Sometimes my heart does weird things?
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GET THIS CHECKED OUT! YOU NEED TO SEE A PHYSICIAN ASAP!!! PLEASE PM ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. I AM A CARDIAC CATHLAB SUPERVISOR.
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My heart started skipping beats about 4 months ago. I took a trip to the ER because this was on a Sunday afternoon and my regular physician isn't in the office. The doctors in the ER couldn't find a problem and put a monitor on me for 24 hours and found a few erratic heart beats. My own doctor had me lay off the caffeine and alcohol and also told me decongestants and nasal sprays can cause irregular heart beats. This is something that shouldn't be dismissed and I advise you to see your doctor ASAP just in case there is a problem with your heart.
As an added note, I you are under a bunch of stress that can cause anxiety or a feeling of panic, this can also trigger an irregular heartbeat. There are medications for those conditions that your doctor can prescribe to reduce or eliminate the symptoms.
I’m employed as a Park Ranger. We do prescribed burns and because of recent fires in San Diego County, we do joint fire trainings with other agencies. At one of these trainings, I was heading to our first drill and ended up throwing up. Because I was the last person, I made a comment to our leader, who sent me directly to the onsite paramedics. Make a long story shorter, I ended up spending the night in the ER. I have an irregular heartbeat (Atrial fibrillation). I’ve had 2 cardio versions and on rat poison (warfarin). I see the cardiologist once a year and yes, my heart is “a-fibbing” as we speak. Something I have to live with. I do my job, but when the heart starts going into a-fib, I lose all energy.
That is my story. Please get checked out.
That is my story. Please get checked out.
Originally Posted By: 55Test
Do heart problems run in the family? I'm only 32, wouldn't I be a bit young to have heart problems?
Yes they do. My dad and his brothers all died from "bad hearts", but they were all healthy until they hit 80. Heck, dying after 80, is living a good life. About age, I've had friends drop dead before the age of 30. Perfectly healthy and in great shape too, and what did they die of? Heart.
Do heart problems run in the family? I'm only 32, wouldn't I be a bit young to have heart problems?
Yes they do. My dad and his brothers all died from "bad hearts", but they were all healthy until they hit 80. Heck, dying after 80, is living a good life. About age, I've had friends drop dead before the age of 30. Perfectly healthy and in great shape too, and what did they die of? Heart.
Originally Posted By: 46Harry
As an added note, I you are under a bunch of stress that can cause anxiety or a feeling of panic, this can also trigger an irregular heartbeat. There are medications for those conditions that your doctor can prescribe to reduce or eliminate the symptoms.
Good news, the meds doctor prescribes might help with the anxiety and panic.
Bad news, you may also go on a suicidal shooting rampage.
As an added note, I you are under a bunch of stress that can cause anxiety or a feeling of panic, this can also trigger an irregular heartbeat. There are medications for those conditions that your doctor can prescribe to reduce or eliminate the symptoms.
Good news, the meds doctor prescribes might help with the anxiety and panic.
Bad news, you may also go on a suicidal shooting rampage.
First thing you should do is see a cardiologist to rule out any heart disease.
But what you're describing is Premature Ventricular Contractions and in any physically fit person, these are harmless. Most people will get these a few times a day but some people a more in tune with their bodies so some will notice it more than others.
Basically, you're Ventricles contract after your Atria filled them with blood and so your Ventricles can pump enough blood to your lungs and other parts. What actual happens is your Ventricles contract before they are adequately filled and only pump a little - but on the next contraction is really loaded up and you'll feel that hard pump (or beat) following the premature contraction. It may also feel like you've missed a beat. And may cause a little light headedness.
If you are otherwise healthy, these are most likely a side effect of something else.
Try and eliminate:
Stress
Anxiety
Coffee
Iced Tea.
At my worst a few years ago I was getting one premature beat every 5th beat. I eliminated 2 of the 4 of the examples above and they are gone! All after I went to a cardiologist to rule out heart disease.
Good luck, and don't stress over it. It'll just make it worse. See a doctor first.
But what you're describing is Premature Ventricular Contractions and in any physically fit person, these are harmless. Most people will get these a few times a day but some people a more in tune with their bodies so some will notice it more than others.
Basically, you're Ventricles contract after your Atria filled them with blood and so your Ventricles can pump enough blood to your lungs and other parts. What actual happens is your Ventricles contract before they are adequately filled and only pump a little - but on the next contraction is really loaded up and you'll feel that hard pump (or beat) following the premature contraction. It may also feel like you've missed a beat. And may cause a little light headedness.
