Intermittent Pounding heart beat

Triathlon Forum
1

Warning super long post turn back now

I don’t know where else to turn so after much debate and many many months decided to post here after seeing similar threads

Not racing. Not fast heart beat.

But pounding heart beat sometimes. Caused by nothing that I can figure out.

Cardiac dr ran tests EKG, calcium score, stress test All fine. No enlarged heart.

Sleep test shows mild sleep apnea CPAP not needed. I tried to use one for a month but was not compliant

Thyroid tests show normal.

Blood pressure is consistently mid to high 130s over 79 to 85. Yes by new standards pre hypertension. Was the same 40 years ago and it has not increased. Dr said no need for meds yet.

No medications. Very healthy diet. Little to no alcohol. No smoking and no drugs

8 - 9 hours of sleep including a 1 - 1.5 hour nap.

I believe I have had this all my life but it is happening more frequently and interrupting my life more and more. I remember being in church kneeling in the pew and could feel my heart beat almost push me away from the pew in front with each beat.

Yes I know impossible. That is just the feeling I had.

But it never interrupted my life the way it is now

Last night laid in bed for 2 hours with the pounding.

And in the last month the number of times I wake up is sometimes 15 times

Actually had an EKG once while it was happening and test showed nothing. Cardiologist says I am healthy

I have an at home afib detector recommended by the Dr and it never shows afib. At home blood pressure machine shows no increase while heart is pounding. At home personal holter device shows no abnormalities. Only bracacardyia.

When it happens, haven’t figured out what causes it, it is pounding so hard that if my legs are crossed the one on top actually moves to the beat

Can see the heart beating through my shirt. Underside of arms also shows beating

It is like the pulse you can sometimes feeling in your thumb but almost the entire body

When it starts when I am exercising I can feel the change. Heart beat doesn’t increase but can feel the extra BOOM.

Was hugging my wife when it started one time and she’s jumped and said what is that?

The biggest problem is when I try to go to sleep or when I wake up, I think because of the pounding. I can lay there and feel the pounding in the chest, stomach, legs almost the entire body.

I am also now very hot at night. I don’t feel hot but when I roll over where I was it is incredibly hot. So much that my room can be 5 to 8 degrees hotter than the rest of the house

This includes different houses and different bedrooms. When I wake up my chest is often red. And when you press on it, it goes white almost like a sunburn.

Overall very happy, feel great mentally physically and emotionally. Little to no stress in life. Super happy to wake in the AM and don’t want to go to bed at night. BUT lately with this I am starting to feel nervous sometimes go no reason really

Workouts are good. Almost all zone 2. Happy with the results.

TRYING to find something I am doing stupid in my life to correct and get rid of this thing

Retired, financially set, children are doing well. Great relationship with my spouse

But this increased pounding seems to possibly cause anxiety or worry for no reason.

I did go into afib about 9 months ago as shown on a 12 lead AKG at the fire dept. I went to the emergency room on my own.

After running many tests the Dr said if I hadn’t brought the test strip with me he wouldn’t believe it. Because I had no signs of anything wrong. Side note - can no longer get insurance because of this one visit to the emergency room. Waiting for old age insurance to kick in lol

Anyone else have this?
Any ideas?

2

This happens to me one or two times a month. No clue why but it only lasts 5-10 sec and goes away. It’s definitely weird feeling. It only happens when I seat down and relax. It’s possible it happens other time but that’s only time I notice. I’m pretty healthy but have slightly high blood pressure from genetic. My mom side has it.

3

Exactly

When you’re moving around, it may happen, but you don’t really notice it

That’s when you’re quiet you notice it more. IT used to be just for a couple minutes now it’s lasting a couple hours.

Last night was 2 + hours waiting for it to stop

4

Maybe it’s not a problem? Are you able to not focus on it?

I’ve basically always had something similar. It doesn’t come and go though. When I’m laying in bed on a crappy bed, my heart beat will shake the entire bed. My whole body shakes side to side every time my heart beats. Just figured it was an athlete thing… I’ve grown to get used to it. Only time it really bothers me is on crappy bed situations when traveling.

5

Maybe it’s not a problem? Are you able to not focus on it?

