"skipped" heart beats

kristymay_c · Post by **kristymay_c** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:08 am

For the past several months, I've noticed my heart skip a beat sometimes. Or, it feels that way anyway. It's just a half of a second, and then the very next beat, it beats harder, faster and louder. I almost feel like a thud in my chest and my face gets kind of warm and I almost feel a very slight loss of breath. It happens with exertion and also while at rest. This fluttering feeling has caused me to actually take my pulse when it happens, and I do feel my heart beat "pause". When I told the doctor this, he recommended a Holter Monitor. I wore it for 24 hours and I was instructed to write down any "skipped" beats that I noticed and the exact time as to when I noticed them. I did this. When I got the report back, it stated: "Patient was in normal sinus throughout the study. There were 9 premature ventricular contractions and 4 atrial contractions. There was no atrial fibrillation, though the patient reports skipped beats. She was in sinus rhythm with a rate of 80 and 95 respectively." When I asked my doctor about this, she said that the "skipped" beats were not from my heart's electrical system because they were not picked up by the Holter. I asked about the PVCs and PACs, and my doctor said I didn't even feel them because I never wrote anything down when they occurred, and that everybody gets these. I feel confused. How can my heart's "electrical system" NOT pick up the skipped beat, when I physically take my pulse when it happens and actually feel it being skipped? I guess I don't understand. Apparently I do not have a heart problem because I had a bunch of tests, including a transcatheter procedure, where a cardiologist actually went INSIDE my heart by going through a vein in my groin area to take a look at things. He said my heart looks fine. Perhaps these "skipped" beats are from anxiety? Has anyone experienced this? I am scared to death to do anything. I don't want to exercise, I don't want to laugh too hard, I don't want to exert myself in anyway for fear of my heart stopping. I am trying to get over the fact that nothing is wrong, but why am I feeling these?

Rich_21740 · Post by **Rich_21740** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:28 am

I was having some heart skippy beats over summer. I had some blood tests and then a cardiac stress test with high contrast ultra sound. Nothing! According to the cardiologist I had a very fine, healthy normal functioning heart. I had MORE in depth blood test to find my anxiety symptoms were explained by my thyroid problem (Hashimoto's to be exact) and having adrenal fatigue from taking prednisone for another issue. I am on thyroid meds and no heart skippys, no trouble breathing, NOTHING!

I also had the SAME symptoms several years back and it ALL was anxiety. Like you, I could not accept that "nothing was wrong" and ran up a $20K bill to be certain. It may just be anxiety. I would ask your doctor about the thyroid thing and adrenal thing as both can cause anxiety symptoms. Worth a check!

nikkic · Post by **nikkic** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:45 am

I have the heart racing Plapitations my heart rate going to almost 190 and I didnt have this really till I started take Xanax but now can not get off xanax less I take a beta blocker but the doctors all say its severe anxiety My only thing is my fear of taking medication of any kind because of the severe side effects now they are wanting to put me on lexpro in able for me to get off the xanax but the heart palpitations ( skipping heart beat ) and racing heart is anxiety and this is causing me to have severe panic attacks

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:55 am

Stress was the factor when I went through a divorce and noticed the skipped heart beats. Went to a Cardiologist and he did an echocardiagram which told me that I had MVP. Apparently I was born with it though never diagnosed until this event and I was 30+ years old. It's no big deal and I am learning to recognise and relax the stress symptoms before it gets hold of me. If your issues are stressed based keep working the Program and you will probably have fewer and fewer of them as you gain control over your responses to life's stressors.

char-lee · Post by **char-lee** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:37 am

Tornado
I would think that xanax would lower your heart rate. What is it normally?
What batablocker do you take and do you have any side effects from it?

Heraldrex1 · Post by **Heraldrex1** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:55 am

Im not on any beta blocker right now they are wanting me to take atenolol 25 miligram but I have been on the xanax for over 2 years the same miligram the whole 2 years and the xanax alone is making me very depressed and yes the xanax does slow the heart rate down but when it wears off the heart rate picks back up and I just feel really bad and sluggish since I have been on this xanax but they are wanting me to take atenolol to also help with my Bp cause it is staying so high in between my times I dont take the xanx

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 9:56 am

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:04 am

sorry hit the wrong button rebka I know xanax is to be lowering the heart rate but I have been on xanax for 3 years and I have been on a .5 xanax the same mg for 3 years so its really not working on me its just taking the edge off and Im not on any beta blockers Im not on any meds but xanax the doctor said he would like to see me off the xanax but I have been on it 3 years and it is really causing me severe severe depression and Im housebound now and the doc told me in order for me to be able to get off the xanx Im going to have to take Lexpro or an anti depressent to be able to get off it the heart doctor wants me to get on a beta blocker because in between the hours Im not taking the xanax and its wearing off and sine I am ammune to the mgs now my heart goes to racing and skipping beats Im just scared to death to try any other meds of any kind because of the way xanax has done me and doing me

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 10:41 am

The dr.wants me to take atenolol 25 also but I am to scared to try it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:29 am

Originally posted by kristymay_c:
For the past several months, I've noticed my heart skip a beat sometimes. Or, it feels that way anyway. It's just a half of a second, and then the very next beat, it beats harder, faster and louder. I almost feel like a thud in my chest and my face gets kind of warm and I almost feel a very slight loss of breath. It happens with exertion and also while at rest. This fluttering feeling has caused me to actually take my pulse when it happens, and I do feel my heart beat "pause". When I told the doctor this, he recommended a Holter Monitor. I wore it for 24 hours and I was instructed to write down any "skipped" beats that I noticed and the exact time as to when I noticed them. I did this. When I got the report back, it stated: "Patient was in normal sinus throughout the study. There were 9 premature ventricular contractions and 4 atrial contractions. There was no atrial fibrillation, though the patient reports skipped beats. She was in sinus rhythm with a rate of 80 and 95 respectively." When I asked my doctor about this, she said that the "skipped" beats were not from my heart's electrical system because they were not picked up by the Holter. I asked about the PVCs and PACs, and my doctor said I didn't even feel them because I never wrote anything down when they occurred, and that everybody gets these. I feel confused. How can my heart's "electrical system" NOT pick up the skipped beat, when I physically take my pulse when it happens and actually feel it being skipped? I guess I don't understand. Apparently I do not have a heart problem because I had a bunch of tests, including a transcatheter procedure, where a cardiologist actually went INSIDE my heart by going through a vein in my groin area to take a look at things. He said my heart looks fine. Perhaps these "skipped" beats are from anxiety? Has anyone experienced this? I am scared to death to do anything. I don't want to exercise, I don't want to laugh too hard, I don't want to exert myself in anyway for fear of my heart stopping. I am trying to get over the fact that nothing is wrong, but why am I feeling these?