Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: honorsmum on February 10, 2015, 11:06:32 AM
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Yuk.
Had a good couple of weeks with very little anxiety or tachycardia and sleeping better, but since the weekend my heart seems to have gone into overdrive.
I'm back to waking up early, with it racing and accompanying adrenaline/anxiety, and it's beating fast on and off all day.
I can only think it is largely hormonal - I wasn't feeling anxious at all when it started again, although of course it makes me feel a bit unpleasant when it is happening. It doesn't help that I can hear it in my ear.
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Oh it's horrible, my test showed palpitations and extra beats thrown in and let me tell you I can feel the little blitters! I don't get the palps as much now maybe just before a bleed is due wether I have one or not, don't know if it's hormones and HRT kicking in that's stopping them or I've learned to deal with anxiety better and know that I'm not going to keel over when it happens. I've never been woke up by them just starts early morn or late evening, but rarely now whereas before it was nearly everyday. X
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I'm still waiting for my test results, Millykin.
The other night, I went to sleep holding hubby' s hand. I could feel my pulse in my hand throbbing, and then after a while I realised that when my heart kind of flutters (I think it's happened for a while, but I never realised it was a heart thing, just felt like a funny sensation), my pulse would pause for a second, then carry on throbbing.
The heart flutters don't bother me at all. The fast heart rate is more troublesome - I am aware of it much more. I might be approaching a bleed - could be this weekend or any day after.
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Magnesium helps with this, I take it and notice the difference.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/08/magnesium-health-benefits.aspx
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Thanks Silverlady.
I've been taking magnesium for a while now, but only recently moved over to citrate.
It has helped my sleep, I think, and I initially thought it had helped with the tachycardia - so I'm wondering if hormones are affecting my heart rate at the moment.
I also have Epsom salt baths sometimes, and use a magnesium oil spray in the morning for my achey lower back.
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Magnesium Taurate is the one for heart health honorsmum
"Magnesium Taurate is a scientifically-designed amino acid-mineral complex. Magnesium Taurate is a fully reacted complex and not simply a blend of the two materials. Unlike some other magnesium preparations, magnesium taurate does not cause gastrointestinal upset. Magnesium Taurate is routinely used to help support healthy heart rhythm. Studies have revealed magnesium & the amino acid taurine have some interchangeable & potentiating roles. Magnesium helps to regulate taurine & taurine can substitute for magnesium when magnesium is deficient. Both taurine & magnesium stabilize cell membranes. Both exert sedative effects & inhibit the excitability of nerve cells throughout the central nervous system"
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Honorsmum I really feel for you. Sleeping holding your hubby's hand I understand totally, when mine kicked off 18 months ago start of peri I used feel the heart racing, start worrying and would go on for hours. A few times I went to lie down and would lie there feeling every pound through my body, hot then I would start shaking uncontrollably and went cold, I would call for hubby to come up and stay with me. I do hope it calms down for you soon. Nothing worse than having a few weeks free and it returns. Have you had test and just waiting on results? X
SL some interesting finds there x
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Millykin - I've had 4 ecg's, an ECHO and a 24 hour holter monitor. Results could be another 7 weeks!
Hubby and I are a bit soppy - we quite often go to sleep holding each other's hands. :) It was just very noticeable the other night that I could feel my pulse in my fingers, and then noticed it stopped very briefly when my heart fluttered.
The tachycardia doesn't really frighten me as such, but it does affect me - it's tiring, apart from anything else and means I get a bit breathless with exertion. Also, when it beats hard at the same time, it physically rocks me - like when you are on a TENS machine in labour!
Of course, it was largely absent when I was wearing the monitor... >:(
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Thanks for the info, Silverlady.
I wonder if magnesium taurine is something I could buy on my high street?
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Well you've had the tests and I'm sure they will all be fine, long wait though. Typical nothing happens at the time of tests! I think breathlessness is common with this.
Sounds like your hubby is a good one like mine :)
Keep us updated on your tests and all I can say is try relax and know it passes. X
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I use Cardiovascular Research - Magnesium Taurate, I get it from amazon
Health shops will sell Magnesium Taurate "Viridian" make one.
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I've had some supplements from Viridian before - our local health food store sells them.
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Well you've had the tests and I'm sure they will all be fine, long wait though. Typical nothing happens at the time of tests! I think breathlessness is common with this.
Sounds like your hubby is a good one like mine :)
Keep us updated on your tests and all I can say is try relax and know it passes. X
Thanks, Millykin.
I went for reflexology this afternoon, which was nice - she did a lot of work on my heart meridian.
Yes, my hubby is fantastic. <3. No idea what I would do without him - he is my rock and my very best friend.x
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They are horrible aren't they, but I think they are hormonal. Do you know how fast your heart beat is when it happens? How long do the episodes last?
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This forum might be of interest founded by a retired Cardiologist
http://palps.chemicalforums.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=general
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They are horrible aren't they, but I think they are hormonal. Do you know how fast your heart beat is when it happens? How long do the episodes last?
My resting heart rate seems to be around 90, and when I've had tachycardia, it goes up to 130 and can stay there for several hours at a time.
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It's like a workout isn't it? ;D
My resting is 80 and palps around 130. X
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My resting is about 75ish, it can go up to 160 and can last a couple of hours. It really scares me. Mine all started about 5 or 6 years ago, I think it is hormonal.
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I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but it IS reassuring to heat other people's experience of them.
Toffeecushion, did you have have tests?
I really do think it's hormonal, because it seems to happen for a period of time (regardless of how I'm feeling mentally), and then completely disappear for a while each month. I'm keeping a record now, to see if it follows a particular pattern.