If you are otherwise healthy, these are most likely a side effect of something else.
Try and eliminate:
Stress
Anxiety
Coffee
Iced Tea.
At my worst a few years ago I was getting one premature beat every 5th beat. I eliminated 2 of the 4 of the examples above and they are gone! All after I went to a cardiologist to rule out heart disease.
Good luck, and don't stress over it. It'll just make it worse. See a doctor first.
Originally Posted By: powayroger
but when the heart starts going into a-fib, I lose all energy.
That is what I get on occasion. First time it was afibbing for about 4 days. It all started when I had a lot of stress. I was only 35 years old at the time, but the stress apparently kicked it in.
I have only had bad afib maybe half a dozen times, but it can last days. The Cardizem usually straightens it out after a while and then I can quit the Cardizem and be fine for a year or two, other than small occurances like a few moments. It does cut your energy because the heart is not pumping regular and so your oxygen delivery would not be as efficient.
but when the heart starts going into a-fib, I lose all energy.
That is what I get on occasion. First time it was afibbing for about 4 days. It all started when I had a lot of stress. I was only 35 years old at the time, but the stress apparently kicked it in.
I have only had bad afib maybe half a dozen times, but it can last days. The Cardizem usually straightens it out after a while and then I can quit the Cardizem and be fine for a year or two, other than small occurances like a few moments. It does cut your energy because the heart is not pumping regular and so your oxygen delivery would not be as efficient.
At 33 years old, I had an unfortunate bout of A-fib. Nearly did me in. My heart was healthy enough, but my thyroid had ceased to function (along with other organ failures) due to a virus.
The doc did not want me on Synthroid for a month, so I suffered with horrible heart problems during that time. It was awful, with repeated hospital stays, er visits, and a feeling of massive DOOM. It took some significant effort to stabilize my heart. All of this was due to a virus.
Once on thyroid replacement hormone, the A-Fib went away and my recovery started.
My point: Might have nothing to do with your heart.
The doc did not want me on Synthroid for a month, so I suffered with horrible heart problems during that time. It was awful, with repeated hospital stays, er visits, and a feeling of massive DOOM. It took some significant effort to stabilize my heart. All of this was due to a virus.
Once on thyroid replacement hormone, the A-Fib went away and my recovery started.
My point: Might have nothing to do with your heart.
When this happens to you, does it feel like someone is reaching into your chest and squeezing your heart for a second or two? Do you feel a bit of tightness in your throat and are short of breath for a second? When it stops, does it feel like cold water just went rushing through your chest?
If yes, there may be some issues with your AV node in your heart. The AV node is the electrical distributor in your heart, and it controls the timing of the two ventricles and two atrials, as to when they contract. If the node does not keep the timing correct, it will be pumping air through the heart instead of blood.
I had WPW since I was born so I know a bit about the electrical workings of the heart. I had to have surgery to correct my problem, but if you are experiencing this on a regular recurring basis you may need something along the lines of a pacemaker. But I think the current tech is more like a small shock device to hit the reset button on the AV node to get the timing back to normal.
Before my surgery, and before doctors really knew anything about the electrical problems of the heart, when my heart would go off the procedure to get it back under control was to get in a sitting position and bear down like you were trying to use the toilet. Yeah, it sounds silly now but it did work about half of the time. The backup plan was to fill the sink with cold water and ice and dive in face first. The shock of the potential of drowning was said to reset quite a few of the body's functions.
If yes, there may be some issues with your AV node in your heart. The AV node is the electrical distributor in your heart, and it controls the timing of the two ventricles and two atrials, as to when they contract. If the node does not keep the timing correct, it will be pumping air through the heart instead of blood.
I had WPW since I was born so I know a bit about the electrical workings of the heart. I had to have surgery to correct my problem, but if you are experiencing this on a regular recurring basis you may need something along the lines of a pacemaker. But I think the current tech is more like a small shock device to hit the reset button on the AV node to get the timing back to normal.
Before my surgery, and before doctors really knew anything about the electrical problems of the heart, when my heart would go off the procedure to get it back under control was to get in a sitting position and bear down like you were trying to use the toilet. Yeah, it sounds silly now but it did work about half of the time. The backup plan was to fill the sink with cold water and ice and dive in face first. The shock of the potential of drowning was said to reset quite a few of the body's functions.
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