Anxiety Guru

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How to Stop Heart Palpitations

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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.

 

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Comments

  1. Please some one help me.

    I have been having palpitation for almost 2 years now without pains, It gets worst the next day after i go out to have fun with my friends like drinking alcohol and smoking weed.

    At a time i started having poor digestion like i will not go use my toilet next morning like i used to, So i went to a doctor who gave me some treatment which made me urinate like hell, so on the second day after having sex with my girl friend i went on 2 rounds i started having muscule cramps immediately all over my body so painfull i almost fell on the floor so after 3 – 5 minutes i was a little relived which i felt like using the toiled as i tried to push shit out of my ass i had chap hit in the center of my heart which lasted for 5 seconds i stood up and went back to my room i hard the second hit again in the center of my chest which also lasted for 5 seconds.

    I went to hospital the next day the doctor told me i had a heart attack which he treated me with some medication after 2 months i was still feeling uncomfortable so i went to another doctor who told me i have a heart failure which make me so scared my bp always goes high.

    Now is 6 months i went for ECG and blood test, My doctor told me am ok (good) but am not feeling to good.

    Whats the matter

  2. Please some one help me am 28 years.

    I have been having palpitation for almost 2 years now without pains, It gets worst the next day after i go out to have fun with my friends like drinking alcohol and smoking weed.

    At a time i started having poor digestion like i will not go use my toilet next morning like i used to, So i went to a doctor who gave me some treatment which made me urinate like hell, so on the second day after having sex with my girl friend, i went on 2 rounds i started having muscule cramps immediately all over my body so painfull i almost fell on the floor so after 3 – 5 minutes i was a little relived which i felt like using the toiled as i tried to push shit out of my ass i had sharp hit in the center of my chest which lasted for 5 seconds i stood up and went back to my room i hard the second hit again in the center of my chest which also lasted for 5 seconds.

    I went to hospital the next day the doctor told me i had a heart attack which he treated me with some medication after 2 months i was still feeling uncomfortable so i went to another doctor who told me i have a heart failure which make me so scared my bp always goes high.

    Now is 6 months i went for ECG and blood test, My doctor told me am ok (good) but am not feeling too good.

    Whats the matter i need some talks and help. God bless

  3. very interesting reading, especially Cathy’s post. like her, I do not have racing heart, anxiety, etc., but I got palpitations on a regular basis. however, I did not want to be on meds and I believed, and still do, that the problem was with an imbalance in my nervous system or brain signaling. after much experimentation, I believe I have the situation under control. I have changed my vitamins to a brand with more heart healthy stuff like increased magnesium and vitamin D and chromium. I split the pill into two parts and take one morning and night, along with fish oil at lunch. I continue to exercise and eat healthy. so far, so good. I would encourage others to look for natural solutions first.

  5. I had a panic attack a few weeks ago now I have real bad anxiety constantly putting my hand over my heart everyday all day I’m starting to have a hard beating heart everyday that last for a long time I just get sleepy no chest or arm pain but when I hold my nose and blow out it slows down for a quick second and get right back to the annoying rhythm

  6. I was the healthiest man on the planet, look like a profession athlete. Then I became depressed due to a nasty divorce and got into cocaine. Eight years later I stopped before it killed me. I became really sick and was hospitalize sever times nearing an overdose and heart attacks and did not stop until I knew I had to leave the area into another state to get away from the drugs. It left me with palpitations, a brain disorder, kidney cancer. I have so fare survived although I still have severe heart palpitations, lack of balance and walk as is I am drunk all of the time, most of this caused by minor strokes. I have been studying the situation and I can assure any of you drug users that cocaine attacks your nervous system and stops the communication process between you two nervous system, one that calms you down and the other that speeds you up The sympathetic and non-sympathetic systems. In most all cases the anxiety and fight or flight systems are effected and cause of the problem of palpitations. It is very difficult to control palpitations because of drug abuse present or past. Stay calm and get rid of all thing that cause you anxiety, pretty tough to do that today for anybody with Obama at the helm. So good luck all

  7. I have tachycardia from one month in those days i was stressed and i used alot of tea with herbal formula for cure of my cough it cause my heart to beat more faster then later i used iron and vitamins supplements and i balanced my diet but my heart beat remains faster. I left all stresses but still my heart beat remain abnormal now m fed up from my abnormal heart beat it is not going to cure. Anyone can tell how i get rid of fast heart beat????

