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scary heart palpitations - part 2

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ma1234
ma1234

hello

in my last post I wrote about having constant heart palpitations all day every day for over a week now, I've been very anxious the last 7/8 weeks because of the virus and worrying more about my health and had my first panic attack in years about 2 months ago. The palpitations get bad after eating and when I'm lying down or about to go to sleep. it's a horrible thumping / skipped beat feeling. I don't have any other symptoms like dizziness etc. It's just the palpitations. Well I bought 2 blood pressure monitors, one that detects irregular heart beats and a more expensive one that detects most (but not all, such as the uncommon ones): Arrhythmia detection (ARR), Arterial fibrillation detection (AFib) and Premature contraction detection (PC).

I first used it yesterday in the morning and evening and will do that for a week, each time doing 3 measurements to get an average. My blood pressure was 142 and 149 the first 2 times because I was terrified it was about to detect something with my heart but since calming down while measuring my blood pressure has consistently been between 120-139

In total I have used the machines 10 times and all times they haven't shown any irregular heartbeats, ARR, AFib or PC but I can literally feel my heart palpitations so I don't know why they're saying that, I can feel them while it's measuring when i'm taking deep breaths and I did an extra test while the palpitations were bad and it still said nothing's wrong. The indicators definitely work because they light up when the machines first turn on and both monitors can't be faulty

I just want to know if it's anxiety, something I'm eating or if something is actually wrong with my heart, I feel like I'm going crazy obsessing over it. I've noticed when I'm distracted I don't even notice the palpitations (if there is any) but then the second I start thinking about it it's like the palpitations are none stop

I know the blood pressure monitors aren't a replacement for an ECG. I had one done 2 years ago and i think twice in 2016, I think when I was 18 the nurse said slight Arrhythmia was found but it was nothing to be worried about because it was normal for my age and I was also drinking, smoking and taking recreational drugs very often, she didn't say I needed any more tests or to have an ECG every year or anything. I'm 22 now, haven't touched a cigarette or drugs for 2 years and the last time i drank any alcohol was January so I know it's not any of that causing the palpitations. I have contacted my doctor about it but they won't get back to me until next week, I was hoping for some reassurance from the monitors but it's honestly just made me worse because I don't believe them and I'm obsessing about it even more

even typing this I can feel my heart thumping, I just need some reassurance until I can get an ECG and blood tests done 😦

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • marissa49771
    marissa49771 ma1234

    Posted

    Hi! I suffer from anxiety also and have been having heart palpitations daily too through out the day and the feeling my heart will skip beats. I take medicine to control my anxiety but ever since this virus its been very high. Im pregnant also but even before I was pregnant i suffered from heart palpitations. Ive had ECGs done, holter monitors on, stress tests and everything was fine with my heart besides miltra valve prolapse which is common and nothing to worry about. I had these tests done when i was in my early 20s and im now 30 years old and still have heart palpitations especially when i think about it. If i dont think about it it goes away for me also. You will be ok Im sure there is nothing wrong with your heart.

    • ma1234
      ma1234 marissa49771

      Posted

      Hi Marissa 😃 yeah it's definitely the virus that has sparked this anxiety as I was doing well before it happened, it's scary times. Thank you for reassuring me it's not just me I appreciate it. Congratulations on your pregnancy 😃

  • Jack2001
    Jack2001 ma1234

    Posted

    Hi, I think im in a very similar situation.

    I have felt as if my heart has been skipping a beat or doing a really hard beat constantly, this happens especially when showering etc. I feel it gets worse when thinking about it buy refuse to belive its all down to anxiety. I get constant sharp chest pain especially on the left side and have had multiple blood tests and x rays all of which are fine but i still belive there is a problem with my heart.

    I am currently on proparanol which has reduced the amount of times i feel this heart skip but still get chest pain a lot. I now feel as if i cant do anything at all and stuck in bed all day as i dont feel my heart is stable even though tests are showing otherwise. The doctor gave me sertraline to take for anxiety but i didnt take it.

    I also feel sick and stomach pains a lot now and have little appetite, headaches, extremely weak and tired.

    I think some of it is in my head and anxiety makes it worse however when these heart skips or chest pain occurs it makes me instantly fee much worse and starts the cycle again.

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