Im just curious, apparently heart palpatations can be or are normal in pregnancy and in the child baring years. I get them and have had a 24-hour holter monitor before and have been told I get benign pvc's (premature ventricular contractions-aka-heart flutters, palpatations, what ever you want to call them.) They drive me nuts! They come more frequently now that I am pregnant again and it does not feel normal to me. Does any body else have these? I would like to have some people to discuss with who do have them so that I feel better about it. The worst part is I am a nurse and I should except it, and medically I do, but as a moral human being they scare the hell out of me. Any thoughts or venting appreciated! ↓
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Name: Dia | Date: Feb 5th, 2006 9:08 PM
HI Ashley. I am glad you asked this post. I have been getting heart palpitations for awhile now since being pregnant and they are pretty scary! I asked my doctor about them and she told me it was my anxiety and tried to put me on zoloft...which I really didn't want to do while pregnant. I did try it, but it made me horrible ill after only about 6 days. I still get them (just got them a couple of hours ago!). I have kind of learned to expect them and as long as they don't last long I just try to ignore it. ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 5th, 2006 9:49 PM
Hi Dia, im glad you responded. I know they can become worse by anxiety and its a viscous cycle, but I think you made the right choice by not taking the zoloft any more while pregnant. I know your heart works harder while pregnant, but they are sooo scary. Feels like my heart is litterally flipping around in my chest for a second.... ↑
Name: TM | Date: Feb 6th, 2006 12:16 AM
Ashley,I have them too, but I have never been diagnosed with it. I can just tell sometimes that my heart feels like it sped up for a few beats. I am a nurse too, in critical care, and i see them all the time on a monitor, but its scary when they happen to you! Mine does not happen often, or for any particular reason. But really I had this before I was pregnant from time to time. However the palpatations does not seem to be any worse than before pregnancy for me. ↑
Name: Em | Date: Feb 6th, 2006 3:21 AM
Hi Ashley, I'm so glad i found your post! I got them too, at least in my first trimester for sure - they scared the hell out of me too, especially because otherwise i'm really fit and healthy...They put the holter on me too for a day, which recorded some more of them, so then i had to in for a heart u/s, which was actually done by the heart specialist at the hospital...He said my heart looked perfectly normal - sure hope so after years of serious exercise and healthy eating! - and that he would actually expect a faster resting heart rate from someone at this stage in their pregnancy...In the end he concluded that my 'trachiarrhythmia" (sp?) must be of psychological origin, ie. anxiety...This made more sense to me as well, because i tend to worry about stuff quite a bit, i did especially in the beginning! So, I'm pretty sure you are the same, I don't even think about them anymore, I can't even feel them and they don't influence my life in any way...so my advice to you is try to not think about them, relax, and I'm sure you'll be fine! ↑
Name: Brooke | Date: Feb 6th, 2006 6:37 AM
Hi Ashley. I am a nurse also! I was dx with atrial flutter 2 years ago, but stopped taking medication last spring following a m/c. I have not had any symptoms until recently. I am 18.3 weeks now. My ob said if the palpitations were going to return, it would probably be in my second trimester. Low and behold, he was right. It is due to the increased blood production and dilation of blood vessels during pregnancy. ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 6th, 2006 8:35 AM
wow! glad to know I am not alone! I also had an echocardiogram and my heart too appeared healthy and normal. I was told mine had to be anxiety in orgin, but when I wake up out of a dead sleep from one, makes me think otherwise. One of my nursing instructors in school had said to look into wolfe-parkinsons-white syndrom, but so far I haven't because they can't do a whole lot while pregnant, and I didn't have insurance that covered very well then. ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 6th, 2006 10:07 AM
Hi Brooke, what were your ssx of atrial flutter? How did they dx it? Some times I wonder if in addition to PVC's and PAC's if I don't have something like that because now and again my heart speeds up, but it stops pretty quick so I never am able to catch it when at the drs. Its very frustrating. What med did they have you on for a-flutter? I was on effexor for a while for the anxiety attacks i would get from getting the palpatations. I think it was a nasty circle because they both caused each other. PVC-anxiety attack-more PVC's-more anxiety. The effexor seemed to work well, but the side effects I didn't like so eventually went off of it. I don't want to be taking anything while pregnant. sighhhhhh they seem to be getting more frequent and I hate them! I want to scream. ↑
thank goodness i'm not alone! i suffered from anxiety problems for several years but never wanted to go on meds and i guess i worked through them on my own. but since i've been pregnant w/ my second baby, i've been having CRAZY heart palps, which of course only manifest through anxiety! i just tell myself that it's only a panic attack and wait for it to pass basically. i actually palpitated regularly for about 6 hours the other day (was 1st day back to a job i am miserable in after a month of being laid off) so i definitely contribute that reaction to panic!!! i have always refused meds, and esp. would never take any being preg. i'm 23 weeks now and they have definitely increased from 1st trimester to this one. ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 8th, 2006 11:29 AM
