heart palpitations with the urge to cough

I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone in my strong frequent heart palpations. I am a 36 year old female and I've always had "panic attacks". My doctor contributed them to stress combined with extremely low blood pressure, but recently they have become worse. The urge to cough is what scared me but after reading your posts I realize that it's probably "normal". It's like when your car is making a noise that you know is not normal and you take it to a mechanic and it stops and they can't find anything wrong - it always costs you money in the end and I hope in the end this doesn't cost any of us anything! I'm fed up with conventional medicine so I may see someone outside the medical community and see. I can't believe what we are experiencing is normal or healthy - skipping a beat now and then happens but this seems extreme...

Me too. I have been experiencing these same symptoms. It happened the first time when I was pregnant at 15. I am now 37 years old. There have been years when I didnt have any, but they have become more persistant within the past 3 years (since I started my current job). My palpitations seem to get worse and last longer when I am sitting or lying down and I start coughing to catch my breath. I have also had tests done and was told all was well. One ER doctor told me that I had hypokalemia (low potassium level) as well as stress and this could cause palpitations. Im a busy person with a fast past, stressful career and I wasn't eating healthy at all so that was not surprising. When I take a potassium supplement or eat lots of bananas, it actually seems that I dont have the symptoms as much, (may be psycological). When I started taking yoga, I do not remember having any palpitations at all. But I have noticed that since I have stopped the supplements and yoga I am having them often again.

I've had similar symptoms, although mine don't feel like they are in the chest, more like the diaprahgm. It never happens when I am standing up, only sitting, and mostly at night laying down.

Taking bananas and potassium supplements (available at most drug stores) will help reduce palpitations because many palpitations are caused by low potassium and/or low calcium. Increasing intake in both those areas can help reduce palpitations therefore. Yoga probably helps reduce them because it reduces stress.
Since the palpitations have increased since you stopped taking supplements and doing yoga, why not start doing those things again?

Yes, I too have had these same symptoms. My heart "bounces" and I cough. I do drink coffee and cola. (I'm a college student, I need caffeine sometimes) This for me is a more recent occurrence. I had a bug, one that's been going around, about a week ago. I first thought its still kind of lingering. But, I don't have any of the other symptoms I had previously. So, it's something different. I certainly hope it is nothing serious.

I am in the same boat as you all. I am a 27 year old male. I suspeced something was up around 18 or so. It mainly came in the form of a heavy heart beat when trying to sleep. At about age 24 I started getting the "flip-flop" feeling followed by the hard beat and a cough. I had slightly high blood pressure so I was recommended to go see an cardiologist. They testing me every which way but loose and found a very mild Mitro Valve Prolapse (MVP). My blood pressure was variant and was label as white coat syndrom (anxiety while at a doctor). Big shocker here I am my mid 20's and at a cardiologist. MVP is supposedly more common in women but not exclusive to women. He recommended that I cut out caffine but other than that he said, "Go have fun".

I have read a bunch on this to try and prevent it from happening. Mostly it just scares me but I did notice I was anxious in situations where I was going to be working hard. I actually avoided exercising because I was nervous. I have read potassium and magnesium suppliments will help. I had a relative get result with a suppliment called L'carnitine (not sure on the spelling). I have also read a lot liking the syptoms to Generalized Anxienty Disorder.

So this turned into a novel. What I am getting at is based on my searching many people have the symptoms and the remedies are many and seem to vary depending on the person. I just wanted to share all the remedies I have found so you may try them and see if you get results.

Execise and no caffine have had the greatest impact on my syptoms.

Glad I found this thread. Thanks guys.

I am so glad I found this string... I am a healthy 26 year old female. I don't have caffine, alcohol or smoke and I eat pretty healthy. I have had this on and off for probably 6 or 7 years now. The main thing is the big thud in my chest followed by a cough and a slight dizzy spell (and some anxiety). This usually happens off and on during the day and usually lasts for several weeks. Then it goes away. The last time this happened was August of 2007, and then it started up again last week. Feb and March were very stressful months, but since then things have calmed way down. Maybe its the aftermath of stress? In August I had an EKG and it was normal. My bloodwork also came back normal. I am chronically dehydrated and I have seen that the palpitations can be caused by an imbalance in electrolytes... Not sure though. Anyway, very glad I found this - it is a relief that I'm not having a heart attack every few months!

Thank you all for your information. I have been suffering badly for the last 6 months and finally (!) and having a 4 hour stress test done to try and find the cause. I think I already know - stress!! I have a mad job which I love and refuse to give up, but it kills me.

Heart disease is rife in my family so all your information has been of huge help to me.

I have the same thing but again, it doesn't get worse when I lay down. I had blood tests to rule out the obvious like thyroid issues, etc. and wore a 7 day heart monitor which is about the size of an old iPod. When you feel an event, you press the record button and it records your palpitations. It can store up to 10 events. I had a very active morning and filled the monitor up with 10 events in about 2 hours. When I get the palpitations, I almost always feel the urge to cough.

