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[KaraShannon]

Hi all

I'm really getting lots of symptoms at the moment and tonight a heart flutter that went on a bit too long, although in reality it was probably 3 - 4 seconds.  I just had that awful anxiety that it wouldn't 'right itself.'

Does anyone else get that?  It would help to hear how common this experience is.  For what it's worth I've had a full battery of tests about 3 - 4 years ago and told not to worry.

Thanks   

[QueenofReds3]

Hi KaraShannon

Sorry to hear you are having flutters too,

I have had these flutters now more often than before in the last seven months. I was sent for ECG all okay. I think it is anxiety related and this week has been a week of hell so I am putting it down to that but coincidentally they have been more frequent since my booster in Oct. What HRT are you on? It is scary though. X

[Songbird]

Hi Kara
Yes, this is something I had experienced for a long time. It’s only recently greatly improved…
I had also been at A and E a few times in the past as the frightening flutter and occasional pounding of the heart increased my anxiety (which brought on chest pain!) - very scary 😧
Anxiety and/or hormone fluctuations definitely can have this effect. For me, controlling both with HRT patches, utrogestan and low dose of sertraline has sorted this problem out.
However, as we have said often, every lady is different in how their symptoms are controlled.
Hope you get the help you need soon. 

[KaraShannon]

Thank you QueenofReds3 and Songbird

Helpful to know. 

What I'm mainly concerned about is when it goes on for about 4 seconds, giving me the impression it's not going to right itself. 

When I had my cardiology appointment he said if it goes on 30 seconds (or did he say 30 mins) then maybe seek medical advice (or did he say call an ambulance).........and then he said 'but in your case, if you feel ok when that's happening you could even wait longer.'  Hence...........why I've no idea if it's 30 seconds, 30 mins, medical advice or an ambulance now 

Anyone reading this, please understand the above is definitely not medical advice of any sort!  it was individualised to me based on a battery of tests and a cardiologist that wasn't worried.


anyway what I'm really wondering is has anyone else been in that position where the flutters have gone on longer than a couple of seconds and they've actually got to that point of wondering is this going to correct itself? 

Thanks   

[joziel]

I've been posting about my heart palpitations in the other forum above here, 'All things menopause'.

I've had flutters which literally went on all night. I went to A&E the next day, which was just this bank holiday past. My blood pressure was 158/85 (usually perfect at 120/70) - I work out 4x a week and I'm 9 stone 6lbs and 5 ft 10, so v slim! And I'm 44yo. My ECG was normal. They reassured me that I wasn't in imminent danger of anything and advised that the correct pathway would be to go to GP, get a cardiology referral and then probably 48hr holter to monitor heart and maybe echocardiogram.

For me, this has all started since beginning HRT. I did get the typical skipped beat thing before I went on HRT, especially in the evenings and at night. I wasn't worried about that because I knew it was a v common peri symptom.

After beginning HRT in March, I think I was okay at 25 patch for 2 weeks but on the 50 patch I started to feel myself throbbing sometimes. It felt like the mattress in bed was moving under me, or I could feel myself pulsing against a chair I was sitting on. I also was occasionally getting higher than usual blood pressure readings - not as high as when I went to A&E, but like 144. I was getting 'irregular pulse' readings about 50% of the time on the blood pressure monitor. My Kardia ECG device was giving me weird results sometimes, like Sinus rhythm with wide QRS. When I went up to the 75 patch, this happened every single night the first week - and ALL NIGHT. I also couldn't sleep, as it's impossible to sleep whilst your heart is fluttering away like that. I just dozed semi-consciously and was exhausted the next day. I got really anxious about it all at this point and it's when I went to A&E.

I reduced my patch down to 62.5 (don't ask, I didn't want to go back to 50 because my estrogen was only at 233nmol at 50). I've felt much better since going to A&E and haven't had another bad night like that. I am now living in fear of it happening again and this is really tricky because feeling anxious makes it more likely to happen, so I am constantly telling myself to relax and breathe and doing meditation and breathing apps etc etc!!!

I've come to the conclusion that I'm really sensitive to estrogen and if I change dose, I need to do it very gradually and slowly. I was at 50 for 7 weeks before increasing to 75 but I wish I'd waited 12 weeks and until I had zero symptoms like this at 50, before I increased - and then split the increase to 62.5 first. (That does mean cutting a 50 patch in 4 at the moment for the extra 12.5  but in future hopefully I can get some 25 patches and cut those in half!!)

I have a review with my menopause dr on Weds this week and I will ask her if she thinks I should go get all these tests run now, or if I should wait for the HRT to settle for a couple of months. I don't want to do the tests and have all kinds of weird and worrying results which are just due to hormones and might fix themselves anyway. But I also just don't know if I can continue to live like this, if it doesn't settle. I hope I don't have to come off HRT. I am probably catastrophising.... 

