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.
Some good tips here. I hate palpitations. They are the worst thing in the world. I find coffee makes mine worse so I avoid it. Also chocolate which is somewhat depressing. Even worse beer makes my heart go.
I get them everyday about10-40 or more times. It sucks I hate it I stop smoking I stop caffein I eat good foods. Nothing works I just have really bad anxiety I always have for the past 15 years.
Hi Kevin,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve been struggling with palpitations for so long. Did you ever try talking to a doctor about beta blockers? They could be of some use to you.
hi ..
i hv started hvng anxiety attacks since march dis year ..
itz recurrent after evry 3 months ..
i get palpitations and sinus tachycardia ..
i hate it ..
plz suggest something ..
Hi Rajandeep,
A good first step is to speak with your doctor. If you’ve done that already then try some of the tips outlined in this article. They helped me a great deal.
You have to be patient, but it’s well worth the effort.
Wonderful article. Very informative. Thank you!
I’ve had palpitations for the past 7-8years, had all the tests done, doctor put me on beta blockers, helped but always tired on them. got off of them and is trying to cope without drugs. I know that when I worry or get anxious they start. I know that is what it is, no question about it, but that doesn’t make it better. I have to learn to stay calm and not get anxious, that is hard in this day and age. Still learning everyday. At least I am not alone as it seems when you go through something like this. But this sight shows me that there is other people out there with the same condition.Thanks for you tips.
jane Awful to hear so many people having palpitations.I have had them for years on and off and it used to really scare me ,now they just annoy me.Every time I think I have a cure, no palps for 24 hrs and then there back! Try googling Candida and palpitations I believe a lot of ailments come from Candida .Also try cutting out sugar totally that really helps.I hope this might help some of you.When they last that bit longer just breath deep and slow and when they stop youve won, stand up to them if that makes sense.Good Luck Jane
Hi Jane,
I have also been looking into the possibility of Candida. I have every single symptom and anxiety/panic is one of them. I just ordered some books on it. Nice to hear that someone else has considered it.
I have had anxiety for years, these last 3 months have been the worst of my life. Anxiety finally caught up with me, have been to so many doctors and every one tells me I’m fine, you have anxiety. I will be sitting down minding my own business and BOOM, hits me. Pounding heart, sweating, nausea, fatigued, thinking the worst, tickle in throat, shortness of breath, chest pain. If I could turn back time I would have never stressed so much about the little things in life and would have just let things go, now it has caught up with me and I suffer from anxiety/panic disorder/hypochondria. We just all have to trust our doctors and realize one day.. We will conquer this.
I also have had anxiety for several years. I used to be afraid to admit I had it. I thought that if I just ignored it and didn’t admit to having it, then it wasn’t real. But I have since realized that it is a very real thing. Anxiety has caused me some of the worst symptoms I could ever imagine. I got better last year after reading the Linden Method and I thought the anxiety was gone, but lately it has come back strong. I have this pain in between my shoulder blades that’s been bothering me. I have constant heart fears, I’m always worried about my heart. Now, Ive started having real bad palpitations out of nowhere. My heart will skip beats for 2-3 minutes at a time and it’s the most terrifying feeling in the world. I have seen the doctor and had an EKG, but feel like I need more. This sucks. But at least it’s good to see that we’re all going through the same things.
Hi to all and thank you to the one that made this site. I read everyday online stuff and about 90% is about finding a cure for Heart Palps. I know that I have gotten the “Panic attaches” under control.But I started getting those when I was around 33 I am now 42. I got my first onset of palps right after I turned 40. I was doing nothing different but sitting and talking to some friends. Then I felt the first one and they got to where I was having one right after another. I drove myself to the Hospital and passed out onto the Nurse’s desk.