Anyway, I turned in the monitor and the data will be analysed by a cardiologist after which, both the data and his comments will be sent along to my family doctor for review which I expect will occur in 2 or 3 days. Stay tuned, I'll let you all know what he says.

wow, I am having these palpitations as I type this, i cannot tell you how good it is to read that I am possibly NOT having any huge cardiac attack or situation that will kill me...well lets hope. I am about to see a doctor, and have just about wet myself with fear about what it is I am having happen. I will be keeping in touch with this site to see how everyone gets on, esp gbushkes. Wish me luck at the doc... Sar

I've read nearly all of these and am really happy!! I agree with one writer who mentioned bananas. When I eat bananas, my palpitations reduce. The heart needs a salt/potassium balance for the first spark of the beat. If it's wrong, it could short out on another part of the heart (apparently). I am waiting to see the results of my 'ipod trace' which I did for 48 hours. The most painful part of the process so far was pulling the stickers off my chest (and removing a few hairs with it)! So thank you, all of you who say that it isn't serious. It makes me feel better already. England is wet today!!!

I have the same symptoms, skipped beats, coughing and freaking out! Palpitations can also be related to menopause and hormonal changes which I am in the middle of. Menopause can cuase all kinds of new and interesting symptoms! Check out the list, there are about 34, of which palps are one!

hopefully this will help. I've had this problem since i was about 12(that i remember) a thud or flutter that makes me cough. I have no clue what it is, and no doctor has been able to tell me. I'm 33 now and in great health. So whatever it is, it doesn't seem to be too serious. It has happened while exercising a few times but i just slowed down for a minute??? Join the club i guess.

hi all, I am with you all on your symptoms, mine are identical...heart palpitations with urge to cough etc. I have been to see my cardiologist, had an echo (normal) and an ECG (which actually recorded while I was having an"episode" and so the docs could see what was happening to my heart rhythm. I have been diagnosed with Ventricular Ectopics, which refers to the electrical system of my heart skipping a bit and this is what causes all my symptoms. It is what they call benign, or harmless, does not lead onto heart attacks, and is not increasing my risk of heart disease or associated problems later in life. The doc said it is simply 'annoying as hell' for the person feeling it (me) and that if I can reduce the environmental influences which are known to have an effect on the VE's - caffiene, smoking, drugs, drinking, stress etc...of which my only 2 bugbears are caffiene and stress - then this will help. He also said I could try CoEnzyme Q10 which is a natural enzyme that can help cellular energy, and is known to help with heart problems including irregular HR. I need to look into it abit, not sure of the dosage, forgot to ask, but it is available everywhere ie supermarkets etc. I am going to try this, and also I am looking into something called Hawthorn Berry supplements, as these have shown results with helping heart rhythms too. I have some research to do, and the above is not me prescribing anyone take them, just something I am going to look into myself, check with your own doc's, as I have, to be sure. Good luck everyone. Ps, the doc said there are BetaBlocker medications that can be used, but only recommends them if the palpitations are interfering with my lifestyle. Not yet, here's hoping never. Thanks everyone for decreasing my stress in a huge way, knowing i am not alone in this! Sar

Hey. I'm an 18y.o. female, and I occasionally experience these heart "catches" and it's associated cough reflex. It used to freak me out, although I never usually get more than one a day, although once or twice they were pretty bad for about an hour.

My doctor/school nurse always looked at me like I was crazy when I asked them about it. My temperature and blood pressure were normal, though, and so they suggested that maybe because I'm 'small' I'm more sensitive to my heartbeat. Which goes along with the statement that only 50% of people can feel these fluctuations.

I've compiled the various diagnoses of the previous posts here:

Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Vaso Vagal Syncope.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
'electrophysiology'
'small Upper AV Block" (benign)
low electrolytes (magnesium deficiency)
Premature Ventricular Contractions
hypokalemia (low potassium level) "the heart needs a salt/potassium balance for the first spark of the beat"
Ventricular Ectopics- "the electrical system of my heart skipping a bit and this is what causes all my symptoms. It is what they call benign, or harmless, does not lead onto heart attacks, and is not increasing my risk of heart disease or associated problems later in life."

Suggested treatments:

Beta blocker if really serious
Avoiding caffeine, sugar, stress, alcohol, drugs
Exercising
Potassium supplements
Magnesium supplements
"CoEnzyme Q10 - a natural enzyme that can help cellular energy, and is known to help with heart problems including irregular HR."
Hawthorn Berry supplements.

Reassurance: "My cardiologist stated that a human heart beats over 2.5 billion times during a normal life span and that when added up these "skips" only equal less than .01% or about 250,000 times during your life. ITS NORMAL. Most people don't feel it and others are more prone to feel. Stress, caffeine, nicotine, drugs, obesity, etc. can add to it's frequency."

Hope this helps for those of you who didn't want to read through all 5 pages. I myself feel much better having read all this and intend to exercise more and look into potassium supplements. Best of luck to the rest of you!