[Dierdre]

Thank you QueenofReds3 and Songbird

Helpful to know. 

What I'm mainly concerned about is when it goes on for about 4 seconds, giving me the impression it's not going to right itself. 

When I had my cardiology appointment he said if it goes on 30 seconds (or did he say 30 mins) then maybe seek medical advice (or did he say call an ambulance).........and then he said 'but in your case, if you feel ok when that's happening you could even wait longer.'  Hence...........why I've no idea if it's 30 seconds, 30 mins, medical advice or an ambulance now 

Anyone reading this, please understand the above is definitely not medical advice of any sort!  it was individualised to me based on a battery of tests and a cardiologist that wasn't worried.


anyway what I'm really wondering is has anyone else been in that position where the flutters have gone on longer than a couple of seconds and they've actually got to that point of wondering is this going to correct itself? 

Thanks   

Hi KaraShannon

It's 30 seconds continuously,  more than 6 per minute or in groups of 3 when you need to see a doctor asap.
I suffered with this during peri alot and had the monitor for 24 hours, ECG's and a heart scan, all was ok.
Our hormones rule our bodies and when they fluctuate so do we.
After covid and vaccinations I had a wobble with palpatations (had ecg) and night sweats because it upset my hormones.
Also anxiety will do it everytime. Knowing all of this helps me calm down and accept  this happens sometimes but it's OK, I'm going to be OK.
I'm not on HRT, just local, so no idea what does what but it makes sense what the ladies have advised to gradually adjust to get the right balance and stop the fluctuation.
You've had all the heart tests so try not worry, I know that"s easier said but anxiety will set them off and then you'll be anxious, just going round in circles.

[ATB]

Yes have experience with this also.
You might want to look at Dr Gupta’s YouTube videos on heart palpitations, lots of helpful explanation.

[ange63]

Me too - episode of palpitations  worse last few days.  But read another fb post that it can be associated with GERD and bowel issues and production of excess gas etc that travels through body.      I think there may be something in that view. 

[ATB]

Yes ange63, I only got them when I also had GERD symptoms.

[ange63]

Hi ATB, isn't life just great.   I've got big flare of GERD at moment but oddly not palpitations etc.   More discomfort and burping this time.   Will it never end??   

[Dierdre]

Funny you all mentioning GERD, ive just been prescibed a course of lansolprazole for acid refux that was causing my sore hoarse throat and mucous and ive not noticed any palpatations this week at all.

[KaraShannon]

Hi KaraShannon

Sorry to hear you are having flutters too,

I have had these flutters now more often than before in the last seven months. I was sent for ECG all okay. I think it is anxiety related and this week has been a week of hell so I am putting it down to that but coincidentally they have been more frequent since my booster in Oct. What HRT are you on? It is scary though. X

Thanks, they come out of the blue, I can be as calm as anything.  I'm on evorel sequi but recently tried to do continuous estradiol, but not been getting on with the utrogestan, so I've just done continuous estradiol for 2 months, I am going to the doctor about it asap to sort out whether to stay on evorel sequi regime or move to utrogestan, but don't think I will atm.

[KaraShannon]

Hi Kara
Yes, this is something I had experienced for a long time. It’s only recently greatly improved…
I had also been at A and E a few times in the past as the frightening flutter and occasional pounding of the heart increased my anxiety (which brought on chest pain!) - very scary 😧
Anxiety and/or hormone fluctuations definitely can have this effect. For me, controlling both with HRT patches, utrogestan and low dose of sertraline has sorted this problem out.
However, as we have said often, every lady is different in how their symptoms are controlled.
Hope you get the help you need soon. 

Thanks Songbird.

When I first came to this forum 2.5 years ago, it was all the ladies here that told me my heart symptoms were probably menopause.  Without them I'd never have gone back to the doctors.  I was put on evorel sequi and I can honestly say that for 2 years I almost forgot about the heart stuff, that's how well I felt and healthy. 

Just lately not so much, and the symptoms are back.  I may have messed up my evorel sequi a bit, i also increased the estradiol which a doctor said I could do but I later found out it wasn't licensed for that.  So I'm going to try and reinstitute my noreshisterone (progesterone) patch on 18th (14th day from my period) and maybe lower the estradiol slightly and see how I am then.

It's helpful to hear someone say they got chest pain, I associate chest pain with all things bad so it's worth knowing that it isn't always.  Thanks for the reply 

[KaraShannon]

Oh I replied to you two before, clearly I'm still having symptoms 

I'll come back to this thread later on this eve when I can concentrate better 

[ange63]

Funny you all mentioning GERD, ive just been prescibed a course of lansolprazole for acid refux that was causing my sore hoarse throat and mucous and ive not noticed any palpatations this week at all.
[/quot

Unfortunately I cannot take the meds (PPIs) as they make me ill.    Soooooo wish I could to get at least intermittent relief from the GERD .... manage with diet and Gaviscon.   Nightmare.