heart palpitations

[SibliSabli]

Hi! It is Day 8 for me, and its that time of month today. So far I've lost 6 pounds. I have a history of getting heart palpitations when I've had too much caffeine, am very stressed, or not enough sleep, I've been checked out by docs, and it's not something I need to go seek attention for, since I know what causes them and they they usually go away in a day or two. I got VERY little sleep the night before last, and was dragging all day, palpitations began when I finally got to bed at midnight. Anyway they are still going today, and I got about 10 hours last night. I have been drinking decaf all week. I've also noticed that I am really struggling to keep up my running on the new diet these past 4 days, energy is waaay low. I am definitely feeling the carb loss now.

Does anyone else get these, or has anyone else noticed their body is really stressed out mid-induction? I want to be sure I am not doing anything that is making my body go especially out-of-whack. I'm eating more protein and fat than I have in a very, very long time.

[Karsuepas]

Hi!
I don't have a history of palpitations but the past couple of days I have really been feeling them. This is my 4th week. I really felt awful last night. I checked my blood pressure and my pulse and they were fine. However, I was feeling really bad like I was going to faint. If I don't feel any better by tomorrow I think I may take a trip to the doctor. I think that you should too. I am hoping that we will get other replies to our posts.

Feel Better!

Karen

[SibliSabli]

Sorry to hear you are feeling this too. I'm still having them, unfortunately. I don't knwo which doctor to go see, since my last GP and I had a falling out, so I'm trying to do my own detective work.

How much protein are you eating lately? Did you drink a lot of coffee before? I used to have a LOT. now that I'm down to zero, I wonder if this is having an effect. Also I am cutting out my thyroid meds, which didn't work anyway, and when I think back, I've had more heart flutters on this one anyway. So far no change.

Ugh.

[SibliSabli]

also, are you eating splenda? i am, maybe that isn't agreeing with me. also mine started right at my period, which was very very heavy. (grasping at straws here)

[Karsuepas]

My diet these days consists mostly protein. I haven't been to fitday recently to give you exact amounts. I ran across another thread here that says our potassium may be low and that might cause the palpitations. I just went for a blood test yesterday so if that is the case I am sure that it will show up in the blood test. I too use the splenda. I am drinking one cup of coffee a day. I have to have that one cup in the morning. I have cut out a lot of caffene as well. I was feeling really good...it is just the past couple of days. I am going to try to find that thread again and if I do I will come back here and post it for you. I hope some of the information I gave you helped but I really don't think I was much help. Let me know how you are doing and I will check in later.

Karen

[Karsuepas]

this is what I was talking about. I hope it helps.

I know taking potassium supplements are extremely important (along with calcium & mag) while LCing...but before today, I never know how IMPORTANT!!

DH went right to his dr today after experiencing some discomfort in his chest. The EKG had discovered an irregular heart rhythm and was given appropriate meds. (One of which was potassium).

We all know low levels of potassium causes leg/muscle cramps, but the pharmacist reminded me that the heart is considered a muscle and without proper potassium levels, it will not function properly and can...and will... fall out of sinus rhythm. (Not a good thing!)

When I asked DH about the potassium supplements I bought for him to take.....he forgot to take them for the last couple weeks!!

I pass this on just FYI. DON'T FORGET TO TAKE YOUR POTASSIUM!! You may experience more than just leg cramps without it !!!

Deb

I think this may be my problem. I am going to get some potassium. I used to get really bad leg cramps before when Iwas on this diet and I used that light salt which had a lot of potassium in it. Maybe that is why I didn't have the palipations before. It is worth a try.

Let me know what you think.

Karen

[amiee3377]

Just a little advice. I felt like my heart was beating too fast so I had my pulse checked andit was 107. Which is too high. My mom has potassium trouble so I figured that I must be going through the same thing well I just ate more tomatoes. Try to eat things that are high in potassium and low in carbs. I wouldn't advise anyone to take potassium without consulting with your doctor first. The doctor told my mom that have low potassium could cause a heart attack. That's what happened to my grandfather. My mom is on atkins and she is trying to follow it the best way possible but when she starts getting cramps and her heart starts beating fast she has to do something. She is taking potassium perscribed by the doctor.

[SibliSabli]

I dunno, I have been taking potassium/mag/zinc supplements since I started induction. I read elsewhere that too MUCH potassium can also cause the arrythmia. So I tried to take just magnesium, 1200 mg and that seemed to have a dampening effect, but not totally. I still am having the skips. I, too, felt really good initially, this is only in the past 4 days.

