# Heart Palpitations



## titansprodigal (Mar 2, 2002)

44yr old racing/riding 8yrs. Recently ive been having palpitations worse when i lie down at night. And sometimes at night my heart aches. Work has stressed me out totally. I had a couple days of lethargy and riding like crap but have since recovered. They are dissipating and i feel ok now on the bike too. Shortly after they started, two weeks ago i did a killer ride 3.5hrs of full throttle, I really pushed myself beyond max. The next five days I was spent, legs burned even on easy excertions three days after the ride. I was coming back from a period of less training and just wasn't in the shape to do a effort like that.I have a dr appt for a physical in a month. I was just wondering if anyone else have exp a episode of this? Thanks


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## Ejdo (Mar 14, 2010)

I had a race earlier this year, just an 18 mile TT. Pushed myself real hard and did well but for the next few weeks I would get palpitations, especially when laying down. I went to the doc and got all the tests done with nothing found. My cardiologist said he thinks I was stressed about the race and stressed my heart during the race. This combination along with the quick release of this stress probably caused my problems. Fact is, most people with palpitations are found to have nothing wrong but it is always the right thing to have it checked out.


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## Gatorback (Jul 11, 2009)

Go have it checked out. Chances are you are fine. However, if you fall into the small percentage who has the dangerous type then the risk is very high. It sounds very much like stress is getting to you and then the added stress of hard exercise may just put you over the edge.

There are some palpitations that are essentially harmless. They are the relax and take a few days off type. There are others that are deadly. You can't tell yourself if they are dangerous or harmless. Let a cardiologist tell you.

If you are having repeated palpitations--especially if they last for any extended period of time at all--go have them checked out.

I had a successful cardiac ablation earlier this year, which fixed a potentially dangerous arrhythmia (yeah I can't spell it). I'm glad I had it fixed.


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## titansprodigal (Mar 2, 2002)

*Lyme Disease?*

Thanks guys I will. I cancelled my appt today but will re schedule, palpitations starting again. Three weeks ago before all this started i did a ride on my mtb. The trails had grown up and before i knew it i was waist high in grass. I had over 200 seed tick bites on me. Arkansas has one of the lowest incidents of Lyme disease in the country. Hawaii zero. Connecticut being number one, but i better be safe.

Three days later all this started. Lyme disease, 1 out of four have no rash, which I dont. Lethargy and palpitations, no flu like symptoms or joint pain but now the joints in my foot are hurting. I think its coincidental but I'm going to the Dr. ASAP. thanks again.

ag





Gatorback said:


> Go have it checked out. Chances are you are fine. However, if you fall into the small percentage who has the dangerous type then the risk is very high. It sounds very much like stress is getting to you and then the added stress of hard exercise may just put you over the edge.
> 
> There are some palpitations that are essentially harmless. They are the relax and take a few days off type. There are others that are deadly. You can't tell yourself if they are dangerous or harmless. Let a cardiologist tell you.
> 
> ...


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## MorganRaider (May 22, 2010)

Good Luck ! I was going to suggest it might be Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome, but it sounds like you might have it nailed.


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## FeydR (May 19, 2010)

This happend once to me too... actually ended up with a bit of "pain" very dull, very weak... but noticible after I got off the bike.

After a few hours I said eff it and went to the ER thinking that I might have had/been having a hard attack or something.

Tests came back negative and I ended up having a stress echo done and that all came back negative as well... zero blockages, etc. etc.

At the end of the day my doctor just said I must have exerted myself too much.


Freaky feeling for sure, but definitly have it checked out... if nothing else it'll help you calm down. Good luck.


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## Ejdo (Mar 14, 2010)

If the ticks were on you less than 24 hours you probably don't have Lyme, also seed ticks almost never carry Lyme. Chances are that isn't the cause.


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## black_box (Jun 7, 2008)

I had a similar thing a couple months ago when i was very stressed out with work. Heavy beating at night, sometimes during the day. Freaked me out, took 10+ days off the bike and avoided caffeine. Once work cleared up they were gone. I probably should have gone in to see the doctor... do that, and see what you can do to reduce your work stress.


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## easyridernyc (Jan 10, 2008)

listen to your heart.

always amazes me how hard people will push beyond the threshold--of sensibility--when pain ensues during the course of a workout. i see them all the time, usually on the side of the road doubled over and heaving cookies, or, in worse case scenarios, on stretchers with oxygen masks strapped over their heads as they are loaded onto the ambulance. the moral of the story is kinda clear--if it hurts, pay attention. a little, nay even a considerable, amount of pain is to be expected when you start to exert seriously. deal with it, or handle it, accordingly. but if pain continues, if your muscles begin to systematically fail once you are off the bike, if your heart actually ACHES when and after you work out...

