I have a VSD(ventricular septal defect) and am having moderate chest pains when I lie down. I am aware of my heart beat, and it actually hurts. Also I become very short of breath. It is sudden, and sometimes severe,... can anyone help me out. I know er is prolly a good idea, but i just dont have the money.
Like many here, I am glad to have found and read on these matters. I too have the heavy heart, the jolts, the numbness in the left arm all adding up to a possible heart attack. And a trip to the ER with the EKG & Heart monitors without insurance is always a finacially fun experience. For the record, I am paying the bill out of pocket, not with welfare. I have some stress right now as I am moving out of state in less than a month. I am working on my diet slowly, way less junk and more veggies + fruits. Drug free 100% and that is always best. My job can be quite physical, alot of lifting and hammer smashing so I think exercise is an ok. 33 Y/O male, with a few lbs to lose. Started having these symptoms about mid Jan. Who knows what brought it on. Hey, I will try alot of what I found in this forum. some good advice. GERD has been suggested to me, as well as stress and anxiety. One day at a time my friends. We are all here because we can not sleep. We sit up because we feel normal. I have some research to do myself, and I will keep posted here. I know tha with in 22 days, I will be having quite the wicked dose of sex my life has lacked for some time ( since I am moving to be with my gurl )and I hope that being with her, having her by my side as well as that wicked sex will help just a bit =D. Thanx to everyone posting here and good luck. "Nine Ten, Never Sleep Again"
I’ve been dealing with this ‘heavy heartbeat’ now for over a year. I’m a 61 year old female, 20lbs overweight and have been dealing with heavy stress for 2 years. After being prescribed Metaprolol by my doctor (for palpitations) (it made me sick), then switched to Propranolol … that made me even worse, I went off these meds after a few months, for about 9 months.
I still had what I was calling ‘palpitations’, but are better described ‘heavy heartbeat’. I had EKG, echo-cardiogram, stress test and my heart is normal; just a few extra beats here and there.
Then, in Nov. 2008, I tried anti-anxiety drugs, Zoloft (all kinds of problems), stopped taking after 3 mo. then switched to Lexapro (even MORE problems). Just recently (4 weeks ago) tapered off after only 2 weeks. Now I am back to the beginning and starting over. No more drugs!!! (I was suicidal and slept as much as possible; my poor husband!)
I've also found that after I eat a meal, the 'heavy heartbeat' is worse, and I have frequent indigestion; find the Pepcid or Tums!
I’ve also been on blood pressure meds for 7 years and my blood pressure is mostly normal.
I am going to try the minerals mentioned in an earlier post, as I saw these same nutrients mentioned in other forums I visited for ‘palpitations’. (Calcium, potassium and magnesium), and will also inquire about adding B6 or B-complex.
I am also a smoker (always trying to quit; just can’t do it completely). I also drink socially once/twice per week. Sometimes my bad habits make it worse, but surprisingly, sometimes it takes the edge off and I feel better. I’ve tried going 10 days without any alcohol and notice NO difference in my ‘heavy heartbeat’. I have also gone 36+ hours without any cigs and only slightly better, but, then I am nervous and anxious. What a vicious circle!! I sometimes say to myself, “Gee, if I’m going to feel this bad, I may as well smoke and drink!” lol.
Once I get to sleep, and STAY asleep, I’ve noticed that after I awaken but before I get out of bed, my heartbeat is NORMAL. I dread getting out of bed, because it starts up and goes ALL DAY. I sometimes feel like the ‘walking dead’. I don’t much trust doctors anymore after what I’ve been through with meds they don’t seem to know anything about (side effects and withdrawal effects … BRUTAL!). They seem to prescribe drugs like handing out candy.
I’m going to see if a more natural approach will do anything for me. My diet is decent (lots of fruits and veggies), but too much sugar and salty snacks (thus the weight gain). There is also the subject of ‘Hormones’ … not just in women but in men, too. (I've been on bio-identical HRT). With a proper, balanced diet and minimal stimulants (caffeine, alcohol, tobacco), and regular exercise (walking is one of the best), maybe I can be normal again. The Winter is so hard on me ... 6 months or dark, cold, depressing weather (I live in Michigan); plus a crappy economy. Not much to smile about.
