Palpitations during the daytime?

adolson · Post by **adolson** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:58 am

Occasionally in the past I have had what people tell me are heart palpitations... But it's not fitting the definition of palpitation:

A rapid pulsation; a throbbing; esp., an abnormal, rapid
beating of the heart as when excited by violent exertion.

It is abnormal alright, but not rapid. It's a throbbing type of feeling, but just one time usually, not like two or three heart beats, but just one single throb. It feels like it's in the middle of my chest, more than the left, and might not even be my heart, but I don't know. My doctor didn't say anything other than to lose weight, which I had been trying to do already.

Anyhow, this throb thing happened to me occasionally in the past year and a half or so, but since starting CPAP, it happens to me a lot more often... Just typing this it happened to me twice, and once earlier (which reminded me to post here).

Now, I have very bad posture when I sit at my PC or on my sofa, something I am trying to work on but failing... In any case, when I notice that throb type feeling, I sit up straight, and it sometimes goes away until I get back into bad posture... It doesn't hurt or anything, it just feels like I stopped breathing, and perhaps I do...

Is this normal? Is my breathing now reliant on the CPAP machine after only a week and a half, even during the daytime? Or maybe it is because I'm using too much humidity? I don't know... Hoping someone else here would know.

Edit: I should add that a couple days into my CPAP therapy, I got a cold. It is mostly going away now... These throbs started around that same time, but I just got one just now as I typed that.. I think they are getting worse as the days go on. Also, my throat has felt more closed off since starting CPAP (might be from the cold)... But I'm worrying about reliance on the machine.

Edit: Right after editing this the first time (what perfect timing), a coworker came to my desk and told me her sister saw a doctor from the same symptoms and was told it's a heart murmur... I am even more worried now... I'm shocked I am still alive.

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:14 am

xPAP therapy simply "splints" the airway open. That's all. It probably
is good that it is 'habit forming".

SUZ · Post by **SUZ** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:38 am

I have atrial fibrillation, I am on meds and pretty much under control. What you are feeling as my cardio doc says are flip flops. The two chambers beat at a different rate and the heart kind of adjusts .My heart does that quite often, maybe a few times a week. You should get checked out as rapid heart beat can cause strokes or worse. Some people with this condition never know but others(like me) can tell immediately.Do not mean to scare you, you might not be having this problem at all. But would be wise to get it checked out.

By the way, the cardiologist kept after me to get a sleep apnea study and for about 9 months I ignored it till my sleep apnea was causing the usual, plus horrible headaches as soon as I would wake up a take a drink of water and some deep breaths they would go away.

Some of my heart problems were caused by thyroid, everything seems to be much better since under heart and sleep apnea care.

Suz ( just my opinion and advise I am not a doctor)

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