Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: marshytiger on May 14, 2016, 10:29:55 PM
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Thank you Dangermouse for the simple explanation, I wondered why I am plagued by them at night but rarely during the day.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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Thank you orchid I will go onto YouTube and have a look 👍
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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 :) :) :)
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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
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I get these too quite regularly at the moment as I think my progesterone is low.
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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
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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
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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
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It is more likely to do with your thyroid I think,hrt and thyroxine is a fine balancing act to master :-\
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which is one of the reasons I avoided HRT as my thyroid levels have been hard enough to keep stable for a long time. didn't want to add any more problems into the equation.
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I am fortunate in that my endocrinologist fine tunes my dose to be exactly right for me. 100mcg a day is too much and 75mcg a day is not enough so I am on 100mcg for 2 days and 75mcg every 3rd day. I also take 5mcg T3 twice a day. this regime has my levels just right for me at the moment but it was hard work getting there and I have to always have the same brand as I react to any little change.
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Unfortunately they can continue post memo which I am. I feel mine are more frequent, every 2-3 weeks and still get the funny heads, like pressure, on HRT but hasn't stopped them. They are horrid, had all the tests and ok but they can make you a bit lightheaded and tired when at their worse. One of the worst symptoms I feel.
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I have a note on my prescription which names the brand I have so the chemist knows. I have had Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis for nearly 30 years, it is genetic through my mum's side of the family. I am also in the sub group 15% who do not convert T4 to T3 properly, whereas my mother was not, hence the combination therapy.
I am fortunate in that my endo is at the top of his field and the hospital is lucky to have him on board. I know for sure I would not be as stable if he was not looking after me.
Anyway this thread is not about me and my thyroid, it is about palpitations so I will stop there :)
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The occasions when I get palpitations seem to be following times of acute psychological or emotional stress. Does anyone else here experience this?
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oh yes, it can be guaranteed but I can nip it in the bud with an extra half tablet of my prescribed beta blocker.
I suspect it is due to adrenaline surge, the 'fight or flight' response to the stressor.
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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.
Thanks for this Dangermouse, I wonder if this is what happened to me last week? I was just lying in bed reading, not even thinking about anything and woah...suddenly my heart starts pounding, really fast and strong. Tried deep breathing but it wouldn't slow, then of course started to panic! Was on the verge of calling someone but then eventually it did start to slow. Then of course too scared to sleep, plus I had a bit of a funny head with lying down with the vertigo thing...oh my...!!! In the end I tried to sleep sitting up and did a visualisation exercise and eventually nodded off, woke up again with a bit more panic, dozed again. Anyway, eventually I was able to lie down, about 3 am and slept round to 7.
I still think my hormones are up and down, I've lost so much weight off my tummy that I don't have that buffer anymore and wonder if any stress is just depleting me so quickly now. I've seen a naturopath who's put me on a load of supplements to try and strengthen me.
I would have thought that I'd be well past these strong ups and downs now but guess the operation I had is still coming into play. It's almost like I've done the physical healing and now a lot of other emotional stuff is coming out or I've just used up so much energy healing that I'm empty!
My doc did say I could up my patch (I'm on 50, the lowest) but it goes straight to 100. I did ask about cutting but she said that was okay but couldn't guarantee it would be equal. I did think about sticking 2 patches on just to test it before committing to a prescriptions worth? Any thoughts?
They are all soooo complicated these hormones!
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Going to see a dr. about my palpitations tomorrow. Seems whenever I get stressed these days, I get the palps. Had a wierd one this afternoon, when I was getting really stressed during my practising. >:( Headache, tingling hands, hissing in my ears, now. I'm getting stressed more often these days. Hubby's noticed that, too. Bit tough when I'm working for a big organ exam next year. Lavender bag's next to me; Rescue Remedy and magnesium spray are by the bed. Feeling a bit tearful just now. Need a hug. Or a cuppa....
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:bighug: Dulciana
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Hello dulciana.
Have a hug from me too!
I still get the palps but they are not as strong as they used to be. Often I would get them on waking first thing in the morning or even after a relaxing nap. I used to think that must be hormones because I wasn't stressing about anything at the time, I was asleep for goodness sake!
I understand that palpitations are very common so I'm sure your doctor will be able to help you.
Take care and let us know how you get on.
K.
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Thanks, Kathleen and Dazned, :thankyou:
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Hug from me..... going through a iffy time at the moment so sympathise! See my post above when just lying in bed reading, quite happy and whoa..off it went, causing panic and a night of no sleep.
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Check out cardiologist Sanjay Gupta on "You Tube"regarding ectopic beats. He really put my mind at rest! Hope it helps 😃
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Thanks for the recommendation about Sanjay Gupta - what a brilliant chap - I\ve learnt so much and he's put my mind at rest on a lot of points. Taken a lot onboard.
I'd recommend you take a look - even to find out bits and pieces about heart, magnesium, exercise etc.