Heart Palpitations

[1badMF]

I've been noticing from time to time when I work out at the gym that I have heart palpitations or it feels like my heart skips a beat. I wen't to the doctor and she did a EKG on me and everything was fine. I was thinking it may be from comming off my cycle almost 2 months ago and my body is readjusting but I've always had palpitations even before I used to body build. Could this be something to worry about? I checked my blood pressure the other day and it read 121 over 81 so I dunno...

[rado]

Originally Posted by 1badMF

but I've always had palpitations even before I used to body build.

:hmmm:

EKG's don't lie....You're fine....And if you had them before, then what makes you think it would be from AS

[Kayak Jones]

Need more info. Exactly what are you doing (physically) when you notice the symptoms?
What exactly are your symptoms?. Anything else besides what you describe as skipping a beat?
Any pain, nausea, shortness of breath, sweating, diziness?
What are your current meds?
Do you smoke, drink alcohol beyond a couple of beers or so weekly, drink, coffee or tea?
Any family history of cardiac related problems?
What is your age, current weight and height?
What is your overall physical condition?
Do the symptoms ever occur while you are at rest.
Do the symptoms ever wake you up.
What time of day do they usually occur?
What type of physician did the EKG? Your family doctor or a cardiolgist?
What kind of EKG did you have. Static (at rest) or stress test (treadmill). 3 lead, 4 lead, 10 lead or 12 lead. Did you see the results yourself or did they just tell you everything was "fine".
EKG's don't actually lie but they can and are easily misdiagnosed routinely. If you only had 3 or 4 wires attatched to you and were static it really won't tell you shit unless the event is happening while being monitored.

[rado]

Originally Posted by Kayak Jones

it really won't tell you shit unless the event is happening while being monitored.

There's no need for an "Event" to be happening for an EKG to pick up your problem...

[Kayak Jones]

On the contrary, there are numerous transient cardiac arrhythmias (events) that cannot and will not be displayed on an EKG unless being actively monitored at the time of the event's occurance.

[NYCmitch25]

EKGs are ok should pick it up as Rado said but if your still concerned and they can do an ultrasound on the heart. R U using any stimulants?

[Kayak Jones]

Don't lead this guy down the wrong road unless you truly know what you are talking about. Anything less than a 12 or 10 lead will only tell him if there is an event IN PROGRESS. Ultrasounds are no longer 1st line cardiac diagnostic tools. 12 leads are and if he hasn't had one he needs one. If he's young and otherwise healthy it's statistically unlikely that what he is describing is a life threatening cardiac condition, but without additional tests there is no way to safely rule that out.

[NYCmitch25]

^i see your point but no sense scaring the fuk outta him if its nothing.
couldnt it just be a heart murmor which millions of ppl have?

[Kayak Jones]

It could indeed. But the point of my responses was simply that without further testing, or at the very least some further details there's no way to know for sure. The rest is up to him. Funny thing happened after my last post. I got a call from the chief of a neighboring service informing me that a mutual friend had "coded" last night. This guy is a 42yo male, in excellent outward physical condition, works for a nearby law enforcement agency, and was on the way home from a movie with his wife. He has been a lifting weights for years, generally eats very clean, and has been training for a triathalon for the past few months. He had no known prior medical history and was asymptomatic until he began to feel bad at the movies. Just said it felt like someone was hugging him a little to tight. He had his wife drive him to the ER, went through the usual tests and was to spend the night in ICU for observation. About 10 minutes after the cardiologist came in and told him "everything was fine" (see original post above from 1bad MF) he arrested. (in laymans terms= he croaked) He was resucitated in ICU and is scheduled for a heart cath in the morning.
The moral of the story is simply that just because a doctor tells you you're OK, unless the they perform the correct tests with the correct equipment, then you can't just take their word for it. And even then it's not always 100% correct.

[1badMF]

I think I'm just being a huge hypocondriac however you spell it. I've been known to think im dying when it's just heart burn. I did squats at the gym tonight and didn't have a problem and so I think I'm fine just a little paranoid. I stopped with ECA stacks too and I've noticed the palpitations wen't down. Another thing is that I've been going through some major stress with money and shit so I haven't been getting alot of rest and then pushing myself at the gym could cause that too. I hate going to the doctor because I don't wan't to hear bad news lol. I think I'll just give it a couple more weeks and if things get worse or don't get better I'll see the doc.

