Heart skipping

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I went through a period of heart palpitations earlier this month, but I attributed that to the stress of having my refrigerator and car heater blower go on the fritz at the same time. Yesterday and today I am getting more heart flutters that started after I shoveled snow. No pain, though, but they make me feel out-of-breath. I don't drink coffee, but I do consume several large cups of tea a day, but nothing I haven't been doing right along.

I could go to urgent care, but I have been there many times before and the end result is always them saying to consult with my private doctor about any health problems. My doctor always takes an extended vacation over the Christmas season. Added to the fact that temps here are not going to get out of the single digits today and diving to below zero at night, and it's not going to get any better for at least a week, according to the forecast. Wind chill is also significant. Could the cold contribute to these symptoms?
 

The only time I knew that my heart skipped a beat is when I took my pulse with my fingers
on my wrist. So now I don't do that anymore. If it's skipping, I don't want to know it.
 

I asked my cardiologist about it and he said that unless there's chest pain with the skips, not to be too concerned.

A guy I used to work with had skips one day at work and he finally went to the ER. He came back all sheepish and said the doctor thought it was due to high caffeine - he drank about 6 "big gulp"-sized mugs of coffee at work every day. It finally caught up with him. He cut back on the strong coffee and straightened right out.
 
I went through that for quite a while. It nearly always happened when I was walking or otherwise exerting. I would get very woozy and feel like I was about to pass out for a few moments. I was given a hand-held monitor and told when I had palpitations I should open my shirt so I could put the monitor against my skin. Of course that went well at work.

I got a new PCP and one day I passed out in a print shop waiting for my order. They called an ambulance, but by the time the EMTs got there I had regained consciousness. The next day I went to see my new PCP who said my blood sugar was elevated and it was causing cardiac arrhythmia. I opted to change my diet and when I went back I was well within normal limits and no more arrhythmia.

Your doctor has someone who fills in for him when he's on vacation. Go see that person and get it taken care of. Who knows, his replacement might be better than your regular guy. It has been known to happen.
 
debodun said:
I asked my cardiologist about it and he said that unless there's chest pain with the skips, not to be too concerned.

A guy I used to work with had skips one day at work and he finally went to the ER. He came back all sheepish and said the doctor thought it was due to high caffeine - he drank about 6 "big gulp"-sized mugs of coffee at work every day. It finally caught up with him. He cut back on the strong coffee and straightened right out.
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There is medication for those flutters. They are disconcerting and should be alleviated in order for you to enjoy life.

Do not believe them when they tell you not to be concerned. I put up with the same nonsense for about 60 years. Then I saw a cardiologist who prescribed medication. They still occur but not to the same extent.

Get it checked out.
 
debodun said:
I went through a period of heart palpitations earlier this month, but I attributed that to the stress of having my refrigerator and car heater blower go on the fritz at the same time. Yesterday and today I am getting more heart flutters that started after I shoveled snow. No pain, though, but they make me feel out-of-breath. I don't drink coffee, but I do consume several large cups of tea a day, but nothing I haven't been doing right along.

I could go to urgent care, but I have been there many times before and the end result is always them saying to consult with my private doctor about any health problems. My doctor always takes an extended vacation over the Christmas season. Added to the fact that temps here are not going to get out of the single digits today and diving to below zero at night, and it's not going to get any better for at least a week, according to the forecast. Wind chill is also significant. Could the cold contribute to these symptoms?
Click to expand...

Yes cold weather does effect your heart. When temps get very cold the heart will beat faster so the body can shiver and sweat in an attempt to keep warm. Skipping heartbeats can be a symptom of mitral valve prolapse. Do you know if you have this? It's when the mitral valve doesn't close sufficiently and a little blood flow leaks out. It can be helped with medication.

Good luck.
 
I had some palpitations at times but I don't have a cardiologist like you do Deb, so I just started using Magnesium Citrate supplements daily and they help because the heart is a muscle and magnesium is for support and calming. Calcium does the opposite and makes muscles tense. But, since you've had some health issues in the past, I agree with Smiling Jane, it's best to see the doctor, if yours is on vacation, then there should be a replacement to see you during his absence.

