Palpitations

violetmarie61516 · December 2015

Our birth mother has been having more and more palpitations since finding out she's expecting. She had this with her first pregnancy too but she didn't have as much anxiety. Since giving birth last October to her first, she's had panic attacks and horrible anxiety which she says is under control but I think otherwise. She's also had costochondritis on/off for 2 years now. Needless to say, she frequents urgent care and emergency rooms because she can't find a primary that she likes and is willing to see her at the drop of a hat.

Anyways, my question is, how many of you have experienced palpitations and what can she do to feel better about them? I want to make her feel better but I also think she's just exaggerating. For example, she went to the urgent care a few months back because she talked herself into believing she had a blood clot when she really just had a pulled muscle in her leg. The next day she went to the ER for the same thing because she wasn't satisfied that they wouldn't do every test under the sun to confirm. Any advice?

alysemci · December 2015

She sounds like she has true anxiety disorder coupled with panic attacks. I believe she really truly feels this way and isn't exaggerating. I have the same thing and it blows. You know you sound crazy when you say it out loud but it feels just as real as anything. The palpitations are normal in pregnant and especially normal if she has anxiety issues. I've personally been in a panic for 2 days because I feel shaky and dizzy with a headache. I've convinced myself I have a brain tumor or am somehow dying. I know I'm not, but it doesn't matter.

VikingGirl12 · December 2015

This is me made over. Right before I got pregnant I had to have an echo, heart monitor for 24 hours, and an EKG. Everything was normal. My dr told me that 99% of palpatations are benign and that some people are just more sensitive to feeling them than others (most people have them but don't feel them).
Mine are totally and completely caused by severe anxiety and panic disorder. I have a racing heart 1-2 times daily even with anxiety medication. I have panic attacks sometimes daily. I have palpatations daily. They definitely worsen with pregnancy but after my OB requested my heart results and saw it was fine, she told me it's completely normal to have palpatations while pregnant. I guess Bc of the excess blood?
I would discuss a class B anxiety medication with her? Keep us posted.

alysemci · December 2015

VikingGirl12 said:
This is me made over. Right before I got pregnant I had to have an echo, heart monitor for 24 hours, and an EKG. Everything was normal. My dr told me that 99% of palpatations are benign and that some people are just more sensitive to feeling them than others (most people have them but don't feel them).
Mine are totally and completely caused by severe anxiety and panic disorder. I have a racing heart 1-2 times daily even with anxiety medication. I have panic attacks sometimes daily. I have palpatations daily. They definitely worsen with pregnancy but after my OB requested my heart results and saw it was fine, she told me it's completely normal to have palpatations while pregnant. I guess Bc of the excess blood?
I would discuss a class B anxiety medication with her? Keep us posted.

Are we kindred souls? Same exact experience

BakerBird525 · December 2015

Agree with previous posters. I suffer from anxiety and panic attacks and am currently medicated and it definitely helps. I have had what I believe to be palpitations a few times since being PG but I haven't worried about it too much. Before being medicated, I had skips (skipped beats), but since being PG, they are more like thumps. I would suggest she possibly see a therapist during the pregnancy. I also went to a cardiologist when my palpitations first started and they ran a bunch of tests like EKG, stress test (running on a treadmill), and I wore a holter monitor for 24 hours. Everything turned out to be fine and it really set my mind at ease (when it came to palpitations). And the less I thought about them, the less frequent they became. The mind is truly a powerful thing. When I first experienced a palpitation, I literally thought I was going to die. They are frightening when you don't know what's happening or why or what it's doing. Anxiety is a very real thing and really sucks. Just try to be there for her and be understanding. You could also suggest some books or podcasts. I thought those helped to an extent. Therapy helped a lot too. I really believe therapy can help a lot of people going through this. And this is an especially stressful time (being PG). And if she feels she should see a cardiologist, I say, go for it if that would help.

In the end medication worked for me but I fought it for a long time since I hate to take medicine. And I'm not definitely not saying she should be medicated, but don't rule it out. I knew during pregnancy that my anxiety would get worse since I suffer from health anxiety so I discussed it with my PCP and OB and both agreed that I should stay on it.

violetmarie61516 · December 2015

Thank you for all your responses. I have palpitations all the time and have seen a cardiologist and know that they are normal. I think I just feel like because she won't take medication or accept the fact that she has anxiety, that's really what bugs me. She's seen a cardiologist and every other doctor I can think of. She refuses to take any medication and doesn't think she has a problem other than "I'm dying."

I will try to be supportive as best I can. What books might I be able to suggest and how would you think I could approach that? I kinda think it might blow up in my face!

VikingGirl12 · December 2015

Hmm that's a tough one @Love4Labs326 I don't have any books to suggest.. But I know my dr told me the risks of me staying off medicine to control anxiety were greater than my risks while on medication. I think a long sit down talk with her is in order, and let her know that you're concerned about both her and the baby, and that there are so many safe options for her. She doesn't have to feel like she's dying! Like another poster said, the mind is VERY powerful. I would have palpatations whenever I went to lie down or bend over, but as soon as I found out I wasn't dying (knock on wood) they have reduced a lot! Doing a quick Google search of how common anxiety disorder is may help her see it's no big deal and will outline the symptoms of it for her. And then show her the risks of uncontrolled anxiety during pregnancy. Then show her all the ways she can help herself (massage, class B medications (or even class C in very severe cases), therapy, breathing exercises, relactation techniques.
I hope you can get through to her soon mama. Praying!

HBamama2B · December 2015

this is definitely a difficult situation. I would tread cautiously. As difficult as it is to have her resistant to medication and having frequent medical episodes, venturing into a maternal or caretaker role with her may not sit well. If that's what she's looking for in the relationship and seems open to advice great, but if not it could be detrimental to your relationship. Try to ascertain if she's wanting you to be in 'validation space' or 'solution space' and stay in that lane, even if it grates and you think she is exaggerating.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg

itsStackie · December 2015

My doctor told me last pregnancy that palpitations can get worse the next pregnancies, but to relax and monitor them. I took prenatal yoga last time after and feel like that helped, also being around other women and the support helped.
These ladies have good advice too, but I wanted to share my experience.

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