  9. I have had anxiety since the age of about 12. I am now 59.
    About 9 years ago I began to get missed heart beats went to the Dr who told me it was quite common and told me not to worry. The missed heart beats was not really causing me any problems.
    About 8 months ago I began getting palpitation. Some days I would get a fast heat rate and other days a lower heat rate below 60. This is quite scary. My palpitations seem to be getting more frequent and I an constantly thinking about it which probably not helping and may be even causing it.
    Last week I got so fed up I went to A&E. An ECG showed irregular heart beat. Chest x-ray was normal. Blood test showed no abnormality in enzymes, minerals etc. It also showed no inflammation.
    The doctor suggested one more test ie echo cardiograph.
    Can anyone tell me What All of that means?
    The Dr told me that the worst case scenario is I may require a pacemaker. Which also frightens me.
    Please Help.

  10. Hi it’s really comforting to hear that I am not alone in this awful place. Started having palps about five weeks ago and they are constant all day and night feels like my heart jumping all over the place chest pain missed beats and funny stomach. All my vital signs good doctors say it’s stress and anxiety that I have struggled with for years. I am now on antidepressants and diazepam as beta blockers done nothing. I am 41 years old and feel my life is over. Any suggestions would help

  11. I know exactly how you feel I have had ecgs etc all normal all down to anxiety often with anxiety and panic attacks they appear from no where out of the blue just how it is often with the symtoms as they mimic every thing of some thing more serious we often think we have a serious health problem I find and it’s known that the more the more you think about and concentrate on your heart the more it will best harder faster palpertations etc as your sending signals by doing this diet can have a lot to do with it water helps a lot as it’s a stress relief. .. palpertations are often not a sign of any thing serious you can have a simple stress test ecgs to rule things out first then you no it will be anxiety and not a heart problem I’ve had anxiety for 4 years now and just tell it to piss off when I feel funny like I’m gonna DIE as we all say as that’s how you do feel with the symtoms chills palpertations fast beating heart wanting to run away from the situation all scary symtoms these will go it’s mind over matter I’ve been a and e so many times thinking I was dying to learn it’s just another anxiety attack I no its easier said than done as each day is different try not to focus on your heart when u start to feel funny ie palpertations anxiety tell your self you are fine and it’s just anxiety even if there’s nothing to be anxious about that’s the thing it comes from no where minds subconscious I’m afraid can be things that have happened over your life time and it’s delayed reactions your minds way of dealing with life’s situations I hope this helps a bit as I no exactly how you feel x

  12. I have palpitations for years but they seem to get worst..sometime i dont have thrm for months and then it hits me out of blue..i am 36 yo in good shape dont smole and drink so its even more frustrating..i exercise 4 times a week and sometime i get palpitations during exercise which really worries me. I went to se 3 different cardiologists …yea 3 because i wanted to rea sure everything is ok…they did ekg..ultrasound and had holter for 24 hours…they found nothing wrong all 3 and told me to exercise without restriction. ..structure of the heart is perfect and they told me everybody has palpu but some of us feel them and some do not…they can be really scary…mu palpitations are like this it start to skip….flip floping ..that sometimes Last 25 sec and than it goes into tahycardia until comes down but my doctors keep teling me everything ok…..lol….as long as structurally heart is good then is not dangerous but stil scares the hell out of me..

