I have been having heart palpitations (I'm not real sure if that is how you spell it) I have had them here and there growing up, but nothing major. I noticed them more when I was pregnant with my children. But here lately they are becoming more frequent. I have no medical history due to being adopted. Sometimes if I am lying flat i can't breath, other times i'll be sitting here just like I am now and can feel my heart go nuts. It feels like I can't breath, my heart skips beats and it feels like I have "butterflies" in my stomach. If i get upset it starts, or if I yell at the kids for dinner I loose my breath. I saw my family doc and he is an idiot. He said I need a day at a spa!! Can I or should I go directly to a heart doc. or what? Thank you.
2006-08-30 15:16:30 · 18 answers · asked by wiazardofoz 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Heart Diseases
After seeing this specific complaint over and over.... everyone is right you need to go see a cardiologist and get what is called a stress test. You will also need blood work and may end up needing to take home a portable heart monitor for a few days to record the cardiac events. You may also need an echocardiogram.
It could be the following:
PVCs- premature ventricular contraction
Atrial Fibrilation- basically a misfire of you atria in your heart.
If you want to know right away if it is atrial fib... all you have to do is check your pulse... see if it feels consistent... if it is irregular its most likely a-fib. Very survivable. You may need cardiac medication.
The blood labs will determine if you have had any heart attacks recently.
The echocardiogram will look at the muscle wall of your heart to determine any possible past damage. It will also look at the valves in your heart to see if there is any stinosis (hardening) or a prolapsed valve. Except, if it was a prolapsed valve your childhood doctor would have heard it long ago in his 200 dollar stethoscope.
The other simple answer is you may be having a garden variety anxiety attack. Easy way to determine if this is it... Do you get numbness or tingling around your mouth and in your fingers???? If you do, you have been hyperventilating.
I hope this helps...
OH!! the echo is just an ultrasound of your heart.. painless and 15 min... the stress test... run on a tredmill
2006-08-30 22:29:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Try a different doctor. Also see this site about how American's idea of eating is causing almost half of them to have heart attacks. How are your other factors? Overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or all fine.
PVC-- premature ventricular contraction.Can be caused by different things including stress. Isolated PVCs not clinically significant in healthy individuals, but frequent PVCs could lead to something more serious.
http://phifoundation.org
2006-08-30 15:30:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some heart diseases cause racing of the heart and iratic heart beatss. See another general practitioner if that doesn't work see a cardiologist. If you explain you are having problems you probably just can get an appointment with a cardiologist that will do tests, tests, tests.
They said their was nothing wrong with me when I had pain in in 20's.
By 50 I was in emergency and they found something wrong with my heart in the area where they said their was nothing wrong.
A good cardiologist can do wonders. Mine have.
2006-08-30 18:06:39 · answer #3 · answered by dayakaur 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My sister had something similar to what you are describing. She said it felt like a weight pressing on her chest and that she was gasping for air. It turned out to be anxiety (panic) attacks. She was put on Paxil which helped her. You really need to first get checked by a second doctor to make sure there isn't anything wrong with your heart.
2006-08-30 15:37:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
always fallow your gut, when it comes to your health and well being, seek a referral to see a heart specialist, this should not go unchecked, if only for your peace of mind, you have children to think about and the want their mommy taken care of. This may be an issue that with medication it will balance out and stop further damage.
2006-08-30 15:25:22 · answer #5 · answered by taffneygreen 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have got disturbed rhythm of the heart / Arrythmia. Please take ECG and consult a Cardiologist. You have to take medicines for long time to relieve the palpitation of the heart. Sometimes, heart attack or stroke may occur. So you shoud not ignore the problem in a light manner.
Please see the webpages for more details on Disturbed rhythm of the heart and Arrythmia.
2006-08-30 17:37:52 · answer #6 · answered by gangadharan nair 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ok well i may be young but it sounds like something that i get and my mom did take me to the dr for it and no one could figure out what it was. but every winter i would get this really weird heart problems like it would skip a beat or go kind of fast and for a while i got scared that i had asthma because when i would run it would skip a beat and i would start coughing to make it stop skipping. so my mom finally called the gas company to fix our heater that is from the ground and they found out that i had carbon monoxide poisoning from that thing. ever since they covered up the leak i haven't had it since. that may have been just me but if u have one of those you could check it out. if not i would go to a heart specialist because honestly my mom flipped out when i told her my heart skipped beats. she thought i was going to die. so i would go.
2006-08-30 15:29:33 · answer #7 · answered by guesswhoohme 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would definitely get it checked out ASAP. It could be serious but it also could be nothing. I had a close friend with the same symptoms who had a hole in her heart and was running the risk of having a stroke. I wouldn't be worried but if for no other reason, you need to find out for piece of mind.
2006-08-30 15:25:57 · answer #8 · answered by skyway 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am also adopted so I understand ur dillemma. Definately get a new Dr.... one that will run a few tests like an EKG just to be certain your heart is ok. To me it sounds like stress/anxiety may be the culprit.
2006-08-30 15:23:40 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are having PVC's my sister has them also. You do need to be checked out thoroughly but from what you describe it sounds like my sisters and they have run every test to find nothing to say why they are happening. You need to stay as stress free as possible. She is trying some patented supplements that seem to be helping but it is to early to tell how well.
2006-08-30 15:29:46 · answer #10 · answered by Know it all 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