heart palpitations?

jenny0228 · December 2016

I'm currently waiting rather impatiently for my cardiologist to call me back to see if I can get an appointment today or early this week. On Friday I started noticed more frequent than normal heart palpitations when I would exercise. Then they started happening when I was just sitting around. Today they are happening a bit more and I'm just sitting at my desk. It's only one or two big blips at a time, they don't make me dizzy or anything - I know they can be normal when pregnant, but as I wait for the phone to ring - has anyone else experienced this? I'm having them every 20 mins or so, then maybe an hour later. I am going to call my OB as well if they don't get back to me soon. Now I'm getting anxious and probably making it worse...!

Happyhiker · December 2016

No, but sometimes my baby's movements feel like heart palpitations. The closest thing to the feeling is butterflies in my stomach, which is a feeling I associate with a racing heart. I hope you hear from your dr soon and all is well!!

JustAnotherUsername16 · December 2016

So I'm not sure how much I can talk about your specific situation... I have a heart condition (Wolfe-Parkinson White Syndrome) that causes palpitations anyway. In first trimester, they switched up my drugs since the kind I was previously on was dangerous to the development of LO. Almost immediately I started experiencing a significant increase in palpitations. After some testing (just to be sure) it was determined that the palpitations I was feeling was just an increase in heart rate and not accompanied by a difference in heart rhythm or an increase in blood pressure. While a fast HR can feel "scary", it's not dangerous to mom or baby and is considered a relatively "normal" pregnancy symptom. I would definitely ask your doc so they can follow up and make sure what exactly is causing the palpitations and make sure it's not accompanied by a heart rhythm issue or an increase in blood pressure. In the meantime, I am sending positive vibes to you!

dizzymom-2 · December 2016

I have mitral valve prolapse and a leaky ventricular as well with some regurgitation. Palpitations are fairly normal for me, but definitely increase significantly if I'm anxious or stressed. I would slow down a bit, especially if you know it happens more during certain activities. I saw my cardiologist recently, just to make sure everything was going ok with pregnancy and he told me palpitations are common in pregnancy as long as I don't have any accompanied symptoms and they're not so frequent that they bother me. I know it's easier said than done, but try to relax. It can become a vicious cycle of worrying about it and making it worse. Definitely worth getting checked though with your cardiologist, not only to eliminate anything serious, but for ease of mind as well. Good Luck!

jenny0228 · December 2016

thank you - I get checked for mitral valve every few years because everyone in my family has it and I have a very very slight possibility that they can detect it, but can't confirm. I did a halter monitor and EKG a few months before becoming pregnant which was normal. I can have an irregular beat from time to time, but this is way more frequent. I have an appt at 1:45 with the cardiologist tomorrow, also waiting for my OB to call me back to see what the on call nurse says (no on call for cardiologist, I can either go in tomorrow or go to ER they said, but I don't think its bad enough to go to ER since I don't have any other symptoms. I also have had perfect blood pressure so far in this pregnancy. Trying to relax but it's hard when it's your

!! Mostly just want the OB to tell me its not bad for baby.

DrillSergeantCat · December 2016

I have premature ventricular contractions and pregnancy makes them worse. I saw a cardiologist with my last one and I have some minor issues, but nothing they felt was bad enough to do anything about it. I wore a Holter monitor for 24 hours, had an EKG, and an echocardiogram. I found that anxiety made them worse, so when you start to feel them try to relax. I know how hard that is as I ended up in the ER for mine before I saw the cardiologist last year. Just breathe and try to find a song that you find relaxing.

jenny0228 · December 2016

Thanks so much @DrillSergeantCat - I spoke with my OB as well just now and she said that having pre-exisiting irregularities and I have and then having them come on with more frequency in pregnancy is not uncommon so good thing I called because I would have gone to the ER, and that always makes the panic worse. Now I feel reassured that it will be fine, and I'll get the opinion from my cardiologist tomorrow as well.

Thanks ladies!!! Nothing like a lil Monday freak out the start the week.

jazzyma14 · December 2016

I have had a few days where I have had heart palpitations. One day it was really bad and kinda scared me. When I looked it up, I read it can be normal. I am still going to ask my OB on Friday.

JustAnotherUsername16 · December 2016

@jenny0228 Thinking of you at your heart doctors appointment today! Hope all goes well!

jenny0228 · December 2016

thanks so much @JustAnotherUsername16! I'll keep you posted. Strangely, today I feel fewer of them, while yesterday I had them every 20 mins, sometimes more often.

@jazzyma14 definitely ask your OB - mine yesterday said they can be completely normal, even very frequent ones. But since I had a prior irregularity, that's the only reason they recommended seeing my cardiologist.

JustAnotherUsername16 · December 2016

@jenny0228 I swear that is the curse of all heart patients... All of our symptoms suddenly disappear as soon as you actually make an appointment or show up to your cardiologist's office haha. During my first heart surgery, my doctor was so confused because my heart suddenly started to act normal as soon as he got inside of it. He had to trigger the issues to start using artificial adrenaline and caffeine so he could figure out where they were starting and fix it. Hearts are such a very weird thing...

jenny0228 · December 2016

@JustAnotherUsername16 it's so true, wouldn't you know it, I had no symptoms all day - they did the EKG, all clear and just as I was leaving... the palpitations started but then stopped again. In any case they weren't concerned, even with my history.

Dr said to continue as normal and not to get anxious if it happens again, because it probably will. She also said to expect them post-pregnancy as well, as your body re-adjusts to having LESS blood, they can also occur, but again not cause for concern unless accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath, blurred vision or lightheadedness.

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