About 8 years ago (when I was 30-31) I was having heart palpitations on a fairly regular basis - got to maybe 5 or 10 times per day, maybe more. I ended up eventually going a little nuts over it and went to the ER two days in a row. Everything checked out, but they referred me to a cardiologist who did an Echo(?) and said everything looked fine. I never went on any meds and after going on a low-carb diet (which I still do for the most part), they pretty much went away.

I say pretty much because every once in a while (every few days to few months) I get some. They aren't always in the same pattern. Usually it's just one or two, but on a couple of occasions it's been more. Last November I had them every 10-60 seconds for a good 30 minutes, maybe a little more. Then again yesterday, I got a whole bunch right at once. It was like my heart was being pummelled over and over. It must have lasted only 5-10 seconds, but these palpitations were "stronger" then any others I've experienced. This of course made me feel uneasy and I sat down and rested a bunch. I felt a few more very week palpitations a few minutes later, but then nothing since then. This was yesterday around 5pm.

Anyway, I guess I'm just looking for some perspective here. My mom has had heart palpitations for 20+ years so perhaps this is genetic, and the fact that it hasn't done anything to her other than scare her when it happens makes me feel a bit better - not that gets scared of course :) but that there's been no other serious issues related to her heart.

The doc I saw for the echo said that I should stay away from alcahol and caffein, which I do, but I have been eating some chocolate recently so perhaps that is a factor, and to keep up regular exercise - which I need to do a better job with. I weigh probably 25-30lbs less than when I was initially having the symptoms though eight years ago. I could probably afford to drop another 10-20lbs, but I'm unconvinced if this will do anything for these seeminly random incidents.

Do any of you have any insights into palpitations? How have you dealt with yours if they are not related to other heart issues? Should I be concerned at all about the ones that happen for longer periods or the ones that are pretty strong?

Thanks!

Hi,

I understand what you are feeling because I have been have having palpitations too but with me being diagnosed with anemia recently I am not sure if that is what is aggrevating my palpitations. I am trying to get some answers from my doctor. I think it is great that you had your heart checked out and it is fine. I think it is wonderful that you stayed off of the medications. I started with a beta blocker 1 1/2 years ago for high blood pressure and wish I could some day get off of that. I think it is great that you exercise eventhough you have palpitations. You mention that your mom has had palpitations for 20 years and she is fine. That is wonderful and very reassuring to know. Please keep up the positive attitude.

Hi,

I understand what you are feeling because I have been have having palpitations too but with me being diagnosed with anemia recently I am not sure if that is what is aggrevating my palpitations. I am trying to get some answers from my doctor. I think it is great that you had your heart checked out and it is fine. I think it is wonderful that you stayed off of the medications. I started with a beta blocker 1 1/2 years ago for high blood pressure and wish I could some day get off of that. I think it is great that you exercise eventhough you have palpitations. You mention that your mom has had palpitations for 20 years and she is fine. That is wonderful and very reassuring to know. Please keep up the positive attitude.

From what I recall the doctor said that a lot of people have them in a benign form (I assume there are also forms that are not benign). Back then I was not really anti-med at all and so asked about meds to handle it and he asked if I really wanted to go on meds for the rest of my life. He said other than the annoyance of having this happen once in a while, there was nothing dangerous about the palpitations. Since then I've become much more weary about going on meds for anything unless it's absolutely necessary. I have had pre-hypertension which I've treated with more natural things effectively. I generally think at this point that there are things you can do in terms of diet and exercise and lifestyle way before you put meds in your system which you really don't know how they will effect you long term...

Have you noticed they increase or occur when your cycle is near? That's when mine occur. I make sure my iron and minerals are up near my cycle and that pretty much made them go from severe to hardly ever there anymore. No one in my family has had them so I don't know that genetics play into it but definitely much more common than I ever thought AND can be aggravated by our hormone levels or so it seems.

Hope this helps a little :angel: