Welcome to meno world, where nothing is as it has been and everything is subject to change hourly... I don't have them any more, but I did when I first started into peri..scared the stuffin' out of me too... thought for sure I was having heart problems.. my blood presure went up during that time, so my Doc put me on a low dose B.P. med., Atenolol, this took care of the palps and the high blood pressure... it was one of those things, that would be like a cycle.. it would happen and I would worry about it then, it would get worse, and I would worry more... so get it checked out, get some exercise and try to not think abut it all the time... generally it's one of the the things that are easily taken are of... happy meno

Hi Gatorgirl,
Thank you for all of your information.
I have had the palps before, but last night was really scary
they did`nt seem to want to calm down, I have even mentioned
them to my Dr. and he did`nt seem to concerned?
Thanks so much, you have made me feel better!

For peri-menopausal palpitations, magnesium is very helpful.
Take 250 mg in the a.m. and 250 mg in the p.m. Works very well.

Gardenpaw, you should probably ask your doc about having an echocardiogram to rule out MVP (mitral valve prolapse) or any other heart disorder. MVP is usually harmless. If nothing shows up at least it will give you some peace of mind! When palpitations start for no reason, it tends to raise the stress levels, causing the palpitations to increase. Be safe, get checked.

Hi,
Thanks everyone for all of your help!
This is a very crazy time in life is`nt it?
Like you said what was...is`nt like it was before, and whats
that old saying?
You can always depend on things changing.
I will try the vitamin route and see if that helps, Im also
on iron pills for anemia, have had fibroids for years.
Thanks again!

Gardenpaw, in 1998 I had palpatations several times that year. One night they were so severe my husband called the life squad and I went to the emergency room. Finally, my doctor put me through several tests and discovered I had mild mitral valve prolapse. He wanted to put me on a beta blocker but I asked him if this was a serious condition and he said no as long as I could tolerate the palpatations. So I refused the beta blocker. I do take antibiotic prior to my dental cleaning or any dental work. Anyway,I also suggest being evaluated further before deciding it is menopausal related, although, it certainly could be like the other ladies said. I also have found that stress contributes to palpatation flareups for me.

Dear Aunt Bea and GardenPaw, I just rejoined the Menopause Forum has been a while since I posted took me a while but I wanted to chime in on mitral valve prolapse , heart palpitations etc. Same story with me-I am 55 went through miserable last 5 years with the Great M. Hot flashes night sweats tried all kinds of HRTs and I survived and am on nothing more than Vitamin E, and palpitations was one of my more overlooked symtoms of Meno. Told doctor many times no reaction, then finally after several EKGs over 5 years decided to do echocadiagram, neat procedure simple painless and you even get to look at the picture going on inside your heart (cost about $900 ,with insurance bal of $100) Oh well at least it told me I fell under the category of another middle age menopausal woman with mitral valve prolapse. Not to worry says doctor just take your 2000 mg of Amoxicillin before dentist visit. HUUUH I said well explanations made regard slight chance of decay and infection from mouth going into blood stream and infecting the old heart. Don't want that now , do we? So I'll live and I am happy to say menopause after 5 years is almost tolerable. Any other questions to me you know where to find me . NOw that I amm officially a logged on member again. Sunflower_55

Hello Everyone,
Thank you for all of your words of wisdom.
I do have a heart murmur and do have to take antibiotics
before having any dental work done also, just this past
summer my sister was diagnosed with MVP.
I would consider having a ekg done but at this point in
time, there is no medical insurance, maybe sometime in the
near future.
Thanks so much for all of your post, I appreciate it.

Hi I'm Linda, 50 and definitely perimenopausal, tho still having regular periods. It's so heartening to read that all the problems are being shared!! I'm not alone. I lost a dear Uncle in Dec and the day of the funeral started a migraine which lasted 10 days accompanied by heart palpitations at night when lying in bed thinking, which I do most nights before sleep - a women's thing I'm sure - my husband goes to sleep straight away! Anyway I realised in the end it wasn't so much his death as death full stop which had caused this anxiety and I was coping less well being this age than if I had been a lot younger. I kept thinking who's next and worrying about my ageing parents. Anyway I read up on migraine on the Net and magnesium was suggested. Started taking it and they stopped immediately. Still having the occasional palpitations but not as often. I think magnesium is a good general tonic. We live in Paris and when my 18 year old son saw the Dr last year about a cut on his leg the Dr asked how he was generally. He said okay but a bit stressed about final exams. So the Dr put him on 6 wks of magnesium and calcium, as a tonic. The more I read, the more I realise that we are probably all deficient in certain minerals and amino acids because we all try to avoid fat, red meats etc which contain a lot of essentials. Look forward to reading any follow ups.

Hi all,
I'd like to add a little information that may be helpful to some of you. In 1988, after suffering with fatigue, shortness of breath for many years and finally panic attacks, my doctor ordered a tilt table test and diagnosed my dysautonomia. The fact that dysautonomia is also called Mitral Valve Prolapse SYNDROME (MVPS), causes a great deal of confusion. The call it MVPS because many people with dysautonomia also have mitral valve prolapse. But you can have dysautonomia without having mitral valve prolapse and vice versa. At the time I was diagnosed with dysautonomia in 1988, my echochardiogram did not indicate mitral valve prolapse (MVP), although I do have detectable prolapse now. Dysautonomia is simply defined as an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system. Dizziness, heart palpatations, panic attacks, fatigue, shortness of breath are some of the symptoms of dysautonomia. Hormones have a profound affect on the autonomic nervous system, as evidenced by the hot flashes and panic attacks we get during menopause. Hormones also have a profound effect on dysautonomia, mine was always much worse for just before and during my period. Many people with mitral valve prolapse have absolutely no symptoms and no problems. If you are having problems, they may be due to dysautonomia and not to an actual heart problem. Actually, a significant number of males and females have mitral valve prolapse and it creates no problem at all. I've included a link to help explain all this. You can also find valuable information at:
http://www.mvprolapse.com
http://www.mitralvalveprolapse.com/index.htm

I also high recommend a book called: Confronting Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome by Lynn Frederickson

I hope this information will help and if you have any questions, send me an e-mail and I'll try to answer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dysautonomia

Gardenpaw......I hope your palpitations are doing better. I know how scary they can be! Mine sort of just come and go for very short periods of time. Boy......we're sure all looking forward to coming out the end of this scary tunnel of perimenopause, aren't we?

Lablady......I have Fibromyalgia, and it sounds just like dysautonomia. My body has gone absolutely crazy with perimenopause. I'm curious.....what kind of doctor diagnosed you?

Catherine T.
Luckily I am employed at large university medical center. I went to exceptionally enlightened young doctor who almost immediately suspected I had dysautonomia. The results of recent research studies indicate that fibromyalgia is also due in part to a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. I've included a link for you. It is fairly obvious that hormones effect the autonomic nervous system. So I am not surprised that your symptoms are worse during perimenopause, with all its crazy hormone fluctuations.

Here is a link that might be useful: fibromyalgia

I have been having palpalations also real bad for a couple of weeks. in fact I'm going back to the Dr. tommorrow for a ekg. I was really worring, which does no good and makes them worst, but am very glad I read this post. some people have blamed mine on caffine, which I know does not help.

Hi Okla Gal,
Please let us know what you found out at your Drs. visit.
Sure hope you are feeling better.
Gardenpaw

I had this for about 6 months after my hysterectomy, sometimes worse than others. I attributed it to too much caffiene and also trying different hrt to find what worked for me. It's been about 4 years and I haven't had any recurrence. It is always best to check with your doctor, it may be serious. My 23-year old daughter gets these sometimes, dr. said it's normal, but it can be scary.

I have read this thread with much interest as I have had palpitations for 2 years now. During the last few months they seem to be less frequent. Along with the palpitations came panic attacks, dizzieness and all the other symptons.

I took HRT for 7 months however it made no difference to all the symtoms I had.

I have basically now become agrophobic because of the panic attacks. The doctor prescribed Alepam, which help, and I only take it when I really need to. The panic attacks subsided for while, but over the Christmas period seem to be worse. I went to a wedding on Saturday and had to leave early because I felt I was going to be sick, this is the sympton of my panic attacks. Arrangements have been made for my sister and I and our 2 daughters to have a "girls day out", going shopping, lunch etc. I get butterflies in the tummy and nauseous just thinking about having to go, which 5 years ago I would have absolutely loved.

We have a boat which before menopause, I loved going on, and spending the weekend on it. I haven't been on the boat for 2 years.

Thank you everyone for this forum, for the support and knowledge I am not alone in this menopausal minefield.

Lablady, all the symptons I have may be related to dysautonamia. I would like to discuss this with you however dont know how to email you. I would be grateful if you could email me so I can reply.

Many thanks everyone, and good luck with what you are all going through

Irene

Hello Irene, I read your post and know what you're going through...I had to literally make myself go out of the house..even into the yard.. feelings of impending doom...feeling so scared all the time..not knowing of what just the feeling..not being able to do things I had enjoyed for years.. That sure wasn't the way I wanted to live my life... I have accumulated quite a few web pages with helpful information concerning these problems, that helped me tremendously, if you are interested in reading them let me know, I'd be happy to email them to you..most of them I have listed here before, but may have fallen off the board by now.. take heart, this is not unto death...there is an end to it..judy

Hello,

I have been having severe heart palpatations for about 4 days now. After reading this forum, I feel a whole lot better. My husband and I moved to Panama in Central America last October for our retirement. We both had complete work-ups at the cardiologists and I with my GYN. I was put on a hormone pill, which I just went off a couple of months ago and blood pressure pills. I am on Norvasc-5mg. I was okay until just a few days ago. I have been scared to death until reading that this is all menopause related. The only thing my cardiologist found was that I had three heart murmurs and mitro valve prolapse, so I couldn't understand what was happening to me! I was sure I was headed for a heart attack! My dad had five heart attacks and died at the age of 65. I didn't want to go there!!Thanks everyone for your information. I don't feel so alone and maybe now I can get a good nights sleep. My husband is relieved too!! Thanks a million!!