  13. Hi y’all I’m a 31 year old male I started feeling these weird palpitations about a year ago at first it would happen once a day then I would not feel it for a week or even 14 days then I would be having dinner and I would feel a hard one its really scary most of my palpitations happen while sitting or laying on my back. I’ve only felt it once while walking but once it happens I would go back to normal but lately I’ve been feeling some every couple of days at least 2 of them it’s really frustrating when the doctors tell me everything is normal when clearly is not normal is good to know that I’m not alone in this I pray for each and everyone of us battling this decease God bless us all 🙏

  15. I have had heart palpitations for the last 2years,,it is like sudden dread or fear and there is a flutter in the heart..dr said nothing wrong with the heart after Echo test was done.i have been doing yoga for the last 1 year..pranayama or breathing exercise is good..the negative thought have to be conquered by surrendering to Almighty is also effective.

  16. Paul, have you heard of anyone getting palpitations only on the night? About 10 times in the past month, I have woke up, noticed my heart going faster than usual, then it really speeds up! Usually stays in the 150s for about 15 mins. I’m 49, have been struggling with symptoms of anxiety disorder for about a year, was doing better, then this heart racing thing hit (caught on monitor-sinus tach). I’ve also started getting bouts of PVCs. Do you think this is panic? I can’t tell, but I do have time for about one thought of “oh dear,” when I first notice it going fast, before it really races up. Have you heard of this? In the night?

  18. I av had panic attacks,palpitations.am even getting them when at work.I can’t do my job because of the same attacks.what should I do.am scared at anything.

  19. Its terrible not to know what is wrong with your heart and your daily life is affected negatively.am scared.

  20. I feel for all of you that have posted. Nobody understands what it feels like when an attack comes on, not even the doctors, they just tell you “don’t worry, it’s nothing that is going to kill you”, bet they would not be saying that if it was them having the attacks. I have super-ventricular Tachycardia, had an ablation done in 2005, it helped somewhat but I still have issues periodically. as of late I have been have skipped beats that make have been scaring me like crazy. Halter shows minimal problems, going for an echo tomorrow just to make sure all is okay with heart structure. I guess it is mind over matter, when I have attacks I actually have to talk to myself to keep myself calm so it does not cause a super panic attack. I guess we are all just high strung individuals that will have to deal with it off and on for the rest of our lives. yuuuuk!

  21. Hello..I am a 52 year old male.. I experience from time to time these palpitations but often not severe.. but more and awareness of my heartbeat.. and anxiety ..in the past it was more severe. .. I have a long history of food over sensitivity … in my case bread and milk or other combinations of food can cause these sensations.. From experience I know it’s very difficult to find this out .. hormone levels like insuline adrenaline are starting to jump around.. you start to feel depressed and then the strange heartbeat starts as well… so if you have these irregular heartbeats .. think also about food! Don’t think it’s easy.. it is extremely difficult to find out which foods or food combinations are bad.. And believe me.. in the beginning I thought I don’t have a problem with food.. but I know already for 25 years (not because of a standard doctor) but still there are foods causing these symptoms.. hope I help some people with this story

  22. I AM 62 YRS OLD HAVE HAD A PANIC DISORDER SINCE I WAS 10 THE PALPITATIONS NEVER STOP. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TRY YOGA, MEDITATION NONE OF THESE THINGS WORKED. I AM ON TWO DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS AND THE ONE KLONOPIN HAS BREAK THROUGHS AND THE OTHER ZOLOFT 1 AND A HALF STILL HAVEN’T STOPPED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD I WORRY TO MUCH TAKE ON TO MUCH STRESS BUT THIS IS MY LIFE, AND I NEED SOME SUGGESTIONS OR A SOLUTION AND THE DOCTORS AREN’T HELPING.

  23. I have had anxiety for 29 years. Have had every test known to mankind to make sure that my heart is healthy. I still suffer from heart palpitations and pvc’s. I’ve noticed it worse since going thru menopause, and also again been told not to worry. What works best for me is the breathing thru your nose, slowly. And praying, lots of praying. I take klonopin, but also recently have been prescribed Xanax for break thru events. It doesn’t work well, but it is better. I also take a good multi vitamin, extra E, potassium, calcium, and fish oil. It’ll get better, as long as you keep trying to find the solution that works best for you. It will still happen, but it won’t be as scary. God Bless you all.

  24. Paul, can chronic anxiety cause frequent PVCS to start out of nowhere? I used to get a few occasionally, now for the past couple of months, I’m up to (age 49), over 1000/day. Have you had clients with this many?

  25. I have had palpitations for about 2 years. Usually I would get them when I would be working with my hands above my head. A couple of weeks ago they got more frequent until they were happening 2-3 times an hour, even while I was at rest. I have never been one to take one-a-day vitamins unless I had a cold or flu, so I started taking one every morning. The last palpitation I had was 20 minutes after that first vitamin.I have been palpitation free for 6 days now. I have researched this and found that a magnesium deficiency is likely the culprit. Even the doctors told me it was normal and to just deal with it. TAKE YOUR VITAMINS!

  26. this is rick im 55 ive had palpitation for like 3 years and ive had panic and anxiety for 35 years I find when I keep busy im fine . and it seems like when im tierd I have them more im like you all im so tierd of these things when I have them its like im scared to move or do any thing

  27. I would like for someone to email me on a regular bases just to help each other with this problem anxiety and palpitations

  29. It is good to know that I am not alone in this mine just started a few months ago. I’ve had all the tests and they say nothing is wrong. it seems to be triggered more after I eat and I’m not sure how to determine what I eat that is making this worse. it is very scary and it is affecting me a lot it makes me feel very sick all over when it’s happening. I am going to take some of your suggestions with vitamins and certain foods and see if that helps. I hope all of you can feel better soon as well

  30. Hi everyone. Going through these comments here really does help. I suffer from severe anxiety and that’s what also brought on my palpitations as well. Just trying to live my life as normal as i can cos am a mother of 2 kids. Although i’ve always had palpitations once in awhile but last year i went through a very terrible and shocking experience and since then i’ve not had like a week free of it. Am also on medication just to help keep my blood pressure in check. I still get scared when i have anxiety attacks but the good thing is it always passes. How ever bad your palpitations are just be strong and keep encouraging your self not to freak out,just know that it won’t last forever and neither will it kill you,your happy days will surely come back,it may not be today,tomorrow or next but it will pass. Lets keep posting so we can get strength from one another. Much love and God bless and keep us all

  31. Hi to you all again. I’ve been suffering from palps, missed beats for the last 3 months. All vital signs good so doctor says anxiety which I’ve suffered from for years. I am taking citalopram which has helped but the symptoms are all still there with the awful adrenalin feeling in my stomach. To make it worse I started a new job 5 weeks ago and this has sent my symptoms through the roof. It is so difficult to get to work and I just want to stay st home where I feel safe. I have had two major panic attacks in early hours of morning which sent my heart to 150 Bpm it scared me so much. I am eating better And exercising more but symptoms just the same. Any ideas how I can improve this as feel it’s ruining my life

  32. What has helped me is to relax, don’t rush around and take one or two Ashwaghanda in the mornings and one at night before bed plus one Magnesium/Taurate by Cardiovascular Research at bedtime. If I am having an attack I take a capsule of plain Taurine, open it, and sprinkle it under my tongue. Taurine helps regulate heart rhythm. The Ashwaghanda is also very good for anxiety and stress. When I took a beta blocker I started to get more palps so quit it. I started having them in Jr. High and now am 76. They did get worse after Menopause but since starting to take the above herbs they are much better. If I don’t eat three times a day or don’t drink much water I do get them more. Stay off of sweets. I recently started on the Ashwaghanda which is wonderful for anxiety. I would not go on the drug like Lorazapam or other antidepressants as they cause dependence and the longer you are on it , they don’t work and you have to take a stronger and stronger amount. You must take calcium as it regulates the heartbeat and the magnesium and have a well rounded diet. Ashwaghandha lowers cortisol levels and reduces anxiety.

