What are the causes of palpitation?

[KLscilevothma]

Hi guys, I have a few questions about palpitation. What are the causes of palpitation? What are the symptoms? What will a doctor do to confirm a patient has palpitation? Can a person who has palpitation do vigorous sports like ball games?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Monique]

Too much caffeine causes palpitation. My previous roommate was very concerned when she started feeling palpitations and anxiously visited the cardiologist, although I had told her it was probably just all the coffee she had been drinking,.. it turned out to be the coffee.

 

[KLscilevothma]

Too much caffeine causes palpitation. My previous roommate was very concerned when she started feeling palpitations and anxiously visited the cardiologist, although I had told her it was probably just all the coffee she had been drinking,.. it turned out to be the coffee.

But I haven't drink coffee for at least a few weeks.

 

[Monique]

A doctors checkup would be good, they have standard tests that can be done. Check this following link: http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/cardio/messages/32274a.html"

The sensation can arise from stress such as fear, anxiety and anger. It is also common when using stimulants such as caffeine, while smoking and while taking certain medications such as decongestants. Palpitation is also a symptom of certain medical disorders, particularly those of the heart or the thyroid gland (taken from http://www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/palpitation.html).

 

[KLscilevothma]

Thanks for the links.

In the morning, my heart beat unusually strong suddenly and my pulse was about 50 something per minute, which was very low. I had similar experience before and so I just ignored it. Few hours later, My heart pounded again and my pulse at that time was around 3 beats per second, which was extremely fast but I wasn't doing sports at that time. I felt as if my heart was going to jump out, and while my heart was still pounding at a high rate, I started to feel dizzy. It was the mixed symptoms of dizziness and pounding heart which freaked me out, so I went to see a doctor and I'll have some checkups on that later.

 

[Monique]

Good, I'm glad you'll have some checkups :) There is an archive about palpitations where that one link came from, as you'll see it can be a scary experience but in most instances it is benign (not harmfull) http://www.medhelp.org/forums/cardio/archive/Palpitation.html

Critically examine your lifestyle, avoid stimulating products like coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, drugs and try to get enough sleep. Maybe yours is a combination of lack of sleep and ongoing stress.. in which case it would be good to reduce workload somehow and don't go to bed too late :)

 

[KLscilevothma]

Too much caffeine causes palpitation. My previous roommate was very concerned when she started feeling palpitations and anxiously visited the cardiologist, although I had told her it was probably just all the coffee she had been drinking,.. it turned out to be the coffee.

I felt very anxious also when that occurred yesterday (it's 13/4 in HK now) because of the dizziness that I felt. I was afraid that it might be a heart attack and rushed to see a doctor at once.

Usually I can just ignore the palpitations that I have. As you've said, palpitation can be caused by fear or stress and I probably can distinguish those myself. I have chest discomfort also once in a while and it happens to be a chance for me to have some checkups.

Now I'm on study leave (stay at home and do revision and I don't need to go to school anymore) for exams and have plenty of sleep every night. My friends suspected that I might be under stress but I didn't think I would feel that stressful before next week when the most important exams start. Also I always think I can manage exam stress very well.

 

[Evo]

I felt very anxious also when that occurred yesterday (it's 13/4 in HK now) because of the dizziness that I felt. I was afraid that it might be a heart attack and rushed to see a doctor at once.

Usually I can just ignore the palpitations that I have. As you've said, palpitation can be caused by fear or stress and I probably can distinguish those myself. I have chest discomfort also once in a while and it happens to be a chance for me to have some checkups.

Now I'm on study leave (stay at home and do revision and I don't need to go to school anymore) for exams and have plenty of sleep every night. My friends suspected that I might be under stress but I didn't think I would feel that stressful before next week when the most important exams start. Also I always think I can manage exam stress very well.

It sounds to me like you are having anxiety attacks. If they keep recurring, it is easily treatable with several medications on the market. You don't necessarily have to be afraid of anything, or worried to have them occur, which often leads people to think they are having a heart attack or heart problems/palpitations, etc...

Definitely see a doctor and if nothing physical shows up, ask him if he thinks you are having anxiety attacks.

 

[KLscilevothma]

It sounds to me like you are having anxiety attacks. If they keep recurring, it is easily treatable with several medications on the market. You don't necessarily have to be afraid of anything, or worried to have them occur, which often leads people to think they are having a heart attack or heart problems/palpitations, etc...

Definitely see a doctor and if nothing physical shows up, ask him if he thinks you are having anxiety attacks.

Oh my god! Thank you so much Evo, I'll definitely tell my doctor about it next time we meet. I just googled "panic attack" and now I start to believe that I might have a panic attack yesterday. Besides the feeling of impendent death while my heart was pounding and racing, I was scared of entering a lift as I thought I'd be helpless inside. The immense fear was overwhelming and in fact I headed for an emergency room rather than simply went to see a doctor as I thought only doctors in ER could help me.

Yes, you're right and I should not be afraid of anything. Thanks.

Today I made an appointment with doctor and it will be on 5-10-2005. I laughed out loud also when I saw the date. It isn't a typo. This is what it is like when you went to a public hospital and be considered as an un-urgent patient.

Monique, I'll take your advice also and avoid drinking strong tea and coffee. However, I don't want to stop eating chocolate.

 

[Moonbear]

I'm nowhere near an expert on panic attacks, but I would think it would make a difference in determining if that's what it was if the feeling of axiousness started either before or pretty much the same time as the palpitations, or did you start getting anxious after the palpitations and dizziness started? Palpitations alone don't usually panic people unless it's the first time you've ever experienced it, but when you start feeling dizzy with it, that would make anyone nervous. If, however, the nervousness you felt is what triggered the palpitations rather than the other way around, then it could be panic attacks. Or just overwhelming stress. You say you think you can handle exam stress well. Sometimes we think we do, but only after it's over realize just how stressed we really were...you start to get used to the stressed out feeling and don't notice it's not normal until it's gone.

 

[Monique]

but.. but.. KL, that is 13 months from now! Wow..
I'm not an MD either, but I think the stress made you more vulnerable to palpitations and noticing those caused a panic attack, worsening the palpitations, which again worsen the stress..

And KL? If I were you I'd leave the chocolate aside until áfter the exams it will give you something to look out for too

 

[KLscilevothma]

I think I started to panic after palpitation had started. Anyway, I'm perfectly fine now and so I'll just forget about it for the time being and focus on my exams. Thanks for pointing that out Moonbear.

but.. but.. KL, that is 13 months from now! Wow..

Oh, I should have specified that the format of 5-10-2005 is (day-month-year]. So it should be 18 months from now.