question about palpitations - Heart Disorders Message Board

twins2sets · 06-10-2004, 10:45 PM

Hi, I am a 36 year old female with a heart murmur. I just got an echo done to check out my murmur and don't have the results back yet. Anyway, I also get palpitations. I've been getting them for years but they are more frequent lately. My heart speeds up and then "flutters", and when this happens I get very short of breath. While my heart is fluttering, it kind of forces me to breathe out sharply, and it's hard to breathe in.

Is this a normal palpitation? Do most people with palpitations have the breathing problem?

abbygirl2 · 06-11-2004, 04:38 PM

I am probably not a good one to compare with because I actually have a heart condition, but I get it all, I get all kinds of flutters, flip flops, feeling like my heart is going to stop etc. About a week ago I went to the ER with exactly as you are describing, shortness of breath, having to force a breath out with the flutters. I described it as a feeling of having my breath stolen suddenly.
Ugh, it made me feel so horrible. Because of my condition I don't fool around with new symptoms and went to have them checked out. Everything was alright, they hooked me up to all the monitors and watched me for about an hour. I was getting all kinds of these weird flutters during this time and the Dr said they were not serious. My heart wasn't doing anything funky so-to-speak. MY BP and heartrate were good.
Its amazing how your heart can make you feel, but rest assured, it sounds normal.

Hope the echo results are normal, the waiting can be very stressful, I know.
Did you tell your Dr how you were feeling? Best to talk to him about it, but I just wanted to let you know what the Dr told me.

Take care
Abby

Lostdog · 06-11-2004, 05:32 PM

If all comes back well regarding your heart(I hope it does

) , you may want to look into having your thyroid checked.This is a common symptom for thyroid problems.Good Luck to you.

cgcamille · 06-12-2004, 08:06 AM

Hi. I too have heart flutters. As a matter of fact mine have been occuring every day now for about 11 months. I feel mine most of the time when I am lying down resting at night. However during the time it is fluttering (for about a minute or two) I don't get short of breath or anything. I try to relax when it happens because if you don't you might start feeling panicky (like having a panic attack) and this may be what is making you short of breath. I would advise you to wait on your results from the echo and talk to your doctor. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Right now I am feeling like no matter what these flutters are going to happen because mine haven't stopped even though the doctor increased my medicine, I stopped having caffienated drinks, limiting alcohol etc.. They STILL happen. I was diagnosed with mild mitral valve prolapse and am taking a beta blocker (40 mg of nadolol) nightly but they still occur. It is really aggravating but I am trying to keep educated about this by reading books on MVP and constantly keeping in touch with my cardiologist. Good Luck with your test results.

abbygirl2 · 06-12-2004, 08:30 PM

The frustrating thing about these skipped beats as I find there aer so many different kinds and many people feel them differently. Mine began quite subtly, not too bothersome. Then I was given Atenolol and they disappeared only to come on real strong in the past year. And I am getting new and scarier feelings too. My mom gets them(and she doesn't have a heart condition), and she says she feels them in her throat(like a flutter). I have never felt them in my throat but mine have been so severe and forceful they actually cause my chest to ache. I have had these all recorded via Holter and they always check out as 'normal'. Recently they have been getting worse and I feel lightheaded and flushed etc...I hate them, but have to put up with them...what other options are there? I know it is hard not to freak out when your heart feels funky, but many many people suffer from these too, the best you can do is like the above poster said, cut out caffeine, limit alcohol, tobacco, etc. If you complain enough about them, most Dr's will prescribe you a beta blocker or something else for it. It doesn't always help though.

Hope this helps,
take care
Abby