  33. Hi all.have been going through the same symptoms since last 2 years.Am on beta blockers for the same. Have visited my physician twice ecg done, blood tests normal. Dr says it is panic disorder. Consulted a psychiatrist for the same. He had asked me to take sertraline and clonazepam.haven’t yet started taking them as they have withdrawal symptoms. Trying to control them with pranayam. Is there a permanent cure for it. Please help.

  34. This may or may not help, but it is certainly worth trying before doing anything else, including seeing a doctor who almost never is going to help, and sometimes will even make things worse over time. Combined potassium and magnesium supplements with normal amounts of potassium, I mean <= 99mg per pill. Take one pill in the morning and one in the afternoon. Do not try large doses present in some supplements – fortunately, you won't buy them in a regular pharmacy. They may not hurt you but may cause additional problems. Regaining equilibrium means changing things slowly. Extended release potassium might also make sense for many but it has to be prescribed by a doctor, and in my case, several days on extended release (XR) potassium causes my fasting blood glucose to jump 20 points, from 80/90 to 100/110, I have no idea why it happens but it does happen any time I try XR it for more then 2-3 days. Having said all above, if it helps with your palpitations/arrythmias, you have to investigate what causes your potassium and/or magnesium to drop too low, or to just shift quickly (same effect on heart). It is usually due to a loss of water, but loss of water can have many reasons quite dependent on a given persons metabolism. You need to investigate, there are lots of sources on the net. Things can be quite tricky, though. Diuretic effect can be for instance sometimes associated with a diet too rich in vegetables, which theoretically should supply lots of potassium but for some people it can just take it away due to the diuretic effect of such a diet, seriously. It depends on a person. As far as a doctor is concerned, in my case he just gave me blood pressure medications (my BP was 150/90 at that time). I had arrythmias caused, now I know by endurance training. I was taking these pills for several months an ended on ER when they finally caused my potassium to drop below the normal range. Trying to figure out what and why happened and fixing potassium took me almost two years. Of course I never needed any stupid blood pressure pills, I just needed to pump up potassium. Once I did this my BP is 110/70 solid. Again, once your electrolytes are out of equilibrium, it may take quite some time to quiet things up, but it eventually happens.

  35. Is there a Facebook page for people like us? Palpitations are the WORST! I’m also dealing with a form of cancer known as CLL and honestly, the palpitations stress me out more. I can’t do anything for fear of having them. It’s rather crippling in fact.

  36. Night palps are the worst. I had an attack last night and from out of nowhere my heart started beating really fast
    and wouldn’t stop. I tried all the remedies but eventfully fell asleep. I was fine all day but the palps just started at about
    midnight. I am a healthy 43 year old women but this was after a few days of drinking.

