying to eat better, sleep better, and accept that one day we all will die. It’s easier said than done. I know deep down that I have a lot more life I need to live. I just want to get this under control. Maybe these palpatations will save my life in the end. Getting closer with God, my family, and my health. I’m trying to find a hidden gem in this horrible experience. Thank you for letting me vent. I know how you all feel. Let’s keep fighting, let’s beet this!!
I have papptation for since one week now . I have then ECG & 24 hrs monitor the result come back normal. But I get papotion more then 50 times a day I’m so worried what should I do. God help me pls
I have palpitations for 10+ years. I went to see family doctor many times, and family doctor refer to a hearth specialist. I went to hearth specialist for many times, hearth doctor did ECG, 24hrs monitor and ultrasound a couple times and said, every thing normal.. No medication needed, now I take co-q10, fish oil very days.. I do not know it help or not, but I take them just trying to help and hope to it get better..
Hi, Really very interesting to read all the comments and stories related to palpitations which I also suffer with , I too have visited my G.P. And undergone every test there is all of which came back absolutely fine ! .
Currently I take Propranolol which certainly works for me , this is a beta blocker which limits the bodies ability to produce adrenaline which is the root cause of the palpitations .
For me this is definitely a stress related condition which seems to manifest its self early evening and is made worse by eating a meal .
Personally I’m really trying to take some positives from this and so have focused on my life style choices which are definitely a major contributory factor especially cutting out red wine , remember this is NOT going to kill you but it is your body’s way of letting you know you need to make some changes!.
If I could offer some advise I would defiantly recommend the following .
1, Stop drinking .
2, Really look at your diet and cut out processed food & avoid Diet Coke like the plague.
3, Eat more bananas , this really helped me .
4, Buy a dog , because he won’t let you sit at home feeling sorry for yourself & exercise also helps.
I have had two heart surgeries. 05 Aorta Valve replaced via sternum being split. 13 Mitral Valve replaced via Davinci Robot between the ribs. I also had a maze procedure performed during the 13 surgery for Afib. I have had Palpatations off and on since the surgery. I take blood Pressure meds, blood thinners due to the valves. I get extremely anxious when I have the palpatations. I feel better standing then I do setting because the palpatations are less noticeable I assume. I have told my doctors this and they have adjusted my blood pressure meds. my blood pressure usually runs low. 105/70 average. this morning I have had bad palpatations and my blood pressure was 143/93 high for me. I took another blood pressure pill and the uneasiness has went on about all day. lets up at times then returns. have no pain or shortness of breath. waiting it out some I do have a cardiologist appt. in a couple of weeks.
Hi my name is ryan 29 years old i realy dont know what happen to me . The first time this hapen to me i was drunk i feel my chess is realy hevy and my heart is like jumping and the worst part is i always colaps and my wife told me she saw me shaking and my mouth is open and she was scared.and when i woke up o feel cold and im go back to normal .so i stop drinking alcohol because i though thats the problem so now its like 1 year when i stop dringking alkohol i though im gonna be ok .but last december 29 it happened again i feel pain i my ches lost of breath and i collapse again and same thing my wife saw im shaking again and nit only 1 but 3 times on that day .i really scare pls help me i already went to ecg blood test stress tes everything is normal.please help me thank you
Hi all. My name is Laura. I am a 63 year old woman who is slightly overweight. I have been having heart palpitations for a few years now. I totally agree with all of you about how unnerving they are. For me, they seem to occur while I’m driving or in bed. About two years ago I had a stress echo, a resting echo and then wore a monitor for about a month. During the entire time I wore the monitor, I had no palpitations, so the doctor did not see anything abnormal. So, my cardiologist at the time told me it was probably anxiety. I was under a lot of stress at the time, so that made sense to me.
However, just recently, the past few months they have been occurring more frequently and are longer in duration. One episode lasted 35 minutes in the middle of the night. That caused me a lot of anxiety. I was concerned because my Dad had A-fib and his symptoms were almost exactly like what I was experiencing. So, I went to my Dad’s cardiologist. He also did a stress echo, resting echo, EKG, etc. Nothing showed on the tests, so he had me wear a monitor for a week. Luckily, I had an episode while wearing the monitor. The monitor showed that my palpitations (supraventricular tachycardia) were caused by an electrical short circuit in my heart. It is not serious, just disturbing to experience, as you all know. The doctor could see the general where the problem occurred. Medication really doesn’t help. So, I could either live with this issue or have a cardiac ablation done.