I’ve basically always had something similar. It doesn’t come and go though. When I’m laying in bed on a crappy bed, my heart beat will shake the entire bed. My whole body shakes side to side every time my heart beats. Just figured it was an athlete thing… I’ve grown to get used to it. Only time it really bothers me is on crappy bed situations when traveling.

Probably good advice

I have tried

I will try more

Thank you

Literally the only stress I have in life

Possibly making WAY bigger a thing of it than it is

6

Premature Ventricular Contractions?

7

I get this occasionally too, but like you say it is only a few seconds. Usually when I am relaxed sitting/laying down. The only other thing I’ve linked it to is gas/bloatedness. Like it will come on and I’ll feel some strong beats and then my stomach/intestines will move something around and then its gone. Almost like the heartbeat is just echoing off of some temporarily inflated balloon in my abdomen.

8

I’m younger than you, but I’ve had this for 22 years. The best advice I can give you is listen to your doctor(s), and if they say you’re fine, then just say stfu heart and carry on.

This took me do very dark places for a number of years over which I learned that the brain can make you feel and physically react however it feels like. Anything that is under its control is fair game; pounding, tingling, skin blotching (red, white, purple, you name it), shaking, thermoregulation, etc.

Trust the docs, the rest is what it is.

9

This happens to me one or two times a month. No clue why but it only lasts 5-10 sec and goes away. It’s definitely weird feeling. It only happens when I seat down and relax. It’s possible it happens other time but that’s only time I notice. I’m pretty healthy but have slightly high blood pressure from genetic. My mom side has it.

Roughly speaking I have the same: higher blood pressure and some 2-5 sec pounding every one or two months. I notice it when lying down being relaxed, but I cannot exclude a possibility that it happens any other time.

At the age of 26 I had a full scan at the hospital (no emergency, just a pre-scheduled appointment): 24h device, 3x ECG at rest, echocardiogram (USG of heart), 20x ECG during cycling stress test, stress test itself, dozens of blood tests. Result: all good, typical young sporty-person heart. Recommendation: do sport, observe, come back in 5 years.

@MrTri123
Thank you for sharing & entrusting with us. I don’t envy your situation, I don’t know what’s causing it for you. I have a recommendation of sorts for you, but of course up to you what to do:
(1) Please structure your findings and situation like if you were giving a PowerPoint presentation. Think of intro, bio characteristics, history, observations, timeline etc. Think of items that aren’t important and put them into a mental appendix. Not for me, but for doctors. You’ll be better understood.
(2) Allow yourself to consider, that some of your observations/symptoms are secondary (derived). You might be getting symptoms like sleep deprivation, fever or hormonal changes simply because you are stressing out more than your body can handle. This would be totally understandable. You wrote it yourself, how stressful the situation is. Differentiate between primary symptoms and those, that might be secondary. Make a list and mark with X and/or Y if needed.
(3) There’re countries, which have a much more patient-friendly laws than US (assumed based on your insurance issue). You wouldn’t be rejected insurance in Switzerland, where I have a pleasure to live. There’re also countries, where the insurance and health care can be cheaper (simply 99% of the world compared to US). You’re probably not that desperate to move out now, but no harm in having the thought at the back of your head.

10

I’m younger than you, but I’ve had this for 22 years. The best advice I can give you is listen to your doctor(s), and if they say you’re fine, then just say stfu heart and carry on.

This took me do very dark places for a number of years over which I learned that the brain can make you feel and physically react however it feels like. Anything that is under its control is fair game; pounding, tingling, skin blotching (red, white, purple, you name it), shaking, thermoregulation, etc.

Trust the docs, the rest is what it is.

WOW

Thank you for taking the time to post that

Really helping me

100% takes you to dark places. I haven’t wanted to tell anyone or say anything because it just doesn’t make any sense

You are a good person. You really helped another human (and possibly more today)

11

You are awesome

Thank you buddy

I have thought many times I am mentally f-ing myself.

