Heart palpitations: Anyone else experiencing this?

It looks like you guys have been swallowing all sorts of random stuff 🤣 but nobody actually knows

Heart palpitations can be a major red flag for potassium deficiency. I went through this myself—rushed straight to the ER, and they hooked me up with some potassium. Honestly, I feel like a brand-new person now. Seriously, start eating more bananas...😍

To keep it brief, what you're going through is incredibly uncomfortable, but it’s ultimately harmless, and it sounds exactly like Panic Disorder. You can look that up in any medical encyclopedia or on the Mayo Clinic website, and you'll see it matches everything you're feeling. I wouldn't recommend going down any random internet rabbit holes because that won't actually help you feel better, even though I know how intensely overwhelming those attacks can be. I've been dealing with my own version of this over the last couple of years, and honestly, would you believe how many people in their 20s and 30s struggle with this? Most of them don't even realize what's happening to them, so they end up wasting time on all sorts of unnecessary tests. There is so much more I could tell you about it, but I don't want to clutter this thread unless you have some specific questions. If you really want to tackle this and want to know how to move forward, just send me a private message and I'll explain things to you. Phew... I hope that was short enough for you. 🙂

Hang in there...

I deal with sinus issues myself, which sometimes makes me feel like I can't quite catch my breath—like there isn't enough air getting in—but I don't think the heart palpitations are actually caused by that. My heart just starts racing out of nowhere sometimes, especially when I’m lying down or right when I wake up. I've checked my pulse during those moments, and it’s been over 100 beats per minute.
Believe me, it really can be psychological; it’s wild how much that affects you. Even if you don't feel worked up on the surface, something might be brewing in your subconscious, or your body could be having a delayed reaction to something that stressed you out earlier in the day. You just can't control your subconscious.

There are times when I suddenly feel like I can't get enough oxygen, so I have to rush to the window to take deep breaths, and of course, my heart starts pounding then too because the shortness of breath just panics me.
I went in for a full battery of tests a few years back—thyroid was fine, blood work was normal, heart looked good—and just a few months after everything came back clear, I fell into a depression. It turned out to be an anxiety-depressive disorder, but even though that passed, those palpitations still catch me off guard every now and then.

And definitely get that thyroid checked out. A friend of mine has a very noticeable goiter—you can actually see it. She had it for years before she finally went in for a biopsy to figure out what was going on, and thank God, it turned out to be benign. Please, get it checked for your own sake, and try to focus on relaxing more and stressing less (if that's even possible 😉).

hollowhawk15 said:To keep it brief, what you're going through is incredibly uncomfortable, but it’s ultimately harmless, and it sounds exactly like Panic Disorder. You can look that up in any medical encyclopedia or on the Mayo Clinic website, and you'll see it matches everything you're feeling. I wouldn't recommend going down any random internet rabbit holes because that won't actually help you feel better, even though I know how intensely overwhelming those attacks can be. I've been dealing with my own version of this over the last couple of years, and honestly, would you believe how many people in their 20s and 30s struggle with this? Most of them don't even realize what's happening to them, so they end up wasting time on all sorts of unnecessary tests. There is so much more I could tell you about it, but I don't want to clutter this thread unless you have some specific questions. If you really want to tackle this and want to know how to move forward, just send me a private message and I'll explain things to you. Phew... I hope that was short enough for you. 🙂

Hang in there...

Look, don't you think getting a Mayo Clinic checkup is actually worth it? I don't consider that one of those "stupid tests." It isn't always just panic or whatever; besides, it doesn't hurt to get some basic screenings done.
I deal with heart palpitations and tachycardia sometimes too, and trust me, it isn't always just stress or panic attacks!

And thanks for the great advice: "don't go for useless searches because they won't help." Because if something hurts, you're obviously just imagining things, and if your heart is racing or skipping beats, it's definitely *just* a panic attack... 🙄 Keep telling people not to see a doctor!

I'm not saying it isn't Panic Disorder for some people, but for others, there's an actual underlying reason. Symptoms can be amplified by stress, sure, but sometimes they aren't.

It's better to at least get the basic tests done and be wrong than to skip them and find out it was something serious!

I've dealt with this most of my life, and I've had plenty of people—including doctors—treat me like a little girl making up problems just because they can't read a Mayo Clinic report or simply don't feel like paying attention to a patient. I could go on...

