irregular heartbeat.. Normal? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Sweetpea · 01-31-2006, 02:36 PM

Hello All,

I was born with a heart murmur, which runs in my family... my grandmother has the same thing and will be 81 soon, so it doesn't affect life span... however... i often have irregular heartbeat, especially at night (probably because i'm reading/quieter and notice it more...)

I'm quite healthy and don't really consider it a problem... however, when i was 15, i took syrup of Ipecac several times (running with the wrong crowd of eating disorder girls) And although that was 9 years ago... could that have caused permanent heart damage?

I guess my question is:
(and I'm not talking about palpatations, i have those also, but only when i accidently drink a caffeinated drink.)

How normal is irregular heartbeat?
does anyone else have this problem... I.e. at times, it seems like my heart will skip several beats and then beat quickly for 5-6 beats until it normalizes.... Is it something to be concerned about?

sweetpea

The_Jazz · 01-31-2006, 03:22 PM

You absolutely need to at least call your doctor and describe these symptoms. There are lots of things that this could be signaling from the benign to the catastrophic. I don't know if you follow professional basketball at all, but last year the Bulls sat one of their best players, Eddie Curry because of an irregular heartbeat and ended up letting him go because they were so concerned about it. He's still playing (for the Knicks), and he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. If you have a history of a heart murmur, there could be other repercussions. Again, I don't think that you need to race to the emergency room or anything, but a call to your doctor to ask is certainly in order, and an office visit isn't a bad idea either.

If your heart is skipping beats (especially 5 or 6) then that's far too long in my book. At 70 beats per minute, it's roughly 5 seconds, which is long enough for the brain to start to get oxygen starved.

Please talk to a doctor as soon as you get the chance, and good luck!

Sweetpea · 01-31-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Jazz

Please talk to a doctor as soon as you get the chance, and good luck!

Well, thank you for your comments... i may consider seeing the doc., although i know they won't find anything wrong...
I was Just at the doctor's in December... and my blood pressure was perfect, my pulse has also been 'read' in the past year as well and and my yearly bloodwork was excellent... i just forgot to mention the irregular heatbeats to her when i was there

I don't think it's anything out of the normal for someone with a heart murmur and and my heart only skips one-two beats... then quickens for 5-6 and then normalizes... it's been doing that for a number of years...

I was just wondering if anyone else had this issue?

sweetpea

onodrim · 01-31-2006, 04:28 PM

sweetpea - I have a very mild condition of Mitral Valve Prolapse, and it sounds like maybe you have the same thing? (heart murmur, sensitivity to caffiene) If this is the case, then irregular heatbeats are normal for the condition and nothing to worry about. But as always with any serious health question, it's always smart to consult your doctor.

JumpinJesus · 01-31-2006, 06:29 PM

I used to have these quite a bit. In fact, it happened so badly once I called 9-1-1 thinking I was at death's door. I spent the night in the hospital, had all kinds of tests run, and found out that what I had was stress/nicotine/caffeine/anxiety-related.

There could be many other factors involved in it, but an occasional irregular heart rate in and of itself is not necessarily life-threatening. The best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor about it to see what could be the trigger for it.

On the positive side, once I cut back on caffeine, stress, and anxiety, I noticed that instead of getting this sensation 2 or 3 times a day, I now only experience it maybe once or twice a week. Sometimes, I even go weeks at a time without experiencing it.

Sweetpea · 01-31-2006, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JumpinJesus

I used to have these quite a bit. In fact, it happened so badly once I called 9-1-1 thinking I was at death's door. I spent the night in the hospital, had all kinds of tests run, and found out that what I had was stress/nicotine/caffeine/anxiety-related.

There could be many other factors involved in it, but an occasional irregular heart rate in and of itself is not necessarily life-threatening. The best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor about it to see what could be the trigger for it.

On the positive side, once I cut back on caffeine, stress, and anxiety, I noticed that instead of getting this sensation 2 or 3 times a day, I now only experience it maybe once or twice a week. Sometimes, I even go weeks at a time without experiencing it.

Thank you for noting this, i have been under a large amount of stress lately, so i think that may be a trigger. My doc. is fully aware of my heart murmur and i have had this problem off and on...

I will take your advice and really cut back even more on my caffeine intake (i already have about 90%, but the remaining 10% might still be affecting me)...

