perimenopause and heart palpitations

[bbb]

Hi,
My friend is 51 and just starting perimenopause symptoms. Today, she has had a heart palpitation, shortness of breath, very slight dizziness, racing heart (pulse 106) for the first time. So far it has lasted about 4 hours and she says it has been coming and going. I have read this is a common and usually benign symptom. She rested but is feeling ok, like she ran a mile, but not so she can't function normally. She will monitor and if it reoccurs, see a doc for sure. She did a blood pressure monitor at home and was an irregular heartbeat.

I know this is a forum where we all have valve problems and she does not, but any ideas about if 4 hours off and on is a long time for heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat?

Thanks! Betsy

 

[Dina]

The symptoms sound alot like my first SVT/atrial flutter. I have had 4 altogether now,3 I had to go to hospital for and 1 that stopped on its own after 10 minutes. She should check it out immediately in case - the danger being clot formation with alot of arrhythmias,regardless if the cause is hormonal or something more serious.

BTW - my symptoms were Palpitaions,HR of 200,SOB, worsening SOB with exertion and sweating(in the first few minutes),also all of my symptoms came on all at once,not individually.
Wishing her the best-Dina

 

[bbb]

Thanks, Dina. she did go to ER and her heart rate was back to normal and all fine by the time she was admitted into ER. Her heart rate was 106, now sweating and not really SOB, just feeling like she ran a mile.

Doc said it could have been change of thyroid meds, she has hypothyroidism. To see GP on Monday and monitor if it happened again. He also said if it happened again, to go to ER and tell them she needs an immediate rhythm stick, so they can catch irregular beat. The doc didn't seem to think the fast and irregular beat off and on for 4-5 hours was all that out of the norm (altho the nurse thought it was longer than usual).

What did they do with you at the hospital to stop the flutter and how long did it last before you got there?

Thanks, Betsy

 

[Dina]

Glad to hear it doesn't sound too serious. For my SVT's I had 2 ablations and 1 cardioversion(shock). My 4th one went away on its own at home,but the others persisted until the ablation,etc. With my first one I had to wait almost 2 weeks in the hospital for the ablation since the the EP specilaist was on vacation and his associate didnt want to do it on his own...'said that mine was a difficult case,so I received cardizem IV drip which kept my rate down to 130 as long as I didnt move. Otherwise it went up to 200-220..but these were atrial beats, since I could speak and maintained consciousness while it was this high. The heart has alot of protective mechanisms-thank goodness!

 

[Maryka]

The changes in hormones at menopause (or peri-m.) can bring up lots of different things--like hot flashes with pounding heart when a woman feels stressed about something. On the other hand, my heart valve problems got very much worse in the years right around and after menopause. Perhaps it is just the getting older, or perhaps the changing of hormones takes away the slight heart-health advantages women have.

 

[sylviayasgur]

hi betsy,
not sure if your friend has resolved her palpitation issue, but i started having palpitations about 10 years ago. when i went to see joey's cardiologist he said that it was hormone related and prescribed atenolol in its smallest dosage.
i have had rechecks over the years (holters) and go for annual checkups there, but as long as i take the atenolol my heart rate and rhythm remain normal.
she might want to visit a cardio? it started with almost 24 hours of irregular beats out of nowhere and was very frightening.
hope this helps,
sylvia

 

[RI Mom]

Your friend's situation sounds similar to mine. I am 45, take medication for hypothyroid and began having palpitations and rhythm issues in the past few years. The rhythm issues have always been induced by exercise though. My cardiologist said that it is not atypical for the irregular rhythm to last for up to a few days. However, he did give me Atenolol to use in case I can't get my rhythm back to normal by resting. Fortunately I haven't had to use any so far but did need to adjust my thyroid meds when palpitations became a regular thing. Beyond the thyroid condition, I have no other medical problems that I am aware of.

 

[Dina]

... but did need to adjust my thyroid meds when palpitations became a regular thing..

Just curious,as Im hypothyroid too,how did he adjust your meds(synthroid?)
..by reducing them? Or were your numbers off target and he needed to raise you.
Since rhythm issues can be caused by either a too high or a too low
thyroid,I am wondering...thanks--Dina

 

[RI Mom]

The Dr. reduced my synthroid a bit and the palpitations stopped. Apparently palpitations are seen sometimes when you have hyperthyroid.