dude, you are going too fast. work or no work,. you need to slow the phuck DOWN. listen to what your body is trying to tell you. if you exert too much, the cortisone, i think it is, level shoots way up, which basically means that your body is producing hormones, natural chemicals, designed to achieve exactly the OPPOSITE of what you intend, to slow, and eventually STOP the offensive activity from happening. to a minor degree, that may simply equate to an inefficient workout, i.e. no benefit from the input and exertion of a workout nbd, you live you learn. but on the bad end, it could eventually equate to muscle and organ damage--red alerts and worse case scenarios, see the booting cookies, flashing red lights and emergency room scenarios above. one way or another, and if you dont pay attention, trust me--if its wrong, your body WILL make it stop.

seeing a doctor is a good start, while you're in there maybe you could discuss general parameters to guide you through the rough patch. and if it is an infection issue, same deal, take the meds and a few days off then get back on the horse. slow and sure. 

feel better dood and good luck


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## ronvdp (Oct 8, 2004)

Everything you've said about your signs and symptoms tells me you need to get checked out quick. It could be a lot of things but my guess is atrial fibrillation which causes the extreme lethargy as your cardiac output decreases by as much as 50% during the fibrillatory periods. When your ventricle finally contracts it has an excess of blood volume and causes those heavy feeling beats. Many people get it intermittently and it can be controlled by medications. I had it for a short time and had to be cardioverted to get rid of it. I took medications for a few months but haven't been bothered by it in two years (knock on wood). I am very careful with my hydration and take cut out almost all the caffeine. I hope it turns out to be nothing but you should go in immediately and say you have chest discomfort so they don't waste any time. Good luck.


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## JustTooBig (Aug 11, 2005)

have this checked out. By a pro, not us idiots on the internet. Seriously, get thee to a cardiologist.

I have A-fib (atrial fibrillation), was diagnosed about 12yrs ago. I knew for a long time before that something was going on, but never managed to "catch it" while wearing monitor/recording equipment. I would experience short episodes of palpitations/fluttering, primarily while resting and relaxing after exercise or riding (sometimes several hours later).

A diagnosis of some type of a dysrhythmia isn't necessarily a reason for alarm, but you DO need to be diagnosed.


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## vontress (Jul 19, 2009)

I have been having heart palpitations for about 6 months. About 2 years ago I started suffering from serious anxiety and now this. The General physician put a monitor on me for a month. Afterwards they said it was nothing to worry about. They tell me to relax, exercize and do yoga. I do all that and still have anxiety and heart palpitations. They last about 3 to 5 seconds but always feels and looks like my heart is beating out of my chest. Hopefully you get better answers than me.


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## MorganRaider (May 22, 2010)

vontress said:


> I have been having heart palpitations for about 6 months. About 2 years ago I started suffering from serious anxiety and now this. The General physician put a monitor on me for a month. Afterwards they said it was nothing to worry about. They tell me to relax, exercize and do yoga. I do all that and still have anxiety and heart palpitations. They last about 3 to 5 seconds but always feels and looks like my heart is beating out of my chest. Hopefully you get better answers than me.


I would not rely on a GP to diagnose this issue. Go see a Cardiologist. Sounds like it may be MVP, not that I am doctor. You should only have to wear a monitor for about a week.


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## bds3 (Aug 10, 2009)

MorganRaider said:


> I would not rely on a GP to diagnose this issue. Go see a Cardiologist. Sounds like it may be MVP, not that I am doctor. You should only have to wear a monitor for about a week.


Do you even know what mitral valve prolapse is? It's the second time this thread that you mentioned it. Did you google "heart palpitation" and find out that that is the most common heart abnormality?

The palpitations you're feeling are most likely premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), which are almost always completely benign and can be caused/exacerbated by too much stress or caffeine. 

But you should go to your doctor or a cardiologist--but your PCP will probably be sufficient in this case to either tell you you're ok or refer you to a specialist. It could definitely be an arrhythmia of some sort that should get sorted out. The main concern in your story is the "heart ache" you describe, and you should always get chest pain checked.


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## MorganRaider (May 22, 2010)

bds3 said:


> Do you even know what mitral valve prolapse is? It's the second time this thread that you mentioned it. Did you google "heart palpitation" and find out that that is the most common heart abnormality?
> 
> The palpitations you're feeling are most likely premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), which are almost always completely benign and can be caused/exacerbated by too much stress or caffeine.
> 
> But you should go to your doctor or a cardiologist--but your PCP will probably be sufficient in this case to either tell you you're ok or refer you to a specialist. It could definitely be an arrhythmia of some sort that should get sorted out. The main concern in your story is the "heart ache" you describe, and you should always get chest pain checked.


Yes, I know what it is since I have it. (Diagnosed by a Cardiologist, not a General Practioner) For me the best medicine for it is to excercise, keeps symptons at bay and NO caffiene. I have the "syndrome", no anatomical defect in the valve.


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