During a cardiac ablation, the doctor will make an incision in my groin area to access a vein or artery. He will then take electrode catheters through the artery in my groin and guide them up to my heart. There will be monitors showing him where to go. He will cauterize the area of my heart that is causing the problem and that should fix it. I will be back home either that afternoon or the next day. There is minimal risk doing this procedure. It also is only a few days of “down time”. I don’t know if this procedure is appropriate for any of you who posted here, but it’s worth talking to your doctor about it.
hi, im experiencing heart palpitation and skipped heart beat. for almost a month ,it get worst when eating too much and laying down right after. are you having the same experience?
I’m 28, and I have been suffering from heart palpitations for a little over a week now. I have changed my diet up a bit and that’s where the heart palpitations started, im currently trying the ketogenic diet along with exercise. But it is causing me heart issues. I’m so scared, being three of my friends family members have passed away due to heart failure. I went to the ER and they ran a few test on me only to find nothing.
Hello, I have been having these pal for 3 months now, it had trigger my anxiety, I have now become so depressed, I feel this condition has taken part of my life away
HEllo,
I felt my first pap about 10 years ago, I never did anything about it because I used to suffer from anxiety for over 15 years, having panic attacks. When I felt that pap I got scared, I didn’t feel it again till months later, when I was playing wrestling with my girlfriend on my bed, I was out of breath playing and it occurred I even pushed her off and said “wait, stop” I freaked out. I told her that I had felt this before, she said it was anxiety, but how can it be anxiety at that moment of hand-play? I didn’t believe it and became scared and had more panic attacks as my life went by. Years later of feeling them once every other month became once a month to once a week. I told a co-worker what I was feeling and she told me it was a pap and that is when I learned about this. I told her if she felt out of breath, like a mini heart attack, she laughed and said, no. She said maybe you have something else, or if it only happens when you have too much coffee, than it’s normal and that is how you feel it. I mean I was around 29 when I first felt this, I am now 40, I have never gone to the doctors for it, but I do drink a lot of alcohol. Even though, I drank like a fish and smoked like a chimney, I hardly felt them, every now and then, and now since I turned 40, I still smoke, sometimes I get stressed and chain smoke, and I drink coffee 1-2x a day, also soda, at times. I finally did research on it and I do believe it is this, and I took notes on what to eat and what not to eat. So I wanted to share my story and also thank everyone for writing their stories that helped me relate my issue. I thank you for this site and would love any feedback anyone may have about this issue. I know I need to minimize my smoking and caffeine intake, but If there is anything else you would like to add, please do. I am the type of person that takes notes, and advice seriously. I will follow up with the doctor soon to just be on the safe side. I am uncertain about my gene history on heart issues, but everyone in my family has died of heart failure, at 90. So….. with that said, thank-you and have a beautiful day.
I have same problem too which started a month ago,but am getting used to it,my mum told me its hereditary and it will go at a certain age. I use my drugs well,I excerise well,and i do my normal daily activities
just try and take your mind off it cos it can’t kill,the killer is the fear(anxiety) and always talk to your Dr anytime you noticed anything strange.mine is accompanied with chest pain, and am still doing fine. this is just a change in the body system which can’t last forever. and also have faith that it is not permanent.
I am 55 yrs old I have bi cuspid aortic valve echo states I’m at 4.1. I recently lost my chocolate lab so have been under extreme anxiety. I went to the Er with chest pain they did ct lab work monitor and chest ecray. Everything came back normal. Doctor and cardiologist said palpitations are from grieving. It’s been 3 months now and I am still having palpitations is this normal? Or should I contact my doctor in case it is my valve?
I’m a overweight 55 year old, going through menopause been having heart palpitations for less then a month. It has worried me, not having chest pains, or fainting just wondering if it normal for it to come on all of a sudden mine stops when sleeping or resting. Need a reassurance that it is ok
I know some people were mentioning that they struggled with Candida and Heart arrhythmia as well. I had the same thing and after extensive blood tests and working with an expert in hemochromatosis We realized that my palpitations were arrhythmias caused by iron deposits in my heart because I have hemochromatosis/ high iron levels. Once I gave a unit of blood and had a baby, (more blood loss) my yeast infections that I had been having for 2 years were gone. Iron is food for funguses and infections. After about 6 months my iron strarted climbing higher again back up to where I started. I gave another unit of blood and they are getting better.