I am glad to find that other people are looking for answers, too. You are NOT alone! I will come back and report my status in about a month or so. I am going to take charge and stop trusting doctors that are so ready to prescribe danagerous, synthetic drugs.
I still had what I was calling ‘palpitations’, but are better described ‘heavy heartbeat’. I had EKG, echo-cardiogram, stress test and my heart is normal; just a few extra beats here and there.
Then, in Nov. 2008, I tried anti-anxiety drugs, Zoloft (all kinds of problems), stopped taking after 3 mo. then switched to Lexapro (even MORE problems). Just recently (4 weeks ago) tapered off after only 2 weeks. Now I am back to the beginning and starting over. No more drugs!!! (I was suicidal and slept as much as possible; my poor husband!)
I've also found that after I eat a meal, the 'heavy heartbeat' is worse, and I have frequent indigestion; find the Pepcid or Tums!
I’ve also been on blood pressure meds for 7 years and my blood pressure is mostly normal.
I am going to try the minerals mentioned in an earlier post, as I saw these same nutrients mentioned in other forums I visited for ‘palpitations’. (Calcium, potassium and magnesium), and will also inquire about adding B6 or B-complex.
I am also a smoker (always trying to quit; just can’t do it completely). I also drink socially once/twice per week. Sometimes my bad habits make it worse, but surprisingly, sometimes it takes the edge off and I feel better. I’ve tried going 10 days without any alcohol and notice NO difference in my ‘heavy heartbeat’. I have also gone 36+ hours without any cigs and only slightly better, but, then I am nervous and anxious. What a vicious circle!! I sometimes say to myself, “Gee, if I’m going to feel this bad, I may as well smoke and drink!” lol.
Once I get to sleep, and STAY asleep, I’ve noticed that after I awaken but before I get out of bed, my heartbeat is NORMAL. I dread getting out of bed, because it starts up and goes ALL DAY. I sometimes feel like the ‘walking dead’. I don’t much trust doctors anymore after what I’ve been through with meds they don’t seem to know anything about (side effects and withdrawal effects … BRUTAL!). They seem to prescribe drugs like handing out candy.
I’m going to see if a more natural approach will do anything for me. My diet is decent (lots of fruits and veggies), but too much sugar and salty snacks (thus the weight gain). There is also the subject of ‘Hormones’ … not just in women but in men, too. (I've been on bio-identical HRT). With a proper, balanced diet and minimal stimulants (caffeine, alcohol, tobacco), and regular exercise (walking is one of the best), maybe I can be normal again. The Winter is so hard on me ... 6 months or dark, cold, depressing weather (I live in Michigan); plus a crappy economy. Not much to smile about.
I am glad to find that other people are looking for answers, too. You are NOT alone! I will come back and report my status in about a month or so. I am going to take charge and stop trusting doctors that are so ready to prescribe danagerous, synthetic drugs.
I found this site while looking for something else and read some of the posts. Some of the symptoms I've been reading about could be caused by obstructive sleep apnea. Not in every case, but some. It might help some of you to at least read about it to see if sleep apnea could be your problem. I have sleep apnea, and while being diagnosed, I found that not very much is known about sleep disorders outside of sleep clinics or by doctors who specialize in the subject. I'm convinced that sleep problems are much more prevalent, and cause many more problems, than they're given credit for.
