Heart Flutter

LosingMoosey

Recently I've had a problem where it feels like my heart is fluttering and I get light headed.

I've had this problem before, maybe once or twice a month. But ever since I began my diet and exercising regularly I feel it every day, sometimes multiple times.

I've felt it since I woke up this morning.


I just lost my health insurance but I have a chance to continue it through cobra. I start my new insurance with my new job in 3 months. Do you think that is too long to wait to get this checked out?

TIA!!

Moosey

Adele

I would at least call and ask a doctor if you should be seen...personally, I would just go. Maybe the exercising is over exerting your heart??

CaGinger

This may be random but to you smoke? There is a great site webmd.com that I like to use to get a better idea if I am not sure of something. Of course this doesn't replace a doctors care...

On Palpitations Treatment (from webmd.com)

Self-Care at Home

Since there are numerous types of palpitations, the treatment is usually specific to the diagnosis. In those people with a yet undiagnosed palpitation, minor lifestyle changes may help minimize symptoms. These include stopping the use of caffeine, alcohol, and over the counter cold medications.

Patients with palpitations should try to keep a journal of when, where, and what circumstances surround their palpitations. They should learn how to take their pulse and document their pulse rate, whether the palpitations occur in isolation or in a pattern, and what associated symptoms exist, including lightheadedness, nausea, sweating, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

Chest pain (or any other signs of heart attack including jaw pain, indigestion, or extreme fatigue), shortness of breath, or passing out should prompt the patient or a family member to call 911 and seek medical attention immediately.

jmdolan

I work for a cardiologist and I would MOST DEFINITELY get checked out. Your heart is not something you want to play around with. At least call you primary care office to discuss symptoms. Is there any option for free care?

LosingMoosey

I do not smoke. I am 153 lbs and 5'4 and have just recently put on that weight, maybe that has something to do with it. But I am only 23. I need to look at free options I guess.

Sometimes it is so back I can hear the 'thump thump thump' in my ears, but then it goes away right away.

Chuck1223

I had the same kind of 'flutter', I told my doctor and he asked how much caffine I drink every day.
At the time I was drinking a whole 12 cup pot of coffee every day. :drinker: I've reduced that amount to 2 cups each day and the 'flutter' stopped.
Hope that helps.

LosingMoosey

I had the same kind of 'flutter', I told my doctor and he asked how much caffine I drink every day.
At the time I was drinking a whole 12 cup pot of coffee every day. :drinker: I've reduced that amount to 2 cups each day and the 'flutter' stopped.
Hope that helps.

Thanks Chuck! I do have one cup of tea in the morning but that is it. Plus it started before I even made my tea this morning. :ohwell:

MDF08

I had the same kind of 'flutter', I told my doctor and he asked how much caffine I drink every day.
At the time I was drinking a whole 12 cup pot of coffee every day. :drinker: I've reduced that amount to 2 cups each day and the 'flutter' stopped.
Hope that helps.

Thanks Chuck! I do have one cup of tea in the morning but that is it. Plus it started before I even made my tea this morning. :ohwell:

I get mine when I injest too much of anything with simple carbs or sugar. It gets a little hard to breathe. If I drink too much the night before or have coffee too early or drink a SlimFast shake and no water with it to kinda break up the sugar. Anything like that.

kimster

does your new job's insurance cover pre-existing conditions? any lapse in insurance over 60 days will flag a pre-existing conditon for which you sought treatment/medical advice/or were diagnosed. i would check on that 1st, just to be on the safe side. if it will not cover pre-ex, then def sign up for the cobra - (also, if you were laid off then you should qualify for the cobra premium reduction where you only have to pay 35% of the premium)..... just a thought....

(can you tell i do insurance for a living???)

moujie

If you have cobra you should be able to get it checked out. You don't want to mess with your heart - it's not like you're getting shin splints or something! I wouldn't wait. You're young and probably overall healthy even with the extra weight but I still wouldn't chance it. You'll feel better if you go get it checked out.

beyondchowhound

Fluttering? Sounds very familiar. Have you had your blood pressure checked? If you can't afford to go to a doctor right now and this all started when you started dieting, I would stop for awhile. Be very careful what you eat and drink and try not to stress out about ANYTHING. As soon as you can, get everything checked out, although when I got things checked out, they said I was fine. I had a heart attack 3 weeks later. A major one. I stayed at home for 12 hours as I didn't want to bother anyone and they had said I was fine 3 weeks earlier. If I had known of the damage this would cause my heart, permanently, I would have gone right away but I wasn't sure it was a heart attack as it presents differently in women.

Extreme Anxiety
White face
Nauseous
Burning sensation across upper back.

If money was no problem for you, I would go to the doc.
or you could carry on with what you are doing and just go to the hospital immediately if those symptoms above, happen.

LosingMoosey

does your new job's insurance cover pre-existing conditions? any lapse in insurance over 60 days will flag a pre-existing conditon for which you sought treatment/medical advice/or were diagnosed. i would check on that 1st, just to be on the safe side. if it will not cover pre-ex, then def sign up for the cobra - (also, if you were laid off then you should qualify for the cobra premium reduction where you only have to pay 35% of the premium)..... just a thought....

(can you tell i do insurance for a living???)

That is why I want to wait. I do not want to see a free doctor and then have trouble with insurance later when I try to get onto my new plan.

I was not laid off, I've made a career change. I have been stressed. I recently had a home invasion and I had to be put on xanex to sleep. I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

kimster

does your new job's insurance cover pre-existing conditions? any lapse in insurance over 60 days will flag a pre-existing conditon for which you sought treatment/medical advice/or were diagnosed. i would check on that 1st, just to be on the safe side. if it will not cover pre-ex, then def sign up for the cobra - (also, if you were laid off then you should qualify for the cobra premium reduction where you only have to pay 35% of the premium)..... just a thought....

(can you tell i do insurance for a living???)

That is why I want to wait. I do not want to see a free doctor and then have trouble with insurance later when I try to get onto my new plan.

I was not laid off, I've made a career change. I have been stressed. I recently had a home invasion and I had to be put on xanex to sleep. I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

i am sure the meds and the stress are a huge factor - i actually have a flutter and murmur but the flutter only comes around when i am super stressed. my heart skips beats and throws in extras all the time, but, like i said, only really when i was really stressed.

if you can find out about your new insurance with the pre-ex condition clause, then you'll know what you're up against. if it has one - get the cobra for sure (just be sure to get that ppwk filed out asap to save yourself any future hassles) - stupid pre-ex clauses suck because that's where carriers can save themselves tons of $ to skimp out on benefits, and since everything costs so much now, its an easy way out for them....

isandi

You need to see someone. Maybe you could go to an urgent care. If you are drinking a lot of water and few carbs you may be depleting your potassium. Check it out!