I woke to a few nurses and a Doctor talking while standing over me. I flipped out and they calmed me down again. I was asked so many questions. They did all kinds of test on me and then told me that I should set a visit up with a Cardiologist. I did that and then was told by that Doctor that what I was dealing with was normal and everyone in the world has them . I got my anxieties under control and no longer need the pills. But the Palps I have I get around 200 a day if not more. I don’t get as scared as before. I just take Magnesium 125 mg. at breakfast and then again at lunch and dinner again.
I drink lots of water and take it easy when I should and keep my mind busy with something. I have heart problems on my father’s side and my mother’s side not as much but there is some. I never smoked until I lost my Step father and then my mother I lost her and have smoked much worse. But I still don’t believe that smoking is the reason. I say this because I stopped smoking and I don’t drink Soda with caffeine or even eat anything with Caffeine in it.
I eat right . I also lost a lot of weight and much too fast from what the Doctors said. WE (me and the Doctors) don’t know what is causing the weight loss. But they are worried about that and my racing heart beats that I seem to keep. But they see I am not having panic attaches when it races and they say it isn’t a Panic disorder. I even tried to exercise and that didn’t help. So now I just live day to day and pray I get a normal day.
I just wish they would do more studies on this disorder and find what is causing it from the root of it and stop them all together. But as they see it that it isn’t a life or death situation. So I guess it is up to us that have to deal with it to come up with a cure. I have been working on that myself.
As of lately I have come up with the thought that mine could be a hernia. They mimic the heart palps as well. I just need to see a Doctor that can confirm it. I also think if it isn’t that then it is my stomach. Time will tell. I also eat about 10-15 tumz a day and when I buy Pepcid’s I take those instead and it helps sometimes. When I eat they go away for a short time and then slowly come back. I write a log of what I eat and drink and when I take certain things. This way I can decipher through it all and limit it down to what is the thing that could be the reason for them. Like I said so far it has been my stomach I hope my finding help others and come up with a answer for us all. May we all get total relief from this problem and get our lives back.
Hi David,
I am sorry to hear you are a sufferer of anxiety too – my mom died of a heart attack at the age of 57 – needless to say, I am scared to death that the same will happen to me. There have been times when I feel my anxiety has gone away – and then out of nowhere it’s back – i think my thought process is too sensitized now. My heart has also discovered the new trick of palpitations! They make me even more anxious – it’s kind of hard to ‘relax’ when your heart feels like it is going to flip out of your chest! My palpitations last all day long, sometimes for a couple of weeks and then they subside. I have had EKG and stress echo tests only to be told that my heart is fine and I am just one of the millions of Americans who suffer from heart palpitations. I find that taking time during the day to be alone and quiet helps me clear my head and fears (although sometimes the relieve doesn’t last long – it’s better than nothing)! Take care – hope you find something that works for you – if you do pass it on!
I have these palpitations also and I have had anxiety and panic attexks too. Thay are so scary I wish I sisnt have them so bad and that there was a cure
I just went to the doc today for this and i’ve been suffering w/ them for years too. I’m 46 now. She did an EKG, showed normal…blood test for electrolytes and thyroid will be checked too, but all the same stuff above..is normal and non-threatening but when i have the episodes it throws me into a panic attack for sure. I’ve considered ablation but can be dangerous….i’ll try supplements next like cal-mag-potassium and drink more water, exercise etc and see if any of that helps.
Im 13 years old and i only get heart palps in the school holodays when im by myself but when i go bck to schl im fine. I told my parents that i cant take anymore and my dads a psycistrist and he thinks it is a scared feeling and my parents think im like some sort of mental patient which makes the palps worse
Wow it is amazing how many people from around the world has them! I m affraid to run due to palipitations:( This week my anxiety is up, but I know if there is a bad day the good days is just around the corner!Be strong brothers!
