[nicky00]

I think the term for this is either palpitations or arythmyias.

I described it to a friend of mine who has palpitations...

' I put my hand out in front of me and quivered it like a horizontal fan, it fluttered like a butterflys wings. '

Thats how my heart felt. First I would feel my breath taken from me . Even before the breath taken i could feel the stage like a premoniton. As I felt as if I was catching my breath in a strong wind my heart would flutter.

I have heard some say they like the feeling. I do not like it at all . I find it really alarming to be honest.

I know this much..there are different reasons for this happening.

One friend who has a thyroid problem was told she drank too much tea.

The other friend was told it was not anything to worry about.

My worry is that over a week ago I could not relax and go to sleep without it happening quite a few times. Mostly it felt like it was about to happend, ie: I felt a pre fluttering a bit like a sneeze that amounts to nothing.

I felt so scared that I got up and decided to take an asprin as a half baked rhemedy to avoiding a heart attack.

I have had panic attacks in the past and this is not one I quite sure about that.

I have heard that women over 40 get these because of the lessening of oestrogen.

Of course I can go to the doctor and I will. I have a list that is quite long.

I always worry that I have to try to sound not like a paranoid lunatic so I tend to keep my appointments to something concrete and add all the things that have been queueing up in the appointment.

I wish I was one of those who felt comfortable popping round to the doctors when I felt like I needed to but to be honest I have never been able to ' just go' !.

It must be something to do with my upbringing. Its not a good trait espically now I have been diagnosed with lupus.

My question is this does anyone know why the heart flutters in a lupus scenario and does anyone else have a problem with just popping into the doctors even when friends tell you its legitimate.

Nicky

 

[peonyprincess]

What you need to do first and foremost is get yourself into the doctors and have your heart checked out. There are blood tests as well as xrays, ekg's as well as other tests to ensure that everything is okay. No it isn't normal for your heart to flutter like you have described. It could mean something like high bloodpressure, heart arrythmia, as well as a few others. Just get to a doctot ASAP!

As for not going to the doctor whenever...............he would probably feel better to see you in the office as opposed to your funeral all because you didn't want to bother him. Well guess what, that is what they do for a living. I realize you don't want to be called a whiner and all, but when one of your major organs is acting up, then you nave no choice.


Nancy

 

[Lill]

Palpitations

Hi Nicky,
I know just what you mean, I too have them on a regular basis, sometimes so strong that it takes my breath away and i can see my clothes fluttering, I actually hyperventilated big time on one occasion.
I like you feel uncomfortable about 'wasting time' at the doctors and usually go when I have a 'few' things or something that I feel would really 'justify' a visit to my GP, I think it has come from going such a lot over the past 3 years or so (usually with symptoms of fatigue and pains/swelling of the legs and ankles due to underactive thyroid) and feeling like a hypocondriac because my thyroxine levels come back within range and no alternative explanation/treatment is offered. I has only been this year that I had my first positive result for Lupus and I have yet to get my second test results.
I really do understand how you feel but this year has taught me to be more selfish and keep going back if the symptoms persist, I may feel a little uncomfortable about making repeated visits but I sure don't feel guilty any more.

 

[Surferboy]

Nicky, I'm newly diagnosed, but since I was I was getting some heart palpatations, and still am at times. I went to the GP who told me it was simply anxiety at being diagnosed blah blah blah.

But it now turns out that it may actually be pleurisy So I would definitely pop into your GP and tell him to check you out properly.

Also, have a look at my thread on chest pains and another thread titled "Possible Pericarditis" - which is in this section. I hope these will also be of some help.

 

[Sage Hen]

Hi Nicky,

Yes, I get the heart flutters and palpatations. I know, it is what I am feeling, and do tend to just let it go..hoping it will pass, and not happen again.

For me, I am terrifed, of being sent to a cardio and being put on the treamill for the test, because, I know..I would end up, flat on my face or since, I have bad arteries, have a heart attack on the spot. ( although, I suppose..it would be the best place to have one).

I do think the estrogen link makes a lot of sense, and I am not sure about the lupus link. Other's here..will know much more.

I do feel for you..It is a bit frightening, while it is happening.

I hope, it doesn't happen to you again. Have you have your heart and arteries checked, just to be on the safe side?

Best Wishes,
Sandy

 

[nicky00]

Thanks all for the advice and information...
Gratefully received and taken on board.


I need kick the P into touch re Prioritising....

Any helpful feedback from the doctor ..I will post on here.

Nicky

 

[Clare.T]

Hello Nicky

There are so many possible reasons for it so I am glad you are mentioning it to your doctor. I get this when I am very tired and or extremely stressed or if I have drunk strong real coffee. It happens too when I am very anxious and I had it recently a few weeks after starting a certain medicine. When I looked the medicine up on line I saw this can be a side effect. Doc advised halving the dose and the rapid beating stopped but drug was still effective. Never any chest pain.
It's most likely to be nothing serious but you never know.

