Hi,

I am a 43 year old female and have been on athenolol (beta-blocker) for about 1 1/2 years now. About the same time I started that I also started to feel palpitations which I could easily ignore because they were minor and would go away for weeks and months at a time. On June of 2007 the palpitations took on a menacing turn when they got really scary! I went to see my dr. and she ran some blood work and had me wear a 24 hour holter monitor. She found I am a bit anemic and prescribed iron pills but she hasn't discussed the ekg holter monitor results. When I asked her about them (over 1 month ago) she said the cardiologist has not reviewed them yet). I feel like a pest having to ask her again about the results. Should I persist and insist on certain kind of heart tests so that I can rule out heart problems? Is it the anemia or the beta blocker that is aggrevating the palpitations? Maybe after my iron count returns to normal the palpitations will lessen to a point when I will then be able to again ignore them? Please give me some advice about what next steps I should take. Any advice you have I would really appreciate. Thank you. :)

Hi geraniumgirl,

There is a probability you may have an overactive thyroid gland. Another possibility is an electrolytic imbalance. Have you had a blood test? Did the palpitations happen when monitored?

You should persist for results. The stress of not knowing aggravates a problem.

Kenkeith,

Thank you for that reply. I did have a thyroid test and it came back normal. I did have palpitations while wearing the holter monitor. I will contact my doctor so see what is up with my results.

Hey Geraniumgirl,

I am 45F and had some similar experience as you - anemic AND heart palpitations but I had an event that brought all that on - I also, couldn't handle atenelol - gave me a fierce headache but anyways, I started noticing the palpitations too and had one night where I wouldn't go to sleep because I was afraid I wouldn't wake up - when I spoke to my cardio about these he assured me that they are common and are nothing to worry about (I wore several types of monitors just for my own reassurance and they indulged me without question because they're "good" doctors). I'm sure your holter test will probably confirm this but bug'em again - it's too stressful not knowing what the heck is going on! They should have had the results in about a week. Make sure you push on this just for your own peace of mind.

By the way - I get the palpitations when near my cycle. I take iron when my cycle nears and they seem to help lesson the severity and since I know they're nothing to worry about I have them even less - maybe a couple here and there every month or so. Are you also aware of what not to have before and after taking the iron pills? It helps knowing this so you can be assured you're absorbing it properly. No coffee, milk or dairy at all for that matter 2 hours before or 1 hour after ingestion. Just in case you weren't aware of it - there's more too - just ****** it to find out the best way for absorption. I've read on this board that magnesium works too but I haven't tried that.

Hang in there - and hope you're feeling better ;)

Linda1962

Hey Geraniumgirl,

I am 45F and had some similar experience as you - anemic AND heart palpitations but I had an event that brought all that on - I also, couldn't handle atenelol - gave me a fierce headache but anyways, I started noticing the palpitations too and had one night where I wouldn't go to sleep because I was afraid I wouldn't wake up - when I spoke to my cardio about these he assured me that they are common and are nothing to worry about (I wore several types of monitors just for my own reassurance and they indulged me without question because they're "good" doctors). I'm sure your holter test will probably confirm this but bug'em again - it's too stressful not knowing what the heck is going on! They should have had the results in about a week. Make sure you push on this just for your own peace of mind.

By the way - I get the palpitations when near my cycle. I take iron when my cycle nears and they seem to help lesson the severity and since I know they're nothing to worry about I have them even less - maybe a couple here and there every month or so. Are you also aware of what not to have before and after taking the iron pills? It helps knowing this so you can be assured you're absorbing it properly. No coffee, milk or dairy at all for that matter 2 hours before or 1 hour after ingestion. Just in case you weren't aware of it - there's more too - just ****** it to find out the best way for absorption. I've read on this board that magnesium works too but I haven't tried that.

Hang in there - and hope you're feeling better ;)

Linda1962

Hi Linda1962: Thanks for sharing your similiar experiences with me. Now I know I am not alone! I will definitely "bug" my doctors about my ekg results for my own peace of mind!! I thought that "no news was good news" and that I was being a "good" patient by not "bugging" my doctors. Good that your palpitations have lessened! That is wonderful! Are you still on atenolol? Did you find out if the athenolol was causing the palpitations? I had the palpitations before the anemia diagnosis and they just worsened after the anemia diagnosis.

It seems taking the iron when your cycle nears is helping to lessen the severity of your palpitations. Good! I will watch out for that too. Thanks for reminding me to stay away from coffee, milk/dairy products 2 hours before or 1 hour after meals. I first found out about that from a guide called "Worst Pills, Best Pills: A Consumer's Guide to Avoiding Drug-Induced Death or Illness." It is an excellent guide to analyzing over 500 drugs and pills and their alternatives; I found my iron supplement (Ferrous Gluconate) listed in it. It was very helpful in how to use it/what not to take with it; adverse effects, etc. Thanks again for all of your input! Please continue to heal in your body and remain strong!