High iron causes arrhythmias and a whole host of other problems including increasing your risk of cancer.
Bottom line, go to walkinlab.com and order an Iron TIBC, CBC, and Ferritin so you know what your Iron saturation and serum are. The Mayo Clinic defines hemochromatosis as an iron Saturation percentage at 45% or above for males and females.
Also, avoid red furry animal meats as this causes much inflammation to your heart and arteries.
Hi am Nancy,am currently lying on a hospital bed for about 5days now,cos am having palpitations,ecgs have been made and series of tests also but all came out fine,please what do u think da doctors should do for me?
Had my first incident of heart palpitation about two years ago, went to the ER, and was admitted for observation based on me being hypertensive and a diabetic. All the test came back negative. Had no more occurance until last week . Woke in the middle of the night with my heart fluttering which subsided after a couple of hours. Woke and felt ago, however , it returned which sent me off to the EMG, Blood test and Urine test , all negative. Made appoint to see a Cardioligist in another week, however the fluttering is driving me out of my mind
I started taking a low dose anxiety medication and my palpitations stopped. What does that tell you? Anxiety leads to heart palps which lead to anxiety.
I’ve been having these heart palpitations due to anxiety which I’ve never thought I had until recently and no matter what I do they’re not going away! I’ve tried relaxing breathing, splashing cold water on my face, coughing, some of the other methods above and it’s not going away and I just want to cry because I don’t know What to do…
Wow I thought I was alone on this papl of a thing,the worst scenario is the skipping of heart breathes, I wish scientists will just come up immediately with a single dose of its medication to save millions of lives its rampant here in Nigeria and Africa
TX Prince Salem
Hi I’m lexy, I’ve been having dreadfull chest rocking heart racing palpies for more than 15 years now (I’m 36) I always thought it was because of poor diet and pot smoking etc, although I still smoke cigarettes I keep getting these awful palpitations that sometimes last all day with little breaks of around 10 mins! It takes not a lot of exertion for them to start again. Currently I am 5 months pregnant and they have been bad. I saw a doctor and he said cut out caffeine and stuff see if it helps, i couldnt….so I was in the hospital for a different procedure this one time and I started getting a racing heart my sister asked a junior doctor to just have a look at me. He hooked me up to a machine and it started beeping and flashing red big numbers! Off the scale to say the least he put me in a bed and monitored me but they quickly went and seemed nothing wrong. He said it was the stress of being in a hospital and stuff. If it’s all anxiety related i must be a very unhappy bunny all my life! Good luck everyone and try to stay calm…x
I used to have heart palpitations all day (probably at night, too), and they drove me crazy. It’s one thing to be told they’re harmless, but another to have to feel them all the time. Now I only have one occasionally. The solution, for me, anyway, was a WONDERFUL herb called motherwort. I heard about it somewhere and read more about it on Susun Weed’s website (she’s an herbalist, I think). It comes in tincture form, and I squirt a little more than half a dropperful into water and drink it. It’s really bitter, but I’ve come to like the taste because of the results. If I’m really anxious, I’ll do it every 5 minutes or so; otherwise, it’s just 3 times a day. I can’t remember how long it took to work, but it’s been nothing short of miraculous.
I started getting anxiety attacks over the past few months even though I had never felt much anxiety at all in the past. It is really scary and could have never imagined what it feels like.
I went to urgent care to get checked out durring a bad attack and the doctors assistant suggested that I should read when I am feeling anxious. This has been a very useful piece of advice because it distracts my mind unlike anything else. By engaging my mind for an hour or two in something other than feeling my heart beat and worrying it seems to reduce the anxiety and as a result calm my heart beat. I would recommend some serious book reading to anybody struggling with anxiety, especially if you are fixating on something like thoughts or your heartbeat. I hope this helps. Best of luck.
