At what point would you worry about irregular heartbeats?

[StaceyinLA]

I've noticed over the last couple weeks (well, I've noticed it in the past, but have been more aware in the last couple weeks) that I have spells where my heartbeat is irregular (has an extra beat, maybe races a little).

 

Do I have time to adjust my diet to completely exclude caffeine and alcohol to see if that helps, or is this something I need to address immediately?

[Guest]

I would go ahead and make an appointment with the cardiologist. Cut out the caffeine and alcohol while you're waiting for the appointment if you want, but I would err on the safe side with the skipped beats. It's not unusual but it's worth getting checked if it's new.

[The Girls' Mom]

If you don't feel dizzy or short of breath, and have no pain, then I would attempt diet changes.  Caffeine can be a factor.  So can dehydration, vitamin deficiencies and stress.  

 

I have mitral valve prolapse (mild) and have a benign irregular heart rate because of it.  I also have periods of racing/fluttering.  I've found that being sick, stressed, or dehydrated are the worst aggravators of it.  If you do get it checked out, they can usually do a quick EKG to rule out the worst kind of arrhythmia. 

ETA: Hormone shifts are another contributor.  

Edited May 24, 2016 by The Girls' Mom

[marbel]

I was having symptoms like that and reported it to my primary care doc at a regular appointment. They did an EKG right then, and it happened. Next thing I knew they had called and made me an appointment with a cardiologist for the next day, and told me that I was not to drive until I saw the cardio.

 

So, they took it seriously.

 

The cardiologist did an echocardiogram and said my heart was in great shape.  I've forgotten what he said was causing the racing.  He suggested I limit my caffeine intake to 2-3 cups a day (I was drinking a lot then) and to try different stress-relief activities. There was a  remedy for it if it got worse, I can't remember the name of that either, but he said that was only if it was really bothering me.   I have only noticed it a few times since then and it was always when I was really stressed out.

[Laurie4b]

I've noticed over the last couple weeks (well, I've noticed it in the past, but have been more aware in the last couple weeks) that I have spells where my heartbeat is irregular (has an extra beat, maybe races a little).

 

Do I have time to adjust my diet to completely exclude caffeine and alcohol to see if that helps, or is this something I need to address immediately?

Unless you have noticed a direct correlation with caffeine, it is best to get it checked out. Some kinds of irregular beats are benign; others can be serious. It is best to let a doctor evaluate.

[Carol in Cal.]

They can also do a monitoring procedure where you wear a heart monitor for a month, under your clothes, and they study the results over a longer period of time. 

[KayT]

I went through EKG, wore a heart monitor and it turned out to be low Vit D. Be sure to get this checked as well.

 

[gaillardia]

Please get it checked as immediately as possible.

I didn't, I almost died. I had mild palpitations once in awhile and let it go.

In one week I had two, maybe three that took my breath away. I couldn't speak while it was happening.

My story could have ended badly.

Within 24 hours I was in and out of consciousness, mostly out; okay, medical sedation. Seriously, I was dying because they thought I had pneumonia until one doctor just said, no, it's her heart. She's going to the other hospital.

I agree with knocking off the caffeine but we all know how hard that can be.

 

Edited for privacy.

Edited May 24, 2016 by Gaillardia

[fdrinca]

From the "my doctor didn't care" files as well, I started having irregular beats with my last pregnancy. Doc chalked it up to preexisting conditions (Hashimoto's), ran tests on my hormone levels, levels came back OK. Heart palpitations stopped, so I guess all is well. 

 

(My reaction was tricky, too, because on one hand I wanted it to be something really easy like my thyroid levels out of whack, but on the other hand her response seemed too pat for the situation.)

[BlsdMama]

I've noticed over the last couple weeks (well, I've noticed it in the past, but have been more aware in the last couple weeks) that I have spells where my heartbeat is irregular (has an extra beat, maybe races a little).

 

Do I have time to adjust my diet to completely exclude caffeine and alcohol to see if that helps, or is this something I need to address immediately?

