Heart palpitations whilst exercising?

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makemewannadie
makemewannadie Posts: 401 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So there's something i've noticed when exercising (playing sports, running, group gym classes etc.) and that is I get heart palpitations/my heart seems to go too fast... sometimes i'm not even particularly out of breath. I make sure I stay hydrated and have alternated eating/not eating before working out. I'm not overweight but i'm slightly unfit (i'm very active and just trying to get super fit) but it's very distracting and makes me stop a lot of the time.
Is this something to be concerned about, or is this normal?
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Replies

  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Because this is medical-related, you should definitely consider talking with a physician, perhaps a Sports-Medical Doctor...

    You could very well be just overworking yourself...


    If you have an HRM, keep track of the data available... and bring that with you to your doctor's visit....
  • diadojikohei
    diadojikohei Posts: 732 Member
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    I get his all the time, even when resting, but I have a mitral valve prolapse. Apparently it's very common, no treatment just get on with life. It was only picked up at 34 when I had my 3rd child.
    Go see your doc. Better safe than sorry.
    Wishing you the best.x
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
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    As the others say, check with your doctor. I have always gotten this, my heart gets into an arrhythmia that requires me to sit down and breathe deeply for a minute or so until it goes away. I find that the fitter I get, the less it happens. It happened to me yesterday while running for the first time in years.
  • BootCampC
    BootCampC Posts: 689 Member
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    dont mess with this problem , see a cardiologist , you will wear a 24 hr monitor and they will determine if its anything serious or something that will eventualy pass
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    This actually happens to me sometimes, but it's usually when I'm in bed ready to go to sleep. My mom gets them too, but she gets them daily and her doc gave her medication to control it (she is 5'5" and 125lb so nothing to do with being overweight). If it happens a lot and concerns you, make an appt! Good luck. :)
  • hughtwalker
    hughtwalker Posts: 2,213 Member
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    1. HRM - If you are not wearing one then heart rate is subjective. If you have one and make a record of the rates incurred in "normal" exercise - then you have something definite to tell your GP WHEN you go to see him of her.
    2. get your blood pressure checked.
    3. do what your doctor tells you. You may be referred on to specialist(s). There should be no need to incur the expense of sports clinics at this stage.

    Until you know more about what is going on you should exercise lightly until someone who is qualified to know what they are doing tells you otherwise.
  • caldon4523
    caldon4523 Posts: 227 Member
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    I experience the same problem only occasionally. I only notice this when I'm exercising hard and my bmp is over 160. I'm not concerned because I lower my intensity and the heart palpitations go away.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    1. HRM - If you are not wearing one then heart rate is subjective. If you have one and make a record of the rates incurred in "normal" exercise - then you have something definite to tell your GP WHEN you go to see him of her.
    2. get your blood pressure checked.
    3. do what your doctor tells you. You may be referred on to specialist(s). There should be no need to incur the expense of sports clinics at this stage.

    Until you know more about what is going on you should exercise lightly until someone who is qualified to know what they are doing tells you otherwise.

    No one mentioned a sports clinic... there are sports-related MD's who do practice out of Primary Care offices...
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    See your doctor.
  • michellemanns
    michellemanns Posts: 6 Member
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    I had this problem too for a while and I went to see a heart doctor and wore a heart monitor for a month. The end result was I was drinking 5hr energy drinks before I work out. I stopped that and I haven't had a problem since. Do you drink any kind of energy drink? If so, I would say stop for a while and see if that fixes the problem. If not you should see a doctor.
  • SLBry6024
    SLBry6024 Posts: 43 Member
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    Go see a doctor.
    My Mom heart is the same and she is take meds to help. (now she is unfit and working on get fit)
    but my Father-in-law also hd is but they end up puttingin a past make.
    So please go to the doctor.
  • dlegros
    dlegros Posts: 162 Member
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    So there's something i've noticed when exercising (playing sports, running, group gym classes etc.) and that is I get heart palpitations/my heart seems to go too fast... sometimes i'm not even particularly out of breath. I make sure I stay hydrated and have alternated eating/not eating before working out. I'm not overweight but i'm slightly unfit (i'm very active and just trying to get super fit) but it's very distracting and makes me stop a lot of the time.
    Is this something to be concerned about, or is this normal?

    Palpitations *can* be normal at times - they are simply an increased awareness of your own heartbeat. However, until you are sure they are benign then take a note of them.

    Make an appointment to see your GP - but before you go try and make a symptom diary, it will help things. Note date, time (obviously), what were you doing at the time (type of exercise, walking, sitting down), if you don't have a HRM, do what we do in clinical settings; take your pulse; what did you eat/drink prior to exercise (remember caffeine has been implicated in palpitations).

