weird heart beat

[ladibabe]

Has anyone else had a wierd heart beat? I have been dealing with this for a while and at first thought that maybe I was holding my breath. All of a sudden, at times, I get a very low pressure feeling and I have to take deep breaths like my heart has stopped beating.

[kingrex]

If you feel an irregular heartbeat that's accompanied by dizziness or what you describe as a "low pressure feeling", then you must see a doctor about this, as it could be atrial fibrillation. If your heart is in A-Fib, it's not fully contracting to push the blood from the atrium; instead, the atrium flutters and the entire blood volume isn't ejected, which causes two problems. First, the lower blood volume in the vascular system lowers the blood pressure. Even more importantly, un-ejected blood that pools in the atrium can form a clot, which puts the patitent at risk for a stroke.

So, you need to have an EKG and it should be soon. Don't worry, but get it done ASAP.


rex

[kingrex]

Depending on how often you experience this, it may or may not show up on an initial EKG. A cardiologist would most likely want to put you on a portable monitor (Holter monitor) for a while so that any irregular beats can be recorded and analyzed to determine their nature (i.e., if it's A-Fib or a more benign irregularity).

Don't let this go - get it checked out ASAP.


rex

[MSW1963]

I am experiencing something kind of similar. Being an athletic youth and adult until MS, I have been concerned about other health problems from sedentary life from MS weakness and fatigue.

I noticed the pressure in my torso about a year ago, discussed it w/neuro who said it sounds like MS hug. But I'm not convinced about that. I've had the hug in my rib cage before w/breathing problems from the paralysis in my diaphragm. This is pressure in my entire torso and mild dizziness.

I'm now more concerned it's something like deep vein thrombosis? from sitting too long, long term fatigue, and weakness and fatigue amped up after new DMD therapy I started a year ago. While I think I've rebounded from DMD induced fatigue, I'm still feeling the pressure, mild dizziness that seemed to start with the DMD.

I had the carodid artery ultrasound test last week, recommended by my neuro, and the results came back ok according to a call I got yesterday.

To confuse matters more, new anxiety med I started last month has added to weakness and fatigue.

This is hard to figure out and just keeps getting better. waw waw waw

[ladibabe]

Thanks I'll call my doctor asap

[kingrex]

Thanks I'll call my doctor asap

You should Google "Atrial Fibrillation" if you're concerned...it's very treatable with a variety of alternatives, and as long as you're treated (assuming that's what's going on, of course) it's not a problem. Hopefully, you don't have A-Fib.


rex

[gomer]

When I get A-fibs its like a bass fighting in my chest. (really weird, not even near a lake).

I am on Coreg (generic sub) and been well controlled. I have stable, mild valve damage from Rheumatic fever

DO NOT TAKE CHANCES..........

........CALL YOUR DOC it could be serious!

Gomer

[marti]

I have this problem also. Get your thyroid checked. Mine went hyperactive then I was dx with Graves Disease.

[kingrex]

I have this problem also. Get your thyroid checked. Mine went hyperactive then I was dx with Graves Disease.

The first order of business is to get a cardiac workup to determine if there actually is an arrhythmia. Thyroid disease is just one of many possible causes of A-Fib, but the cause is addressed only after the diagnosis is first confirmed.


rex

[annedocuk]

You do need a 24 hour ECG (EKG)- but to me this sounds like what we call extra-systoles. A normal occurence in the normal heart, usually-where a different bit of the heart tries to act as a pace maker. It leads to 2 beats close together and then a bit of a gap. A lot of people feel they need to take a deep breath when they get this. If you get it once, it tends to come in runs for a while, so you'll notice it lots. Then it will stop. The ECG will hopefully catch one and reassure you.