It doesn't necessarily have to be a panic attack. Usually, panic attacks come with other symptoms besides just heart palpitations... and from what we've gathered, you aren't experiencing those...
Regarding your thyroid, it wouldn't be the cause unless a cyst was actually messing with your hormone levels, in which case you would have been prescribed medication... so, it's likely not the thyroid.
Your iron levels look fine too. That leaves a few other possibilities... it could be diabetes, so maybe check your blood sugar... or even a hiatal hernia... stuff like that.
Heart palpitations—specifically sinus tachycardia—are actually super common in young people. Most of the time, they are completely harmless, just really uncomfortable. They’re usually rooted in anxiety. I'm 99% sure that's the case for you, too.
If you're feeling really anxious about it, go see a cardiologist and ask them to run a 24-hour Holter monitor test... once that's done, you can rest easy knowing your heart is healthy...
I went through the exact same thing, but everything turned out okay. After running all sorts of tests, the verdict was that my heart was perfectly fine, along with everything else. They did find a cyst on my thyroid, but it wasn't a big deal. So many people have them without even knowing, and honestly, maybe it's better that way.
Anyway... I ended up being prescribed beta-blockers, which are meds that directly lower your heart rate. I've been taking them for almost a year now. The palpitations have stopped. There is one catch, though: they create a physical dependency... yeah, you really have to take them consistently. I take mine twice a day. Maybe my doctor was a little too quick to prescribe them, but I just wanted those palpitations to stop as soon as possible, and here I am: on heart medication at 23 years old.
There are plenty of simpler ways to handle this.
Hang in there, you're going to be just fine...😘

hollowhawk15 said:To keep it brief, what you're going through is incredibly uncomfortable, but it’s ultimately harmless, and it sounds exactly like Panic Disorder. You can look that up in any medical encyclopedia or on the Mayo Clinic website, and you'll see it matches everything you're feeling. I wouldn't recommend going down any random internet rabbit holes because that won't actually help you feel better, even though I know how intensely overwhelming those attacks can be. I've been dealing with my own version of this over the last couple of years, and honestly, would you believe how many people in their 20s and 30s struggle with this? Most of them don't even realize what's happening to them, so they end up wasting time on all sorts of unnecessary tests. There is so much more I could tell you about it, but I don't want to clutter this thread unless you have some specific questions. If you really want to tackle this and want to know how to move forward, just send me a private message and I'll explain things to you. Phew... I hope that was short enough for you. 🙂

Hang in there...

Hey, I'm not quite sure how to send you a PM yet. I'm still pretty new here.

Douglas Ramos2 said:It doesn't necessarily have to be a panic attack. Usually, panic attacks come with other symptoms besides just heart palpitations... and from what we've gathered, you aren't experiencing those...
Regarding your thyroid, it wouldn't be the cause unless a cyst was actually messing with your hormone levels, in which case you would have been prescribed medication... so, it's likely not the thyroid.
Your iron levels look fine too. That leaves a few other possibilities... it could be diabetes, so maybe check your blood sugar... or even a hiatal hernia... stuff like that.
Heart palpitations—specifically sinus tachycardia—are actually super common in young people. Most of the time, they are completely harmless, just really uncomfortable. They’re usually rooted in anxiety. I'm 99% sure that's the case for you, too.
If you're feeling really anxious about it, go see a cardiologist and ask them to run a 24-hour Holter monitor test... once that's done, you can rest easy knowing your heart is healthy...
I went through the exact same thing, but everything turned out okay. After running all sorts of tests, the verdict was that my heart was perfectly fine, along with everything else. They did find a cyst on my thyroid, but it wasn't a big deal. So many people have them without even knowing, and honestly, maybe it's better that way.
Anyway... I ended up being prescribed beta-blockers, which are meds that directly lower your heart rate. I've been taking them for almost a year now. The palpitations have stopped. There is one catch, though: they create a physical dependency... yeah, you really have to take them consistently. I take mine twice a day. Maybe my doctor was a little too quick to prescribe them, but I just wanted those palpitations to stop as soon as possible, and here I am: on heart medication at 23 years old.
There are plenty of simpler ways to handle this.
Hang in there, you're going to be just fine...😘

So, here's the deal. I haven't been on here in a while, but I'm hoping we can catch up again. I had my Mayo Clinic checkup, and they told me I have "heart fatigue"—whatever that means. They said I need to work on my fitness, but it's nothing serious. Like I mentioned, I had my thyroid checked and my hormones are totally normal, aside from that cyst which apparently shouldn't cause any big problems either. Ever since my first and second pregnancies, my stomach has been a mess. I developed some mild gastritis, and they told me I have a sufficient cardia—basically, some kid explained that the muscle at the top of my stomach isn't closing right, so acid just leaks into my esophagus and causes havoc. I tried treating it with Controlock tablets and felt better, but I still feel like my stomach isn't quite right. On top of that physical stuff, my neck is killing me. That started acting up after my second child was born, so my neck and shoulders are constantly sore. But honestly, as bad as that is, the dizziness is worse. It hits me so hard sometimes that I feel completely wiped out. I've actually felt so dizzy I thought I wasn't going to make it. And then, to top it all off, came the heart palpitations. They just hit me out of nowhere, often triggered by sudden movements (which is weird). That's when the panic really sets in. I start thinking, "What am I going to do? My kids..." When I'm home, it's easier to calm down and let it pass, but when I'm out and about, it's not that simple. This whole thing is seriously ruining my quality of life. I don't feel free or relaxed anymore. It's driving me toward depression. And the worst part is that everyone thinks I'm just being depressed, but I truly believe these physical issues are what's making me so unhappy.
Whew, sorry for the vent...