As for the stress... eh, i see what i can do

Thanks

sweetpea

Sweetpea · 01-31-2006, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onodrim

sweetpea - I have a very mild condition of Mitral Valve Prolapse, and it sounds like maybe you have the same thing? (heart murmur, sensitivity to caffiene) If this is the case, then irregular heatbeats are normal for the condition and nothing to worry about. But as always with any serious health question, it's always smart to consult your doctor.

Thank you Ono for your advice... I do have a mild heart murmur as i noted, and i am sensitive to caffeine... so i'll have to truly cut back....

I have read that irregular heartbeats are quite normal in healthy individuals... so i guess i was just making sure i wasn't out of the norm

Thanks again

sweetpea

noodle · 01-31-2006, 07:24 PM

Sweetpea... I have the same thing happen several times a year for about six weeks in a row, then nothing for a month or so, etc. It happpens at the strangest times. Sometimes I'm just lying in bed and it slams really hard three or four times and quits for a beat or two, then goes back to normal. Sometimes it'll repeat and sometimes that's it for the night. My docs thought they heard a slight murmur once-upon-a-time, but no one's mentioned it for years. I'm fairly healthy, physically, these days but it's been my norm for years.

My bubba has a congenital heart defect and his cardiologist told me it was "completely normal for your heart to hiccup every once in awhile especially with stress. If you black out or have pain with it, do us a favor and go to the emergency room. Otherwise, just chill". Of course, it was said with a very heavy Spanish accent and hearing this intelligent pediatric heart surgeon tell me to "chill" was hilarious. But Dr Giroud is one of the foremost in his field in the south.

It definitely warrants a mention to your doc, regardless, but especially if it starts occuring more frequently than it has in the previous two months or so.

Rodney · 02-01-2006, 10:53 AM

My wife has this. Sometimes I'll have my head on her chest and I'll hear her heart just stop for two or three seconds. Scared the hell out of me at first, but she doesn't worry. She's been that way all her life, has been diagnosed by doctors, and knows that in her case it's nothing to worry about.

But... and my wife is sitting right next to me, telling me this... _do_ tell your doctor, and see her again if she requests that you do so. The evaluation she made of your condition is based a summary of all the information she had on you. But without knowledge of your irregular heartbeat, her conclusions may be wrong or incomplete.

Sweetpea · 02-01-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodney

My wife has this. Sometimes I'll have my head on her chest and I'll hear her heart just stop for two or three seconds. Scared the hell out of me at first, but she doesn't worry. She's been that way all her life, has been diagnosed by doctors, and knows that in her case it's nothing to worry about.

But... and my wife is sitting right next to me, telling me this... _do_ tell your doctor, and see her again if she requests that you do so. The evaluation she made of your condition is based a summary of all the information she had on you. But without knowledge of your irregular heartbeat, her conclusions may be wrong or incomplete.

Thank you for your advice

I ended up speaking with my mother about this... and apparently, i've had this kind of heartbeat since i was a child... i've just really only noticed it recently, but i've had it since childhood, so that was soothing to hear

So it's nothing to worry about... i've managed to live 24 years with it

thank you to your wife also for the advice

sweetpea

Sweetpea · 02-01-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fredweena

Sweetpea... I have the same thing happen several times a year for about six weeks in a row, then nothing for a month or so, etc. It happpens at the strangest times. Sometimes I'm just lying in bed and it slams really hard three or four times and quits for a beat or two, then goes back to normal. Sometimes it'll repeat and sometimes that's it for the night. My docs thought they heard a slight murmur once-upon-a-time, but no one's mentioned it for years. I'm fairly healthy, physically, these days but it's been my norm for years.

My bubba has a congenital heart defect and his cardiologist told me it was "completely normal for your heart to hiccup every once in awhile especially with stress. If you black out or have pain with it, do us a favor and go to the emergency room. Otherwise, just chill". Of course, it was said with a very heavy Spanish accent and hearing this intelligent pediatric heart surgeon tell me to "chill" was hilarious. But Dr Giroud is one of the foremost in his field in the south.

It definitely warrants a mention to your doc, regardless, but especially if it starts occuring more frequently than it has in the previous two months or so.

Thank you fredweena for your thoughtful advice

gosh,we have the most caring people here

sweetpea

Sugar&Spice · 02-01-2006, 10:28 PM

I have had this exact same thing happen to me. Every now and then I'll have it happen two or three times in a row and that is when I think I am going to bite the dust. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur many years ago and I've called the doctor and explained the palpitations, but they have always said not to worry about it. I've had ECG's done and everything turns up normal.