I first had heart palpitation when i was 20 years old and i m 27 now. six months back i suffered from a serious heart palpitation that won’t stop for hours, i was vomiting blood n stuffs so my cousin called an ambulance, it was 3 in the morning. I was rushed to emergency n then direct to ICU, i stayed in hospital for 13 days. Later i learned to know that i had viral infection n had heart attacks which was very rare n i heard doctors actually gave me 50 percent chance of surviving while i was in artificial coma. Now i m on medication n avoid very physical works. But still i have heart palpitations from time to time which i hate so much cuz the feeling while having heart palpitation is hell. My advice to ppl wid heart palpitations is not to take it lightly n see the doctor n try to stay away from it in the best possible way cuz it may be rare but still it can lead to bigger problem.
I am 42 years old & I just started getting heart palpatations about a month ago along with a rapid heart rate with shortness of breath which in turn caused anxiety. It got so bad that I ended up going to the ER. They did many tests to include an ekg,chest x rays and blood work. everything came out normal. My pcp then prescribed a halter monitor(mini ekg) that I had to wear for 48 hours to monitor my heart rate. Although the reading did show minor palpatations, the reading itself was normal. I am taking medication right now for my anxiety which seems to help a bit but I can only take it at night as it makes me sleepy. If I continue getting the palpatations or if my symptoms get worse, my next visit will be with a cardiologist for further tests but right now my pcp just thinks i have anxiety which are causing my symptoms. I do have alot going on in my life right now so I am hoping these symptoms will go away eventually as they are very annoying & its all I think about. Glad to know I am not alone in having these symptoms as I was beginning to think it was all in my head. good luck to everyone!
My heart used to race when I was younger, when I turned 35 I gained weight and it stopped. One day when I was 28 I had too much coffee, coca-cola and Nestle Quick. My heart added a beat every 4 seconds or so. Now I’m 50 and the palpitations are back WITHOUT the coffee etc. I know the problem is not enough exercise. I can feel it. It’s like my heart is telling me to get the hell out there and RUN. Also, I have found that lemon juice in water can stop it nearly instantly. But it doesn’t last long and I’m not about to drink lemon juice all day thinking it’s a cure. The lemon juice seems to stop that ‘buzzing’ feeling that comes with the palpitations. I think the cure is stop eating sugar, coffee, chocolate 🙁 and alcohol AND run your arse off everyday. Get a dog and walk it!
Wow, after reading everyones posts I actually dont feel so bad. I’m 45 and I have had panic/anxiety attacks for the last year. They have subsided considerably when I went to the doctor and had a complete checkup to reassure me that everything was fine. Most recently I have been having the “flutter” palpatations occuring. And you are all right, when they happen it is scary, I need to learn to just continue what I’m doing and not allow that to stop me in my tracks, like it is doing now. I dont have as many as some of you, I dont know how you put up with them! Reading everyones posts has actually helped me, just knowing that you arent alone and that this is normal is a good feeling.
I’m 17 and I have periods where have them for a week, they drive me crazy,it’s always wen I’m trying to fall asleep. I get so scared and start to panic. I do have panic attacks once in a while like once or twice a year, it’s a horrible feeling. Theres nothing wrong with me they said at the hospital, I just have to deal with it. Coffee is the worst, I can’t drink coffee, the palpations start right away! Arh
Make sure you have your doctors check for thyroid issues!
This was so helpful! I’ve suffered from irritating heart palpitations and could never really figure out how to get them to stop…besides just waiting the episode out. That’s no fun and quite frankly is maddening like no other! So, I just googled and found you here….read your suggestion for electrolyte balance and went straight to the fridge for orange juice…IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM!! It stopped a rather out of control episode approx. 20 seconds after drinking the juice. It’s been about 10 minutes and they have not returned. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
I’ve been confused by this heart thing for years and DOCTORS won’t even tell you this simple stuff.
Thanks again!
Thanks Crystal, I’m glad I was able to help. I hated palps too and making them stop can really make a big difference in your day to day life. Thanks again for taking the time to comment.
Hi all
First, great website. Really found it useful.
