Palpitations during exercise

[wgreene]

I had an AVR in June. Found out last April I was in severe aortic stenosis when I went to cardio doc for palpitations during exercise. Had several, they were not concerned about it then due to the concern of stenosis. Since surgery I had a couple in Oct (one at gym, one in normal activity). Today I had one while running on the treadmill. This is not something new, I have been on the treadmill and other cardio equipment for a while. I was not wearing a HR monitor because I lost mine last week and waiting for a new one one to come it that I ordered. So I do not know how high my HR went, but I could tell it was really high. In the past it would go from 140 to 200 in a few seconds, I get a little light headed.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

 

[SumoRunner]

If it's tachycardia, you should get it checked out again. You may need an ablation. If it's skipped beats (PVCs) decaffeinate now! The irregular beats are most often caused by stimulants, caffeine being the most prominent, and exacerbated with exercise. If I drank a lot of coffee, i'd skip every third beat. A cup of tea, then once every 20 seconds or so. If I can avoid caffeine altogether, nothing.

 

[drivetopless]

I would call the cardiologist on Monday and let him know if you haven't already. He might need to do a Holter monitor to see if your heart is beating irregularly at other times.

I had something similar -- sustained heart racing up and down between 140- 200 bpm. When it did this, I felt like I was flushing and going to faint. I ended up needing medication to manage it and will have an ablation in the near future to get off the meds. Also needed warfarin to prevent blood clots (but was on that for mechanical valve so no big change there) from the irregular heart beat.

Keep us posted!

 

[Sarah_Louise]

I did, but was near enough constant no matter what i was doing, and i was diagnosed with sinus tachicardia (heart rate was doing anything between 120 and 190) and i was started on a beta blocker, this has helped a little but i still get episodes of it at least once a day,
Good luck!
Love Sarah xxxx

 

[wgreene]

If it's tachycardia, you should get it checked out again. You may need an ablation. If it's skipped beats (PVCs) decaffeinate now! The irregular beats are most often caused by stimulants, caffeine being the most prominent, and exacerbated with exercise. If I drank a lot of coffee, i'd skip every third beat. A cup of tea, then once every 20 seconds or so. If I can avoid caffeine altogether, nothing.

Thanks for the reply. I have cut back on caffeine (1 cup coffee in the morning). And I have worn a Holter monitor in the past with no results. But my question is how do you know your heart is skipping a beat? I have uses a stethescope and listened for a minute or two (normal conditions) and everything sounds fine.

 

[Bina]

When the heart rate suddenly speeds up to between 150 and 190 beats per minute,
that is usually SVT (supra-ventricular-tachycardia) which occurs in the atria. My episodes have even occured
when I have been sound asleep and awakened with a HR of 170.

If the HR is over 200 bpm and somewhat irregular, that can be A-Fib (atrial fibrillation) and can cause
pooling of the blood in the heart and clots which will require anticoagulants.

When you feel like your heart is "skipping" a beat, most of the time it isn't. The rate is usually good, but 2 beats
are very close together, so then the next beat seems like it is after a pause, but in reality it isn't.
These can be PVC (premature ventricular contractions) or PAC (premature atrial contractions) and are usually
benign but very annoying. Sometimes changing your position, coughing hard, or bearing down will relieve them.

 

[haggis basher]

HI All
I don't suffer from heart palpitations, but I do have a very irregular heart - beat, and felt like faining many times a day! I am 6months after AVR (tissue).
I saw my cardiologist last week. He has taken me off my blood pressure tablets, and put me on Magnesium ones. I was a long-distance runner before my op, but find it hard now to get my 'aerobic' capacity back! (age 71)
I am going on heart-monitor for the day early next month. He has told me to keep jogging, and see if difference with magnesium. I must admit I seem to run for a little further than before.
See Ya
Brian

 

[wgreene]

Thanks everyone for the replay. Cardio doc put me on a Holter monitor and determined I have PVST (forget all the med terms). She put me on some med to try and get it under control. If that does not work then I will have to have a procedure, something about going up and killing off the extra electrode in my heart. Or something like that.

 

[Bill B]

You mean PSVT or Paroxysmal (comes and goes rapidly) Supraventricular Tachycardia.