Dr Hive: heart problems or something else (long)?

[knit247]

I have a question & hope someone with a medical background or personal knowledge can help.

 

Back in late Jan. I began to have heart palpitations. I had the feeling that my heart was stopping, and if I felt my pulse, it would beat...beat...stop, then BEAT forcefully. This went on for a few days, most of the day, before I went to my GP. He performed - over the course of the next week - an EKG, stress test, Holter monitor test, and an ultrasound of my heart. Save Mitral Valve Prolapse, which I knew that I had, the doctors saw nothing wrong with any of my results. The "skipped beat" that I was feeling was explained to me as an extra beat.

 

Last week, the palpitations started again. Not for hours and hours on end, but for several shorter periods each day. About 3 days ago, I woke with a very dull pain in the left side of my upper back that traveled down my left arm about to my elbow. This morning I noticed that from the elbow down I also had the tiniest bit of numbness...

 

While out running errands today, I became a bit lightheaded and also had the slightest tightness just to the left of center in my upper chest. I wasn't feeling badly, but obviously not 100% either, so I decided to continue with the shopping errands. I made it through one shop before I suddenly became very light headed and had to sit down. I felt like I was seconds from "seeing black". I called my husband, who left work to come and get us. When he got there he went straight to the drugstore and bought aspirin. He told me to take one JIC and after about 15 more minutes, I was no longer dizzy and only had the pain down my arm.

 

I came home and took an hour nap. I woke with the same slight pressure in my chest, which went away within a minute. Also noticed that my fingers had swollen a bit & took my rings off. I am still barely light headed and my heart is still "flipping" on occasion.

 

I give all of this detailed info, b/c I wonder if this could be signs of anything other than a heart issue. If all of the tests (plus extensive bloodwork) came back completely normal 4 mos. ago what could this be? If anyone can help with this, or if it could still be a heart problem even with all of the normal tests, please LMK.

[pbb119]

First, I would **definitely** request a stress test if I were you.

 

Have you had your thyroid levels checked? I was having palpitations for awhile, nothing that felt alarming mind you, but anyway, I went to the dr. and he did a cbc. Turns out my thyroid levels were waaaay off (I had no other symptoms), and once I had been on levothyroxine for about a month, all the palpitations went away. As I understood it from my dr., thyroid levels can affect heart beat, but to what extent, or to the extent you are experiencing, I have no idea. Go back to your dr. though, for sure!

[knit247]

First, I would **definitely** request a stress test if I were you.

 

Have you had your thyroid levels checked? I was having palpitations for awhile, nothing that felt alarming mind you, but anyway, I went to the dr. and he did a cbc. Turns out my thyroid levels were waaaay off (I had no other symptoms), and once I had been on levothyroxine for about a month, all the palpitations went away. As I understood it from my dr., thyroid levels can affect heart beat, but to what extent, or to the extent you are experiencing, I have no idea. Go back to your dr. though, for sure!

 

I have had a stress test - do you mean to request another? Also had extensive blood-work done (incl. thyroid) and all was completely normal. The Dr. (cardiologist?) who did the ultrasound on my heart also checked my thyroid and saw nothing wrong.

 

I am glad that you were able to get your palpitation problem solved. I'm sure it was a relief!

[melissad2]

Have you had a 24hr holter monitor? This records you heart rhythm for 24hrs and can pick up things that wouldn't be seen on a regular EKG.

[knit247]

Have you had a 24hr holter monitor?

 

Yes, and even though I felt many palpitations during the 24-hours, they said it was normal...

[melissad2]

Yes, and even though I felt many palpitations during the 24-hours, they said it was normal...

 

Sorry I missed that in the original thread.

[knit247]

Sorry I missed that in the original thread.

 

TY for the suggestion! I might even need another???

[melissad2]

Is your GP reading all these results or have they been looked at by a cardiologist? I would get a referral to cardio ASAP.

[knit247]

Is your GP reading all these results or have they been looked at by a cardiologist? I would get a referral to cardio ASAP.

 

I assume that it is only my GP. We live in Germany, and although my husband is a GS employee we do not have access to the medical services on the base. The issue I have is dealing with doctors who may or may not speak English well. Doctors here also are very different from the US, although I am not saying it is any better or worse. Just very different. It seems that they do not like to be questioned and also do not believe in using pain medications in most cases. To top that off, we have to pay 100% out of pocket and then file for reimbursement, which always makes me second-guess a trip to the doctor! Of course all of this is not as important as my health, but it does make me pause (and ask questions elsewhere!) before making an app't.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Have they tested your electrolyte levels? If your potassium or other levels are off, you could have some of the symptoms you mentioned (I don't know if it covers all).

[Michelle in AL]

It sounds a lot like atrial fib. I would ask for a referral to a cardiologist. With those symptoms you just can't ignore it.

 

Palpitatios are more common with hormonal changes that come during perimenopause too. Don't know if you're of that age yet. These are often benign palpitations, but if you're symptoms are that extensive, they may need to be worked up again.

 

:grouphug:

[Alte Veste Academy]

I had a problem with palpitations and had the same heartbeat skipping MVP issue. It freaked me out big time. I quit caffeine and both went away.

 

I will not tell you to not pursue another explanation, but I would also ask about your stress/anxiety levels and what your self-care is like. A while back, I went through a period of extreme stress and was depressed and anxious. Thyroid medicine eliminated the depression but I was left with anxiety and realized that I needed to relax more and do better in the self-care department. Doing so brought my anxiety levels down pretty well. The palpitations and MVP though? Quitting caffeine was what fixed that. You can Google the relationship between MVP and caffeine. That was what did it for me. Oh, and get yourself on some good vitamins as well, including a good amount of magnesium (also something from Dr. Google about that with MVP, although I can't remember specifically what the relationship is).

 

Definitely pursue the other stuff. It's good to rule out anything that will potentially kill you, of course. :D But take care of yourself too and know that even if it's not something that will imminently bring about your demise, having too much stress/anxiety long-term will do it slowly but surely.

 

:grouphug:

[wapiti]

Is your GP reading all these results or have they been looked at by a cardiologist? I would get a referral to cardio ASAP.

:iagree::iagree:

 

(Also, here an ultrasound technician performs the echocardiogram and I believe the results are read by either a radiologist or a cardiologist or probably both)

 

I would take your earlier testing results - all of them - to a cardiologist. I don't know if this is possible, but I'd even consider finding a way to have the test results reviewed by a doc in the US if you can't access a cardiologist where you are.