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Heart Palpitations Forum >> Symptoms and other concerns >> Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
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Message started by airstar102 on Jun 3^rd, 2010, 6:18pm

Title: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by airstar102 on Jun 3^rd, 2010, 6:18pm

I'm a 34 y/o male. 6'0, 195lbs and in overall good health. I've noticed over the past 6 months, or so, that when I lay down on my left side, my heart skips a beat every 10-20 seconds and I feel the flutter sensation in my chest. Of course, after I feel the first one, I immediately take a radial pulse and can easily feel the skipped beat. Like most of you, I initially started to feel panicky when it happened, but because of your posts and those of RLR, I've been able to push the panic down and not be too worried about the condition. I have to wonder though, why this happens. I do not have the same sensation or skipped beat(s) when laying flat on my back, my right side, or my stomach, nor do I experience this when standing, walking, exercising, etc. Only when laying down on my left side. It doesn't matter if I've eaten recently or not. It always happens when I'm laying on my left side. No chest pain, no difficulty breathing, etc. What's this all about?

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by MOLLY35 on Jun 4^th, 2010, 10:49am

hI THERE i also get the ectopics when i lie on my left side,not sure why this happens . .Its happened to me for years most times i have to change positions to stop them .try not to worry although i know thats easier said than done kind regards molly

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by George88 on Jun 4^th, 2010, 1:19pm

When I first realised I was getting skipped heart beats, it was when I was lying on my left side. A lot of people say it's just because you 'feel' them more when you lie down, but I know from experience that is not true in all cases. I definitely used to get them almost exclusively when lying on my left side. I don't know the answer, just that there is something about lying in certain positions and on certain sides that can cause them.

I've also noticed them in other positions, too and when performing various moves such as bending, standing, etc..

I think RLR has said in the past that almost all skipped beats, extra beats and palpitations are are caused by extra-cardiac events. Stimulation to the vagus nerve, I think, but RLR will have to tell you that as I am not sure. Regardless, one thing I do know is that in an otherwise healthy heart, they can do you no harm.

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by daybyday on Jun 4^th, 2010, 8:29pm

Sometimes I get the skips on my left side too, but not always.

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by emma09 on Jun 5^th, 2010, 1:07am

i get them when laying on my left too

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by RLR on Jun 5^th, 2010, 2:57pm

Okay, realize that forces of gravity play various roles in this instance and when you lay on your left side, the stomach, left lobars of the lung along with heart tend to all be more compressed than if you lie on your right side. This is naturally due to anatomical architecture.

The right vagus nerve extends upward through this region as well and it's not uncommon whatsoever for inappropriate stimulation of the nerve to occur, resulting in a palpitation sequence.

Nothing here to worry about at all.

Best regards and Good Health

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by airstar102 on Jun 6^th, 2010, 11:22am

thank you guys, & RLR for your posts. That makes me feel a lot better!

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by Typer on Jun 6^th, 2010, 11:41am

Now its been explained that the right vagus nerve extends upward through this region, it makes more sense.

Would this account for it happening sometimes with all of these in relation to my left side

When I carry heavy shopping on my left arm

When I sit with my left hand on my chin and my left elbow resting on the sofa

and today

when I extended my left arm forward and leaned with my hand against a wall which contorted the muscle around the breast area.

If one were to recover, as I know some have, would even this disappear?

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by Kalah on Jun 7^th, 2010, 10:28am

For me it hasn't disappeared but it has lessened dramatically. I still get them sometimes when I lie on my left side though. :)

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by Typer on Jun 8^th, 2010, 5:53am

Lessened would do me just fine :-)

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by edwardthebear on Jun 8^th, 2010, 3:40pm

I have certainly become very aware of how much an impact increased left sided pressure can have upon the incidence of missed beats. I work in mail delivery (well I suppose someone has to do it !) Being right handed I carry my mail bags on my right shoulder there is therefore a natural tendency for the axis of my body to be straining over towards the left hand side to counteract the weight of the heavy bags - it is not great for ones posture despite anything else. Since starting this job almost four years ago I have found that I am experiencing a lot more episodes of ectopics than before so this left sided compression certainly seems to be playing its role - time to start looking for a new job I think !

Title: Re: Skipped Beats When Laying On Left Side
Post by craigie1 on Feb 13^th, 2012, 7:14am

I am a male late 40s and have had this problem since I caught a bad flu in my 30's If I lay on my left side my palpatations start until i move my upper body. Occassionaly stretching and laying on my right side causes it.

I had a theory put to me by a doctor which makes sense. I had pericarditis because this flu and it has casued a bit iof scar tissue and when anything in the rib cage area touches it by laying on the side etc it irritates it. Other than that Ive learned to live with it although its annoying.

It gets worse when Im about to go down with a cold or an infedction of some kind.