I'm going to ask my dad what he thinks, he has had 2 triple-bypasses. As a 28-year old, non-smoking, not-much-of-a-drinker, running female who doesn't naturally eat a lot of red meat or creamy things, I am perplexed, and hoping that I wasn't unlucky enough to inherit some kind of condition. Even though my dad was a 2-pack a day, lazy, boozing chocoholic! (god that makes him sound terrible!!!!)

EDIT: oh my god, I just looked at the vitamin bottle... it is NOT potass/mag/zinc... it is CALCIUM/mag/zinc. good lord. I am going out right now to get potassium. All this time I was sure I was supplementing. This would also explain the muscle fatigue when I'm running.

[Karsuepas]

I have used mortin's light salt. It has a lot of potassium in it. I feel a little better right now but still may go talk to the doctor. I also heard that about too much potassium. I hope that we have solved the problem. keep in touch and let me know if it works. I have to get the cal/mag also to take.

Good luck

Karen

[SibliSabli]

I feel a little better, too, hoping it is not just a lull. You keep in touch, too, and let me know how you do.

[Karsuepas]

Glad that you are feeling a little better. I will be going to GNC today at lunch since I do think it was the potassium that was making me feel that way. Let me know how you are feeling today.

Regards,

Karen

[Victoria]

I felt that way too when I first started low carbing. But I got some Morton's Lite Salt. I don't take potassium supplements because my doctor advised against supplementing, because it is easy to overdo potassium, and then that sets off more problems. He suggested correcting low potassium thru eating food high in potassium. Broccoli is one of them. Molasses is another. I can't remember the whole list. But using the Morton's lite salt seems to help me. Victoria

[Karsuepas]

Hi Victoria,

Thanks for letting me know. I think I will go with the salt too because it has always helped my leg cramps in the past. The palpitations are a new thing for me. I would really be afraid to over use the potassium too! I did have blood tests this week so I am sure if the potassium is low the doctor will let me know.

Good luck to you.

Karen

[SibliSabli]

Just to let you all know, I took some taurine and between that and the 2 huge hiccups I had about the same time, I feel lots better. Still having some palpitations, but mostly at night, and they're on the whole waaay better than they ahd been... plus the lightheadedness is gone. Whew!! (I had also taken magnesium and supplemented with potassium, and so they might have helped too, but needed time to be effective? however the magnesium, in big doses, gave me horrific diarrhea so it's more likely the potassium, which I'd not had at all before).

[Karsuepas]

Glad that you are feeling a little better. I haven't been having too many palpations anymore either. I also started using the lite salt and the mag/cal along with the women's ultra mega vitamins. Hopefully this is the end of it. If not I will be calling the doctor. Still waiting on the results of the blood test.

Stay well.

Karen

[SibliSabli]

Karen, I'm glad you're feeling better, too. Maybe it is just a body adjustment, and our bodies obnoxiously choose to show it through skipped heartbeats. I'd love to know what we all have in common, and what puts us at risk for this frightening symptom. My pulse also has gone down, a few days ago it was over 100 resting, forgot to mention this.

Hope they go away altogether for all of us SOON!!!

[Karsuepas]

I would take my blood pressure and pulse while I was getting the palpations and they were good. My pressure was uner 120/80 and my pulse was around 80 which is pretty good for me because a year ago when I was smoking it was in the 90 or 100. I also get panic attacks. Do you ever get them? Sometimes my heart would beat really fast when I have them although these did not seem like the panic attack ones to me. I know it sounds crazy that I can tell the difference but it is true. I think that if your still having them after making all the changes you have you should call the doctor. Let me know how you are feeling but I think you are on your way now.

Karen :wave:

[SibliSabli]

There was one year, years and years ago, that had maybe 4 or 5 panic attacks, always after being at a crowded, smoky party. 30 minutes of fresh air away from people usually did the trick-- but my symptoms were, as I recall, lightheadedness & hyperventilating. I remember I also had a feeling like I was imploding, or getting very far away from my surroundings, like a tunnel. Phew! what a lousy feeling. I've always had blood pressure around 110/60, which I guess is good.

[Karsuepas]

That is an awful feeling. Yes, you have described a panic attack. Sometimes mine are like that when you are like in a tunnel. Most of them are when I get really tight in my chest area and I feel I am having trouble swallowing. That is why I think that these palpatations are not panic attacks. Well been doing pretty good today and I haven't had any. How are you doing?

Karen

[SibliSabli]

I had them last night again, as usual-- not helped, I'm sure, by the fact that I was up very very late. Today I feel like it's stillnot quite "right" but it's nowhere as distracting or substantial as it's been.

[Karsuepas]

Maybe it is time to search for a new GP. I just don't know what to think. When you are having them now is it just when you are resting? I remember at one point you were having them throughout the day too...right? This is just crazy! Have you been taking the potassium?