i dont know what it is. They say anxiety, but my anxiety never started until I started experiencing heart palps... sucks. ↑
Name: Heather | Date: Feb 8th, 2006 2:27 PM
I get them too especially when I lie down
it is like a flutter almost takes your breath away, I just started getting them agoan in
my 2nd trimester am 15 1/2 weeks, used to have panic attacks but hae not had them in years. Is very scary ↑
Name: val | Date: Feb 9th, 2006 4:16 PM
I was diagnosed with PVC's and PAC's about 3 years ago, and have been taking 25mg of Toprol XL daily to help control them, since finding out. The medicine helped quite a bit, I would only have them once in a while, more when I was anxious about something. When I first got pregnant, I noticed I started having them quite a bit again, but the farther along in this pregnancy I get, the less and less I have them. I have only had it happen a couple times in the last couple months actually. I am 31 weeks. My dr. said they will happen more often during pregnancy, so I didn't worry about it. They are annoying, but nothing to be alarmed about. I am still on the Toprol, my dr. said it's safe to take during pregnancy, so that is still helping keep them under control even though I am pregnant. My SIL took Toprol all throughout her pregnancy and her little boy is perfect as can be. I was very scared when I first found out the feeling I was feeling was a problem with my heart...but when my dr. explained that they can't lead to more serious problems like heart failure or heart attacks or anything like that, that they are just an annoyance, I accepted the fact that I get them and went on with my life. They are definately annoying though, no doubt about that! :o) ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 9th, 2006 6:40 PM
Heather have you talked to your doctor about it? I counted them the last few days and the ones that are really uncomfortable (almost take your breath away) were like 10-15 a day! Various times a day. I hate them. My husband says I should have a second opinion, but what can they do now. ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 9th, 2006 6:44 PM
val-thanks for your input.... I should ask about being on toporol. They tried way back when to put me on an anti-anxiety and I felt honestly that it helped, but they have slowly come back and they feel so un-natural. Its nice to have people to talk about it with though. Its nice to know that I am not alone. Thank you every one fory our responses. ↑
Name: grace | Date: Feb 9th, 2006 10:21 PM
Hi, I also have been worried about all the strange heart symptoms I seem to be getting. My pulse rate has gone up quite high, and I get fluttering feelings also in my chest. It feels like my heart speeds up and flutters around, and I get nervous its considering stoping.. Then it goes away. I didnt get this with my first pregnancy, but I also have indesgestion for the first time ever in this pregnancy, perhaps there is a corralation, any indigestion also with these symptoms with anyone else? ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 10th, 2006 7:54 AM
I've had every symptom it seems with this pregnancy. Heartburn, indigestion, bloating, constipation. I had nothing with my first, not even morning sickness. I don't recall getting them with my first either now that you mention it. how far along are you? ↑
Name: grace | Date: Feb 10th, 2006 8:52 PM
Hi Ashley, I am 17 weeks pregnant. I thought perhaps they are related as I didnt have either with my first, but have them with this pregnancy... who knows,.,,,, ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 12th, 2006 12:19 PM
grace-I am about 17 weeks as well. Some days are better than others, but it still is freaky. My dr doesn't seem to be to concerned though, I just can't help but think how something as important as your heart and it beating weird can be normal. ↑
Name: ashley | Date: Feb 16th, 2006 8:25 AM
Anybody else? Can any body offer any thing that helps them or relieves the heart palpatations? ↑
Name: MommaSonia | Date: Feb 12th, 2008 6:11 PM
I recently began experiencing heart flutters. I am 7 weeks. This is my fourth child. I never had morning sickness with any of my children. My equilibrium had been off over the past 2 1/2 weeks, and now these heart flutters - they make me feel really weird. Although I am not anxious or worried about anything. I plan to talk to the DR. about them at my next visit, unless they get worse. This only thing I've been doing is deep breathing (like Lamaze - IN, 2, 3, 4 and OUT 2, 3, 4) and it seems to stop it for a short time. ↑
Name: Caitlyn216 | Date: Feb 22nd, 2008 2:18 PM
I understand almost completely how you feel. I am a nursing student (almost done!), 15 weeks pregnant, and have been getting very frequent PVC's for the past few weeks. My reply to the doctors has been, "Are you sure this is normal???" I doesn't seem quite normal to me, even though that I am aware that mild PVC's aren't life threatening. So yes, they scare the hell outta me, too! And, then in turn, that increases my anxiety and makes them worse! So, it is a tricky situation. The only thing they have done to try to decrease my anxiety is refer me to a cardiologist. Just to shut me up, pretty much. ↑
Name: Yana | Date: Mar 14th, 2008 5:02 PM