I am 25 years old. When I was 18 years old I had my first AF (Atrial Fabriliation). Since then, I have had 4 major AF’s.
Unfortunately, I have been “suffering” from palps everyday. Frequency-wise, they start around 11am, and then occur during the day. I havew noticed that my posture may trigger them. For exmaple, when I am at work and I get up from my chair to go to the kitchen, as soon as I take the first few steps, I will 9/10 times get a palpitiion, and it feels like my heart is stopping or has stopped, and a small thud kicks it back into place. Any bending down will also trigger a palpitition.
Does the above happen to anyone else? Also, has anyone else had an AF? If anyone thinks that their posture also triggers palps and that they have found a “cure” please please share it with me. It’s been 5 years nealry, and I am just tired of them..it’ taking over my life. I have tried to keep on top of them, but some days it get’s too much. I have to cancel my plans with friends becuase everytime I get up when sitting down, or walking on a night out, a palp will just kick in and then I have to stop walking so that they can kick back into rythem and this normally happens all night. 🙁
I will try out the “cure” regarding electrolye imbalance. Once again, thank you for taking the time out and writing this article, it’s made me feel soo much better 🙂
salaam/peace.
Shahzaad,
I am not a doctor but I am a Registered Nurse, and all I can say is that if you do in fact have A-fib, you should see your doctor and obtain medical advice on how to treat it. You might need to be put on a medication such as Coumadin (Warfarin), or they’ll consider another treatment. A-fib is not something that can be treated with correct posture, and “kicked back” into rhythm. Untreated A-fib can have serious complications, so please see your doctor to ensure a long healthy life. Best of luck!
Great info on this site. I am 37 and for the past few years, I would experience what I can only describe as a noticeable “thump” sensation in my chest followed by a having your breath slightly taken away. Its not that I couldn’t breath or would gasp for air, it was just a strange sensation and very noticeable.
A few weeks ago I woke up one morning and these ‘thumps’ occured again except they kept happening over and over and the episode lasted a couple minutes and freaked me out to the point my wife called an ambulance. By the time they arrived the episode had passed and I felt like a complete dumb@ss for having an ambulance come to my home for what was apparently nothing 🙁 I went to see a doctor and even had an EKG; nothing was found.
I have since cut out all caffeine but still experience these sensations periodically; it has helped to remind myself that it is not a big deal and to not let panic kick in like it used to.
OMG im not alone in this horrible journey of Heart palpitations….
Ive been suffering HP for 4 years due to Anxiety.. I get them every day without fail even at one stage i had them for 5hrs, that frightened the hell out of me…
I would love to be able to keep incontact with you all and create a support group..
Every time i go to any group its all old posts, so i find it hard to find anyone to talk to with this problem.
Hi everyone,
Read all your stories and i can feel the frustration that you are all feeling…
Ive been suffering with Anxiety for 4 years that cause Heart Palpitations. I hate them and even some times i really do think im going insane by the way i feel when i have a HP…
Once i had HP on and off for 4hrs, was horrible. I went to the hospital had an ECG and my rythem of my heart my fine..