It is comforting to know that many others who are healthy are experiencing this also..it does really seem like it is no big deal.

01-31-2006, 02:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sweetpea Fade out Location: in love	irregular heartbeat.. Normal? Hello All, I was born with a heart murmur, which runs in my family... my grandmother has the same thing and will be 81 soon, so it doesn't affect life span... however... i often have irregular heartbeat, especially at night (probably because i'm reading/quieter and notice it more...) I'm quite healthy and don't really consider it a problem... however, when i was 15, i took syrup of Ipecac several times (running with the wrong crowd of eating disorder girls) And although that was 9 years ago... could that have caused permanent heart damage? I guess my question is: (and I'm not talking about palpatations, i have those also, but only when i accidently drink a caffeinated drink.) How normal is irregular heartbeat? does anyone else have this problem... I.e. at times, it seems like my heart will skip several beats and then beat quickly for 5-6 beats until it normalizes.... Is it something to be concerned about? sweetpea __________________ Having a Pet Will Change Your Life! Looking for a great pet?! Click Here! "I am the Type of Person Who Can Get Away With A lot, Simply Because I Don't Ask Permission for the Privilege of Being Myself"

01-31-2006, 04:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
onodrim Cosmically Curious Location: Chicago, IL	sweetpea - I have a very mild condition of Mitral Valve Prolapse, and it sounds like maybe you have the same thing? (heart murmur, sensitivity to caffiene) If this is the case, then irregular heatbeats are normal for the condition and nothing to worry about. But as always with any serious health question, it's always smart to consult your doctor. __________________ "The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there’s little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides" -Carl Sagan

01-31-2006, 06:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
JumpinJesus Junkie Location: Chicago	I used to have these quite a bit. In fact, it happened so badly once I called 9-1-1 thinking I was at death's door. I spent the night in the hospital, had all kinds of tests run, and found out that what I had was stress/nicotine/caffeine/anxiety-related. There could be many other factors involved in it, but an occasional irregular heart rate in and of itself is not necessarily life-threatening. The best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor about it to see what could be the trigger for it. On the positive side, once I cut back on caffeine, stress, and anxiety, I noticed that instead of getting this sensation 2 or 3 times a day, I now only experience it maybe once or twice a week. Sometimes, I even go weeks at a time without experiencing it. __________________ "I can normally tell how intelligent a man is by how stupid he thinks I am" - Cormac McCarthy, All The Pretty Horses

02-01-2006, 10:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
Sugar&Spice Psycho	I have had this exact same thing happen to me. Every now and then I'll have it happen two or three times in a row and that is when I think I am going to bite the dust. I was diagnosed with a heart murmur many years ago and I've called the doctor and explained the palpitations, but they have always said not to worry about it. I've had ECG's done and everything turns up normal. It is comforting to know that many others who are healthy are experiencing this also..it does really seem like it is no big deal. __________________ -Speak your mind even if your voice shakes

01-31-2006, 03:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
The_Jazz Asshole Administrator Location: Chicago	You absolutely need to at least call your doctor and describe these symptoms. There are lots of things that this could be signaling from the benign to the catastrophic. I don't know if you follow professional basketball at all, but last year the Bulls sat one of their best players, Eddie Curry because of an irregular heartbeat and ended up letting him go because they were so concerned about it. He's still playing (for the Knicks), and he was diagnosed with an enlarged heart. If you have a history of a heart murmur, there could be other repercussions. Again, I don't think that you need to race to the emergency room or anything, but a call to your doctor to ask is certainly in order, and an office visit isn't a bad idea either. If your heart is skipping beats (especially 5 or 6) then that's far too long in my book. At 70 beats per minute, it's roughly 5 seconds, which is long enough for the brain to start to get oxygen starved. Please talk to a doctor as soon as you get the chance, and good luck!

02-01-2006, 10:53 AM	#9 (permalink)
Rodney Observant Ruminant Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town	My wife has this. Sometimes I'll have my head on her chest and I'll hear her heart just stop for two or three seconds. Scared the hell out of me at first, but she doesn't worry. She's been that way all her life, has been diagnosed by doctors, and knows that in her case it's nothing to worry about. But... and my wife is sitting right next to me, telling me this... _do_ tell your doctor, and see her again if she requests that you do so. The evaluation she made of your condition is based a summary of all the information she had on you. But without knowledge of your irregular heartbeat, her conclusions may be wrong or incomplete.