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Will these heart palpitations go away?
Hello everyone! :) thanks for taking the time to read this and thank you in advance if you give me some advice/info. Can an over or under active thyroid cause heart palpitations? can low potassium levels cause palpitations ? I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder this past november. I understand anxiety can cause many symptoms, heart palpitations being one of them, but I have been on Zoloft for almost 5 weeks now and I feel like my anxiety has slowly but surely started to fade away, but I am still getting heart paplitations? ( at night when I go to sleep it always beats HARD, it doesn't beat fast, but HARD. I also sometimes get a "fluterry" feeling, It's hard to explain, it just doesn't feel like its beating correctly, sometime it feels like my heart is weak, and sometimes irregular heart beat ) I had a bunch of tests done on my heart a couple of months ago, they all came back normal. im an 18 year old male, I exercise about 15 minutes a day. Can a healthy heart endure months of heart palpitations? I went to my doc today and he listened to my heart and said it was fine, but I can still feel my heart beat.. I just want them to go away and I do not want to feel it anymore. Has anyone fully recovered from there anxiety disorders/hypochondria/heart phobia? .
Will these go away once my anxiety gets more under control? cause I know its still here but not as bad as before. I understand Zoloft can take 6-8 weeks to reach a theraptuic level, i'm just about at the 5 week mark, and been taking a low daily dose of 50 MG.. ahhh I jus't want these palpitations to go away then i honestly think I will stop thinknig about my heart :( thanks everyone
9 Answers
- budderflymanLv 47 years agoFavorite Answer
You are getting pvc's or preventricular contractions. Yes, these can be caused by a hyperactive thyroid. They can be caused by low levels of potassium since that can change the electrical activity of the heart. They can be caused by insufficient sleep. They can be caused by caffeine or nicotine. They can be caused by alcohol consumption. They can be caused by lying on your left side. They can be caused by gas or food in the esophagus triggering the vagus nerve which also goes to the heart. They can be caused by over exertion. And, they can be caused by anxiety and stress.
I have had them most of my life. After many years, I had two attacks of atrial fib with rapid heartbeat following a run of these palpitations. But, atrial fib at your age is unusual, so don't worry about it. Just avoid caffeine and other stimulants including nicotine. Get plenty of sleep. Eat smaller meals. Work on reducing your anxiety. Usually SSRI drugs like Zoloft help with that, but not always. Sometimes small doses of Xanax help.
Did they do a Holter monitor of your heart over a two or three day time period? How about a stress test? Have an electrophysiologist look at your stress test data. You can talk to him or her about the palpitations as the electrophysiologist is a cardiologist who is a specialist in the electrical activity of the heart.
The main thing is, do not obsess over these palpitations because people don't die from them. It may feel like your heart stops (and it does between beats, ya know) and then races to catch up. But, at your age, it won't be a problem. Once you are old, you may develop atrial fibrillation because that is common in old people, but there are drugs for that and also ablation. But, that is NOT where you are now and you may never be if you avoid the stimulants and alcohol, and get your 8 hours of sleep as I suggest. Just don't worry about it. Relax and enjoy life.
Some people get over phobias over time, some with therapy, some with meds like Zoloft. But, I am not sure you have a phobia. You have some anxiety. A phobia is an irrational fear, but I don't think it is irrational to be concerned about your heart beat. Now that you know your heart is okay and that these pvc's are common, okay, maybe now it is an irrational concern, but it sometimes takes a while for the mind to accept a new "belief" system. Just trust me, you will be okay with this.
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- ladyhawke707Lv 77 years ago
Thyroid has no affect on the heart. Potassium levels shouldn't affect the heart. Though too much potassium can stop your heart. Zoloft can cause heart palpitations but if they mostly happen at night I would say they are still anxious related. Have you thought about getting therapy? I needed therapy twice weekly for a couple years before I made a dent in my OCD and anxiety. I couldn't take medicine because the main side affect of all of them is weight gain. I was my heaviest ever on meds and i felt suicidal. I am much better now. You are thinking about and expecting your heart to palpitate, making it happen, its a self fulfilling prophecy.
- RosyLv 47 years ago
I am borderline with this and I must say I get palpitations too , it happened this morning, It also makes my ankles swell and take water tablets for it.
- Anonymous5 years ago
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I think you ought to go to your GP, get your blood pressure checked, and heart monitored, and possibly request a 24hr ECG. This will monitor what your heart does over the time period,and give a better idea of what's going on. I don't think you need to panic, but with your family history you definitely need to be checked Hope you feel better soon xxx
- 5 years ago
Thyroid disease is one of the most common health problems we face today. From a practical standpoint, there are many ways to approach this issue. Learn here https://tr.im/KwtRF
Hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, is a very common problem, and there are many reasons for this, including drinking chlorinated and fluoridated water, and eating brominated flour.
Chlorine, fluoride, and bromine are all in the same family as iodine, and can displace iodine in your thyroid gland.
Secondly, many people simply aren't getting enough iodine in their diet to begin with. The amount you get from iodized salt is just barely enough to prevent you from getting a goiter.
- 5 years ago
Recognizing the symptoms of anxiety is the first step to managing your anxiety and help your doctor determine if you may have some form of an anxiety disorder. Read here https://tr.im/U68Yy
There are groups of people that are specifically more prone to issues with anxiety, such as women, individuals who experience traumatic events, individuals who experience extreme stress or mental health disorders, or individuals with a history of alcohol and drug abuse.