In my opinion, it's better to come back sheepish due to caffeine like you mentioned with that other guy, or have a cardiac incident because you didn't get it checked out. Cold, shoveling snow and stress could contribute, but it's best to make sure there isn't a greater problem.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I had some palpitations at times but I don't have a cardiologist like you do Deb, so I just started using Magnesium Citrate supplements daily and they help because the heart is a muscle and magnesium is for support and calming. Calcium does the opposite and makes muscles tense. But, since you've had some health issues in the past, I agree with Smiling Jane, it's best to see the doctor, if yours is on vacation, then there should be a replacement to see you during his absence.

In my opinion, it's better to come back sheepish due to caffeine like you mentioned with that other guy, or have a cardiac incident because you didn't get it checked out. Cold, shoveling snow and stress could contribute, but it's best to make sure there isn't a greater problem.
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I strongly agree. As we age, we aren't bulletproof any more.
 
I think everybody gets those weird, kind of scary heart palpitations, where your heart seems to skip a beat or two or just jumps around in your heart. My sister had this happen but it didn't go away. Her hubby took her to emergency where gave her something that made her heart go back to normal. She also takes a medication for this. She was 68 when this happened, about 3 years ago.
 
I started to get palpitations about 10 years ago which rapidly became progressively debilitating. Including on several occasions, almost passing out. Fortunately one of the visiting consultants at my local hospital also happened to be the foremost heart surgeon in the UK who recommended a 'catheter ablation' procedure. Where they go into the heart with a laser to sever a few errant muscles. This wasn't entirely successful first time round but a second attempt appeared to do the trick. All totally free thanks to the NHS in the UK!
Now, 3 years later I have a steady heartbeat of around 90pm and am feeling fine and fit and looking forward to my 73rd birthday in 3 months time. And strangely enough,In spite of now living in the Scottish Highlands. The cold doesn't seem to affect my heart at all!
 
I had a bad case of those a few years ago in the middle of the night......scared me to death. I called my insurance company's nurse line; she asked me if I wanted her to call an ambulance. Then I was REALLY scared. I went to the ER, they slapped me in the hospital for two days and ran every test they could find to do.

The weird heartbeats were PVC's (Premature Ventricular Contractions), which are mostly harmless. Mine were harmless, just annoying. I cut down my caffeine and now I only have them occasionally. Knowing what they are takes the stress out of it.

It's not really a "skipped" beat; it's a weak beat followed by a premature strong beat.
 
I went through a period where my heart was acting funny, so I went to my PCP. He sent me to a cardiologist, who had me wear a Halter monitor for a week and keeping a journal. Every time my heart skipped or flipped, I had to make a note of it in the journal, including: date, time and activity.

The airline's doctor made me go get a stress test and that was followed by a heart catheterization. It showed that I was having bouts of PVC's, which stands for post ventricular contractions. He told me that there is nothing to worry about and that they are more of a nuisance than anything else. I take a pill once a day, Atenolol 25mgs. Normally, for me, they are brought on by stress. Being a pilot is a very stressful job, so I agreed with his findings. That was over 25 years ago. Since that time, I can report that all is well.
 
A number of years ago, I started having palpitations. I also had periods of increasing weakness and one time I almost passed out during the summer. I saw my doctor, who referred me to a cardiologist. I had quite a few tests and later learned that my atrial valve inside the heart didn't close properly, causing regurgitation of blood back into the heart when the valve was supposed to close completely. I got better by just improving my health habits. But I still have occasional palpitations sometimes.
 
A few years ago I was feeling weak and dizzy and I went to see my PCP. he drew some blood and sent it of to the lab. 2 hours later he informed me that I had a heart attack. I said, "No way. I had no pain at all", he explained about "silent" heart attacks.

6 months ago I was standing on a street corner waiting for the light to change. Out of the blue, WHAM ! It felt like I had been stabbed with a knife in my upper left chest. It drove me to my knees. The first responders gave me nitroglycerin on the spot and another one on the way to E.R. The pain went away. The cardiologist at E.R. said I was having a heart attack and I was soon in surgery where they placed some stents in my heart. I've been fine ever since but I now realize every day could easily be my last.

My suggestion ? Don't try to man up. If you suspect an unusual event, go to E.R., now ! good luck to you.
 
Telling patients that palpitations and skipping are harmless is nonsense.

If the heart isn't functioning properly it will harm you physically and maybe more importantly mentally.

Waiting for the next shoe to drop.
 

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