Forceful Heartbeat? What Causes This?

[targs66]

hi all,

Any ideas as to what would cause a very forceful heartbeat? I wouldn't call it palpitations (I think those are a more "fluttery" chest feeling), nor is it tachycardia. My heart rate is pretty even, but I can feel it thumping hard in my chest all the time. It feels like my heart is exhausted and laboring -- beating very forcefully. If I sit still and relax, my head actually rocks with the beating of my heart (my hubby confirmed this); if I'm lying down, I can hear it pounding and feel it thumping in my back. I've had this before, and it usually comes and goes, but it's almost continuous lately and coinciding with a period of feeling really wretched. It's especially bad in the evening as I'm sitting quietly watching TV if I've done anything to exert myself (and that take very little these days!) during the day.

I've had normal EKGs and 24 hour Holters in the past. Don't think I've ever had any other heart-related tests.

(BTW, I have neurally mediated hypotension, not POTS -- my BP is usually very low but I don't get tachycardia. My HR is usually 65-75.))

Many thanks!

[juliegee]

This happens to me following a hot bath which leads me to believe that vasodilation is at play. Try a cup of coffee or sudafed when this happens and see if it helps. If so, you might do well with midrodine... I also notice when I have very forceful heart beats my pulse pressure is very narrow like 70/85 which indicates dehydration.

I'd be curious to know if it helps. Hope so

Julie

[HopeSprings]

I don't know - I have this too. It feels like it's beating really HARD, even when it's not going fast. This is especailly bad when first waking up in the morning, before getting out of bed. I have low BP too. Maybe it's related. And I definitely feel worse too with narrow pulse pressures. Sorry I don't have answer.

[yogini]

I have this too, no idea why. It can be really scary. I try to ignore the strong beats, but it is really hard to do sometimes! I have the same issue with irregular heartbeats.

[targs66]

Thanks very much. Glad to know it's not unusual. I try not to focus too much on individual weird symptoms (namely because I have so many) but this has been happening so continuously lately that I thought I should take note, especially given that I've been feeling so wrecked. Like I said, I think the "hard" heartbeats correspond to how tired I feel; it's almost like if my body has done too much, my heart is also tired and has to work harder.

I've been doing a bit of online searching and the only thing that I've come up with is mitral valve prolapse, but I don't have a medical background so I may be missing out on the less obvious possibilities. Plus, it seems that mitral valve prolapses can be completely harmless, so that theory may not be worth pursuing anyways.

Thanks Julie -- I'm trying the increased hydration to see if that makes a difference. My pulse pressure is pretty normal usually; just low BP (80s over 50s). I've tried midodrine before and felt that it slowed my heart rate too much - my BP would be as high as 105/75, but I'd be stumbling around in a fog. One thing that's been helpful is an antihistamine called acrivastine (they sell it here in the UK as Benedryl Allergy relief), but I wonder if it enables me to do more than my body can handle, and hence the resulting fatigue and "tired" heart??

Thanks again to all for helping me try to figure this out!!

-Shelly

[lieze]

Have you had your potassium checked recently.

I was experiencing some of that and here my potassium was low.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I know I have read that noticing forceful heartbeats can be part of POTS. Also some people are more aware of their heartbeat than are others--I think thinner people tend to notice it more.

I also have the sense my heartbeats are more forceful--more noticable after eating or when my POTS flares up. Improving hydration seems to help me often with this (and other POTS symptoms).

[targs66]

Thanks again. It happened again today - I was feeling okay (by my standards anyways), then did a bit of housecleaning. Within an hour I got the dizzy/woozy feeling that I get all the time, and then noticed that my heart was banging away again. My BP wasn't bad (94/65) and HR 70, so it's still a mystery.

Going to get some bananas to try to up potassium -- thanks Lieze!

[Dizzysillyak]

Thanks again. It happened again today - I was feeling okay (by my standards anyways), then did a bit of housecleaning. Within an hour I got the dizzy/woozy feeling that I get all the time, and then noticed that my heart was banging away again. My BP wasn't bad (94/65) and HR 70, so it's still a mystery.

Going to get some bananas to try to up potassium -- thanks Lieze!

Hi tars,

It's funny .. when I read that you got dizzy, etc after about an hour of housework, I thought NMH .. and then I saw it in your signature ... lol ...

We have a lot in common. I've had ME/CFS for almost 22 years now. I have OI and POTS so most of the time my heart starts to pound after I've been up for 10 minutes and only gets worse the longer I'm up. Stairs are usually a big problem too.

I'm not sure what's causing this. BUT .. since giving up caffeine it never happens unless I've done something physical to bring it on. Granted that can be happen from just walking from the lr to the kitchen on some days ...

Could be that you're responding to a certain food too. GF CInamon Rice Chex about sent me to the ER .. My heart was pounding horrible ...

tc ... d

[jackiemxoxo]

I can totally relate to this post. Going to bed at night is the worst because of the forceful heartbeat.

[louloutinks]

I thought this was normal! I have had this since my teens (in my forties now ). My whole body will sway with my pounding heart beat or my head rocks when I am sitting up. The bed will move too if I am laying down.