I hope to make friends from here that i could talk to and keep some what sane haha…
I have had angxiety for about a year, i smoked marijuana for about 6-7 years a couple times daily and it came on after a smoked some about last year for the first time and i quit cold turkey as with cigarettes because my heart went very very very fast for about 2 hours and i was 100% conviced i was going to die, i has been 11 months and its still very bad i take anxiety medication called cipralex and it dosent seem to work, my heart races for no reason at all, ill be fine watching t.v and somthing will trigger it all of a sudden, i just want to feel normal again i also have a knee problem that hurts alot and im even scared to take an advil ect. even though i know it wont hurt me to take it. i am very confused and my doctor dosent seem to care he will just prescribe me a pill and i dont want pills, chamomile tea works 10x better then any pill i been on please dose anybody know what i can do to start taking action
Great information. For those suffering routinely from anxiety and stress, might I suggest a program that I have found useful: The MIdwest Center for Anxiety and Depression is a series of CDs designed to help you retrain your brain to be less affected by stress and anxiety. This program worked wonders for me (they have a website if you google it). Also, I love The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer and Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. Making alterations in my thinking practices has led to a calmer, less anxious me. Plus, in the rare moments I’ve gotten palpitations since then, I’ve noticed I have gotten much better at staying calm and coaxing my heart back to a normal rhythm. I used to scoff at self-help programs and books, but not anymore! These mentioned above really worked for me 🙂
Hi,
I have had heart palpitations since I was a child. I’m now 43. I can remember suffering from them when playing football at High school. My GP sent me to hospital and they did a check and I am classed as ‘fit’. The hospital gave me a 24 hour heart monitor but it didnt catch any palpitations. I stopped smoking over 6 months ago and am training for a 9 mile run for charity. Today I suffered my first palpitations while on the road and I thought I was going to pass out. I stopped running, and did all the slow breathing to slow heart rate down, then coninued to run again. The palpitations came back a further 3 times in the half hour run I was doing. Is there anything i can do. I don’t want to let everyone down when I do the charity run and not get the sponsorship they desperately need. Please help!!
im 17 i have anxiety/panic disorder and Heart Pilpations once in awhile its good to see how many people have stories and actually feel like i do its almost like were a group linked with a illness we just have to fight by are selves nobody believes me that there was something wrong… i’d say excerise mad and drink lots of electrolights gatorade “G2” kind no sugar and vitamin water its good for you and anxiety thx
Thank you all for sharing your experiences and remedies – I have been suffering from heart palps for a year now – for some reason they started end of last March – lasted for about 4 weeks and went away. i went to the doc – was hooked to the 24 hr. heart monitor, had a stress echo done and yes they found I have a few PVCs, but not enough to get excited over – easy for them to say! Unfortunately, early last April my mother-in-law went in for double valve replacement and double bipass surgery – i got so stressed out – I think I was envisioning myself having to go though the procedure too – and I am still having them. Went back to the doc – wore the 24 hr. heart monitor again and am waiting for results – I figured that if they found something really drastic they’d call me ASAP.
I don’t know, my husband tries to be supportive but the majority of the time he just says I worry too much. Hmmm… He’s right – I also have been suffering from anxiety and panic attacks for about 15 years (I don’t remember having all these palps though back then). I’m beginning to feel that the older I get, the more screwed up my hormones get, the worse my anxiety and palps get – not too many docs like to place the blame of palps on peri-menopause (sorry guys, just be thankful you don’t have to go through this!)
Anyone else notice that the closer you get to menopause the worse the anxiety and palps become?
All your comments are amazing to read and I wish there had been just 1 person I could have talked to about this when I had my first palpitation at 17. I am now 52 and think I have become a bit of an expert on them! In my case I now understand that the cause has always been anxiety driven even though most people see me as calm and self-confident and I hold down a responsible job in communication with all types of people. At 17 my parents split up and I lived with my mother who was an alcoholic who was not too great at emotional nurturing and became dependent on me. This led me to create a veneer to the outside world that everything was ok. I lost touch with my father at that time and his immediate family and this was a loss I couldn’t talk to my mother about as she would take it as criticism. Over the years I married a fantastic supportive man and we have 3 great kids but after each birth I got post natal drepression and lots of palpitations all of which convinced me I would die. My great doctor recognised what was going on and I have now been on beta blockers for 17 years which have really helped when I get emotional stress (still mainly from my mother!). 18 months ago I heard that my father had died and I went to the funeral meeting up with all the family I had lost long ago and it was an amazing revelation. The down side was that I ended up in A & E 3 times over a 6 month period suffering from palpitations that came from nowhere, lasted for hours which had to be stopped by a drug intravenously. Again all due to underlying emotional anxiety. So, I decided to take things into my own hands and have, over the past year been seeing a wonderful Homeopath who treats the cause of the emotional stress as it arises, rather than the symptoms (palpitations). This has worked really well for me and we have talked through the’stuff’that has caused the anxiety and this is what she is treating. I wouldn’t give up the beta blockers though just in case! Hope this helps to show you are not alone.