    Initially, your GP will probably not do very much beyond ask you to keep notes as I suggested above, they might refer you for a resting 12-lead ECG to check for any underlying rhythm abnormalities; I would not expect a cardiology referral, stress ECG or 24-hour Holter ECG at this stage.

    You are at an age where previously undetected abnormalities can come to light, so it is well worth getting it checked out, if only for your own peace of mind.

    Feel free to message me if you want to ask anything more specific, but do make a GP appointment.

    HTH

    Dom
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
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    Please go see a doctor about this. Two years ago, I had the same issue. Luckily, I always work out wearing a HRM and was about to track how high my heart rate went and for how long. My doctor had me see a cardiologist, who ran lots of tests and ended up putting me on a low dose medication for it. At first, I was extremely annoyed to have to take a medication. However, I quickly got over that attitude when I realized I could ride out on the bike trail and not worry about it happening again!:wink:

    Take it seriously and get it checked out. It's probably nothing but it's nice to know why it happens!
  • hughtwalker
    hughtwalker Posts: 2,213 Member
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    I mentioned sports clinics specifically, deliberately and not erroneously.

    Are there "Sports doctors" operating out of Primary Care in UK?
    Possibly there are, just not in Surrey.

    If there are in the relevant GP surgery then the patient will be referred to the appropriate person.

    Aha! I see "cramernh" is in Manchester NH, not Manchester UK - I suppose things are different over there
  • peter236uk
    peter236uk Posts: 140 Member
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    Go to doctors and have a check before doing any more exercise
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    I have that. It's called tachycardia. Runs in my family. It may be due to something called mitral valve prolapse, which is a structural abnormality in a valve in your heart, so it's a good idea to get it checked out. They did an ECG on me to rule out MVP. Regardless of the cause, a doctor can prescribe a beta blocker. You just take it about 30 minutes before working out.
  • bikermike5094
    bikermike5094 Posts: 1,752 Member
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    Of course see a Dr... It may be nothing at all. I have bigeminy PVC's all the time. Its like and extra heart beat within a beat. Had it for years and its benign, but gets my attention once in a while.
  • StephannieL
    StephannieL Posts: 198 Member
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    So there's something i've noticed when exercising (playing sports, running, group gym classes etc.) and that is I get heart palpitations/my heart seems to go too fast... sometimes i'm not even particularly out of breath. I make sure I stay hydrated and have alternated eating/not eating before working out. I'm not overweight but i'm slightly unfit (i'm very active and just trying to get super fit) but it's very distracting and makes me stop a lot of the time.
    Is this something to be concerned about, or is this normal?

    Palpitations *can* be normal at times - they are simply an increased awareness of your own heartbeat. However, until you are sure they are benign then take a note of them.

    Make an appointment to see your GP - but before you go try and make a symptom diary, it will help things. Note date, time (obviously), what were you doing at the time (type of exercise, walking, sitting down), if you don't have a HRM, do what we do in clinical settings; take your pulse; what did you eat/drink prior to exercise (remember caffeine has been implicated in palpitations).

    Initially, your GP will probably not do very much beyond ask you to keep notes as I suggested above, they might refer you for a resting 12-lead ECG to check for any underlying rhythm abnormalities; I would not expect a cardiology referral, stress ECG or 24-hour Holter ECG at this stage.

    You are at an age where previously undetected abnormalities can come to light, so it is well worth getting it checked out, if only for your own peace of mind.

    ^^^This

    I work in a Cardiopulmonary Dept and see this all the time and actually have the same problem. Get an appt with your PCP. You might get the 24 hour monitor or you could have an event monitor that can be worn for anywhere from 7 days to 30 days depending on how often you are having your palpitations. They could also do an Echocardiogram (ultrasound of your heart). If anything "funky" or concerning shows up on any of your testing then you will more than likely get a Cardiology referall. I'm going to tell you what I tell my patients. Heart stuff is nothing to mess around with, get it checked out. :smile:

    Let us know how it goes if you do!
  • hughtwalker
    hughtwalker Posts: 2,213 Member
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    I meant to say, let us know what happens.

    We all (well, I assume everyone else does too) hope it is nothing significant.
  • MetamorphosisMe
    MetamorphosisMe Posts: 69 Member
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    You should make an appointment to see/speak with your doctor. He/she could better help you to understand why you are having the palpitations and rule out any heart condition. There are several reasons why you could be having heart palpitations; it could be because of your exertion during exercise or it may be a symptom of something else. I've had heart palpitations since I was 14 (I'm now 38), two years ago I was diagnosed with MVP (mitral valve prolapse) to which the palpitations are a symptom of; and before that a heart murmur. But luckily it's nothing too serious, just have to keep a check on it every couple of years.

    Anything complaints that has to do with the heart should be looked over by a physician, no matter how small it may seem.

    Good luck to you and best wishes!

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