heart palpitations

mleec06

I've been having heart palpitations all morning. I've had them intermittently this pregnancy, but generally only lasting a minute or so after doing some sort of activity. All I've done this morning is sit at my desk. I feel slightly short of breath...nothing bad just feel the need to take deep breaths every few minutes. Anyone have this occur? I left a message on my OB's nurse line

gsancho

I've had this happen several times.  They told me first to watch my caffeine intake, and they also said that often times just being out of breath and the lungs not having much space can make you feel like you are having heart palpatations.  It still freaks me out, and calling your OB is the right thing to do.  But yes, I can relate!

mlbrooks619

Not much help here but I have this every night when I sit down on the couch after dinner and am just relaxing. I mentioned to my Dr last week and he said it's completely normal. I told him it feels like my heart is going to beat right out of my chest. He didn't seem concerned. So I guess I am not worried with it especially because I feel fine otherwise.

wheninrome627

I've had this too.  If it gets worse, talk to your doctor. Mine said that if it's really bad, they will send you to a cardiologist. 

itsmevkb

I've had this with all of my pregnancies and after one of them I had it for a few months after birth.  It's a little unnerving but my doctor was never really concerned.  He said so long as I wasn't gasping for breath or super dizzy it wasn't really an issue.

blankenbakerh

I have had these on and off my entire life. They do increase in  frequency with pregnancy. It has never been a concern until now. I am also having shortness of breath, fast heart rate so my doctor is sending me to a cardiologist next week. If you have concerns I would talk to your doctor. I agree with PP it can be semi normal in pregnancy unless accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath, irregular or fast heart or high BP. 

VeganOnTuesdays

I have this as well. I read that it is because you have extra blood flow to your heart during pregnancy and it actually is enlarged. I would still run it past your doctor. 

alleycat39

Palpitations are also associated with increased levels of progesterone, which can happen throughout pregnancy. I had it happen last pregnancy and went to a cardiologist, who said nothing to worry about!

sml72978

Everything is also getting pushed up including your lungs and your lung capacity is decreased that could lead to you feeling like you can't get a good breath in. It gets a little worse as baby gets bigger but you get use to it after a while.

cookiesmac

I ran this by my doc yesterday and she said it's normal at this stage of pregnancy (I'm 21wks5days) - due to increased blood volume. I've taken my resting pulse and it was around 110 beats/min and my normal was 64-65. Of course the spell passed, but it's alarming to feel this way.
As others have said, always good to bring it up to your doctor just in case.

Lezzie82

I think I've been having this!!! I just thought it was me not able to catch my breath while being sick!

Mine come when I'm lying down, almost always after a big puking session..... And I feel like I can't breath for a moment!

What is the thing where you get woken up suddenly in the middle of the night like you can't breath? I get that too sometimes.

a316b

Happens to me too- mostly when I'm lying down. All blood tests normal, wore a heart monitor (per cardiologist that the ob wanted me to se) and conclusion was that I'm a normal pregnant woman. Sheesh. It did scare me at first, as I never experienced this with my first two pregnancies.

Hope your doc gets back to you soon and it's also no big thing

mleec06

Update: doc told me to go to er. ..I'm a nurse so I obviously didn't haha. I'm still having the heart palpitations and the shortness of breath comes and goes. I am a little worried because I didn't have this with my first pregnancy. I told OB if it gets worse I'll go to er, otherwise I see her on Monday. Thanks everyone.

Rosie3rd

I get these with Braxton hicks. Dr said it's normal, just a bit annoying.

Benitess21

Definitely tell your Dr. I too have this on occasion, started off as I get settled in bed.. felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest -- I had a panic attack a few years ago, so it really alarmed me, but my Dr did order me to have an EKG done and a take home 24hr monitor. Luckily, everythings okay.. but it's better to be. Like it's been mentioned before, it's pretty normal during pregnancy -- our hearts are working for two now. Hope all works out with you!

tygraa1

I've had fast heartrate and severe pvcs/palpitations since I was16 weeks. I also get very short of breath when my palpitations are bad/frequent. I am seeing a cardiologist for this but my GP, my OB and the cardiologist have all said that palpitations are very normal in pregnancy bc of the increased blood volume and also bc it's just simply hard on your body. If they haven't already, ask them to check your magnesium and potassium levels, only bc mine were very low 10 weeks ago when this all started. Electrolyte imbalances can also make your heart do funny stuff. Hope you feel better, heart issues are very scary.

HeatherC21

FTM here and freaked out about them and told doc (started very early at like 12 weeks) Doc was totally like yep normal no tests or anything. The nurse at my last appt was checking my BP and said she could actually hear the palpitations, she made a note in my chart but once again doc was all no big deal.

I get them while laying in bed, standing, sitting on the couch, whenever really. :-/

Bon2737

Same here, get palpitations often.. Especially when im relaxed on the couch or in bed... It freaks me out byiI just take deep breaths and try forget about it!

mlwestm1

I can relate too. I have a history of palpitations with SVT prior to pregnancy, but haven't needed meds for awhile. Started having palpitations again now that I'm pregnant. I find that it helps to make sure you're well-hydrated and get plenty of rest when your start feeling it. It's easy to freak out but try not to. #:-S

emwaiting

I had this with my son but didn't even realize I was having them.  I would be sitting at work (generally in the morning) and I would all of sudden get really dizzy and light headed.  I wouldn't pass all the way out but I would get tunnel vision and have the sweats.  My doctor couldn't figure anything out since I was having them while sitting down and they started when I had a bad cold so we thought maybe it was an inner ear problem.  I finally had one while I was driving and ended up going in the ditch.  Luckily nobody was hurt but went to my family dr in town and he had me get set up with a 48 hr heart monitor and that showed palpitations randomly throughout the day.  He then sent me to the cardiologist and they put me on a low dose heart med and never had one since.  About 6 wks after my son was born they took me off the med and still no episodes.  I'm currently prego with #2 and hoping not to have to deal with that again.  The dizzy spells didn't start until about 30 wks and I'm at 21 wks now and fingers crossed I don't have them again. Good luck to you.

marym94

I just told my husband I had this too and was planning to bring it up to dr this week... Crazy that it is common, had no idea!

Clairbear92

I had to go to the doctor for that they send me to an endocrinologist and I got diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. It's managed with methimazole once a day. Since I started that I haven't had a single heart palpitation.

fatlard64

I've been having them also! I was recently in the hospital for contractions, I wasn't feeling any pain, but I was losing my breath, and it felt like my heart was beating so hard that the entire building was shaking. Like a mini earthquake or something. I described what I was feeling to the nurse, and all she said was "I've never heard them being described like that" ... So I figured it was normal.
Def going to mention it to my OB next time I see her.
Anyone else feel the earthquake?

klaG101

I had them with my daughter and was on a heart monitor and everything was ok. This pregnancy I've been having them worse and my dr didn't seem so concerned, just suggested I try to breathe through it (I have bad anxiety that has been acting up). He suggested I take it easy but I get them the most when I'm just sitting there!