I'm 44 and was diagnosed with fibriods about a year ago,I thought that my bad periods were causing the heart palps and dizziness...but it seems I'm having them all the time now.I think I'm having a heart attack every time it happens, my BP goes up and I have an anxiety attack and can't seem to get a good breath. Can anyone please tell me at what age they stared having the same problems? Thanks

Loved the "Welcome to the world of menopause" statement. Funny. I'm 55, still having periods, but weird things keep happening. I remember staying up at night reading this forum, scared to death because of the heart pounding and flip flopping. The calcium and magnesium really do help, as do the Aloe Vera capsules. Actually, the Aloe Vera was the thing that helped the most. One in the morning, one at night. It's a wonderful journey we are all on, right? I almost feel that at this time of life I can blame almost anything on perimeno or meno. Makes me feel better. :)

Thanks so much, I was praying today and I asked God to just let me please feel normal again, and I read you mail. I will make a note to get the Aloe Vera, calcium and mag. Another thing; did you ever feel nervous when you woke up in the morning? Any feed back would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch

It's amazing how unbalanced hormones bring about so many symptoms. One of the first things I freaked out about were the palpitations...heart pounding that I felt it in my ears. And usually at night. I would just lay there and concentrate on relaxing breaths.

Dana, I honestly believe that the nervousness in the mornings, is a blood sugar thing. A few swigs of gatorade and I can feel it subsiding.

Everyone one goes through menopause at different ages. One of my sisters was completely done at 42. So you never know.

The thing is that it seems like it all happens at once, and you feel overwhelmed. You can't figure out what the *&^% is going on. But it does get better. Remember you are not alone, as this forum can attest.

Thanks sooo much Wanda, your feed back really helped...I'm going to my Doc. next week. I'll make sure I mention about the blood sugar issue God bless, Dana

Just be careful with the magnesium supplements. I thought I needed more mag, so I started taking a supplement on top of what I was getting in my multi-vitamin, my calcium/magnesium supplement, etc. I had diarrhea so badly that I had to stop the mag supplement!

Hello, I'm 41 also having heart palps & dizziness etc. Been having for about 5 weeks. SCARY THING!! Doc did ekg's & echo both read normal... also checked thyroid, also normal. I'm soo glad I found this forum. Hopefully I can sleep better now. Does anyone have spells where you get so tired & weak you have to lay down because your body feels really anxious inside along with the palps?

Hi, I just stumbled onto this forum, but from what I have read so far I am not alone in my peri-menopausal problems. I am 48 and have been having hot flashes and night sweats for a few years now. Cycles are regular but having peculiar symptoms or lack of symptoms, pretty weird stuff.I have also been having palpations pretty bad for about 3 days. No sleep for 3 days either. My question is does exercise help and what time of day should I do it if it does help? Any ideas for sleeping. I am soooo tired!

Hi dana777 im 46 and have been having many menopause symptoms for a year now but the worst is definatly the palps they are horrible they scare me to death if i drink a lot of alcohol especially rose wine they start up again i take magnesium n calcium everyday and that does help to keep them at bay ive had ecgs blood pressure done all that and apparently my heart and bp are fine i have many symptoms related to this time of my life but i do agree the palps are the worst they make me feel shattered anxious they upset my whole being so dont despair ok

I get heart palpitations but then I always have - I have a prolapse valve - one in eight women have it - no big deal. It was very difficult to get it diagnosed at the time though - found out 20 years ago. Menopause has not made it any worse. I do take one shot of Estrogel each day along with a Prometrium pill - but no other meds. Might not hurt to ask for test for prolapse valve. Only thing you would need to do for this condition is to take a big dose of penicillin (or alternative) prior to surgery or any form of dentistry that would result in blood being "spilled" to be rather graphic. The condition causes palpitations when the heart valve closes a little too "hard" during its normal opening and closing - if blood should come out during a surgical process you could get blood poisoning - hence the penicillin. Might not be this, but doesn't hurt to ask - and as I said it most definitely requires a special - and very easy test. It does not show up on the regular EKGs or if you wear a heart monitor - I know this because my doctor did these procedures. Palpitations can of course be caused by certain medications - I don't sedate as per normal - anything that would put the normal person to sleep or cause drowsiness such as antihistamine/decongestant, gravol, codeine, not to mention the "happy shot" before surgery - causes my heart to pound at an alarming rate - and then of course the joys of surgery itself - and waking up way too soon. Procedures don't scare me - it is the not sleeping part that does. I am an insominiac - and sleeping pills will have me up for 5 days straight. Hope you find an answer to your problem.