For those who don't know what sleep apnea is, here's a short explanation: When a person with apnea sleeps, their airways relax (in the area of the back of the throat and soft palate) causing the air to be momentarily cut off completely. When this happens, the person is jolted awake, often without realizing it, and then goes back to sleep. This can happen literally hundreds of times each night, which prevents the person from ever reaching a truly deep, curative sleep. This can cause a number of different problems, including but not limited to fatigue during the day and heart arrhythmia. In my case, when I woke up in the morning, I felt as if I had taken some sort of tranquilizer, and it would take a really long time to feel even sort of normal. My eyes would not "track" normally for awhile after waking. In many cases, people don't know this is happening to them and it can only be figured out if they are observed by someone while they are sleeping. The primary clue is whether the person snores and especially the pattern of the snoring. If the snoring is loud and progresses, within a very short time, to a point where it sounds as if the person is struggling to get a breath, which stops usually when they take in a big snorting rush of air. This happens over and over. They can get a look of extreme distress while this is happening, which goes away when that snort of air gives them relief. All of this is happening without the knowledge of the sleeper. The process can start immediately as the person drops off to sleep, just as soon as they reach a level of relaxation where the muscles relax enough to close off the airways. This could explain the "jolting awake" that so many of you are experiencing. Every case is different, so the symptoms vary from person to person. Being overweight can be a factor, but not always. If the person has a thick or fat neck sometimes will make it worse... but not always. One common symptom is a racing heart, or waking suddenly with a feeling of panic, out of breath and with the heart racing. Sleep apnea places a lot of strain on the heart, and can be dangerous over time. It also deprives the brain of oxygen, which I think is the reason I was feeling drugged in the morning. Also, I had very stressful dreams when my apnea was in full force.
I would suggest that some of you read more about sleep apnea online... there's plenty of info... and decide if you think it could be the cause of many of your problems.
I live alone, and only found out I was snoring so badly because I fell asleep on a friends sofa and she heard me. Her husband had recently been diagnosed so she was aware of what to listen for.
You probably will require a sleep study to determine whether or not you have sleep apnea because heavy snoring does not always indicate apnea. And if I'm not mistaken, not all people with apnea necessarily snore loudly. A sleep study requires an over-night stay at a sleep clinic, where you are wired up and monitored. It's painless but can be stressful... at least it was for me. I had to do it twice because I couldn't sleep the first time. But most people have no problem with it. A sleep study isn't cheap, but there are clinics that take insurance, so don't give up if the first place you call is too expensive. Many hospitals have departments that deal with sleep disorders. And if you do have sleep apnea, there are very effective treatments.
I hope this information has been helpful to some of you. Best wishes.
For those who don't know what sleep apnea is, here's a short explanation: When a person with apnea sleeps, their airways relax (in the area of the back of the throat and soft palate) causing the air to be momentarily cut off completely. When this happens, the person is jolted awake, often without realizing it, and then goes back to sleep. This can happen literally hundreds of times each night, which prevents the person from ever reaching a truly deep, curative sleep. This can cause a number of different problems, including but not limited to fatigue during the day and heart arrhythmia. In my case, when I woke up in the morning, I felt as if I had taken some sort of tranquilizer, and it would take a really long time to feel even sort of normal. My eyes would not "track" normally for awhile after waking. In many cases, people don't know this is happening to them and it can only be figured out if they are observed by someone while they are sleeping. The primary clue is whether the person snores and especially the pattern of the snoring. If the snoring is loud and progresses, within a very short time, to a point where it sounds as if the person is struggling to get a breath, which stops usually when they take in a big snorting rush of air. This happens over and over. They can get a look of extreme distress while this is happening, which goes away when that snort of air gives them relief. All of this is happening without the knowledge of the sleeper. The process can start immediately as the person drops off to sleep, just as soon as they reach a level of relaxation where the muscles relax enough to close off the airways. This could explain the "jolting awake" that so many of you are experiencing. Every case is different, so the symptoms vary from person to person. Being overweight can be a factor, but not always. If the person has a thick or fat neck sometimes will make it worse... but not always. One common symptom is a racing heart, or waking suddenly with a feeling of panic, out of breath and with the heart racing. Sleep apnea places a lot of strain on the heart, and can be dangerous over time. It also deprives the brain of oxygen, which I think is the reason I was feeling drugged in the morning. Also, I had very stressful dreams when my apnea was in full force.
I would suggest that some of you read more about sleep apnea online... there's plenty of info... and decide if you think it could be the cause of many of your problems.
I live alone, and only found out I was snoring so badly because I fell asleep on a friends sofa and she heard me. Her husband had recently been diagnosed so she was aware of what to listen for.
