Hi everyone

I've just found this board after coming back from a visit to A&E.

I have always had the very occasional flutter in my chest, maybe once every couple of months, but it was something I would barely notice and never caused me any concern. Recently I was training for a marathon and had to take a few weeks out due to a leg injury. I was feeling great up to then - I was able to run for about 10 miles at a time, I felt fit and didn't notice any palpitations at all. Then, during my resting up with the injury I started to get really pronounced thumps in my chest that would frighten me and make me anxious. I kept getting them, one or two a day, and ended up having a panic attack at work. I visited my GP who said my blood pressure was a bit high but she did an ECG and it came back fine. I am currently waiting for an appointment for a 24 hour monitor.

Over the past few days the palpitations have been getting more frequent. This morning on the bus I felt two massive thumps one after the other. Then on the short walk towards work my heart just went crazy - there were the pronounced beats that I was familiar with but also something different - like an extended thump, during which my heart was beating so fast I wouldn't have been able to count the beats. I immediately turned and walked towards the hospital which is nearby. I was seen very quickly in A&E and told that my blood pressure was a bit high but the ECG was normal.

I have abused drugs in the past - mainly amphetamines - but I have been too ashamed to mention this to the medical staff I have seen. I have not touched any illegal substances in about two years, save for one small amount at Christmas. I thought I was fit and healthy because of the running but am at a loss now.

Can anyone help?

I like you, used to get very occasional flutters then 10 months ago they started happening daily, maybe once or twice a day. Then came the thumps, and these I have had almost constantly. The more afraid I became, the worse they were.

Since coming here, I still get them every day, but as I calm down they seem less. I have had a lot of stress these last few years which I think has made them worse. But when I first used to get them, I dont remember being stressed.

Have you had stress lately?

Well, there's nothing actually wrong with your heart and the diagnostic tests comfirm it. The presence of this type of palpitation in no way signifies any tupe of health detriment or state of health at all. They are being produced by an untimely stimulation of the vagus nerve. Nothing more.

Incidentally, save for any occasion to use amphetamine, the risk of damage is far more than in the case of the palpitation events. You need to be aware that with each use of amphetamine, irreversible cognitive changes take place. This is why amphetamine-based drugs formerly used to treat ADHD were removed from the market or use for such purposes contraindicated. Long-term clinical studies have proven conclusively that amphetamine use is clearly detrimental to cognitive patency. The brain does not grow new cells.  

As for the palpitation events, they are harmless.

Best regards and Good Health