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Palpitations

Posted , 8 users are following.

youngatheart1
youngatheart1

Hi, my iron level is 302, not too bad I know but still too high.  My GP said it was too high, but not enough to worry about.  When I go to GP there is a red flag across my page saying 'IRON TOO HIGH'.  I suffer badly with palpitations and have had every heart test going so know it is not that.  I am due to have a re-test of bloods tomorrow and have then got a gp appointment on 26th as I am not going to be fobbed off anymore, epecially as I had an out of the blue DVT in leg in December. Could all this be related.  I see that palps are a symptom but is my level high enough to be causing this and I read somewhere that my iron may go down as I am now taking blood thinners.  Lots of questions but I want to have something prepared for my appointment so that I am can get some answers.  Lastly does anyone know of any multi vitamins that do not contain iron.  Thanks

1 like, 23 replies

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  • KateS71
    KateS71 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hi...

    Ask your gp to test your transferrin saturation levels. Anything below 20% is low iron. Anything above 50% indicates iron overload.

    Fast before your blood test.

    All my tests were fasting ones and my last test was 100%.

    My palpitations are uncomfortable at times. Similar to a stitch. I'm newly diagnosed with hemachromotosis. My gp is brilliant. She routinely checked my transferrin and after 3 readings above 50% she referred me.

    Hope that helps

    👍

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 KateS71

      Posted

      Hi, you seem to have a GP who knows what they are doing, mine just say not to worry, the level should be under 150 but is 300 whatever than means, I do no think they have checked the saturation levels as they do mention numbers in the %.  I am told to get a check every 6 months but not that I need to fast, so will speak to them about this.  Do you worry that your palpitations will actually stop your heart or is it me just being daft? Thanks
    • KateS71
      KateS71 youngatheart1

      Posted

      Wherever your heart is concerned it's not being daft.

      I have had palpitations for many yrs.

      I had a heart scare when I was 36. I'm 45 now. I had an angiogram at the time which showed no arterial damage so the cardiologist suggested it was possibly a virul attack.

      Now I'm thinking could it possibly be the iron?

      I'm going back to my gp to ask for referral to cardiology to check this out.

      I'm asking for all my levels cos I only know my saturation test results and I need to fully understand what's going on.

      All my blood tests have been fasting tests simply because they were taken first thing before I'd had breakfast.

      Your truest readings are at fast so I'd have bloods taken tomoro after fasting if you possibly can ...

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 KateS71

      Posted

      Hi Kate, that is funny you mention about a virus, as I had virul tonsilities followed by a chest infection about 2 years ago when all this started.  I have had every tests going for chest pains etc so am convinced it is not my heart, but not happy to just leave it which is why I am trying to gather some information so that I can speak to the GP about my findings.  The problem with our surgery is that you never see the same GP twice as they keep leaving.  Apparently the one I am seeing next week is an older GP who is really good.  Let's hope I get some answers or at least tested so that I am not left wondering.  Take care

  • susiemaylee
    susiemaylee youngatheart1

    Posted

    My husband's iron level was almost 270. His GP said he will check it again next year at his next physical. I happened to he going to my GP a week later and showed him my husband's lab report. He immediately wanted to see him and he's not his patient. My husband went, but didn't want to. My doc ordered a serum ferritan test. It was almost 1,400! Which is extremely high. My doc then ordered a liver panel and genetic test for Hemocromatosis. We are waiting for those results. My husband is healthy, works out, is a coach, etc. So this was a shock. He has had irregular and fast heartbeat though with no reason why yet. I agree with the other replies or a ferritin blood test, just to be on the safe side. Keep us posted.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 susiemaylee

      Posted

      Hi Susie, my tests have been serum ferritin ones so at 301 they are relatively low compared to other people.  The first one back in April 16 was 281 then in July 301 so GP wants to retest every 6 months to see what it is doing, I had another one this morning.  I have a little bit of fatty liver, which hospital said is to expected as I am 57 and most people will have some by their 50's, but I am eating better and exercising to help it not get any worse.  My heartbeat feels to me irregular and the palpitations drive me mad, but I have had loads of tests and all came back with no heart problems, I am now going to have to be a detective and try to work out what is going on.  Seeing GP next week and going to mention that higher iron than normal can cause this and hope she does not look at me as if I am mad, which is the usual response to anything I ask.  Take care

  • Golak
    Golak youngatheart1

    Posted

    Your blood thinners will not reduce your iron levels unless they lead to bleeding, which is not what you want.

    Your iron content does not explain your palpitaionnumless you are indeed diagnosed with an iron overload problem such as hemochromatosis.

    Your Gp can measure your transferrin saturation along with genetic testing for the most frequent mutations to confirm your diagnosis.

    Your current high ferritin could be a manifestation of some ongoing inflammatory process in your body and might not be caused by an iron over absorption disease.

    So first step is to figure out the root of your higher ferritin. I would repeat your ferritin in about 6-8 weeks to see what the trend shows, along with your transferrin saturation.

    You might want to reconsider taking multivitamins, if you have a normal diet . You should not be missing any vitamins as a healthy adult. My recommendation would be to have a diet that contains everything to get those naturally.

    Your palpitations could have a separate explanation, usually iron strays depositing in your organs beyond a ferritin of >1000. Since you're not even near that level, it is unlikely that your palpitaions are an iron issue.

