What are palpitations?

[defmunel]

So, I've posted before, but I've been struggling with high anxiety ever since I found out im pregnant (planned). I went to the dr for EKG, and it came back normal rhythm, but fast hr. now, when I'm at home trying to relax, my hr can be anywhere from 72-85 bpm. My dr said that's very normal. However, I was talking to my sister and friend about my anxiety, and my sister said her friend would have a racing heart, and was told she needed a pacemaker. My friend said her sister was diagnosed with pots after complaining about her heart. I don't ever notice my heart race for no reason at all. Usually after I eat and I'm digesting the food. I notice it race when I stand, or when im doing my hair and my arms are raised above my head for a long time. Does this mean pots, or a pacemaker is needed? My dr doesn't seem worried at all. She's td me a hundred times my heart is healthy and strong. I read that palpitations are thumps you can feel in your chest or throat. I get that sometimes, but mostly if I've exerted myself by walking up a flight of stairs, or if I've been standing in place for a long time. But honestly, I feel my heartbeat constantly because I always listen to it. When I'm not anxious, I don't notice it at all. Should I have further testing done, or just try to relax and trust my dr? She is very aware of my anxiety. I've been seeing her every 3 months for a year, and a few times in between.

[defmunel]

Thoughts? I'm kinda freaked out right now. :(

[stef]

I think 72 to 85 is more than normal!!!! I am often more than 90 just watching TV!!!

[str1ker]

I actually first went to see my Doctor for my palpitations and he said that they were normal and everyone gets them, some of us are just more in-tune to them than others. I had an EKG, heart monitor, and an Ultrasound done and everything came back fine except whenever I had drank caffeine. Mine will sometimes go off and start skipping beats randomly and I can really feel my heart beat during these times but I just reassure myself that it is okay and to calm down and they will generally pass in thirty seconds to a minute or two.
I also get the palpitations that I can feel in my entire upper section of my body, including my head, and they last a lot longer. These I can feel most often whenever I am really anxious and sit back against my couch, chair, or lay down. They still annoy me and sometimes scare me, but most of the time I have been able to not let them bother me recently.

So I think the key for you is, if you have had the tests done, believe them and try to reassure yourself that it is okay and take a couple deep breaths to try and calm yourself down. If I remember right, my Doctor also said that holding your breath for as long as you can, a strong cough, or jumping and landing hard enough to send a jolt through your body can sometimes help the palpitations go away. Hope that helped you at least a little.

[defmunel]

If what your saying about leaning against the couch is palpitations then I have them 24/7. I'm always noticing my heartbeat, and can always feel it. Is that palps or just me being hypersensitive?

[Peak]

Relax and trust your doctor, you are fighting fit. What are palpitations? Palpitations typically means a significantly raised heart rate above that expected for the physical effort being applied and the level of fitness of the person. Clearly this can and will vary from person to person. If your normal resting heart rate is a healthy 72-85 than a heart rate of 100 or higher when resting would be considered palpitations. Palpitations can also mean skipped or extra heart beats or an irregular heart rhythm . These are known as ectopic heart beats or PAC's and PVC's (Premature Atrial Contraction & Premature Ventricular Contraction). Irregular heart beats can be a sign of other heart conditions but if you've been checked by your doctor and told there is nothing wrong with your heart than you can rest assured that these PAC/PVC's are completely benign and a physical manifestation of your anxiety. People with anxiety very commonly are acutely aware of their heart rate and so if anxiety causes palpitations this becomes a vicious circle as the sufferer immediately detects this, becomes more anxious which in turn creates more and so on and so on. Also what a lot of people are not aware of is that skipped beats, extra beats and fast heart rates are perfectly normal. Everyone has them. Trouble is most people are completely unaware of them. Because an anxiety sufferer is acutely aware of their heart they are far more likely to detect these natural variations and start to worry. Relax, you are perfectly healthy.

[str1ker]

I'm honestly not sure if its palpitations or just a part of being anxious causing your heart to beat harder or possibly faster. I was extremely sensitive to mine when they first started but have gradually started to not mind them so much.

Like Peak said, I think the skipped beats and stuff were what caused my anxiety in the first place. I worried about an injury which caused the palpitations and in turn caused me to be even more worried, anxiety breeding on anxiety.

[anthonyjbro760]

This freaked me out

[sharacel91]

This story has freaked me out as well!!! Feel like I need to go see y dr again and get more tests done because I only had an ECG done over a year again and bloods that's it!!! And this was before the anxiety. My heart races for no reason I get loads of skipped heart beats that make me feel like I am going to pass out :(

[anxietygirl143]

This story has freaked me out as well!!! Feel like I need to go see y dr again and get more tests done because I only had an ECG done over a year again and bloods that's it!!! And this was before the anxiety. My heart races for no reason I get loads of skipped heart beats that make me feel like I am going to pass out :(

OMG same here I freak out about it n my pupils start to dilate n I get hot flashes :( do u feel pressure in your chest sometimes wen lifting up things or just randomly ?

[suz245]

listen up folks i need to add my peice here ive had palpitation problems for 17 yrs now been on beta blockers for that time... i used to have a racing heart even st rest or even when i wasnt anxious... ive been to A& E twice in the ladt month as my heart is constantly thudding a large gap or an extra beat and i feel it all the time it used to come and go but now its 24 hours a day and im about ready to rip it out my chest coz i cant get sleeping or comfortable coz its thumping hard in my chest.... but ive got gi probs just now real bad reflux and heartburn and i had this before and it gave me palps.....
im always feeling my pulse and over the last two weeks its so irregular and out of sync its really frightening me i was told at hospital i have ectopics but they couldnt pick it up on the ekg... they only last about two mins and its gotta be bad for them to notice... ive to get a 24 hr heart trace but im really scared ive got something wrong with my heart as its never been constant like this it cant be good that im dizzy and coughing alot....

im in the process of recovering from cold turkey off benzos which i have withdrawl syndrome because of it.... dont ever take benzos coz you cant stop them without being very unwell for months im in my 3rd month and im still having all these horrific things happen to me.... drs keep telling me im imagining it... no i dont think so i know my own body and there is more info on the net than their knowledge about it. 💔

[Cobra]

Okay, heart obsessives, we need to stay away from all threads that mention palpitations! Lol! I read it and started palpitating, too! There is nothing wrong with us except anxiety and probably a little OCD!

[leetbulldog]

Okay, heart obsessives, we need to stay away from all threads that mention palpitations! Lol! I read it and started palpitating, too! There is nothing wrong with us except anxiety and probably a little OCD!

I think so too.. i also been noticing that IG problems manifest as if we are having heart problems...