Hope you are having a good day!

Karen

[SibliSabli]

yah, I agree with you about the GP, I can't call him about this because we had a falling out over my thyroid treatment (he doesn't want to treat it, basically, after trying only 1 dosage of 1 medicine, 1 year ago, which isn't helping, and last time I saw him about a month ago, he looked me in the eye and told me it's all psychological, which is is fascinating given my labs and symptoms.unfortunately my insurance runs out in Sept. and I'll be doing a lot of travelling till then so no time to find a new doc and new dosage, etc.) anyway, yes, I feel not quite a palpitation, but like a semi-palpitation, and it's much less than it was even yesterday, not nearly as frequently. Kind of like it feels when I have way too much coffee.

It might also have to do with stress, I'm about to have major oral surgery which I'm really freaked out about, and then I'm going to have to hurry up and heal to go to sing a few roles!!

[Karsuepas]

Well I am not surprised that the doctor can tell you it is all psychological. When they don't feel like dealing with the problem that seems to be the answer. I am very lucky to have a good doctor. It took me a very long time to find him.

You may be right and it could all be due to stress. Our body does handle things in different ways. Any surgery will freak us out so maybe that is it. When are you having your surgery?

Today wasn't too bad for me. No palpations so far.


Karen

[SibliSabli]

you are lucky; it's damn hard to find a good doc, I've been trying for years. a GP who has more than 5 minutes to spare is rare indeed. I'm looking into a few holistic docs here at one of the major hospitals, who, I'm told, are interested in actually TALKING to the patient, and consider things like acupuncture, shiatsu, yoga... things I've always been really enthusiastic about.

the surgery is Tuesday morning. I've been putting it off for 6 months because insurance won't pay for it, but my teeth are, um... falling out, so I can't wait any more. It's due to some bad work I had done by 2 previous dentists, so that's why I'm stressed. This time there is no room for screw ups, and since I'm a singer, I'm really nervous about nerve damage. Between the 2 doctors involved, it's costing over $7500. my parents agreed to help at the last minute, after changing their minds a few times, thank god.

Wow. Just writing that, I guess I see why I'd be getting palpitations. Heh.

[Karsuepas]

Wow now I understand why you are having palpations. I am sure everything will be fine. I don't think you have anyother choice but to go through with this. You will feel better after this is over. You have great parents who are going to help you out with this. I will keep a good thought for you on Tuesday morning. Let me know how you are doing. Is it an outpatient procedure?

Yes, my doctor is one of those who talk to you. Not only do we talk about heath issues and he listens to me but he also is one of those doctors who didn't give me a hard time about the Atkins diet. We talk about all sorts of things. I am very lucky to have hime. I had a doctor like yours before who would just look at me when I told him I had chest pains or whatever and he would just look at me and say "I don't know, Karen." Well I would think you are a doctor how can you not know? Well that is all behind me now and I hope the same for you.

Have a great day!

Karen

[SibliSabli]

Yeah, same kind of doctor. I can TOTALLY picture mine saying that. Ugh, so condescending. A few months ago I went to him with more slow thyroid symptoms and he prescribed irritable bowel medication. *Insisted* that's what was really wrong. Turns out he actually just was part of some test run for a new drug and was prescribing it to everyone (a friend of mine also went to him) no matter what the symptoms. This medication made me really sick... How did you finally find your good doctor? Through the insurance co?

Thanks for thinking of me tomorrow morning. I really appreciate it. It's outpatient, this part will take an hour and a half or so, in 2 phases over 2 or 3 months' time, they're putting me under general anesthesia but didn't have to. I wanted to be KNOCKED OUT. hahah.

[Karsuepas]

OMG no way! I am sure that is not legal. That is terrible. No wonder you don't want to go back to him. Giving you meds to treat something you don't have. Good doctors are hard to find.

My doctor had just opened his own practice. My husband had gone to him previously when he was an associate at another office and he really liked him. I think I was his first patient when he opened his own practice...now you should see the files in his office. However, we have such a great relationship I never have to wait for an appointment if I am not feeling well nor does my husband. The staff are really great too and that is just as important as having a great doctor. They do the scheduling and are sure they schedule time for each patient which is very important as you know. I just was very lucky this time. I had enough of the other doctor looking at me like I had two heads telling me he didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't take the pain any more it was making me crazy so I changed. I would check with my insurace company if I were you. Also you can go to some of the hospitals in your area's websites and most of them now have information on the doctors that are on staff there. I hope this helps.

No problem about keeping a good thought for you tomorrow. You must let me know how you do. Hey I don't blame you for wanting to be knocked out...I get knocked out for having a tooth pulled.

Stay Calm!

Karen