Hi, i have been having palpitations and recently went to the hospital to do an ecg and echo test, both test shows that my heart is completely fine. My doctor has told me my palpitation is related to stress. My problem is i do have chest pain and most of the time shortness of breath which is irritating and leads to me having panic attacks sometimes, but every time i report this to my doctor he just tells me to calm down and relax that this is due to me stressing to much and ends up giving me Lexotan sleeping tablets to calm me down. I worry a lot if my palpitation is severe and can lead to heart attack, and would like to know if i shouldn’t worry about the palpitations since the ecg test and echo test show positive signs. Also i would like to find out what to do to stop the shortness of breath as this is my major worry. i recently acquired the omega 3 fish oil supplement to consume as i read online it helps your heart but i have also come across so many comments that it causes shortness of breath. Please advice me on what to do
I have been dealing with palpitations for over 15 years and I’m 38 years old. they used to be 1 or 2 skipped beats but in the last 6 months my episodes can last 2 hours. the skipped beats are terrifying. sometimes ill go months without an episode. it def interferes with everyday life. I have had them during my kids games and the palps and anxiety consume me where I feel I miss the enjoyment of watching my kids play. I have had bad anxiety all my life. I had 2 ekg’s done wore a holter monitor and had blood work done. Everything came back normal. Last weekend was rough as Friday Saturday and sunday were filled with palpitations while we were at ballgames. Once I got home they stopped. It is so incredibly frustrating but I pray and know God is with me. This site has helped me and reading others stories has helped as well. I felt alone dealing with this as my wife has always been there but she cant relate. Thanks guys. God Bless.
My name is Erica and I am a teacher. Most days I feel like my heart is going to give way and stop. I’ve tried your preventive methods and see a doctor. I will alert you with the response.
It’s amazing how many people have these and how little attention the dr’s I’ve seen and it’s been many give this issue… I’ve had a brain tumor at 21, MS since 35, I’m now 52, and I have brutal heart palpitations. 5 er trips in 6 months in the past year.. Nothing… no meds, no nothing.. Seen a world renowned Cardiologist outside Chicago, great guy, known him for years, same thing.. Oh it’s nothing…
I’ve passed out twice in the last week….still they say it’s nothing… I take methadone for pain for MS for 8 years, no issues, I don’t overtake or undertake.. 40 mgs a day..it’s nothing.. but it works for my back pain.. Otherwise I can’t walk… NOW I got a terrible pain in my left side neck….its at the point now I won’t or can’t even call 911… they treat it as a joke, as if I’m some kind of mental patient..>I’m convinced at some point these will kill me. I went 6 months in 87 complaining of severe headaches, drs pulled the same stuff…..OH you’re fine, too much drinkiing, too much cigarettes, too much bars…
NO, it was a sliver of straw in my head from a car accident 9 months before.. They were able to match the sliver with the hat of which I still had… SO, I listen to them 4 more days I would have been dead. I paSsed out at work, brought to er on lunch, had a lemon sized tumor which they later determined to be an abscess as I said.
These people aren’t Gods, many are lazy, and now O care has made testing harder, more expensive, Dr’s are reticent to over prescribe, over test, and patients suffer. I don’t believe for 2 seconds these things are harmless.. not when they’re knocking you out of your chair unconscious. I hate Doctors frankly.
I suffered with palpitacians and skipped beat,not with squeezed lemon juice and water though.
One cup in the morning and evening,palpitacions no more.
Lemon juice is a MUST for everyone proper lemon not the shop bought in cartoon/additives crap.
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Just wanted to say thanks, this is very wel written and helped to calm me down.
I have found reading other comments helpful this afternoon as I was having an attack following Sunday Lunch and was wondering whether to go to the NHS Walk-in Centre on the other side of town or call doctor’s in the morning but mine settled a lot reading through other peoples’ experiences.