  37. Hi I’m a 31 yr old female. I also get frequent heart palps\ PVCs. Mine are a little more symptomatic that what I’ve seen described here but im not taking the symptoms or scaryness of it away from anyone here I didn’t mean that in a bad way. You may also get these things too and just didn’t mention it. But I have had these PVCs and palps since I’ve been 24 and started right after a severe viral infection which I believe was mono but never got diagnosed with it. I also developed orthostatic intolerance after. Well since then I had gotten a good control over everything including symptoms, rarely had anxiety, or PVCs and palps. Well I just had a baby 7 months ago and ever since my health has been going down hill. I know some of this has nothing to do with heart but its included, but I got diagnosed with mono from a blood test 4 weeks after I had my baby,in October of 2015, I had a c section by the way, my third in fact, and I felt pretty good even having mono other than some swollen glands throughout my body and some muscle spasms in my throat and tightness. Well January of this year, it seems the mono symptoms all came out full force and I literally had every symptom you could think of from headaches to dizziness and sharp pains and muscle twitches, feeling so sick I was dying, sore throats heart palps everyday and PVCs everyday panic attacks everyday, throwing up everyday even though I could hardly eat, diarrhea and constipation back and forth, cold and hot flashes, chest pain heart burn ALL day everyday…. You name it I had it. Well that lasted for 3 months straight
    Up until the end of march, then some of the symptoms slowed down a bit, still to this day I get very bad palps and PVCs and anxiety and panic attacks, they are very intense and I get dizzy with them sometimes and a very cloudy hazy almost “high” feeling with them, pounding racing heart, tired spells, I get very full or pressure feelings in my neck and head like there’s hardly any blood supply getting to my head off and on through the day and sometimes feels like my head could pop. I have sharp chest pains all the time and in my shoulders and neck too, I get cold flashes alot with them, my hands and feet especially,and sometimes just a very unwell feeling. I did just get diagnosed with gerd as well which I think the constant pressure of bloating and acid reflux in my chest and stomach makes the PVCs worse. They are very scary though, feeling a thud in your chest of a skipped beat then an adrenaline feeling followed by racing heart and dizziness, feels like your having a heart attack. But I just recently got a 48 heart monitor put on, two ekgs, and a heart ultrasound. They did find two mild leaky valves in my two left chambers of the heart and saw the PVCs on the heart monitor but she said nothing out of normal range and said that people walk around everyday with the same exact problems as me and don’t even know it and are fine and live a long healthy lives, she said as long as there’s nothing wrong with your heart and you don’t have an abnormal heart rythym like atrial fibrillation, you should have nothing to worry about. Even with that being said it still scares me half to death sometimes in how intense and sudden they are. I get them every single day multiple times a day along with the head pressure and hazyness, and some chest and shoulder pains, sharp pains, which I had checked out too and they said my heart seems just fine so its probably not related to the heart. My cardiologist is is doing a heart stress test this week just to make sure though. But between the heart symptoms and orthostatic intolerance, and anxiety and panic attacks , I feel its taking over my life and can def relate to you all, I’m miserable half the time and its very hard dealing with this when I have three young girls to take care of one being a baby, some days I break down and cry because with how bad and sick I feel sometimes I swear there’s something more wrong with me like cancer or something and am so scared that I might die very young and won’t be there for my kids and see them grow up and have their own kids. But sorry this was so long, I m just saying I can definitely relate to you all and wouldn’t wish this on anyone. It feels like your life has been robbed from you. And I hope we all live long healthy lives with no future problems . I’m hoping for the best for us all. Thanks for reading

  38. Absolutely terrifying! I have anxiety but PVC’s heighten fear. Doc has assured me I’m well and healthy (a tad overweight), and ECG and ECHO show all well and fine. But I have noticed a peculiar co-incidence. When restricting my caloric intake, PVC’s come on like a hail storm and last for hours.Two out of three of these episodes have stopped completely within minutes of drinking a full 8oz glass of milk or a protein shake. Weird or What!?!?

  39. Stunningly helpful clarity and advice. Thank you… from the bottom of my poor jumpy heart.

  40. Wow, I sympathies with all of you. I know how sadly horrible you feel because I feel the same. I have palpitations everyday, morning till night, and I cant put my finger on a cause. I get them when I have a warm flush, when I burp with reflux, on a walk, everything sets them off. In the last month my muscles in my back, neck, wrists and fingers ache like crazy. I sometimes think I have cancer someplace. Ugh, this is a horrible way to go through life. I used to wake up sometimes with my heart racing but thankfully I havent had that return in about four months. I have had all the tests and halter montitors and all was benign. Last summer I went to the ER and they found I had low potassium. Last week I had blood tests and I had high potassium. Yee gads, thats enough to cause anxiety right? Anyone have the same symptoms?