You probably will require a sleep study to determine whether or not you have sleep apnea because heavy snoring does not always indicate apnea. And if I'm not mistaken, not all people with apnea necessarily snore loudly. A sleep study requires an over-night stay at a sleep clinic, where you are wired up and monitored. It's painless but can be stressful... at least it was for me. I had to do it twice because I couldn't sleep the first time. But most people have no problem with it. A sleep study isn't cheap, but there are clinics that take insurance, so don't give up if the first place you call is too expensive. Many hospitals have departments that deal with sleep disorders. And if you do have sleep apnea, there are very effective treatments.
I hope this information has been helpful to some of you. Best wishes.
Hi All,
Wish I had seen this page about a year ago when I was having the same problems. I had numbness, jolting awake after thinking my heart had stopped when I tried to sleep, shaking and a range of issues. My doctor diagnosed it as anxiety after testing me for any neurological problems and luckily my symptoms have gradually gone away with only rare recurrences now. I'll point out though that it was a bit strange that this began a few days after I received a vaccine. Also, it seems to spring up when I eat food with a lot of MSG, which has been -controversially- linked to anxiety.
In the end the anti-anxiety medicine helped most, and when it was still difficult to sleep at night I'd sleep in the day or fall asleep with my light on instead of getting upset that I couldn't sleep normally.
I hope this is helpful.
Wish I had seen this page about a year ago when I was having the same problems. I had numbness, jolting awake after thinking my heart had stopped when I tried to sleep, shaking and a range of issues. My doctor diagnosed it as anxiety after testing me for any neurological problems and luckily my symptoms have gradually gone away with only rare recurrences now. I'll point out though that it was a bit strange that this began a few days after I received a vaccine. Also, it seems to spring up when I eat food with a lot of MSG, which has been -controversially- linked to anxiety.
In the end the anti-anxiety medicine helped most, and when it was still difficult to sleep at night I'd sleep in the day or fall asleep with my light on instead of getting upset that I couldn't sleep normally.
I hope this is helpful.
Wow. Everything I read on this post is happening to me. It all started 3 years ago with heart palpitations, but it has gotten worse over the past few years. Been to the ER quite a few times. The worse was in April 2009. I got this pain in my forearm and it felt like my heart stopped beating. I went to the ER the checked everything out. My test came back fine. Wore a Holder monitor. Nothing on that. I did a stress test a month ago, that came out ok. My heart doctor tells me there is nothing wrong with my heart but it sure doesn't seem to be ok when I get all these feelings. So he isn't much help to me. He is in telling me that my heart is good, but there is still something wrong with me. I just haven't felt 100% since I had that attack. I don't know what else to call it but some kind of attack. Panic? Not sure.
I can't get to sleep right now because I keep getting a jolt right when I'm about to fall asleep and my heart is beating heavy. I read about Lyme disease in this post, and I do remember being bit by a tick a few years back and I think I will write down what everyone has said on this board and goto my doctor and suggest some of the things that I have read on this post. I am getting fed up with the way I am feeling. I too am overweight and since I made the decision to become a good healthy person, I have lost almost 45 pounds now and will continue to do so, but the problems I'm having, the extra weight seems to be part of my problems, but it could be more that that. I should also see about apnea. Get tested for that as well.
I can't get to sleep right now because I keep getting a jolt right when I'm about to fall asleep and my heart is beating heavy. I read about Lyme disease in this post, and I do remember being bit by a tick a few years back and I think I will write down what everyone has said on this board and goto my doctor and suggest some of the things that I have read on this post. I am getting fed up with the way I am feeling. I too am overweight and since I made the decision to become a good healthy person, I have lost almost 45 pounds now and will continue to do so, but the problems I'm having, the extra weight seems to be part of my problems, but it could be more that that. I should also see about apnea. Get tested for that as well.