Hi everyone. I'm just about 15 weeks pregnant and for the last few weeks I've been experiencing terrible heart flutters (when it happens i can't seem to catch my breath) they last for a couple of minutes and usually go away if i sit down for a while and breath deeply. it scared the crap out of me because my first one happened when i was lying in bed. i've never had anxiety issues in my life and have never experienced heart flutters before. This is my second pregnancy so I'm a bit worried. I had a lot of complications with my first one so I thought,"here we go again" maybe it's nothing..maybe it's normal. but like most of you i don't FEEL like it's normal for me. maybe if i was used to having them before i was pregnant or during my last pregnancy i would feel a bit better. but they only started with this pregnancy. I'm going to mention them to my midwife at my next visit. just to be sure there's nothing wrong. ↑
Name: preggosauce | Date: Mar 17th, 2008 4:33 AM
Yana- I've had heart palpitations since 2001. Sometimes they are non existent and sometimes they are horrible. I'm actually on medication to help control them. They are VERY common in pregnancy. You have a lot of extra blood and your heart is working harder, plus you have all those hormones going around in your body. My palpitations actually got pretty bad aroud my 14-15th week of pregnancy, and they just now have gone away (I'm 20 weeks). Maybe the hormones have evened out? So, relax and know they are normal, and yes, I know scary. Even though I've had them for years...they still scare me. Just let your DR. know, and if your really worried ask to wear a holtor monitor for 24 hours so they can see exactly what kind of palpitations you are having. ↑
Name: ARD | Date: Mar 20th, 2008 9:19 AM
I am experiencing heart palpatations also. They occur usually when I'[m resting and they cause a big thud that I can feel in my throat which triggers me to cough and have shortness of breath. It is really scaring me. If I have it during the day I don't notice it....just when I'm resting at night. I do have this aggrivating cough during the day occasionally that just comes uncontrollably about when I'm talking. It drives me nuts and scares me. Everything I look at online says "heart disease" "serious heart disorder" and it freaks me out! I have no heart disease in my family nor have I ever had a history of this except now that I'm pregnant. I have anxiety as well and it makes me worry more, probably more than I need to. I called my doc who asked how long it had been going on...and well I guess I've really noticed it over the past few weeks, but it could have been going on some time before...he said he was in surgery all day, they couldn't see me, and to give him a call on Monday if they were still happening. They said I may need to go see a heart specialist. THAT REALLY scared me! Does he think its something bad too?????UGHHHH!!! HELP! ↑
ARD- That "thud" you feel is normal. Heart palpitatoins are normally PVC's or PAC's which what is basically happening is thatyoru heart will beat prematurely and then there will be a longer pause between beats which is why you feel that thud. after the pause How many weeks along are you?? Make sure you avoid caffine. Also, I've found that when I eat something with a lot of sugar it makes them worse too. I know that they are very common in pregnancy, however for peace of mind I would see a cardiologist. If nothing else it just makes it so you can relax a little. ↑
Name: Sprinkles | Date: Mar 21st, 2008 11:38 AM
O I just happened to come on and look around and found this thread! I am suppose to go for a EKG today for it but I dont have them at this moment - mind you I had them for 3-4 days straight .. I have never had them before being pregnant and about 2 months ago they started I am 29 weeks now and I did have alot of stress as of recent so maybe that encouraged it to be more frequent lately .. I don't know but when I listened with a stethoscope(sp) my heart actually stops then with a big thud starts up again and then beats hard for a while and just like you ARD it makes me cough and happens alot when I lie down ..although I do have it all day pretty much as well - and sugar seems to aggrevate it as well as being hungry.
I did look around online and seen it is fairly normal but when I mentioned it to the resident student doctor I seen last time she was all freaked out by it - which didn't help but then again she was still a student so maybe that is why but she looked at me like I sprouted a 2nd head when she heard it.
If it comes back today I will stop by the hospital and get the EKG otherwise I suppose .. I will wait it out.
I dont know :o/ ↑
Name: bdec2008 | Date: Apr 1st, 2008 3:20 PM
Hello I suffer from PVC's and SVT(supraventricular tachycardia) and I am 25 weeks pregnant. and going to be a nurse in 46 days. Just recently I had an episode of SVT and the MD prescribed 80mg of propanolol, since then I've been getting PVC's regularly. I know my MD said since i'm pregnant I should expect them to increase more. But I just hate the way they feel, especially when they come out of nowhere!!!! ↑
Name: Anja | Date: Jun 24th, 2008 8:31 PM
hi all,
i'm sorry to hear that you are all having the frustration that i am. i had a 30-day monitor and was diagnosed with pvcs and pacs. i'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that a heart beating arrythmically can be "benign." it just seems that it shouldn't happen. being pregnant makes it more scary of course. mine started before i was pregnant--i think it was the caffeine and stress of going through my first newborn. now i'm on the second, and i get the flutters almost every day. does anyone suspect anything that makes it worse? i've heard that dehydration can . . . ↑
