I am not a new person to palpitations, I've had them since I was a teenager. But the last couple of years I get a racing heart once and awhile. Usually it lasts about 10 or 20 seconds and I can get it to slow down by holding my breath, or bearing down, etc.

Last night we were getting ready for bed and my heart just took off. I checked my pulse and it was about 140. I tried everything and nothing was slowing it down. Of course after about 10 minutes, anxiety took over. I asked my husband to take me to the hospital. On the way there it started to slow and by the time we got to the parking lot it was down under 100. So I didn't go in. I know they would just tell me that I was fine. And I didn't need a huge bill for that.

Total time was about 45 minutes of the awful racing. Has anybody got any ideas on how to stop it? Or what works to keep it from happening. My doctor has been no help. She just says there's nothing wrong with me. I've had all the tests, but of course they've never caught it on a moniter.

Linda

I used to get that a lot. My heart rate would get up into the 180's. The only thing that seemed to help me was splashing very cold water on my face, arms, neck, and especially my chest. I actually have a "hot flash bottle" that's a spray bottle full of water I keep in the refrigerator, or cooler if we're out all day, and I use it to spray myself down when I have a hot flash or palps.

Happymom

I didn't try putting any cold water on my chest. I did splash my face with cold water. That will usually do it. I've just never had it last that long before.

Thanks.

Palps are what I hate the most!!! I have had them last over an hour, called 911 and when they arrived it started to slow down. Took a half of xanax and it helped. My problem is as soon as they come I panic which then releases adrenalin and of course starts that whole cycle. I have noticed the more I think of them the worse they get.

I have frequent episodes of this...had cardiologist check it out with event monitor last November, echocardiogram, after my trip to the ER for the 2nd time...first time was 3 1/2 years ago. They told me it wasn't coming from my heart. I had a terrible bout last week at 2 am and it lasted over an hour and I had terrible night sweats too. My last bout 2 nights ago at 2 or 3 am lasted only a few minutes. I try and drink some ice water and last week I rubbed an ice cube on my neck. Nothing helped me but time. It's so frightening.

Hugs,
Karen

Thanks for the responses. It's nice to know that I'm not the only one going through this. I'm sure that my anxiety caused it to last longer then it should. But once it starts it's kind of like a runaway train. You can't stop thinking about it.

I am having the same trouble with palps, ladies. The irony is, they say that a good night's sleep is good for your heart; I haven't had a good night's sleep in about 2 years. No wonder we're "palping!"

I've had the palps too and still do once in awhile. When they first started I went to emergency a couple times and was told they were anxiety. I had to tell myself it wasn't my heart every time I got them after that. Lately I learned from this site (as I've learned so much more) they are part of menopause.

I also have had the racing heart syndrome and have had all of the tests and everything is supposed to be fine. I just saw a heart specialists for this very problem last week and he put me on Metropolol which is a beta blocker and it is supposed to regulate the heartbeat. Honestly I really don't want to take it because I read it can disrupt the endocrine system. I wonder if the heart races because of the estrogen dropping so much when we hit meno and maybe just adding a little bit of estrogen would help. Anybody have any results from using estrogen for palps?

I have been taking Metropolol for a year for racing heart....I break them in half and take 2x daily.....Im suppose to take 25mg 2x daily but take 12.5mg 2x daily and havent heard about endocrine system side effects.......I have heard they can cause depression though.......Valerie

ps I tried E but it didnt make my racing heart slow down..........

I have had this on a number of occasions. It is often accompanied by blood pressure readings of 180/110 (perhaps this is panic setting in). My normal bp is 110/70. My cardiologist would prefer that I take a beta blocker on a regular basis, but since I refuse he has given me propranolol to take on an as-needed basis, but I've never tried it. He originally gave me verapamil to take when I have these episodes because I have a-fib. Verapamil seems to work. When I started using progesterone cream this problem seem to become more and more rare. This is definitely not a fun problem.

[Oh how I hate the palps. Yes....pouring cold water on my chest thru my blouse has been done and does work. Dr. told me to cough, bear down, or get a big bowl of ice cold water and stick my face in it. Coughing doesn't help, bearing down didn't. But the cold water did and still does. If it isn't the palps, its the skipped heart beats all the time mostly in the evening and when I am relaxing. Driving me crazy.

4dog...how are you doing these days?

Hi,
I'm doing okay I guess. I haven't had a repeat of the racing. I went to the cardiologist and wore a monitor for a month, caught lots of PVS and PAC, but no racing. So, he declared me just fine, live with the flips.
The skipped beats are now every day off and on all day. I just might lose my mind.
Hopefully they will settle down and give me a break.

I am finding this happens to be if I am even slightly dehydrated. Only after drinking a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water/day did they go away. If you have been dehydrated for awhile it can take up to 2 weeks to rehydrate up to the proper levels for you.