.I’m really struggling with this pounding sensation too... I’ve gone down every rabbit hole looking for answers, and everything comes back "normal." I even went through with sinus surgery because I was convinced the pressure was just from not getting enough air.
Eventually, I had to accept that I’m dealing with neurotic depressive disorder. Once I quit my job to lower my stress levels, things actually settled down a bit—but it’s still there. It hits me like clockwork during ovulation or PMS, and I have to take some Xanax just to cope. The worst part? That throbbing starts right when I lie down to relax... it's exhausting. Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

...I mean, I did deal with low potassium once a while back, and I've got a few nodules on my thyroid—but honestly, I’m pretty sure like 80% of women are dealing with something similar. My doctor actually suggested it might be psychosomatic...

...I mean, I did deal with low potassium levels once upon a time, and I’ve got a few nodules on my thyroid—but honestly, I feel like 80% of women are dealing with something similar. My doctor even suggested it might be psychosomatic

casuallynx982 said:.I’m really struggling with this pounding sensation too... I’ve gone down every rabbit hole looking for answers, and everything comes back "normal." I even went through with sinus surgery because I was convinced the pressure was just from not getting enough air.
Eventually, I had to accept that I’m dealing with neurotic depressive disorder. Once I quit my job to lower my stress levels, things actually settled down a bit—but it’s still there. It hits me like clockwork during ovulation or PMS, and I have to take some Xanax just to cope. The worst part? That throbbing starts right when I lie down to relax... it's exhausting. Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

That doesn't happen to me during my downtime. For me, the only way to get it to stop is to sit or lie down and focus on deep breathing. Once I do that, it settles down.

Douglas Morris2 said:So, here's the deal. I haven't been on here in a while, but I'm hoping we can catch up again. I had my Mayo Clinic checkup, and they told me I have "heart fatigue"—whatever that means. They said I need to work on my fitness, but it's nothing serious. Like I mentioned, I had my thyroid checked and my hormones are totally normal, aside from that cyst which apparently shouldn't cause any big problems either. Ever since my first and second pregnancies, my stomach has been a mess. I developed some mild gastritis, and they told me I have a sufficient cardia—basically, some kid explained that the muscle at the top of my stomach isn't closing right, so acid just leaks into my esophagus and causes havoc. I tried treating it with Controlock tablets and felt better, but I still feel like my stomach isn't quite right. On top of that physical stuff, my neck is killing me. That started acting up after my second child was born, so my neck and shoulders are constantly sore. But honestly, as bad as that is, the dizziness is worse. It hits me so hard sometimes that I feel completely wiped out. I've actually felt so dizzy I thought I wasn't going to make it. And then, to top it all off, came the heart palpitations. They just hit me out of nowhere, often triggered by sudden movements (which is weird). That's when the panic really sets in. I start thinking, "What am I going to do? My kids..." When I'm home, it's easier to calm down and let it pass, but when I'm out and about, it's not that simple. This whole thing is seriously ruining my quality of life. I don't feel free or relaxed anymore. It's driving me toward depression. And the worst part is that everyone thinks I'm just being depressed, but I truly believe these physical issues are what's making me so unhappy.
Whew, sorry for the vent...

Exactly my situation too... I just need one checkup a year and that's about it.

