Sometimes my heart does weird things?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 22, 2004
Messages
1,983
Location
New Brunswick
Sorry about the title, just didn't know how to put it. So, every once in a while I'll feel my heart kinda get tight or heavy or whatever, then right after it'll do what feels like a real heavy heartbeat. Sort of like two beats at once, if you can picture it like that. It'll do that usually 2 or 3 times then it might not happen again for weeks or even months. Another thing my heart will do is it'll get kinda tight or heavy, but then nothing...until I feel slightly lightheaded and dizzy. Not really enough to impair my walking or anything, but it's puzzling to say the least. The light-headedness might last for a minute or two then not happen again for weeks or months. Now I don't know too much about the heart health of my family, but my dad did have a pacemaker put in about 15 years ago when he was in his mid 40's because he was having a condition where his heartrate would drop so low that he would get dizzy and would have to stop working or doing things and sit down. Do heart problems run in the family? I'm only 32, wouldn't I be a bit young to have heart problems?
 
So see a doctor and tell him what you told us?

They can see subtle stuff with an ECG or at least get a baseline so if you feel different in the future they have an old one to compare to.

A "quack in a box" can handle this... drop in!
 
We might talk oil, but this is a doctor visit situation... Please go. Something isnt right and it sounds like you have a family history...
 
Your irregular heartbeats and symptoms are not that uncommon. There are different types of iregular heart rythms. Some originating in the ventricles and others in the atrial. I would probably get it checked out by a cardiologist to find out the nature and seriousness of the issue.
 
Mine does weird things as well... A palpation that worried me for a while. I would get strong beats every so often and feeling like it missed a beat before/after. Very strange feeling. It went on for years actually (I am 24) and the doctor did an EKG with no issues.

I did find however, my allergy medicine made it happen. I was taking Zyrtec for years for my allergies and wondered if it was it causing it. Did some research online and found others had the same thing happen. I stopped taking it and switched to another type of allergy medicine and they went away for the most part. Significant difference.

I still get it once and a while, but only if I had a large dinner or something, a lot of caffeine or alcohol. But I went from being bothered by it daily to hardly noticing it anymore. I would say it went away by at least 85% to be honest just from getting off Zyrtec...


I never had it bad though where I got light headed or anything. More of a random strange feeling... I never had any side effects other than the random harder beat though.

And there is no such things as being too young anymore for heart problems. I have heard of people in their 20's have massive heart attacks.

Heart runs in my family so I am trying to be proactive now to prevent any issues later on (if I can). Eating meat only a day or two per week, a lot of veggies, loosing weight, etc... In summer I am active with a lot of swimming and walking... I feel like I am in good shape though, as I can go up 5 flights of steps and feel fine up top where people half my size are struggling. BTW, I am 6'6 and around 255lbs. I was at almost 280lbs a few years ago, so I am making progress.

I have slightly elevated blood pressure, but I am working on getting it down. I am around 136/82 or so, hoping to get it down below 130/80 this summer.

Hopefully all is ok with you! You may want to see a doctor though to be sure.
 
Last edited:
Yes, you are young to have any heart issues, but things happen. One of the Chicago Cubs had an irregular heartbeat that was treated successfully a few years ago, so this is not exclusive to older folks.

Irregular heartbeats are not at all uncommon. Some of them are absolutely harmless, but it's best not to assume. Take advantage of your National Health Service and see your internist: an EKG or a Holter Monitor (you wear it for a day) can tell a lot.
 
People in their 30's can have heart attacks, and it always seems like it is the thinner, fit and healthy looking guys it happens to. This isn't something to put off, get to a Doctor right away, and possibly even the ER if this just came on.

Analogy? Your body's oil pressure light is flickering.
 
I'm 29 and used to get some weird heart beats every once in awhile...just one or two and then normal for a week.

Doc couldn't find anything wrong...we finally traced it back to having too much coffee in the morning...go figure.

So now I just have 1 cup in the morning and thats it...problem gone.

FYI I'm in good shape too...I run a lot and eat well. Still had the weird heard beats until we figured out the coffee thing.

So it could be anything. Don't panic, but get it checked out for sure.
 
Go to a doctor and get looked at. They'll probably put you on an EKG. I occasionally have weird things like that, but not really in a long time. I went to a cardiologist years ago and they found nothing abnormal. I do mention it to my PCP if I had something happen.
 
You need to see a doctor ASAP. You're not too young to have problems...and you're not too young to die from them if they're left untreated...

Chris Farley's death was caused by Cocaine as well as advanced heart disease...at the age of 33...
 
Last edited:
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?

Family history will be one of the first things a doctor will/should ask you. As mentioned, caffeine, medications and supplements, even the over counter stuff, can have side effects.

Get it checked out now.

Hate to see you keel over at 32, you still have about ten good years before before middle age kicks in and everything starts to fall apart.
 
Getting medical advise about this kind of problem from a message board is a great way to die. Seek proper medical attention, ASAP!!!!!!!!!
 
The palpitations can usually be be blamed on caffeine or other stimulants. The light headedness is another story...go to the Doctor! One night several years ago I was having frequent palpitations so my coworker took me to the ER. The docs stuck me on an EKG and found out everything was cool. They sent me home once they found out I had been up 36 hours and had several cups of coffee that night. They told me I did the right thing coming in the ER though.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Getting medical advise about this kind of problem from a message board is a great way to die. Seek proper medical attention, ASAP!!!!!!!!!

Exactly this isn't Web MD. Drinking a pint of MMO or Kreen isn't cutting it.
See a Doctor man.
 
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Getting medical advise about this kind of problem from a message board is a great way to die. Seek proper medical attention, ASAP!!!!!!!!!
Oh, of course.
33.gif

Why didn't any of us idiots think of that?!
spankme2.gif
 
My bro-in-law, who is in early fifties, a marathon runner, regular daily exercise, excellent health, ideal diet, no smoke, no drink, no meat just had 98% blockage and a stent was put in :-( If he had 98% blockage, I must have 196% blockage as I am not even half as healthy as he is!
 
I get some of same symptoms. What feels like skipped heartbeats, sometimes (rarely thankfully) I have had totally erratic heartbeats for hours/days where there may not be more than 5 or 6 in a sequence that are at regular intervals and have to take a medication (Cardizem) which helps straighten it out. Sometimes the "skipping" (not really skips, just variations in the interval) beats can make me feel a little dizzy or light headed.

Definitely see a good cardiologist to find out what is happening, what can be done about it, and whether or not it is serious.

Also, regular checkups with a cardiologist are a good idea to catch things early, like mine found I have a 40% blockage in one artery by my heart. Monitoring has shown that it has not grown bigger (nor smaller) in 8 years, partly because of cholestrol management to bring up the HDL with Niacin, which has worked quite well for me.

BTW, do you drink a lot of coffee? That can mess with your heart beats.
 
I agree with everyone else... go to the doctor and have it checked out. In the meantime think about your routine and whether you are doing anything to trigger the irregularity. Excessive caffiene or other stimulants? Energy drinks? Medications? And don't underestimate the importance of stress management.

I'm in my early 30s as well, and it's not the same as being in your 20s - you have to start watching yourself.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top