I’ve experienced these palpitations for the last three months, having been working six nights a week. My family think I’m nuts, especially after ‘cardiac tests’ proved very good for a 53 yr old. My blood pressure was very good too…so how could I be ‘stressed?’
Having a beer, it goes away…
I’m experiencing them as I type this now…great eh?
hi my names wendy ive been suffering from anxiety for 17 years now it rules my life everyday i dont have a normal live because of this…i have been on beta blockers for sometime i get mild palpitations but obver the last 3 days ive been getting them really bad to the point where every waking moment i scare of them coming back and yes! they do..i hate the thoughts accomanied with them as well.they are the most distressin of anxiety i think mainly because it affects the heart i havent had an ecg because i havent been to the doctors yet but i know if this goes on much longer every day then im gonna have to go and ask for one just to get stop these…cause i am convinced something is wrong with me now…
i have suffered with pupations for many years, this is what i do when i get them first you need to relax. breath in counting and only breath in to a comfort zone keep the mouth closed while breathing in slowly breath out through the mouth counting ,then relax and count breath in through the mouth counting keep counting all the time during breathing and breathing out , try and make the counting the same during the breathing , keep doing this for as long as possible. it works most of the time , so for example , breath in 12345 then out 12345 (throught the mouth, relax 12345. in 12345 out12345 relax 12345 in 12345 out 12345 ,make sure you count to what ever suits you. hope it help you
Great Article! Found it very informative. I too used to suffer from much of what is described here. I have recently launched a project entitled I Wanna Live Again (www.Iwannaliveagain.com) This project serves as a safe haven and recovery zone for people struggling with anxiety induced PCVs, PACs (Skipped Beats), Palpitations, Panic, and Chest Discomfort.
Feel free to check it out or subscribe. Excellent job with your site. I would love to link it to mine. Please contact me to discuss if you wish!
Best of luck!
Rich
I came down with panic and anxiety about 5yrs.I am doing very good once in a while I’ll get that rushing feeling through my body.Just this morning i was awoken with minor heart palpatation.I took a colanzepan to calm me down.I feel good pretty active go to gym,very busy with kids now that it’s summer go swimming etc.I have one thing in the back of my mind.That my cholesterol was high it was 242 now it’s borderline 216.I have a docters appointment in 2 months.I am watching what i eat excersing.I keep thinking when i get these weird feelings that i am having a heart attack.Does anybody else experience similar occasions.thanks
Helpful article, and it’s good to hear from people who have this as well. For myself, it’s always seemed to be linked to caffeine. I’ve tried moderation, but that’s hard to maintain. Recently it seemed they were getting worse and worse (I had one lasting over 12 hours before it returned to normal), so I finally gave up caffeine altogether. I haven’t had any episodes since giving it up (about a week), so hopefully that’s that. Now I just need an alternative energy booster! Aside from caffeine, I have found that when I was in good physical shape, it wasn’t much of an issue. But I haven’t been exercising enough lately, so that should probably take part of the blame. That’s next on the docket.
To memphis dave you had heart palps for 12hrs.Are you on any anxiety meds.I am on celexa and colanzapan.Mine never lasted that long.
Hi Everyone,
Well first of all I LOVE this site t truly feels great to see other people are going through the same thing. Not that I want you all to. Ok here’s my story and j need help with my palpitations. I’m 27 years old and have always been a high strung person, last year I caught my fiancé with another girl and it was absolutely heart breaking well literally heart breaking because ever since then I have had palpitations.
