Welcome to the forum and I've read your posting and concerns.

Firstly, I see no mention in your posting that you've been evaluated by your primary care doctor or a specialist. Although I'm a retired physician, it's important that you understand the nature of the forum here and it's limitations. The internet and informative resources contained therein should never supplant the direct evaluation of healthcare concerns by your doctor.

In other words, the members who attend here and who describe problems very similar to your own have already underwent evaluation by their doctors and their questions arise subsequent to the outcome of tests and prognosis. This is not to say that your particular concern is any different than the others here or that you are at risk. It merely means that direct evaluation is the first and most prudent step to take before discussing the matter within the context of a forum like this one.

I'll be more than happy to address your concerns with you once it has been established that you've first been directly evaluated by your doctor.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)

Okay, that's what we needed. The mild mitral valve regurgitation is frankly nothing more than a normal variant. The tests confirm that nothing is wrong either anatomically or electrically with your heart. The source of the palpitation events in your instance, like so many others here, arises from outside the heart and is associated with the vagus nerve.

Many people experiencing palpitations of this type find that lying down, bending over or crouching can increase the potential for them to occur and this is due to the fact that the GI tract is innervated by the vagus nerve as the pneumogastric nerve at that level. Pressure in the abdomen sufficient to press against the diaphragmatic muscle is key in establishing the potential for the palpitation event to occur. Many people with indigestion or other GI disturbances can experience palpitations as well. A reduction in GI symptoms is commensurate with a reduction in the frequency and/or intensity of the palpitations.

These events are more akin to a muscle twitch than any type of cardiac arrhythmia and it's important to remember that the heart is as much a muscle as it is an organ. Thus, wayward evoked potentials, or nerve impulses, commonly occur within a central nervous system that is under stress. These impulses travel upward along the vagus nerve and upon reaching the terminal points, one of which is naturally the heart, the heart muscle simply responds as any other muscle would to electrical impulse.

You should know that these events are entirely harmless. They can never cause you to suffer any type of cardiac event or transform your heart's normal sinus rhythm into some type of dangerous arrhythmia.

The feeling of doom is typically associated with panic disorder and both the palpitations and panic episodes are typically triggered by some type of life-altering event such as a death in the family, divorce, loss of financial stability, etc.

Aside from the emotional strain that the palpitations can bring about due to misinterpretation of their capacity to do harm, the only outcome of such a disturbance is the symptom itself. They won't wear out your heart prematurely or make you fragile to exercise.

You're going to be just fine. Spend time discussing your own difficulties with that of other members here and you'll find a great deal of similarity. The members here are also a great source of support and can offer a great deal of insight based on their experiences.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)