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[marshytiger]

Need a little advise please I'm worried. Does anyone else feel the same I am on peri, and every now and again I get these palpitations and it feels as though my heart is missing a beat, then I get a pulsing in my neck it has been happening now for over a week, blood pressure and pulse is fine but it is a little scary when it is happening.

[Tinkerbell]

I have had palpitations all my adult life, but when I was in peri they got worse, particularly at night. I had an ecg at doctors and was referred to see cardiologist and nothing sinister was found...put down to hormones!
My last period was March last year and since then and particularly recently they have been bothersome at night again.
I have never, well so far, had any hot flushes, but I do wonder if it is something similar.

They are awful to have and as you say quite scary.

[dangermouse]

It's very common unfortunately!

When you get the sudden rapid heartbeat that catches you unaware it's normally from a sudden drop in oestrogen, so might happen at the end of your cycle or after taking a lower oestrogen dose HRT.

The adrenal glands are just responding to the sudden oestrogen drop which initially will cause adrenaline to fall and the heart to slow, to compensate adrenaline is suddenly shunted out and the heart goes fast for a while. It often strikes at night as adrenaline is naturally lower then.

Similar can happen when oestrogen spikes up during the day, before ovulation and if oestrogen HRT is increased. This naturally raises adrenaline so it's more direct than compensatory.

[Tinkerbell]

Thank you Dangermouse for the simple explanation, I wondered why I am plagued by them at night but rarely during the day.

[babyjane]

I have found this to be my experience too.  they are not nice and can be worrying if you do not realise what is happening and why.

That's why I still visit this forum, the reassurance such as this is worth a lot and not available from any GP or chemist.

[Annidav]

Yes I get these too and have done for a few years. I have also noticed that I get the same if I have too much caffeine although on those occasions I also feel really odd and off balance.

[marshytiger]

thank you this has been a great help.

I am also suffering a lot with a heavy head not really a headache just pressure and feeling really tired, is this part of peri too?

[orchid]

Hi Marshytiger
I have had palpitations for years now ectopic beats, they are awful. I've had all the tests and reassured they are benign, you never think that whilst having them of course and some of us get a bit light headed with them. Someone posted on here a few weeks ago about a cardiologist from York Sanjay Gubta who has a few very informative You Tube entries, he has really reassured me and put my mind at rest! Hope this helps.

[marshytiger]

Thank you orchid I will go onto YouTube and have a look 👍

[TropicalVon69]

Yes marshytiger, I get the heavy head and pressure too and have been exhausted for a few weeks now....grim is all I can say....take care

[Hurdity]

There is some detailed information on irregular heartbeat and peri-menopause, and its relation to decreasing oestrogen levels here:

http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/irregular-heartbeat.htm

dangermouse - please can you post a link to the connection between oestrogen and adrenaline in peri-menopause because this isn't mentioned in the above link which doesn't really go into a detailed mechanistic explanation of the endocrine changes? Thanks!

Hurdity x

[Dyan]

I get these too quite regularly at the moment as I think my progesterone is low.

[Hurdity]

I haven't come across anything progesterone about progesterone deficiency being responsible for heart palpitations Dyan    . If this were the case then surely women who have had hysterectomies and taking oestrogen would still suffer from them?

Perhaps your oestrogen is low or fluctuating? Are you post-menopausal?

Hurdity  x

[Dyan]

Not sure where I am Hurdity started menopause at 45 I'm now 55. I have a mirena coil(2nd)that needs changing soon and I apply sandrena gel in the morning.
As I have the coil I haven't had a bleed in 8 years.
So really I don't know but I'm getting palps. Mind you my under active thyroid is low and I was put on thyroxine on Monday. X

[Hurdity]

Thyroxine and thryoid problems are much more likely to be the cause of your palpitations than HRT if your oestrogen is steady and you're not experiencing any oestrogen deficiency symptoms.

You are unlikely to notice that your Mirena needs changing as such, I very much doubt - there will be a big margin of safety as to when it should be changed to allow endometrial protection so unlikely that it runs out of hormones especially as it is still licensed for contraception for 5 years. Maybe between 4 and 5 years of use the levels begin to decline so that it can't be guaranteed to protect the lining from all doses of oestrogen in all women?

Hurdity x