So they started one day I was just sitting there and I got a weird feeling and boom I got a little Lviv beaded and felt weird like I just got the wind knocked out of me and then a second later I was fine. They say it’s a PVC I guess. I went tothe ER because there were times were I would get like two in a row and then my heart would race and I couldn’t calm it down. I thought I was having a heart attack, the dr said it was just tachacardia and it went away. They did say I had sinus arrythmia but I dot know what that is. I have been to see a cardiologist. I had a holtor monitor for 48 hrs and a stress ech and a stress EKG test and they all came back fine. All labs were fine and thyroid is great. I did show one PVC on the holtor and I am going on an event monitor T the end of the month because I am still gettig the palps, I’m just tothe point I don’t know what to do. I can tell the days I’m going to get then because I’m very anxious all day and feel as though I had all kinds of caffeine but I haven’t. I don’t smoke anymore quit a year ago, I don’t consume caffeine or sugar but I still get a bad one probably twice a week and then little ones here and there. The bad ones stop me right in my tracks. It’s usually one beat but it makes me feel weird like j have to burp or something.
I don’t know what to do. I have turned into a cardio phobic thinking I’m goig to drop dead of cardiac arrest everyday and I just stress. I’m ruining my life and I’m wasting away. Please help because my depression is gettig worse because I am so scared of these palpitations 🙁
Thanks for listenin
Andrea D
andrea try to go on meds it helps I am taking celexa and colanzapan.Just something to come you down breathing excercies is good.Like my doctor keep saying to me it is all anxiety.It sucks you are not alone
I have also had anxiety for quite sometime. I was on Celexa and lorazapam which def helps. I also see a psychiatrist for therapy and that is another big help just to have someone you can go talk to, tell them you are scared and not get judged and they are super helpful. I still get palpatations but they just basically annoy me now because i know what they are. I had my doc do a EKG and a stress test just hearing that you are ok makes it a lot easier to deal with this. I also know that posture does sometimes have something to do with having palpatations also like if you are sitting kind of in a C shape position you may experience palps or if you lay on your left side you may get them more than layin in any other position just because there are more things and organs crammed on your left side. I know a lot of my anxiety comes from now being so in tune with my body I dont miss a thing or feeling. A lot of the feelings we get everyone else does too they just dont notice it like we do because anxiety makes you very in tune with ourselves. I also have my own support person. Sometimes when I have a panic attack I call my brother during it and it distracts me and before I know it we are just talking and the attack is gone. One other thing I learned is people said they were afraid to exercise because of the palps, Actually excercise helps doesnt have to be anything strenuous or anything but it actually makes anxiety better just to go for a walk and I do not get palps while exercising also with that if you are exercising you will notice you dont get them then you know its not a heart problem, if you had an actual heart problem you wouldnt be able to get your heart rate up and feel nothing. Just know that none of you are alone out there. There are so many people out there with anxiety.
You just told my whole story to a t, everything you said is what is happening to me, first pvs’s are definitely caused by dehydration you are right don’t have to go overboard but stay hydrated, So today was bad was having pvc’s all over so started the routine plenty of water and quiet times then gave in and took a xanax and there it was I calmed down and the pvc’s went away and so did the anxiety, I do take xanax and if used properly can be a great medication but never abuse it, bottom line bening pvc’s will not hurt you and they are certainly caused by over sensitive to anxiety, simple cure the anxiety, thanks
Hey everyone! … This website is fabulous coz messages are recent! I’ve been suffering from palps ever since I can remember. Especially worried at the moment coz about to start a new job next week & scared my heart will race so fast that I can’t function properly at work – which has happeneed to me before. I know worrying won’t help but my mind goes completely blank when this happens and can’t even think about what my colleagues are saying to me.. My job involves a lot of thinking an this problem is dabilitating for me … I’ve made an appointment with my gp next week to ask for beta-blockers… Has anyone else experienced these problems at work? – if so, how do you deal with it? I would be most grateful for any advice.. Thanks everyone. Stay strong & never loose hope! x
I am having palpitations as I write this. It is so terrible. I have Mitral Valve Prolapse and I am only 15 years old. 2 months ago I was normal, now I just feel miserable. I cannot eat anything, I only eat once a day, I cannot even climb up the stairs. Every morning I get them, When i finish eating, and when i go to sleep. I get them especially when i feel calm and relaxed. I am very sad. I cannot do normal things any more because of my heart. All i can do is drink my pills and sit on my bed all day.