My husband used to deal with this a rather lot. Cutting out soda made it go completely away. It's been years now.

 

ETA: However, he did this AFTER he got checked out, wrote the monitor, and was advised by a doctor, so the doctor appointment would be my first stop.

Edited May 24, 2016 by BlsdMama

[nd293]

I'm having the same and from what I read, mostly it's not something they bother about. Mine starts to get really noticeable then goes away again. I'm not sure they'd see anything if it wasn't happening when they tested. I worry a bit because I'm exercising properly for the first time (although it doesn't happen then, only when I'm lying down). I also think when I stress about it I become hypervigilant and notice it more for a while.

 

Where a friend who had something similar did find she had a heart issue it was part of a much bigger story of a genetic condition which (in retrospect) had lead to several unexplained deaths in the family.

 

I will try to get it checked out one day.

[MomatHWTK]

I'm sorry I can't remember the name of what DH had. But when he went to the doctor, they did want to investigate right away. Apparently one type of issue is common and relatively benign and the other is very serious. You need to be checked out to make sure it isn't the latter. DH lost his medical clearance at his work for quite awhile during the 'checking out' process.

 

Here is some preliminary research on the topic:

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003081.htm

[Georgiana Daniels]

Definitely get it checked out! Best case, you get relief from knowing everything is OK. But if everything isn't OK, it's better to know as soon as possible.

 

In the meantime, do try to hydrate and cut alcohol and caffeine since those can be positive steps, regardless. Whenever I have a racing heart, it's usually one of those factors.

[Pawz4me]

I wouldn't worry, but I would get it checked out.

 

I have mild mitral valve prolapse -- so mild it takes a doctor (or nurse) with a keen ear to detect it with a stethoscope, but it definitely shows up on echocardiograms.  It causes mild flutters occasionally.  They seem to be worse when I'm stressed and/or tired, and for some weird reason I have more symptoms in the spring than other times of the year.  And they were definitely worse before I was diagnosed with hypothyrodism and got my thyroid regulated.  I've also known people with heart flutters that were caused by other medical conditions and one whose flutters were attributed to too much caffeine.  Sometimes it takes a bit of testing to figure it out.  I think most often it turns out to be nothing to worry about.  But best to find out for sure.

[ashfern]

I had something similar years ago. Went to a cardiologist. Had a 24 hour heart monitor. Had to press a button every time I felt one. When I went back to turn the monitor in, the nurse said that the time hadn't been set (by their office) so the results couldn't be used.  :cursing: Nothing ever came of it. 

[aaplank]

Similar story here. At one point I had them so frequently, I was passing out. I went to the doctor, did testing, wore a monitor. They couldn't figure out why my heart was going haywire. I was passing out due to low oxygen levels with my heart beating so erratically.

 

I did some of my own research and decided to give Magnesium a try. Within a day of taking a Magnesium supplement, my heart was beating normally again.

It might be worth a try, if you aren't already supplementing with it.

[StaceyinLA]

Thanks for the input. I do plan to see the cardiologist, but it may be a week or so before I can make it there, so I was wondering if that was okay.

 

No dizziness that I've noticed.

 

I have had a tremendous amount of stress the last few months with my mother's care at the end of her life, and now life without her, as well as some family and financial stuff. I have been drinking alcohol a little more regularly (mostly a beer or maybe two, but they are dark, craft beers so more alcohol content than typical beer), but I'm done with that as of last night because of this issue. I have pretty much cut caffeine, but the other day I did drink some Lebanese tea and realized later my heart was racing/irregular. I am pretty sensitive to caffeine, so that has to be out.

 

I had not been using my magnesium cream, but I have the last couple nights. I was doing Epsom salt baths as well, but haven't done those in a few weeks because I keep forgetting to pick up the darn Epsom salts - will get those today.

 

The Vitamin D could certainly be low, as it has been in the past, so I'll kick that supplement up for sure.

 

And wow, I'm reading this post and thinking, "No wonder."

[gardenmom5]

sometimes irregular is "normal".

