Update on my heart palpitations

Jen, wearing the heart monitor is like wearing a bra. At least the one I wore was it is a band that goes around your rib cage just under the breast it is a little uncomfortable at first but it is possible to forget you are wearing it. My heart did the same thing when I first got sick with RA in fact I was having dizzy spells because my heart rate would speed up so much it lowered my blood preasure. Other times I could feel it skip beats. They never did diagnosis it but it went away completely when I was given medication for the RA. Since Crohns is also an AI I guess it isn't surprising to have overlapping symptoms.

Anyway, I hope they get to the bottom of your problem very quickly and you start feeling better.
Sj

Jennifer, I am sorry you are going through all this.

I have had atrial fibrillation and it is scary. It is actually an electrical problem in the heart. So, after many tests, they told that my heart is fine and healthy overall. I was apparently born with this little defect. It can cause problems, but it was brought under control and I am fine now. I just have to be aware for if it, should happen again.

As for the monitor, I had to wear it for several days. I was given instructions for placing these pads on me in several areas like an EKG. Then I would connect the leads to these pads. Everything was being recorded on a little machine similar to a pager that I hooked on my pants or wore in my pocket. Each time I felt something odd, I was to push a button on the little machine and write down what I was doing at the time. After three incidents, I was to call in and someone asked me questions related to the odd beating/what I was doing. Sometimes, the monitor would go off on its own signaling an issue and I was to record what I was doing during that time. It was pretty simple, yet annoying to wear all the time, especially at night. Afterward, the doctor followed up with me about the results.

I wish you well and I hope that your doctors can figure out what is going on with you soon. I know how scary and stressful it can be. You might want to look up arrythmia's on line and see if any of them help describe what you are going through. Of course, this might just scare the heck out you too, so it is just an thought. Sometimes being well informed helps calm one's fears.

Thanks everyone, sometimes it all just gets to be too much. The thought of having to go through more tests, and playing the waiting game for a new diagnosis just gets overwhelming. As if having Crohn's isn't bad enough. I wondered how it would be trying to sleep with this monitor on. Doesn't sound all that comfortable to begin with. But I get a lot of my palpitations at night, or during naps, so it's a must to try and catch it then.

sjkly, that is really interesting that you got those symptoms before being diagnosed with RA. Wonder if there is a real connection there? It wouldn't surprise me at all if it ALL ties in to auto immune disorders. I also have Interstitial cystitis, and I understand that is also a AI. Guess were just prone to these.

SR559. thanks for the link! It's good to know there are a lot of reasons this could be happening, and it doesn't have to be something really bad. But mine are similar to what you describe having. Moments of where it feels like it's beating too fast. My family believes mine are related to stress, anxiety, and maybe even not eating right. I'm good at skipping meals, especially if I have somewhere important to go. Don't want Crohn's making it so I have to stay in the bathroom.

homeschoolmom- Hey I'm a homeschool Mom too! :) Funny you mentioned stomach ulcers. I get a lot in indigestion, and I know for fact I've had some palpitations on those nights when my stomach is upset. So that might be a connection there too. So many things can that can cause it I guess!

If skipping meals triggers the wacky heart rhythm, I'd guess it to be related to electrolyte imbalance and dehydration (plus a little low blood sugar thrown in for good measure). As for how uncomfortable the heart monitor is, I got used to it pretty quickly. Most difficulty I had with the monitor was keeping it from falling and hitting the floor when I was in the restroom at work LOL! I hope the monitor is able to tell your doctor what's going on. Good luck,

Hey Jen,

I just went through a whole heart workup at my cardiologist's office. I've had heart palpitations all my life. Sometimes they take my breath away! Sometimes I'm very aware of the fact that my heart is beating. Like I can feel it beating when I'm driving or working...like it's going to come right out of my chest! Sometimes it feels like my heart stops beating. And occasionally I'll have a small chest pain...it was for all those reasons I had the total heart workup but it turns out all is well with my heart. Here's what I went through for my peace of mind:

I had an EKG. It was fine. EKG's only show what's going on RIGHT THEN at that point in time when you're all hooked up.

I had a Stress Test. The kind where you get hooked up to a monitor and walk on a treadmill not the injection kind. My heart rate went up a a bit too quickly to my target heart rate but that's because I'm terribly out of shape!!! I haven't exercised in, well...WAY too long. Not GOOD exercise, anyway. So I wasn't surprised when I got tired out within 6 mintues of being on the treadmill!

Then I wore a heart monitor for the next 24 hours. The monitor I wore was like a beeper that I wore clipped to my belt and it was attached to wires that were taped to my chest, just like an EKG. The monitor ended up showing 2 little skipped beats during a 24 hour period which was nothing, according to the cardiologist. The monitor is annoying to wear but it's not that bad. There's also a button you can press when you feel like you're having the palpitations so they can see when YOU thought you were having them and then compare that to what your heart was actually doing at that moment in time.

Then I had an Echocardiogram, an ultrasound of my heart. That took about 30 minutes. They also record the beating of your heart with this, too. The cardiologist told me my Echo was PERFECT.

I DID just find out my iron is low (very low) and it turns out that LOW IRON can cause the feeling of "being aware that your heart is beating". I read that on a web site about low iron. Who would have thought low iron could cause that feeling?!

Your heart palpitations could be absolutely NOTHING. So don't be scared!

When my iron is low I get Tachycardia google it

Thanks again everyone, all of your stories and info is a great help (and helps me to relax a bit)! My blood tests so far have all come back normal. I too thought at first it was anemia. I've had trouble dealing with that in the past. But my doctor claims my levels are fine. I also wonder if it could be some kind of vitamin deficiency. I've had low levels of potassium many times, but I'm sure that would have showed on my blood tests as well?

I'm doing better today, I ate a decent breakfast, and I'm trying to drink more water. I think this will help alone. I'm also trying to relax and not be stressed out, I really need to find ways to handle stress better in general. Maybe I should take up yoga!

Kittkatt- I'm sooooo out of shape too. I haven't been in good shape for quite a long time. But it really took a nose dive when I had my GI bleed and took a year to recover from such terrible anemia. Seems like ever since then it's been really bad. I try to exercise but get out of breath and tired pretty quick! So I guess I need to start off slow and progress from there.

I still haven't heard back from the cardiologist office yet. I called and left yet another message, just to schedule this monitor! I used to work there and I know how they are. They are terrible about calling people back, and love just sending you to a machine for everything. So until I get in I'm going to try and alter some things with my lifestyle and see if I can get them stop on my own here.