Hi i’m Zaeem i have been having palpitations for the last 7 months im a young guy and they scare the freaking daylights outta me iv’e been to the hospital many many times they say that i have anxiety stress which isn’t the truth they keep coming back and when they hit me hard that’s when i get panicky i need help and need help fast can someone please post back on here and tell me what to do.
Tori….you are so right! I have had anxiety for the last 5 years or so, and I am definitely more in tune with every little thing my body does. I have been having palps the last few days off and on and I am considering going to the Dr. I just don’t know if vie had them consistently enough to warrant a trip to the Dr just yet. This anxiety thing sucks because it makes me think there is something going on with me OTHER than just anxiety…..it’s a vicious cycle. It’s almost as if I go through spurts of different symptoms of anxiety. One time i’ll just feel shaky and kind of dizzy, nauseous, and then this time of panic attacks, I’m feeling palpitations too. Does anyone elses symptoms change from one attack to another? These palps are fairly new to me and are freaking me out. Im not on any meds right now, but I’m considering getting on them again…it’s it’s been a few years, but these are almost putting me over the edge…..
I’ve been suffering from heart palpitations for eighteen months. I may never experience a more depressing time in my life. I am confident my palpitations are triggered by anxiety. There is a product available you can buy on Ebay called Calm Plus. I recently ordered it and am still waiting to receive it. It is a powder solution which you put into hot water and ofcourse, drink it. It apparently is the best magnesium citrate and is highly absorbable. Something tells me this product is worth the try.
Best wishes to everyone.
Goodspeed.
what matters to me now is that, i usually experiencing palpitation if am not in motion, just like watching tv or listening to the music it occurs the palpitation i wonder why it happens that way. if i am in aero lessons during strenuous exercise i dont either suffer from this palpitation. what shall i do? does it sound unbalance of my health whatever? please adise.
So I finally found a way to reduce my palpitations and maybe this will help others too. 1)I found that eating too much food, no matter how healthy it is will start your palpitations, so what I do now is eat once or maybe twice a day, but only a small amount of healthy food of course. VERY IMPORTANT carry a water bottle with you and aspirins EVERYWHERE. Make sure it is cool. 2) Avoid hot weather and hot rooms. Cold rooms are best. 3)Do Not drink Soda, AT ALL. Do Not drink Hot Chocolate or consume anything that has chocolate. Avoid Candy. 4) AVOID ANY GREASY FOODS!!! DRINK WATER MORE THAN YOU ARE USED TO AND RELAX!
Hello All…I have to say my palpitations are driving me nuts. I am 42 years old and they started a few years ago. They happen when I first wake up in the morning or when I am just sitting watching tv. When it happens it does make me start to freak out thinking something else terrible is going to happen. I have had anxiety issues since I can remember but just a few months ago I actually had several Panic Attacks. Of course the times I am having a panic attack I am driving and feeling like I am going to pass out. I thought at first it was my Hypoglycemia kicking in but I always eat eggs, wheat toast and a glass of water for breakfast so I knew it couldn’t be that. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink any alcohol at all, no coffee, no tea, no soda…but I do love my sweets…so I guess I need to cut out the chocolate. Now everytime I get into a car I start to get nervous like I am going to have another attack. I think I am going to start seeing a phychologist and see if they can fix me. My doctor did give me some Xanex and it does help a bit but I don’t take it everyday because that doesn’t fix the problem it just puts a temporary band-aid on it..