  41. I m 24 yesr old boy . Last week a strange thing happened to me . I used to do cold compress for my chest acne . Last week when I did this I started to feel like my heart beat is racing . I immediately ran to hospital. They have done my Ecg and it was all right . But from that day I am felling fluttering in my chest and stomach . I also get headache all day . I also get myself checked from medical specialist and he said that I am suffering from anxiety and there is nothing wrong with my heart. Plz some one help me I am getting regular palpitations.

  42. My palpitations started at age 60. Also tachycardia. All tests normal. My heart doctor said I am 0% risk for heart attack. I was put on diltiazem 120mg and Klonopin 1/4mg a day. I was good for 2years, with few symptoms. i weaned off my Klonopin for 4 months and all symptoms returned. Mine is from lifelong anxiety that finally caught up with me. I am back on the Klonopin,, but My doctor says my dose is too low to help, as situations in my life have accelerated my anxiety even higher. So I have resisted taking a higher dose so far, but my anxiety therefore is not well controlled so I have palpitations every day now. All my tests are normal. It’s just severe anxiety for me. I hate it and wish I was not afraid to increase my Klonopin, because I know that would make a huge improvement for me. I was med free til age 60. Best wishes to all. I also wish there was a FB page for us to gather and discuss our symptoms. I have no friends with my problem, lucky them.

  43. I’ve just recently (as of a month ago) started having heart palpitations in the shower. I figured maybe the water was too hot, so I started taking cooler showers. It didn’t help. I also have a history of anxiety and SVTs (supra-ventricular tachycardia) and I take beta-blockers, but the palpitations are different feeling than those I associate with SVTs. It’s like they come on one after the other, every few seconds, and ONLY during showers. A few days ago, I started having them while I was doing my makeup. I went to urgent care and they did an EKG and everything was normal… Yet I feel like this. I don’t know what to do or how to get it to stop.

  44. It sounds strange but it’s nice to know so many people are suffering like I am. Have been having panic/anxiety attacks for around two years now but feel I have been suffering with them for longer as I was always a worrisome child. I have been doing really well over the last number of months but then the day after having some drinks it started again. Like most (if not all) of you I have had all the tests done and my heart is healthy. When caught up in the panic I find it very difficult to focus on anything else. I have a heightened awareness of my heard beat whether I am standing, sitting or lying down. I find myself constantly checking my heart beat either by putting a hand on my chest or by checking my pulse via neck or wrist. It’s get so bad I just want to scream and scream but it doesn’t go away. Part of what has helped me is understanding my triggers both emotional & physical. The other part is understanding what is happening with my body when I panic, the whole fight or flight, my body is dumping adrenaline into my blood stream so no wonder my heart will begin to suddenly race. I don’t get dizzy spells but would have chest pains although this could also be down to me constantly cracking my chest. I hate living in the constant fear of having either a heart flutter or full on palpitation, it’s crippling and stops me from enjoying my life and the things in it.

  45. Reading all of the comments and there seems to be a pattern with anxiety.
    I’m pregnant and started having palpitations from the time I wake up in the morning until I go to sleep. They seem to be worst when standing, walking, showering, ect.. I had a ECG done and they said it looked fine but they sent me home with a 24hr Holter monitor just to be sure also testing my thyroid and blood count . My blood pressure is 118/70 which is good and my heart rate seems to be normal rage 66bpm to 96bpm at rest and never above 100..
    they think its stress related where I have been suffering from anxiety and tend to check my plus frequently which I’m starting to believe is an unhealthy thing to do which causes you to stress out and panic if your H/R is higher then your liking. when I haven’t been getting palpitation I stopped checking my pulse but when I because more sensitive to my own heart again I became more stressed and the palpitations started again.

  46. Thank you so much for your oh so helpful web site. I had tests last year for my palpitations issue and then recently I have been having rapid heart beat events in the middle of the night. Nightime is a scary time, right? Last month I had a checkup with my heart doctor. I told him I still get rapid heart beat episodes, but he is not worried and thinks it is anxiety-caused.

