Rapid Heart Beat??

[Freddie]

I have never felt this before.
Woke this morning feeling as if my heart was trying to bust through my chest..holy crap.
It's later in the afternoon now and I still have this sensation occasionally. I can't tell you how long it lasted this morning, but this afternoon it's just a couple of minutes give or take.

The past 72 hours have been an emotional roller-coaster. From being happy and relieved to obsolete frustrated, pissed off and right down angry.

I've tried to relax, deep breathing and keeping my mind occupied, but these stressful emotions keep creeping in and can feel my heart beating faster trying to bust out.
Could this be a-fib or something else I'm feeling (besides stress)

Should I confront the situation or do as I'm doing trying to suppress these emotions/feelings? I am trying to "just let go" but it's hard.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[nngbwh]

Have you checked your blood pressure just to make sure its normal range.

 

[Freddie]

Nelson, I don't have BP device, but my pulse seems to be normal during these 'episodes".

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Freddie,

Could it be stress related, such as an anxiety attack?

I have both a-fib and a-flutter on occation. The doctors say that since I already take coumadin, then I am protected from clotting.
However, if it continues for more than 24 hours, then I need to go to the hosptial and have them take care of it. Most of the time, they can fix it with an intravenus medication, but one time I had to be cardioverted.

Good luck, I hope that it gets better!

Rob

 

[Freddie]

Thanks Rob, I'm hoping it's just stress related. Never thought of a anxiety attack......it could be that too. I'll look into that, thanx

 

[Bina]

Girlfriend, you gotta relax......if you let yourself get wound up like a tight spring, then for sure something has to give.
Did your doc ever suggest a low dose of Ativan to get through these stress attacks?
Or meditation, or yoga classes ?

 

[pat45750]

Hi I would give my doctor's office a call and talk to the nurse. If it is stress, maybe your family doctor can give you some xanex. It is always good to check these things out when they haven't happened before. Good Luck. Pat

 

[Eva]

Freddie,

I hope you are feeling better by now. In case this happens again, it will be helpful to keep a record of your heart rate and the duration of these episodes.

This is what Mayo Clinic says: "For an adult, a normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats a minute. "

You may read more here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-rate/AN01906

Keep us posted.

 

[nate_c]

Sorry to hear about your abnormal beats. What you describe sounds very much like what I experienced when I started having afib episodes. Not only did I feel like my heart was beating out of my chest, my wife could actually see my chest moving strangely, especially when I was lying on my back. I hear some people aren't even aware of afib episodes, and I find that amazing. I knew exactly when each episode started and ended. When I'd take my bp with my home monitor during episodes, it was often normal, but my hr reading would bounce around randomly anywhere from 100 to 170. (Resting HR is usually in the upper 60s these days, about 2 months after surgery.)

More recently, I had fewer episodes of afib, but often had strings of PVCs in the evenings. I think these are called couplets and triplets. This also felt like my heart was beating too strong and at the wrong times, but, for me, these beats have are noticeably different than afib.

If you think it may be afib, you should probably get an EKG done ASAP, since prolonged afib can raise the risk of stroke. My cardio was able to diagnose my afib in about 5 minutes...

 

[nate_c]

Oh, and one other thing: I was told that stress can trigger more PVCs. I don't know if that's true for afib.

 

[Mileena46]

Freddie,

One way to tell if you are in A-Fib....is not how fast your heart is beating, but how regular are the beats. For instance...if you are getting a regular beat that you can count your pulse.....like this: 1..2..3..4..5..6..7..8 etc ....that would not be A-Fib...no matter how many BPM! With A-Fib..it kind goes like this: 1..2..345..6..7.8910..11..12..1314..and so on!

Dont know if you can follow that...but its the only way for ME to know if I am in A-Fib.

Mileena

 

[Freddie]

Thanks everyone. Spent about 5 hours in the ER yesterday. It was PVC's and stress related. I was given an anti-anxiety pill of some sort and kept me there until it took effect. Talked to someone about the situation and suggested to "remove myself from the hole ordeal" and gave me an extra pill to take home.

About 70% better today, but had to take that extra pill.
On the flip side, I'll be good as new real soon and I'm not going crazy.
(((hugs))) to all

 

[nngbwh]

Thanks for the update Freddie. Glad you're feeling better today. Take a deep breath and relax don't let little things bother you.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Stress is a known trigger for arrhythmias (along with caffeine and others).

You may want to ask your Doc(s) about 'walking it off' or doing other exercises.

Do you have a Dog? Walk and Pet a Dog (2 in 1 stress reliever

Hope you can get things under control.

'AL'

 

[ski girl]

This was happening to me one week post-op - resting HR once hit 110 and twice 150 and all three times I went back to the hospital. It only did this when I was either asleep or resting!! The first two trips back to the hospital my heart had calmed down by the time I got there, but the third time I proudly displayed a heart rate of 150 and atrial flutter.

The next day I had an echo and while that was happening I launched into ventricular bigeminy - I felt like a cardiology textbook!!

I'm now on amioderone which regulates my heart rate and has brought my resting heart rate down to mid-60s (had been 90 post-op). I still get funny things occasionally but I don't worry anymore, I get that my heart is not thrilled about being stopped, cut open, getting parts removed and replaced by other parts, and having who knows how many needle sticks with the stitches. But then I'm only four weeks post-op . . . .

I think it's always best to call your doctor, they are qualified to know whether what is happening is OK or not. Don't worry about bothering them, just think about how much they charged you (or your insurance company) and pick up the phone if you're worried!!