these are called vagel vessel episodes. I too had every test done on my heart but wasn't diagnosed until I mentioned it to my nuerologist . your heart is perfectly normal. look up nuerally mediated hypotension. my daughter who was born with a deformed heart now has a pacemaker because they caught one of these episodes while she was wearing a monitor at the hospital. my husband was brushing her hair and hit a knot and it caused her heart to stop. my diagnose was confirmed by her doctors because this disorder is usually herititary. the only reason she needed a pacemaker is because her heart isn't normal to begin with. the condition also causes fainting spells or drops in blood pressure. so instead of her blood pressure going up when anxious it will usually go down. I notice in myself when this happens I get a rolling sensation in my head and feel lightheaded. check out various websites because I have seen the anthrax shot mentioned as a possible cause. you also might want to see a nuerologist. laura
I am a 20 year old college student. I have been feeling these same symptoms. They have been going on for about six months now and I pray daily that it will stop.. I want to be normal again so bad that sometimes it causes aggression. I am in excellent shape and workout with weights and cardio daily. These symptoms have slowed me down though due to the heavy, elevated heartbeat. Its frightening. Some times I go a whole night without sleeping because I think my heart is not going to beat again. I have become absolutely obsessed with checking my pulse at the wrist. Sometimes I wake up and feeel no pulse at all which freaks me out and makes my heart start beating even faster. The Lyme disease suggestion was interesting. I do remember getting bitten by something this summer and never doing anything about it. Come to think of it, sittting here at 246 in the morning writing on this subject has made me feel much better. It is extremely relieving to know that other people are feeling the same way. Another symptom I have had is just an overall feeling of pain. It can come at anytime and at any area on my body. These pains can be quite severe at times. Doctors need to get their acts together becase I have been numerous times and just been told that im stressed out. The symptoms seem to get better when I am doing non physical busy work, such as typing this blog or whatever. I stress about working out and running becasue my heart rate gets so high sometimes that I think I will die. My breathing has also suffered. I couldnt pass one of those tests where you blow into that thing at the doctors office. I do not smoke. I do drink about once a week socially with my friends at school or whereever. The symptoms definitely get worse when I think about them and once I start thinking about them it is all I can think about. It is starting to consume me. This has become a definite problem that I absolutely need fixed. If anyone would like to continue these conversations with me please do so because I feel that this has definitely helped. email me at
I also thought I was the only one. I have gone to the ER twice now because it has gotten worse. I am 23, not over weight at all. I think it could be all stress with some smoking too. Lots of stress. I moved out when I was 17- I even lived in a van for a little while. Now, I own two small businesses and work a full time day job and a part time night job. I have stressed myself because of an obssesion to never go through the things I have in the past. Well, I think my body is trying to warn me. I have taken steps to get more rest and rely on others a little more. No more coffee or large sodas either. Stopping these things seemed to help for a little while, but now I am having more intense "attacks" or "scares".
The first time I went to the ER because it got extremely tight in my chest and I could feel it beating funny (fluttery). They found nothing in my EKG or X-rays- sent me home with a peice of paper that said I had CHEST WALL PAIN. I knew this was wrong because I could feel my heart doing odd things.
The second time I went to the ER (yesterday) my girlfriend had to call 911 because I thought I was having a heart attack. My heart fluttered, my chest got very tight, and I got extremely light-headed. Then I fell on the floor and could feel myself passing out. The last thing I could say was get my shoes and wallet. Now, by the time the ambulance made it there I could walk and talk- very weak still, but I could feel it go away. In the ambulance, it happened again.
Now they sent me home with a paper saying palpitations.
They are also sending me to the cardiologist to test for MYTRAL VALVE PROLAPSE. The one way valve between the two parts of the heart might not be working properly.
MYTRAL VALVE PROLAPSE- from what I've read so far can range anywhere from the person not even knowing or feeling it ever, to needing surgery to save their life.
I encourage everyone to get checked- ER first if necessary, then DO NOT miss your follow ups because they will spend more time and look closer at what is going on
The first time I went to the ER because it got extremely tight in my chest and I could feel it beating funny (fluttery). They found nothing in my EKG or X-rays- sent me home with a peice of paper that said I had CHEST WALL PAIN. I knew this was wrong because I could feel my heart doing odd things.
The second time I went to the ER (yesterday) my girlfriend had to call 911 because I thought I was having a heart attack. My heart fluttered, my chest got very tight, and I got extremely light-headed. Then I fell on the floor and could feel myself passing out. The last thing I could say was get my shoes and wallet. Now, by the time the ambulance made it there I could walk and talk- very weak still, but I could feel it go away. In the ambulance, it happened again.
