palpitations

[Tillyella]

I suffer from palpitations and sometimes feel quite ill, despite this my doctor tells me this is quite normal but has put me on beta-blockers. I'm told that this condition could increase the risk of a stroke. Does anyone else have the same trouble.

[ethandron]

i used to tilly, but mine were due to the menopause - it's not that in your case is it? i had them for about 5 years, on and off, but they've just about disappeared in the last 12 months. i didn't ever take medication for them, it reassured me knowing what mine were due to and i tried to ignore them.

[cazzz1975]

what condition do you have?

[sara3]

I have an ectopic heart beat and also suffer with palpitations. for me, I have to sit or squat, leaning forward slightly, take a very deep, slow breath in and hold it for as long as I can... then let it out really slowly, and fully. empty your lungs. sometimes I have to do this 2 or 3 times, but it works for me.

first I've heard about the stroke thing...

[ethandron]

i think it's svt (super ventricular tachicardi) which can be a cause of strokes. it's when the heart beats very, very fast and irregularly,but doesn't pump the blood properly. some blood may remain in the heart, unpumped, and have a tendency to clot, potentially causing a stroke. svt is very different to palpitations, we have a family member who suffers from svt and has been hospitalised with it on one occasion.

[Tillyella]

Thank you all for your answers. I don't think it can be the menopause as I'm too old but I found your answers very helpful. Thanks again.

[manofsteel]

Manofsteel's wife here - I suffer from SVT, have for some years, am on beta blockers. Stop frightening people by saying it causes risk of stroke. It is caused by extra ' wiring in the heart'. We all have our own inbuilt pacemaker, but in sufferers of SVT they have 'extra wiring' the fast heartbeat can be set off by different things - mine only happens in the early morning when the blood pressure rises as I am awakening. My hearbeat has been as fast as 189b.p.m. I can sometimes control it myself now, but if it persists I have to go to hospital for an injection (adenosine). It seems to frighten other people more than me now!!

[Tillyella]

Dear Mrs Manofsteel, I have no wish to frighten anyone but on the occassion that I attended hospital with palpitations I heard a doctor explain to a trainee nurse that palpitations can cause strokes. I like your explanation much better but sadly nobody has ever explained it to me before. Thank you for your reply.