Stress Center Peer Support

I recently went to my family doctor to inquire about the constant heart paplpitations, cuz they're scary! He sent me to get like my millionth EKG, and I had to get a blood test to test my thyroid. I don't have a thyroid issue as of ever, but I guess thats what they ck if u have heart palpitations? Then on Thursday, I get to wear a holster to record my heart rhythm for 24hrs. I hope this can tell whether something is wrong or not. I've always had heart palpitations off and on, but for the past few wks they seem constant, and out of control. Like I notice them alot more often! Pray for my my fellow stress center peers please. I hope its just my anxiety acting up! I also feel giddy, and shaky at times, that off balance feeling has come back and I haven't felt that in a long while. Anyone else get the heart palps often??

I've never noticed the heart palpitations, but other jittery type feelings or sensations I have felt. Now I feel more a feeling of anxiety or anxiousness. But I have been on Remeron since about a week or so since my first panic attack.

It did take a while for the sensations or "scary feelings" to subside. Now I have to deal with this type of anti-depressant which is different then the Wellbutrin I had been on. Good luck to you and hope you can get it figured out. Paislee

Hi Brandi,

Yes, I get heart palps often, every day in fact. Sometimes just a few, but I have had them as often as every other beat. I have had my heart checked out and I believe, at least with me, it is anxiety and hormones. The holter monitor will show alot and hopefully put your mind at ease. I also have hypothyroidism and they keep an eye on that. Heart palps are a very common symptom of anxiety and even alot of people who don't struggle with anxiety have them too. They can be very unnerving, and when you are already struggling with anxiety, they can make it worse. I know, I've lived it for the past 6 years. I will be praying for you.

Hi Brandi,

I have heart palpitations every day, some days more than others. I have had them for years. It's strange that you would post this today as I met with my doctor this afternoon on some heart tests I had done. We looked at the EKG, chest x-ray and blood tests. He mentioned that he was happy they tested the thyroid as that can have an effect on heart palpitations. All my tests were fine. I just had the treadmill and holter done back in May and everything was fine although PVCs (heart palpitations) showed up.

There are some meds that can be taken to lessen them if they get annoying or aggravating (beta blockers). He gave me the option to try one today but I opted (for now) to live with them as they are not harmful in any way, just annoying.

He said that stress and anxiety aggravates them. It has to do with the brain exciting the vagus nerve and that, in turn, throws off the electrical system and causes PVCs (or PACs). My doctor calls them reverse beats. He also told me that his brother had them so bad that they were one every 5 seconds all day long. He cut out smoking and caffeine and that lessened them but not totally.

You are not alone. Tons of people have them, although we anxious people tend to notice them more and our anxiety causes them to increase, then we worry... a vicious circle.

The holter monitor is a good thing as it will show everything over a 24 hour period. Keep us informed and good luck! Breathe easy and relax! They are annoying but not harmful.

Thank you Paisleegreen for your reply. I used to get palpitations for several years, but once I stopped worrying about them they went away and then I started having feelings of anxiety or anxiousness or "scary feelings" which I hadn't had in years. Because I don't get the standard "palpitations" now and I just get these scary feeling I worry I'm going crazy or loosing my mind. It's nice to know someone else has the same symptoms.

Yep, JoP, it is good to know that we aren't alone in these symptoms. I really do not like the "scary feelings" at all. So it is nice to be able to come here and work it out.

WOW, glad I came to this board today..have been having pals again for the past week and of course didn't take the time to come and read the boards. Then this morning when I just about convinced myself that "no, you really do have something terribly wrong that they just couldn't find" I decided to make the time to come here and here you all are...posting exactly what I am feeling. You knwo I am one of the ones that goes to the Dr. feels better after he tells me I am fine and then an attack hits and it's like "well, he definitely missed something".
I had my gallbladder out at the end of august and went thru it with hardly one attack...Didn't even need a pain pill afterwards...but give me a normal day where I have time to think about how I feel and I flip out with anxiety.
I really am sorry to hear there are those of you like me...but relieved to hear there are those of you like me. LOL