Now they sent me home with a paper saying palpitations.
They are also sending me to the cardiologist to test for MYTRAL VALVE PROLAPSE. The one way valve between the two parts of the heart might not be working properly.
MYTRAL VALVE PROLAPSE- from what I've read so far can range anywhere from the person not even knowing or feeling it ever, to needing surgery to save their life.
I encourage everyone to get checked- ER first if necessary, then DO NOT miss your follow ups because they will spend more time and look closer at what is going on
Its now 8:45AM been trying all night to sleep but as i lay here i feel my heart beating like its working hard to beat and then as i start to fall asleep i immediatley am startled awake to my heart beating like i was just scared and it just keeps happening each time i start to doze off,i am taking a medication for opiate addiction called suboxone i'm wondering if the suboxone are the cause of this but i see alot of people seem to be experiencing this and i'm wondering if it could be a perscription drug your on thats causing same symptoms idk but i feel like i'm going to die right now i feel my heart is being stressed out from this i'm really scared i dont want to die yet, and i also get a stretching like pain under my left rib and i am not overweight, idk it is kind of a comfort knowing others are going through the same as me but i wish there was a way to find out exactly whats causing these terrifying episodes,I owe 30,000 in hospital bills from thinking i was having heart attacks and calling rescues then all the tests ekg's bloodwork i even had a katscan done cuz i thought it was a hernia putting pressure on my heart but after all that money they still dont know what it is and told me to see a stomache doctor and a heart doctor but i cannot afford no more tests or visits i have no insurance so i am sure i will die of this medical mistery! i wish you all the best!!!!
Wow! all I can say is thank you google for bringing me to this page. I am not going to recap what everyone else has said because we all suffer the same things. I was convinced until about an hour ago that I was going to die soon. Utterly convinced. I have thousands of dollars in medical bills and a cabinet full of medication that has not helped me. I have tried xanex and Valium and well so many other things but nothing has ever worked because its all in my head for the most part. I suffer from depression and anxiety and every single night I am afraid to go to bed. It is 6am right now and I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders reading this post. I am changing the way I live today because I am sick of being a prisoner of fear. I hope the best for you all.
I have had nights where my heart all of a sudden just beats out of control and some nights when just as i'm about to fall asleep i wake up feeling unable to breathe or as if as i stopped breathing all together just as i drifted off to sleep. I believe it is anxiety as I am very healthy. I exercise daily, dont smoke or drink and maybe get a cold once a year. It is a scary thing when it happens but yes I was told by my doctor of 10 years that it is just anxiety. I do have panic attacks but mine only occur when i am in tight closed places or heights. No more carnival rides for me :-(
Well, I have just started experiencing this heavy heartbeat thing but I don't like it. I am sure it has something to do with my health. I am very overweight 6'2 330 lbs. I have very few health concerns. My doctor who I think is excelent told me I needed to lose weight but other than that I was gonna live forever. He never pushes pills on me unless I beg for them. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 3 years ago but I could not deal with the Darth Vader mask. I will say that when i wore it I slept like a baby and woke feeling very rested. I bet most of you who feel that jolting deal have apnea. I recomend trying it. I should probably go back to it. But I think this heavy heartbeat deal is something else. I ate 2 double cheeseburgers and fries from McDonalds last night which is bad even for me. I work at a fast food Chicken restaurant two days a week and I eat it the whole time I am there. I take a healthy dose of fish oil and asprin every day as recomended by one of my fathers doctors. The fish oil is probably the only thing that's kept me from having a heart attack by now. I am going to drasticallly change my diet and resume my exercise routine that I have let lapse. As of late I have noticed if I eat heavy or if I eat a lot of meat, I feel terrible. I will try the new diet and let you know if it helps it. I have found that the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the better you feel, period. If I could give up meat altogether and be a vegetarian I could feel fabulous but I love the taste of murder. Good luck folks. Either you can fix it or you can't.
I may shed some light on the matter (possibly). At least this was the case for me:
I lost 40 pounds (still overweight by 80) and it made it a bit better. But when I stopped eating refined grains and such (white flour, rice, sugar) it got a whole lot better.