[Kayak Jones]

Stress, ECA, lack of rest, and paranoid hypochondriacs! Us medics love guys like you.:bravonew:

[Scrumhalf]

How much coffee do you drink? In my younger days, I used to drink several cups a day and started getting heart palpitations towards the end of the day, in the late afternoon after my 5th or 6th cup of strong black coffee of the day. They went away when I dropped back down to a more sane level of coffee (1 cup a day now).

[Mr incredible]

I agree with Scrum half, I remember when I had final term exams and had palpatations, the doc told me to cut out tea, coffee, fizzy drinks, i.e. caffeine and hey presto the palpatations went with them

[Mr incredible]

Just don't do an ECA stack LOL

[rado]

Originally Posted by Kayak Jones

On the contrary, there are numerous transient cardiac arrhythmias (events) that cannot and will not be displayed on an EKG unless being actively monitored at the time of the event's occurance.

If your DR is using an older EKG(which in that case I would switch Dr's)...Then you're right with statement above/\


Most good Dr's(or that have higher standards) will be using the latest EKG technology these days.....I seriously think he has a problem with his hear though, paranoid at that.

[helix139]

You're probably going into atrial fib. Where the top part of your heart just quivers and the bottom part tries to play catch up and skips around. Mine did this when I work nights and try to stay up all day, or drink alcohol, or are just stressed. These just brought my a-fib out. I stayed like you for the longest time with my heart skipping beats only very rarely. Then one day my heart went into this rhythym and didn't come out. I went to work (ER RN) and did an ekg and low and behold...a-fib. They shocked me out of the rhythm and put me on beta blockers which I couldn't take as my heart beat went down to like 40 while I was on them..they slow your heart down. You can't even work out.
So long story short I'm taking magnesium supplements and the a-fib hasn't come back not even for skipped beats...I will say that while on a cycle I notice how hard my heart is beating! I can feel it through my chest. And when I'm off I can't feel it beat at all. Roids are dangerous!
Try some mag supplements and see your dr. about maybe doing a stress test, echo, and thailliam stress just to see if your heart is alright.
good luck brother!

[helix139]

Oh, and a-fib is the most common rhythm disturbance, and it doesn't mean your heart is bad.

[1badMF]

I read some place too where it's normal to get these palpitations during exercise or activities that speed your heart up. I got maybe 1 or 2 at the gym tonight which I just got home from. When I did legs day before yesterday, I didn't feel any palpitations. I think today too me and my GF had a big fight and I'm a little pissed off and stressed out over other things unlike day before yesterday when shit was cool so I think I'm fine.

I'm really not going to be too worried unless something gets worse which hasn't happened and if I die, I'll die big! lol

[1badMF]

Originally Posted by Scrumhalf

How much coffee do you drink? In my younger days, I used to drink several cups a day and started getting heart palpitations towards the end of the day, in the late afternoon after my 5th or 6th cup of strong black coffee of the day. They went away when I dropped back down to a more sane level of coffee (1 cup a day now).

I'm like my mother, we are coffee junkies and she gets palpitations too...

[DOZ61]

ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT WEARING A HOLTER MONITOR TO CAPTURE "THE EVENT" TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THIS SENSATION IS...PREMATURE ATRIAL CONTRACTIONS, PREMATURE VENTRICULAR CONTRACTIONS ETC ALSO AVOID STIMULANTS CAFFIENE NICOTINE CHOCALATE ETC GOOD LUCK

[jethrowe]

try some second opinion in a well trusted doctor...

[t3chnin3]

I have this problem occasionally. I am caffeine sensitive since a few yrs ago. lower the caffeine and ask your doctor to send you for a echo stress test

[SonofBone]

Originally Posted by DOZ61

PREMATURE ATRIAL CONTRACTIONS, PREMATURE VENTRICULAR CONTRACTIONS ETC

Maybe these won't occur if you think about something else while you're working out.