I don't have any trouble going to the doctor but just because I would rather make a fool of myself by asking about it than make a permanent fool by neglecting something that could easily have been put right. That outweighs my fear of there being something horribly wrong. Also I would rather know any grim news than worry myself sick. I must say my doctor never ridicules my concerns.

Also my mother often didn't want to "bother" the doctor and several times ended up really ill because of it. Strangely enough she was also a sort of hypochondriac from time to time. She'd read about hard to define and diagnose illnesses like SAD and decide she had them and the depression diagnosis she already had for years was wrong.

My father didn't go to doc although he could scarcely walk until my mother threatened to leave him if he didn't. He thought he was suffering from old age although he was only in mid 50's. It turned out that he had hardly any red blood cells from pernicious anemia. This was quickly corrected but his heart, being a muscle, was permanently damaged because of it and he died much younger than he should.

Lert us know what the doc says and good luck.

Hugs
Clare

 

[nicky00]

Thanks Claire

Hugs
Nicky

 

[KarolH]

Nicky00,

Just my 2 cents for whatever it is worth, maybe you should ask for a event monitor. You wear this and anytime you have a issue you push a button and it records the event.

It is a little different than a holter monitor as you wear this for 24 hours and if nothing happens in those 24 hours then you still do not have answers.

Kindly keep us posted as to how you get along.:wink2:

 

[cad]

Hi Nicki,
Yes you should definately go to mthe docs ASAP.
I have been funny about leaving ailments and things until a few have built up and seems worthwhile or just grinning and bearing it. That is until the ailments started to be occuring symtoms of my disease. Now I am taking it much more seriously and i really think you should too. You need to give your doc the chance to say he is not concerned and not think that he won't be before you even get there!
Karol's idea about the cardiac even monitor is good aswell, my mum in law has heart problems and has had erythmia and has been given them a few times to monitor heart rhythm over 24 hrs. But am not sure what the criteria is for being given one.

I hope you get this sorted out as soon as possible.

Good Luck

Take Care

Cassie

 

[cemc]

I have a friend with atrial fibrillation (the top chambers of her heart do that fluttering thing) and it took her several visits to the doctor before they finally caught it happening on ECG. Definitely worth getting checked out properly, and if he doesn't see anything the first time, just keep going back, if necessary to emergency so they can do the ECG while it is actually happening. Now my friend has it diagnosed she is on appropriate medication and its made a lot of difference to her - it even affects the quality of her sleep as well as energy levels.

 

[nicky00]

Thanks Cemc all you said taken on board.

My quality of sleep is really up and down.


Nicky

 

[nicky00]

Just an up date..

The fluttering has ceased........when I look back I do realise it was stress related.

Naughty me still hasnt got to the docs...but when I do I will mention it.

Thanks for all the info and advice

 

[karenj7777]

Nicky,
Everyone's right, get it checked though it's probably benign. Since my valves have changed I get the flutters or hard beats depending on where my BP is. Also, when my anemia and potassium are off the occur more often so get those checked as well. Let us know what you hear. Good luck.

 

[nicky00]

Thanks Karen

Yes I will get it checked despite everything. Im going to take it off my procrastination list.

Rhumie first this thursday ( no vote of confidence with him)

Then will phone for a GP appointment.

Thanks
Nicky

 

[karenj7777]

Does your rheumie get not vote b/c he doesn't listen or just past experiences?

 

[nicky00]

Karen
A bit of both....

His information and guidence was on his terms only and mostly dismissive.
He is gradually coming round to see some of the points I am putting forward.

Progress is slow and last time made more of an effort to at try and answer questions he was not sure about!!

Nicky

 

[karenj7777]

Hope it goes better. Lupus is hard b/c it affects so many organ/systems and drs for example a cardiologist knows the heart but not lupus. So, I've found it's a lot of research on your own and finding a rheum who can admit he needs to learn about something before treating it. Not sure how that compares with your experience. Good luck.

 

[nicky00]

Karen

Yes for the specialist areas eg the heart you need to have a Rhumie who at least is open to referring you for tests or even better has enough knowledge to know about specific symptoms.

Unfortunately some do not seem to know enough and are lack in an open minded approach.

Its alarming to think that this potentially is a multi organ disease but the Rhumies cant possibly specialise in all the areas.

 

[Raglet]

umm, I tend to go to a doctor to ask them what they know rather than to tell them what I know.

While internet research can aid us in being informed patients, we also need to be aware that we don't have medical degrees.

hope your heart settles down, if not see a doc

cheers

raglet