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They are due to.low levels or higher levels of oestrogen. I saw a.cardiologist who specialises in this area.when i first started with early surgical meno. Had all the ecg etc and as soon as.my hrt was upped they went. I also had them when my.levels went too high. Worth getting your oestrogen level checked.
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They are due to.low levels or higher levels of oestrogen. I saw a.cardiologist who specialises in this area.when i first started with early surgical meno. Had all the ecg etc and as soon as.my hrt was upped they went. I also had them when my.levels went too high. Worth getting your oestrogen level checked.
That's really interesting to know, thank you.
My GP refused to listen to my suggestion that it could be hormone related, and has refused to do blood tests because my FSH was "normal" in October.
I am seeing a women's health specialist in a few weeks, so I'll ask her.
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I have had an echocardiogram, a 24 hour monitor, been to a & e and seen cardiologist. They couldn't find anything wrong. My gp doesn't link it to peri and has prescribed betablockers, which I haven't taken as most of the time I am ok.
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I haven't even been offered beta blockers, but I'm not that keen on taking them as I have lowish blood pressure.
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Morning honorsmum I too have palps & bumps >:( also very low blood pressure however I do take beta blockers on an addhock basis GP has said this is fine. xx
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Oh, that's helpful to know, Mrs Bennet.
Which ones do you take, and what dose?
Do you find you also get palpitations after you've eaten? I've just had breakfast and my heart, which was already a bit fast, has gone into overdrive. I know it's not harmful, but it really isn't much fun.
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I get palpitations when I have taken too much thyroid medication. I have beta blockers (which we only given to me last month) but I only take half a tablet as I don't want to get used to them/become dependant etc. Gosh, I take enoguh damn tablets as it is ! :o
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What type and dose do you have, Lindilou?
Does half a tablet help?
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What type and dose do you have, Lindilou?
Does half a tablet help?
I was given 'Propranolol 40 mg. I initially started with 40mg as and when I needed them. Then I thought, 'hang on a min, do I need 40mg'. I now take 20mg and sit down and relax for about half an hour, just chill out, listen to relaxing music and sure enough the 20mg dose kicks in within half an hour. Just a matter of me being patient. A patient, patient ! ;D
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Hi just jumping in here! I was on beta blockers too while they done tests, I was put on propranalol 80mg slow release and they worked my heart rate was so chilled ! I stayed on them for 8 months. At first I noticed I was really tired and Bp was lower then it settled. I cut down to 40mg aday taken as 2x 20 morning and night. Then just 10mg as when needed. It does help x
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Thanks Millykin and lindilou - I will ask my GP next time I go.
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Honorsmum I take just 10mg Propranalol usually about an hour before I go out....as going out is when my anxiety really kicks in, I sometimes take 10mg at night if my anxiety is in overdrive, doc has said this is fine as it is a very low dose she has said I can take up to 40mg in one day however I have never done so. This med is not addictive which I presume is why it can be taken whenever needed and not at precise intervals. Hope that helps :) xx
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I take beta blockers too. I was initially given 40mg and felt really ill, it was far too strong for me. I am now on 10mg and I take one in the morning. If I take at night it disturbs my sleep. I take it primarily for anxiety and it does damp it down a bit. It has also helped my palpitations. They are still there but fewer and more sort of muted....I don't know how else to explain that....they are in the background and no longer panic me or stop me in my tracks...but I am still aware.
It's Propanolol that I take
Honeyb
X
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I'm in this club ladies! - horrible ectopic heartbeats, also bouts of rapid pulse. Cardiologist said my palpitations were hormonally linked and also caused by stress. GPs seemed to be clueless. One GP told me I could never have HRT because of 'heart problems'. Cardiologist said this was completely untrue and HRT would probably help!
I take low dose of the beta blocker bisoprolol daily (1.25mg) and am very very careful with caffeine and alcohol.I am so much better than when I first had these flutters and skips at age 44 - now it's usually just a few a day, but worse when period is coming. The beta blocker helps my heart mostly remain calm and steady. I didn't get on well with propranolol; it seemed to have no effect apart from freezing fingers and nightmares :(, so it's worth asking about other BBs if they don't suit you. I also have (occasional use only) xanax for severe anxiety attacks - which are thankfully rare - this was also on the recommendation of the cardio. The xanax miraculously stops the ectopics, so they are clearly anxiety related. This is a relief to know in itself. I had never before realised how strongly stress hormones and other hormones impact on pulse, bp etc.
Palpitations are horrible! They should always be checked out, but are so often harmless. My cardiologist confirmed that even thousands of ectopics daily (which at my worst was what I was having) they are (and I quote) 'completely benign'. Hope you find this reassuring.
Starfish x
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Thanks Mrs Bennett, Honeybun and Starfish.
My heart seems to have calmed down this morning, thank goodness, but I will certainly ask about betablockers next time I see my GP.
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I really cannot reiterate enough about checking your hormone levels.before jumping to betablockers. The cardiologist i saw.said.if.your level is.correct then.most.ladies should not.need to take.additonal meds. Please get checked.or.change your gp/gynae if they dont listen.
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I really cannot reiterate enough about checking your hormone levels.before jumping to betablockers. The cardiologist i saw.said.if.your level is.correct then.most.ladies should not.need to take.additonal meds. Please get checked.or.change your gp/gynae if they dont listen.
I believe mine are hormonal and haven't taken the beta blockers prescribed. My doctor doesn't think they are anything to do with the menopause. Wish I could get her to hear me.