Douglas Morris2 said:So, here's the deal. I haven't been on here in a while, but I'm hoping we can catch up again. I had my Mayo Clinic checkup, and they told me I have "heart fatigue"—whatever that means. They said I need to work on my fitness, but it's nothing serious. Like I mentioned, I had my thyroid checked and my hormones are totally normal, aside from that cyst which apparently shouldn't cause any big problems either. Ever since my first and second pregnancies, my stomach has been a mess. I developed some mild gastritis, and they told me I have a sufficient cardia—basically, some kid explained that the muscle at the top of my stomach isn't closing right, so acid just leaks into my esophagus and causes havoc. I tried treating it with Controlock tablets and felt better, but I still feel like my stomach isn't quite right. On top of that physical stuff, my neck is killing me. That started acting up after my second child was born, so my neck and shoulders are constantly sore. But honestly, as bad as that is, the dizziness is worse. It hits me so hard sometimes that I feel completely wiped out. I've actually felt so dizzy I thought I wasn't going to make it. And then, to top it all off, came the heart palpitations. They just hit me out of nowhere, often triggered by sudden movements (which is weird). That's when the panic really sets in. I start thinking, "What am I going to do? My kids..." When I'm home, it's easier to calm down and let it pass, but when I'm out and about, it's not that simple. This whole thing is seriously ruining my quality of life. I don't feel free or relaxed anymore. It's driving me toward depression. And the worst part is that everyone thinks I'm just being depressed, but I truly believe these physical issues are what's making me so unhappy.
Whew, sorry for the vent...

That’s exactly how it is for me too... what you're describing is GERD—gastroesophageal reflux disease. I used Controlock as well. Your stomach itself is actually healthy; it's not a stomach disease per se.

I get these frequent dizzy spells that just knock me sideways from time to time. Honestly, there have been moments where the spinning was so bad I thought I was actually going to pass out.

It might be low blood pressure.
At the end of the day, if I had to guess, I'd say you're dealing with quite a bit of anxiety. Maybe try seeing a therapist; you might find that these physical symptoms start to clear up once you address that. A lot of what you're feeling—from the stomach stuff and heart palpitations to back pain and dizziness—could be rooted in your mental health. It seems to me like this whole thing likely started around the time you gave birth, which makes total sense.

Douglas Ramos2 said:Exactly my situation too... I just need one checkup a year and that's about it.

That’s exactly how it is for me too... what you're describing is GERD—gastroesophageal reflux disease. I used Controlock as well. Your stomach itself is actually healthy; it's not a stomach disease per se.

I get these frequent dizzy spells that just knock me sideways from time to time. Honestly, there have been moments where the spinning was so bad I thought I was actually going to pass out.

It might be low blood pressure.
At the end of the day, if I had to guess, I'd say you're dealing with quite a bit of anxiety. Maybe try seeing a therapist; you might find that these physical symptoms start to clear up once you address that. A lot of what you're feeling—from the stomach stuff and heart palpitations to back pain and dizziness—could be rooted in your mental health. It seems to me like this whole thing likely started around the time you gave birth, which makes total sense.

Man, that's exactly what I was dreading hearing... thanks, hun. I might give that a shot.

Douglas Morris2 said:Man, that's exactly what I was dreading hearing... thanks, hun. I might give that a shot.

I get it, you're probably thinking: how am I supposed to stay calm when everything feels like it's falling apart? It becomes this endless loop where everything is stressful because you're anxious, and you're anxious because everything is stressful...
The best thing you can do right now is run some tests just to prove to yourself that there isn't anything seriously wrong. Getting that peace of mind is honestly half the battle in getting better.
Hang in there.😘 😘

Reading all this makes me feel like having heart palpitations or being short of breath is just some minor issue that means I’m "slightly" 🙂 depressed. As if. Of course I am, given the stress at work, at home, and basically everywhere else—you can only take so much before you hit a breaking point. As long as my heart stays healthy, I'm good; I love life too much for that. I'm trying to stay brave, but since my heart keeps skipping beats, I have to go in for a Holter monitor and an echocardiogram. Honestly, I'm a little nervous. Cheers, everyone!

What could it be when every few minutes I feel my heart just thudding harder? Like, you just feel that sudden skip or beat, and then everything goes back to normal. I’m not sick, and my thyroid isn't an issue...

John Adams6 said:What could it be when every few minutes I feel my heart just thudding harder? Like, you just feel that sudden skip or beat, and then everything goes back to normal. I’m not sick, and my thyroid isn't an issue...

Why on earth would it even be anything at all?

Greetings.

I experienced quite an unsettling moment earlier today.

I was at the gym working through a set of single-arm dumbbell curls, pushing myself right to the limit—true failure on that final rep. As soon as I racked the weights, my heart suddenly began racing violently, as if I had just been startled by a sudden fright. It surged intensely for about two seconds, then seemed to settle, only to spike again for another two seconds before finally returning to normal.

How dangerous is this, and what could be causing it? To be clear, nothing ever this intense has happened to me before; in the past, I've felt the occasional heavy thud or a slightly elevated beat, but nothing like this.

It was a similar experience today. My heart wasn't racing out of my chest this time, but I hit a wall whenever I attempt high-volume sets. For instance, I was doing single-arm rows today—12 reps per side—which means each set drags on for about a minute. Once those reps are done, I’m left feeling lightheaded and struggling to catch my breath. It's a predictable pattern, yet just as frustrating.