 

do you get enough potassium?

 

eta: magnesium is an electrolyte (as is potassium). it sounds like you may be low.   major stress can also severely tax b-vitamins and compromise adrenal function.

for vitamin d3 - you want an olive oil base.  some just use vegetable oil, and you won't absorb as much.   I use NOW 5,000 gel tabs.  or you can use drops (most absorbable.)

Edited May 24, 2016 by gardenmom5

[StaceyinLA]

I'll check my D - it's a combo of Vitamin C and D from a natural food store.

[Jaybee]

I had problems with this for years--had a Holter (sp?) monitor and a few EKGs. Nothing ever was said. Finally, my last checkup when I mentioned it again, my Primary looked interested, asked me a few questions, and said he thought I probably had sleep apnea. Long story short, now that I have been on a CPAP for several months, I rarely ever have this sensation. My problems were most noticeable when resting.

[J-rap]

Let's see if I can remember what a cardiologist friend of mine told me once...

 

I think it was something like this.  If you still get the same number of beats per minute (or whatever amount you are timing: 30 seconds, for example), then it's most likely normal.  So, if you get 3 beats in a row that are rhythmic, but then there is a longer pause between the 3rd and 4th, then the 5th beat will usually follow very quickly after that to get things back in rhythm again.  Does that make sense?  So it will be like:  X....X....X.......X.X....X....X....X    You're still getting the same number of beats in, but there's that one longer delay which then causes two to come together very quickly, and that's usually what you feel, and that is generally pretty normal (assuming it's more of a sporadic episode and not constant) --  and might be traced to something benign like food or exercise, etc.

 

It's when you actually skip a beat altogether, or extra beats enter in, that it becomes more worrisome.

 

 

Edited May 24, 2016 by J-rap

[sassenach]

I kept ignoring the issue, it kept getting worse. Eventually it was happening all day long. I went to the doc, they did a 24 hr holter monitor. They sent me to the cardiologist, who sent me to the interventionist.

 

Basically, whether or not irregular beats are a problem completely depends on what part of the heart is involved and what is happening. These can be completely benign, a long term problem (you're not dying this year, but in 15 years this might contribute to a stroke), or an immediate threat to your life. No way of knowing until they capture it on the monitor.

 

I had the middle kind, A-fib. I had the option of medication or cardiac ablation. I elected to do the ablation, which went fine and fixed the problem. A good friend had a different kind of beat and decided to up his magnesium intake and go on meds. He,too, is totally fine.

 

Get the ball rolling, but I wouldn't be panicked about it. Even if you can manage it with lifestyle changes, it's probably a good idea to know what kind of irregularity it is. That way if it ramps up, you'll know how quickly to swing into action.

[Laurie4b]

Thanks for the input. I do plan to see the cardiologist, but it may be a week or so before I can make it there, so I was wondering if that was okay.

 

No dizziness that I've noticed.

 

I have had a tremendous amount of stress the last few months with my mother's care at the end of her life, and now life without her, as well as some family and financial stuff. I have been drinking alcohol a little more regularly (mostly a beer or maybe two, but they are dark, craft beers so more alcohol content than typical beer), but I'm done with that as of last night because of this issue. I have pretty much cut caffeine, but the other day I did drink some Lebanese tea and realized later my heart was racing/irregular. I am pretty sensitive to caffeine, so that has to be out.

 

I had not been using my magnesium cream, but I have the last couple nights. I was doing Epsom salt baths as well, but haven't done those in a few weeks because I keep forgetting to pick up the darn Epsom salts - will get those today.

 

The Vitamin D could certainly be low, as it has been in the past, so I'll kick that supplement up for sure.

 

And wow, I'm reading this post and thinking, "No wonder."

 

I think you should call your primary care or the cardiologist, describe your symptoms and ask if it's okay to wait a week or so. You really don't want to rely on internet advice when it concerns your heart especially when you are having symptoms.  