I have now been experimenting by stopping all grains and get my carbs from fresh veggies and fruit only - and on days when I stick to my regimen of meats and veggies/fruits, I have no problems. As soon as I eat some rice, or have a sandwich, a couple of cookies - there it is again.
So you might want to try that... it helped me big time.
I lost 40 pounds (still overweight by 80) and it made it a bit better. But when I stopped eating refined grains and such (white flour, rice, sugar) it got a whole lot better.
I have now been experimenting by stopping all grains and get my carbs from fresh veggies and fruit only - and on days when I stick to my regimen of meats and veggies/fruits, I have no problems. As soon as I eat some rice, or have a sandwich, a couple of cookies - there it is again.
So you might want to try that... it helped me big time.
I'm so glad I found this, as I have been having the same issues. I am 24, overweight, have been my whole life, however I am at my max. I had been smoking cannabis regularly but one night I was laying in bed could feel like heartbeat pounding as I worried about of course it got worse, I though I may have had a mild heart attack, however more than likely it was a panic attack. I do not believe cannabis to be a cause however since then when I have smoked I just do not feel right, specifically in my feet. I have since stopped smoking cannabis and it has not changed anything. However before that I had been having foot pain, my first thought was diabetics related however I bought a glucose meter and tested fine, slightly elevated but fine.
One thing that seems to be helping is reducing sodium in my diet, paying extra attention to keep it low in the hours before sleep. I first read this thread 3 days ago and in the nights since then I have cut the salt and slept on my side at an increased angle and have not had the problems.
Sadly I am unemployed and can't afford to see a doctor, but judging by previous comments doctors are coming up empty but it would be nice to get some piece of mind that my heart isn't about to explode.
Also, since the worst night I have switched my diet back to Atkins in an effort to get healthier, as a result salt intake went up and it seemed to get worse, however we will see how it does limiting salt for an extended period.
Sorry I don't have any answers for anyone, but my theories are...
1. Sleep apnea - As it has been mentioned numerous times in the thread. My dad has it, and he believes my grandfather has it as well. However, he discovered it when he started getting up multiple times a night to urinate, which was the bodies way of waking him to get oxygen.
2. Anxiety - I've always been high stress, when I was a teen my pulse would be though the roof when the doctor went to check my vitals, turned out it wasn't really that high I would just get worked up worrying about testing high.
3. A mixture of issues - This is where I'm leaning. Most people who have posted are overweight, some are smokers, ect. So you mix in different issues that lead to blood pressure and rate issues then toss the anxiety of not knowing what is going on you have a perfect cocktail to send heart rate though the roof.
Do others find their heart rate becomes increased and noticeable during the day, or after a high sodium meal? Or only when you lay down?
The jolting awake part of it is the worst.
One thing that seems to be helping is reducing sodium in my diet, paying extra attention to keep it low in the hours before sleep. I first read this thread 3 days ago and in the nights since then I have cut the salt and slept on my side at an increased angle and have not had the problems.
Sadly I am unemployed and can't afford to see a doctor, but judging by previous comments doctors are coming up empty but it would be nice to get some piece of mind that my heart isn't about to explode.
Also, since the worst night I have switched my diet back to Atkins in an effort to get healthier, as a result salt intake went up and it seemed to get worse, however we will see how it does limiting salt for an extended period.
Sorry I don't have any answers for anyone, but my theories are...
1. Sleep apnea - As it has been mentioned numerous times in the thread. My dad has it, and he believes my grandfather has it as well. However, he discovered it when he started getting up multiple times a night to urinate, which was the bodies way of waking him to get oxygen.
2. Anxiety - I've always been high stress, when I was a teen my pulse would be though the roof when the doctor went to check my vitals, turned out it wasn't really that high I would just get worked up worrying about testing high.
3. A mixture of issues - This is where I'm leaning. Most people who have posted are overweight, some are smokers, ect. So you mix in different issues that lead to blood pressure and rate issues then toss the anxiety of not knowing what is going on you have a perfect cocktail to send heart rate though the roof.
Do others find their heart rate becomes increased and noticeable during the day, or after a high sodium meal? Or only when you lay down?
The jolting awake part of it is the worst.