I have had odd palpitation and fluttering on odd occasions but have had them more this year both times on short breaks to Spain just for one day for around 30 minutes. Then had them a few times on main holiday in USA and Canada in July. I had another once home which lasted around 40 minutes and went to my doctor that afternoon. I was given a blood test and ECG scan the following Monday at my surgery and was told the ECG was ok and had a telephone consultation re the blood check. Although my blood sugar was fine and my thyroid reading was we within the normal range my doctor said that other readings around that was high so has put me on a two month trial with Levothyroxine which can cause palpitations for a while. I was also sent to the hospital to have a heart monitor for 7 days. In all that time, I had slight flutterings but nothing major until I returned the monitor last Friday (29th Sept) and that afternoon the palpitations started and lasted on and off into the evening. Saturday, I had a bit of a dull chest ache but nothing more and by late afternoon and evening I felt fine then today I had a dull chest ache in the morning and then after lunch the palpitations and fluttery feeling started but on reading through this site they have calmed again. Thankfully, I have not had to put up with them for years as some of you have but it is very worrying and you do wonder if they are going to get worse and your heart is about to give in. Hopefully, I will hear about my results soon and will call surgery if they come on again tomorrow as it could be the tablets for my Thyroid that could also be making them worse at the moment.
I think mine come on with worry – I can worry for England at times as I’ve noticed that do come back if I start to think about them. I find taking deep slows breaths help – in through the nose and out through the mouth.
I started having them really bad, but have had them for years. I have them upwards to 30-50 a day. Doctor did an EKG and that was fine, did a stress test that was perfect . What they normally wont tell you, as they really arent educated on supplements and dietary benefits .
I make this shake each morning and they are basically gone . Potassium is much needed for palipaltions and in two shakes you’ll have your daily value in Potassium. Give it a try and watch them improve dramatically .
1/2 cup blue berries . 2 dates. 3 bananas and 1 cup of Coconut Milk. Drink in am before coffee or food and one before bed.
You’ll thank me later and give this about 3 days to get your palpiltations gone
Hi there my name is Enrique and iam a 32 year old healthy male never smoke never drink I been dealing with palpations for the last 12 years yes 12 years and as I age I get them more frequently iam also a very anxious person have seen 2 cardiologist first one was awful 2 one ok i did stress test came normal and a echocardiogram i guess my mitral heart valve is slightly leaking and my heart had slightly weaking after weight loss and healthier diet I hot big hopes my heart is gonna be back to normal as my bp is back yo normal and weight to but yes anxiety can do a lot of harm that we don’t want specially racing heart beats and getting palpitations. My best advise is yo pray an be good and pray day morning and night and Jesus Christ will do the rest yo heal us Renner things happen for a reason and for us to learn l will be back in this site two months from now to post my next results Remember everything is possible with god on our side .his bless people.
I am 54 and in menopause. I have PVC’s everyday. I have had them since I was 20. I would like to say that I have learned to live with them but they still freak me out. I have tried potassium and magnesium. Have never been able to stop them. I will give the CoQ10 a try. I feel great relieve knowing that I am not alone in this. I will often stay home when I’m having these because I worry about losing control or dying in public. Don’t really know why? I have also tried exercise too. Lost 20 lbs. also. That was a plus.
I had these years ago and just today had the first episode in decades. I am 65 years old. Just reading all the comments helps. Mine usually go on several hours. They’re a little less intense now, but very inconveniencing. I wish you all success in dealing with this crazy thing.
I felt better reading everyone’s symptoms & know I’m not alone. I have had palpitations for a very long time & increased as I got older. They are extremely bothersome. I am a high anxiety type of person & hate to blame everything on stress. It does,however, play a very big roll. I go to my cardiologist every 6 months. He has changed my meds for high blood pressure from a beta blocker to a calcium blocker. Not really any change for me. Have to go back next week. I have had numerous test as well. From ekgs echo, event & halter monitors, plus stress tests. I will heed by people’s advice as to certain vitamins & drinks. Thank you all.
hi skippers when it builds up and lets you have it, quit all stimulants. weed will work against you I quit for a month and a half and then I’m good. Listen to mellow music not action TV Slow it all down. when you start thinking about your worry or stress–skip, skip, skip almost to the second. Get away from your mind. I like a little valium at that time.or my girl friend and a little oil woah..(sorry)
stress and worry cause the skips Quit all stimulants and wait. weed works against you at that time. A month later smoke again Live in a calm place till its out and off your heart. Music and laughter and your girlfriend.
weed smokers get indica not sativa. Sativa is too much with stress indica will take you to relax but quit for a month surround yourself with calm music walks, talk to god. I quit for a month or more till my heart is ready and you are feeling your full self
Just 3 days of vit. C 2000 mg a day stopped my palpitations. Until now I always take a vit. C, I never experience it again.