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Golak

      Posted

      Hi thanks for your indepth reply.  I do have arthritis so as you mention inflammation may be it is that.  I also have acid reflux and take PPI which can cause low magnesium which can cause palpitations, but when I mention this to GP's they dismiss it.  To be honest I am so fed up with with the palps and the constant beating of my heart in my ears that I am going to see my GP next week and mention all the things I have found out and not be fobbed off.  By then I will have the results of my ferratin levels which were taken this morning and if it has gone up then maybe they will do the saturation test, which to date they have not unless they are just not giving me these numbers, it is one test for both or two do you know?  Thanks

  • joyce1959
    joyce1959 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hi I suffer bad palpatations, have for years and also little arrythmias here and there. I'm 57 and was dx last June. I hate them they frighten me! I've had all the tests and the valves etc are all apparently normal. I had my review of a 24hr tape yesterday and have asked for an MRI scan of my heart. I've found slow release magnesium helps and also take the beta blocker propranolol. My ferritin started at 950 and is now around 400. I believe that iron overload is the cause of my palpatations and they don't seem to be diminishing yet.

    • joyce1959
      joyce1959 sheryl37154

      Posted

      Hi, yes you could be right! I believe there are a lot of us rustys walking around undiagnosed too.

      I thought my palpatations were related to menopause as it is a prevalent symptom, but I'm through all that now. Still get sweats, mostly at night, but again I believe they're linked to GH. Oh the joys!

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 joyce1959

      Posted

      Hi Joyce, I am also 57, female and live in UK.  I will look at you tube thanks.  I have mad all the tests, scans, tape etc and all comes back showing heart in great condition, which is how I want it to stay.  They put me on beta blockers which I felt did nothing, but magnesium does help.  The palpitations make me so worried as they always seem to appear when I am trying to rest. Take care
    • joyce1959
      joyce1959 youngatheart1

      Posted

      Hi YAH1, I too get a lot of palpatations at rest, especially when I'm trying to get to sleep. Stress is another major factor with me and cause palpatations, but I have suffered anxiety and depression since starting perimenopause years ago. It's difficult to know if it's all linked to GH, but the irritability and mood swings definitely are. Where in U.K are you?

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 joyce1959

      Posted

      Hi Joyce, I am in Bedfordshire, I am really stressed at the minute what with just haing had a DVT, son deciding on Uni choices for October and in-laws who are driving us nuts, so lots going on.  My palpitations have gone on for 2 years now and they are there for a couple of weeks, disappear for a week or so and then restart again.  I just watched those videos from Sanjay, they were really helpful and I now have a couple of theories about mine as he mentioned one of the causes being lack of magnesium  caused by PPI's, I have taken them for 10 years and my GP once reduced my dose due to the reports about magnesium problems, but did not test me.  Sanjay mentioned the best one to take so I have just ordered some, he said it is hard to overdose so worth a try.  From the replies here is does not seem my iron is high enough to be causing them, but will see when today's results come back if it is worse. I had to come off HRT in December when they found my DVT and although sweats gone in day, nights ones are back.  So with acid, palpitations and sweats lifes a bit of a bugger at the minute.  But I am determined to get to the bottom of them, or at least make sure that I am 100% convinced I am not about to have a heart attack and also get some more clarity on why hospital say's iron high but GP say's not.  Will keep you posted, take care.

    • joyce1959
      joyce1959 youngatheart1

      Posted

      Sorry you're having such a bad time of it, It never rains but it pours! I too had to stop hrt, it was great while it lasted, but luckily the flushes have settled a lot. Have you had your Tsat and genetic test for GH? hope you get sorted soon. J x

  • sheryl37154
    sheryl37154 youngatheart1

    Posted

    If your serum iron is 302 it is extremely high, but maybe it is 30.2 in my measurements.  If it is your ferritin iron, not very.  If you are post menopausal, the range is 30 - 300.  So just over the border.  However, as someone has already said, your TS% is the indicator for haemochromatosis and >45% (female) indicates HH.

    If your TS% is not high, then, as someone has already said, your ferritin level is caused by something else, e.g. fatty liver, which should be addressed if you want to feel better.

    You need to ask for copies of your blood test results so that you become more aware of what is happening.

    As for palpitations, I get them when my ferritin level is 80 or above.  Sometimes less.  Insufficient oestrogen can get involved too.  All my heart tests revealed nothing as well.  I just try to relax and think my heart rate down when it occurs as I had a bad reaction to beta blockers and calcium blockers, so I would rather not take them.

    While 80 does not sound too high, it is for me.  Probably because I was left undiagnosed for 9 years and ended up with all sorts of problems.  Damage was done during that time and not everything comes good again.

    It can be frustrating, I know.  I am sure it means something to a cardiologist that knows a lot about haemochromatosis, but I have not found one yet.

     

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 sheryl37154

      Posted

      Hi, yes it is ferratin so as you say luckily not too bad, I am also post menopausal I think as I am 57 and started when I was 49.  I had another blood test today so we will see whether it is has gone up again. The trouble is the GP receptionist calls to say it is high and when you see the GP they say it is not! My heart tests all showed nothing, I do have an element of fatty liver, but was told at 57 it was too expected, so trying to work on that. I am keeping my records now so that I can see what is going on and not just accept there is nothing wrong with your heart so do not worry, do not want to live with palpitations for the rest of my life if I am find out why they are happening and sort them.  Take care
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