No more heart palpitations

[MySongAngel]

Although I'm healthy and not technically "overweight" anymore, I would get heart palpitations all the time. Probably 10-15 times a day. I haven't had one palpitation since I've been on this diet. My heart is beating HARDER, I've noticed, but the palpitations are gone. I wonder if it's from cutting the caffeine or from the diet itself. I can't believe all the things this has done for me. This is truly a miracle diet. Dr. Atkins was right, once you start getting into this diet, and seeing what it does for you, the weight loss almost becomes a secondary issue.

[Sarah1341]

Congrats on the palpitations disappearing! :nod

[ztachick]

Sweetie you are not really considered over weight and if you are having a faster heartbeat then normal or you are having any palputations at all i thnk thats a sign that you need to go to a doctor-
you are right though this WOE helps lots of things- your doing great

[MySongAngel]

Yeah... I guess what I meant is I'm not in any condition where I could expect heart problems. But I guess that makes it even worse, though, huh? Well... I've always wondered why I get them. I've researched it, though I haven't been to a doctor. Basically, palpitations are a mystery, even to doctors. There's no sure-cure or sure-cause or even any reason to really worry about them. But now I know that my WOE had something to do with it all along. I'm really quite amazed. Dr. Atkins was a genius.

[rozbushy]

Hi.
I have a little input for you on the palpatations.
I too, was having those about a yr ago, long before Atkins.
I went to my Dr, had to wear a heart monitor for a week, I had to press a button to record every episode I had. He diagnosed me with PVC's, premature ventricular contractions. Everyone has them, only some people can feel them,I feel EVERY one!!! It is where the bottom of your heart and the top of your heart squeeze at the same time-causes pressure.
He told me no caffine, no drugs w speed...none of that was an issue for me. The one thing he didnt tell me was the water pill my gynecologist prescribed for me would cause these PVC's.
I am not a doctor and this is not a diagnosis obviously....but think of all the medicines you have, caffine use....I dont take those water pills anymore and I will only have an episode occasionally.
Keep in mind only some of us can actually feel them.
See your DR, be safe and wise.

[is thin possible?]

Anothe condition that can cause heart palpitations is Mitral Valve Prolapse. A benign condition that most people can live to be a ripe ol' age with. None the less it does cause the heart to race at times! See your doc! :wave

[future_perfect]

Hey

Check my post in your other hard-heartbeat thread for an explanation!

Can you describe the nature of your palpitations? When/why do they start? How long do they last? What is the heartrate per minute? Can you see your chest wall moving?

There are millions of reasons for palpitations... although let me know what they're like and I'll have a rummage through my textbooks and see if I can help

[MySongAngel]

My resting heartrate is between 50-60 bpm (if I'm just laying there, watching TV or something). Jogging gets it up to about 140-160 bpm. When I have palpitations, my heart does not speed up. It simply stops for a brief second and then the next beat is a little more "forced" feeling. Almost like it was pumping along just fine and then it kind of hit a snag and had to push just a little harder to get the pump through. But since I started this diet, I haven't had ANY and I'm on day 8 now.

As for the "hard heart beat". I'm still getting that, but I've checked and it hasn't effected my heart rate. It just seems to be pumping "harder".
Thank You

[future_perfect]

Sounds like you've got an ectopic heartbeat (also called premature ventricular beat/contraction, or extrasystole). These are usually felt as 'missed beats' because the premature beat is followed by a pause before the next normal beat, which is rather forceful because the longer the heart sits still, the more it fills with blood for the next pump. It's one of the most common causes of palpitations and in many cases it's got no obvious cause, and causes no harm.

It can sometimes be caused by unbalanced electrolytes in your blood (things like potassium and calcium), certain medications, caffiene consumption, smoking, excessive drinking and drugs.

I'm not suggesting you drink/smoke/take too many drugs!! Since it's disappeared with your diet change it's very probably caused by caffiene. Sometimes the cause can be more sinister (like restricted bloodflow to your heart) but if this was the case with you, you'd feel it worse during exercise. As always please don't trust me for rock-solid medical advice as I'm quite a way off qualifying... although this is an awesome way to pack in some extra learning without feeling like I'm studying :geek

[MySongAngel]

It can sometimes be caused by unbalanced electrolytes in your blood (things like potassium and calcium), certain medications, caffiene consumption, smoking, excessive drinking and drugs.

That's what I was thinking, was the caffeine. Although I still admit to one can of diet Cola (with Splenda) every day or two, my caffeine consumption was cut WAY down. It honestly never occurred to me until about two weeks ago, I mentioned the palpitations to my boyfriend, and he told me it was the caffeine, as though it was totally obvious, even though it had never occurred to me. I guess my caffeine consumption was ridiculously high. I was constantly nursing a diet coke, and I loved a couple cups of coffee here and there, too. Oh yeah... I could drink Red Bull like it was water.

[future_perfect]

You've got to love the redbull. I swear that stuff got me through last year's exams (I had a little help from Mr. Proplus as well) I looked like this for about a month --> :boom

[MySongAngel]

Yeah... but you know you're in trouble when you drink the red bull, and it stimulates you about as much as water.

[Skigirlred]

I, too, had heart palpitations. I think it was due to my hypoglycemia. Since I've started Atkins they have gone away. It was almost like when Michelle Pfiffer stopped having the pain in the hospital in "Witches of Eastwick". Like, wow... what a sense of relief! I've noticed I have more energy, the hypo is gone, and I am me again! The girls have noticed at work too. Laurie is back, not the shell of ill health I used to be. I've lost a few pounds since 2 weeks on Induction, but that is secondary to my improved vision and sense of well being. I've been ill for four years and been through every medical test imaginable without a definitive diagnosis.
This diet has saved my health. I'm sure if I had stayed on the road I was on the hypo would have turned into diabetes. I noticed the connection when I would get violent headaches after eating pizza. I thought "why am I getting headaches like hypoglycemia.. I just ate!"

Good luck to you,
Laurie, Ontario Canada. :wave