Maybe that is why I look for physical tangsible proof of the pounding

Ok from now. On IF it ever happens again I will think ok that’s just my super heart showing off

Another cardiac dr (age 72 lifetime marathoner) saw me when I was doing the stress test. Said well you goodness is you did the second best time. Bad news is I beat you by almost double lol

He also warned me not to tell people during Thanksgiving or Christmas that I had a little pain in my chest because you’ll end up in the hospital for two or three days the run all the testing all the negative which is what happened to him lol

12

To be clear, you’re saying it’s not an increase in heart rate but just very heavy beats?

I’ve felt similar sensations at times but maybe not quite as extreme or often as what you describe. I seem to get a heavy beat when my blood sugar is through the roof after big meals sometimes. And it’s also while relaxing. Has any of this been related to food intake?

13

To me it’s not related to food. My diet is very simple and very consistent. I never eat heavy meal or get full. I haven’t told anyone about this because it’s very hard to explain and it happens so rarely, I don’t care much about it. My blood work result is perfect and blood pressure is good too I don’t take pills and it at high normal side. I do a lot of high intensity workouts and I push HR to the max several times a week. If it happens more often and gets severe, I will definitely see a doctor but at this point, no. I’m good. I’m in mid 50’s btw.

14

I’m not sure from your post—is your heart racing in the sense that your pulse is faster in terms of beats per minute or is it just beating hard at the same rate?

If the former, is it possible that it is an SVT (supraventricular tachycardia)? I’m not a doctor and I doubt anyone here can offer a diagnosis or medical advice, but my understanding of SVTs is that they are not generally dangerous and kind of common. It’s an issue with the electrical signal in the heart that causes it to beat much faster than normal; it can feel like it’s beating so hard it will pop out of your chest… It often can be treated with medication or a relatively minor surgical procedure. Certain movements can stop it too (e.g., standing on your heats). Again, I’m not a doctor- I just know someone with this issue.

15

Mine is PAC’s, but cardiology found it right away. Medication helped it. It goes away during exercising.

16

Perhaps ask your doctor about wearing a Holter monitor for a few weeks. Are you able to monitor your own blood pressure? Keep a log. Look for trends. Perhaps a second opinion.

17

Didn’t see it mentioned in your post unless you bucket it under drugs… what is your caffeine intake like?

18

I’m not sure from your post—is your heart racing in the sense that your pulse is faster in terms of beats per minute or is it just beating hard at the same rate?

If the former, is it possible that it is an SVT (supraventricular tachycardia)? I’m not a doctor and I doubt anyone here can offer a diagnosis or medical advice, but my understanding of SVTs is that they are not generally dangerous and kind of common. It’s an issue with the electrical signal in the heart that causes it to beat much faster than normal; it can feel like it’s beating so hard it will pop out of your chest… It often can be treated with medication or a relatively minor surgical procedure. Certain movements can stop it too (e.g., standing on your heats). Again, I’m not a doctor- I just know someone with this issue.

Not racing. Not fast heart beat.

But pounding heart beat sometimes. Caused by nothing that I can figure out.

Caffeine intake is just half a teaspoon of Jayant in the AM. No chocolate or other things I can think of which have caffeine

I have a home Holter device. All is good

Also used a medical loaner Holter device all good even when heart is pounding

Blood pressure is mid to high 130s even when heart is pounding Over low 80s

Thank you for all who have posted

Yes I am getting a second opinion

Funny/coincidence. Didn’t notice any pounding last night at all. First time in months

It may have happened but didn’t notice

I think it’s from all the kind and encouraging posts above. I really appreciate each of the posts and the information you have all give me.

I am going to just figure it is my super athlete heart showing off lol

19

I had Wolf Parkinson White syndrome (WPW), when it hit my heart started to pound. Of course back in the day you needed full open heart surgery to correct it, now I think it is out patient.

Not sure if this has been considered as a possibility but it sounds possible.

20

Blood pressure is mid to high 130s even when heart is pounding Over low 80s

Last year, I had a one-off high BP reading, so decided to monitor it at home for a while. I noticed that there is an
inverse relationship between resting heart rate and diastolic BP. This made sense to my doctor, who said that a
low heart rate requires the heart to pump harder, hence the higher BP.

(the high spike in RHR was due to watching a sports event at the time)

https://i.imgur.com/PNwKUej.png