 

Just because you can link it to stress does not mean it's benign. Stress can set off atrial fibrillation (a kind of irregular beat), for instance, which can cause a stroke or a pulmonary embolism when left untreated. Not everyone even feels AFib, so if that is what is wrong, you may have it at times when you don't feel it. I am not saying this to scare you, but to say that none of us knows and could possibly tell you whether or not it is okay to wait. Please get medical advice. 

 

I'm sorry for all the stress you've been under. 

[StaceyinLA]

Well I'm certainly not planning to put it off long, and I wouldn't at all if I were having any lightheadedness or other symptoms.

 

I check my pulse often, and when I am having them, I can feel it in my pulse. Most times when I check my pulse for a minute, I have nothing irregular, but I've noticed over the last week there are times when I feel like I'm having them and I check my pulse and can feel an extra little beat, like a normal and then 2 quick then some regular and it might do 2 quick again. Like I said though, most times when I check, I have none.

 

I'm definitely planning to see the cardiologist next week; sooner if I have more frequent episodes, or any other symptoms.

[1GirlTwinBoys]

If you don't feel dizzy or short of breath, and have no pain, then I would attempt diet changes.  Caffeine can be a factor.  So can dehydration, vitamin deficiencies and stress.  

 

 

I agree with this.  Caffeine or vitamins and supplements will do this to me.  Can't handle any of those things in my diet at all.

If you give up those things, you should start seeing them diminish more and more each day if it's related.

Edited May 25, 2016 by 1GirlTwinBoys

[gaillardia]

Thanks for the input. I do plan to see the cardiologist, but it may be a week or so before I can make it there, so I was wondering if that was okay.

 

No dizziness that I've noticed.

 

I have had a tremendous amount of stress the last few months with my mother's care at the end of her life, and now life without her, as well as some family and financial stuff. I have been drinking alcohol a little more regularly (mostly a beer or maybe two, but they are dark, craft beers so more alcohol content than typical beer), but I'm done with that as of last night because of this issue. I have pretty much cut caffeine, but the other day I did drink some Lebanese tea and realized later my heart was racing/irregular. I am pretty sensitive to caffeine, so that has to be out.

 

I had not been using my magnesium cream, but I have the last couple nights. I was doing Epsom salt baths as well, but haven't done those in a few weeks because I keep forgetting to pick up the darn Epsom salts - will get those today.

 

The Vitamin D could certainly be low, as it has been in the past, so I'll kick that supplement up for sure.

 

And wow, I'm reading this post and thinking, "No wonder."

Stacey, I would not use the Epsom salts. It could be making matters worse.

You should probably cut back on your salt intake, as another pp mentioned, high sodium intake can be a problem for the heart. I know this from my own experience. Try to stay away from salty foods and red meat, deli meats. See if you notice a difference in eating more raw fruits and vegetables and steering toward chicken and some fish. 

I know you've been through a lot and it has probably been hard to eat healthier foods, I totally get that.

I hope things improve for you. 

[StaceyinLA]

Just an update - I called the cardiologist and am going in Friday morning. I think worrying about what is going on is making things worse. Also, I had a strange thing happen today; I stood up to get out of the car, and my legs felt like they weighed a hundred pounds apiece. It was SO weird! It happened twice while dd and I were out shopping. I think that is ultimately what made me call the doctor. It may have been a fluke and it may be totally unrelated, but it really freaked me out.

 

As far as my heart though, even though I had some periods today where I felt like it might be racing, my pulse was fine every time I checked; no flutters or extra beats.

 

I'm still very glad they had an appointment available so soon.

Edited May 26, 2016 by StaceyinLA

[trulycrabby]

My heart beats fast and irregularly whenever I am anemic, so you might do a capillary refill check on your fingernails or take a look at the inside of your eyelids to see if they are pale.