    I love your helpful advice so much because doctor’s don’t always share with their patients how to live with this. He did say that magnesium helps rapid or irregular heart beats so I take it every day, and for awhile it did help.However, these latest incidents convinced me I was going to die. (lol)

    I so appreciate the detailed information you provide here. I plan to eat more foods that contain these helpful elements you mentioned; I plan to watch my weight and lose weight now that I know it is beneficial to do so,and I plan to take a look at stress.

    I am 78 and still teaching college English. I am teaching a summer school speeded up class this entire month of June and the stress of fitting in a semester of information into one month of classes is probably what has driven me into these more recent rapid heart beat events. I am also trying to retire, but I only have social security, so coming up with a way to live is stressing me out.I am hoping to make my food blog pay off, but so far, I am not nerdy enough to make that happen. lol

    Finding out that my stress issues could be the cause of my most recent rapid heart beat events helps immensely and your advice for dealing with them is something I can’t wait to try. This is a wonderful web site and I am so grateful for having found it.I will let you know if these new ideas help me. I sure hope so!!!

  47. I have been suffering from anxiety for the last 12 years, I did use Xanax for some time but I did not like the after effects, so I stopped and try going gym and keeping myself occupy, bit for me I can’t have to much of caffeine, or sweets it trigger it really bad, also soda or fast food, more like greasy fry foods, but anyway keep a good diet and try to eat alot of green organic foods, and keep strong it’s not anecessary easy thing to go through , especially when it attacks you at night or during work, good luck everyone

  48. I will need ur help, i am just experencing my heart rate, for past few months i was dignose of heart failure, since or before then my heart rate raisis once in a while. It usualy takes a little while before it will come down to nomal. What will i do

  49. Hi everyone. It’s a really crappy condition. It has helped me reading all your posts. Big thank you for sharing. I’ve been up most of the night annoying my poor long suffering wife who is really sympathetic but she has never experienced anxiety herself so can’t know how really horrible it feels. Good to share with others who understand. I realise lots of folk have it much worse than me. Love to you all.

  50. Not sure if any of you on this post believe in Jesus but you should. God is the one who created you and He can surely heal you if you seek Him. By His stripes, we are healed. If you do ask and while you are waiting, I discovered that I have a hyperactive thyroid. If you research the symptoms, one of the symptoms are heart palpitations. Others are diarrhea, itching, weight loss and others. Please see your dr as well because an underactive thyroid is also detected in your normal physical blood work. John 3:16

  51. Help me
    My palps are going to kill me. I have lost 4st and never eat snd never get out of bed with fear. Im told they are brnign. I cannot live with them anymore. I cannot go pn. Bisoprolol or flecanaide do not work. Nobody can help me now. My lifd has gone
    07400065529

  53. I have terrible palpitations i believe it may be candida. Look into candida overgrowth. i am really afraid of losing my job as it is hard for me to function cos of insomnia due to heart. Seeing a naturopath next week.

  54. I have panic attacks, rapid heartbeat, and palpitations. I do believe stress plays a part. HOWEVER – I have discovered that sulfites (additives in many processed foods to preserve freshness) can be a significant contributor. Sulfites are especially high in wine – they are through the roof in white wine – 3500 parts per million. Processed foods and drinks must label “contains sulfites” if the amount is over 10 parts per million! But some people are sensitive to any level of sulfites. It took me years to realize some of my panic attacks were caused by drinking wine.
    Virtually all vaccines contain sulfites as a preservative. So if you’ve ever had a panic attack at the dentist – it may be caused by the anesthesia!
    Dark Chocolate can cause a rapid heartbeat too.

  55. I AM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. I AM REALLY AT MY WITS END WITH PALPITATIONS, BEEN GOING ON FOR 3 YEARS. HAD TESTS, BUT “IT ONLY ANXIETY”. THANK YOU ALL FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES, I FEEL AS THOUGH A HUGE WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED FROM ME. KNOWING I,M NOT ALONE

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