[datgh]

I had irregular hearbeats for about a year. Doctor said it was part of going through "the change". Very common in woman of my age group.  One night I had irregular hearbeats constantly.  Finally woke dh up around 3:00 am to take me to the ER.  They couldn't fine anything.  Sent me to a cardiologist who had me do a stress test, echocardiogram on top of the ekg's and blood work in the ER.  All he could find was one little blip of seven quick beats.  Fast forward six months with lots of irregular heartbeats along the way. My heart started beating irregularly again like it had six months before. It wasn't a big deal last time so off I went to have my teeth cleaned and run some errands.  It was still bugging me mid day so before I headed out of town I called the cardiologists office to see what they thought. They had an opening early in the afternoon to do an EKG. OK whatever. I felt totally fine with the exception of my heart beep bopping around. No dizziness or any other symptoms.  They ran the EKG and within minutes loaded me into a wheelchair and off to the ER I went.  I was in Afib.  My heartrate was totally irregular and racing along at 140 beats per minute.  It was exercising without me.  The big risk from Afib is that you will have a stroke.  I got to spend 24 hours in the hospital until they could get my heart rate down. Luckily my heart went back into normal rhythim on its own. If your heart rate is up above 100 without exercise, you really should get checked ASAP.  I am now on a beta blocker and baby aspirin.  Still get an occasional irregular beat. Hope it is just your hormones acting up. Drinking some soy milk everyday reduced my irregular heart beats a lot before the Afib incident.

[gaillardia]

Epsom salts are magnesium, not sodium, and magnesium is often very helpful for irregular heartbeats (curative for some people), so I wouldn't avoid the epsom salts.

 

Thank you for my F for the day! I had no idea. Learn something new everyday. And I didn't know it would HELP with heart issues. I really mean it when I say thank you, not being sarcastic or contentious.

[StaceyinLA]

I had irregular hearbeats for about a year. Doctor said it was part of going through "the change". Very common in woman of my age group. One night I had irregular hearbeats constantly. Finally woke dh up around 3:00 am to take me to the ER. They couldn't fine anything. Sent me to a cardiologist who had me do a stress test, echocardiogram on top of the ekg's and blood work in the ER. All he could find was one little blip of seven quick beats. Fast forward six months with lots of irregular heartbeats along the way. My heart started beating irregularly again like it had six months before. It wasn't a big deal last time so off I went to have my teeth cleaned and run some errands. It was still bugging me mid day so before I headed out of town I called the cardiologists office to see what they thought. They had an opening early in the afternoon to do an EKG. OK whatever. I felt totally fine with the exception of my heart beep bopping around. No dizziness or any other symptoms. They ran the EKG and within minutes loaded me into a wheelchair and off to the ER I went. I was in Afib. My heartrate was totally irregular and racing along at 140 beats per minute. It was exercising without me. The big risk from Afib is that you will have a stroke. I got to spend 24 hours in the hospital until they could get my heart rate down. Luckily my heart went back into normal rhythim on its own. If your heart rate is up above 100 without exercise, you really should get checked ASAP. I am now on a beta blocker and baby aspirin. Still get an occasional irregular beat. Hope it is just your hormones acting up. Drinking some soy milk everyday reduced my irregular heart beats a lot before the Afib incident.

Wow! So many scary stories on here! LIke I said I'm seeing them tomorrow. I'm hoping I can just have him give me a monitor for a few days so he can see what's going on.

 

Even when I feel it and check my pulse, my heart isn't really racing; it's more like a few normal beats then a double-beat, if that makes sense. The overall rate still seems okay. It's just that fluttering feeling drives me nuts and makes me nervous, which, in turn, is probably making it worse.

[billswife]

I was having problems with a racing heart and palpitations at night. I've found that taking Magnesium supplements has stopped it. You have to start off with a small dose and maybe try a few different kinds, because they can cause nausea and loose bowels.  I also stopped taking Benadryl at bedtime on a regular basis. I'm sure that helped also.

[Katy]

My heart beats fast and irregularly whenever I am anemic, so you might do a capillary refill check on your fingernails or take a look at the inside of your eyelids to see if they are pale.

 

Pale gums are also a sign.

[mom2samlibby]

Heart palpitations are a sign of Vit. B12 deficiency.  I'd want to get iron level, folate level, and B12 levels checked also.