Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Karras77]

Hi All 

Hoping I'm posting in the right sub forum!

It's been a long 5 year journey to finally get my hormone readings to confirm what's been causing all my misery, and as I've now been without a period for 6 months I think I may be near the end. It took a long time as I'm only 45 and doctors kept thinking I was too young for peri to be causing all the symptoms I had.

Anyway my most horrible of symptoms is ectopic beats. They go up and down, runs of extra beats and skips. Last year I had numerous ecgs, ae visits and cardiologist putting a 1 week monitor on and they said benign and caused by anxiety (I'd like to meet the person having them whose not anxious!).

I ended up on beta blockers that I'm still on as I was having panic attacks in the end and they helped a bit. I had become pretty positive they were hormone related as they often peaked the day before my period would start. Anyway no period since June and palps were a lot better then a sudden flare up last 2 weeks just as I get hormone blood tests back (admittedly I have been under a lot of stress).

Does anyone else suffer with these damn things?

Has anyone had hrt help them?

Also my blood test results were:

FSH 122.5
LH 81.6
TSH 6.56

I've got a gp app just before christmas to discuss and the receptionist said they were flagged by gp as peri but can you give any advice? Are these particularly high or indicative of being near the end of peri?

If anyone's interested my peri symptoms have been:

• Chronic cystitis
  Gastritis
  Dry mouth and eyes
  Sciatica
  Weird low blood sugar episodes
  Short and long cycles
  Thinning hair
  Flare up of raynauds
  Ankle pain
  Numb foot patches
  Headaches
  Burning tongue/mouth
  Rib cage pain
  Breast pain
  Libido gone, back and gone again
  Hyper pigmentation
  Muscle jerks
  Put on weight - on the positive side I did finally get boobs
  And the opposite of vaginal dryness to my husbands delight
  All this was complicated by severe vitamin deficiencies possibly caused by PPI's for gerd.

[Karras77]

Hello! Thank-you

I'm hoping they refer me back to the gynaecologist. I'd had an original referral early last year but only after making a fuss after 3 months without a period that time. She put me on hrt but I didn't really get on with it. Then they spotted all the vitamin stuff and said that was the cause of it all. It has felt tough to get taken seriously. It doesn't feel like they like to  consider multiple symptoms as being connected.

[Wrensong]

Hi Karras77, no time to write much tonight but just wanted to hold out a hand re the ectopics - yes I had them throughout peri & a few years into postmenopause before starting HRT & I agree they are horrible & very unnerving, but I'm also hypothyroid & this can complicate matters.  Like you I had a range of cardiac tests & was eventually diagnosed with benign ectopics.  They are fairly common in menopause & there are quite a few threads on here discussing palpitations if you have time to search & want more reassurance.

Your TSH also looks to be raised & this may be significant wrt a few of your symptoms, though would be helpful to see the ref range if you are at all concerned about that.  Can I ask, do you have a diagnosed thyroid disorder?
Wx 

[Paz23]

Every single bloody night as soon as my head hit the pillow - thump thump thump. Felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Started using HRT and they went within a week!
My gp also refused to believe that all my symptoms were peri related as I was only 40, insisted it was because of anxiety.
I did loads of research and went back - I did point out that I wasn’t anxious until I got all the physical symptoms and thought I was dying! Thankfully she let me try hrt, cant cope without it now.

[KaraShannon]

I can relate to this, I have had episodes of this, enough to really bother me and go get a stress echo test.  I can say one thing, being put on Evorel Sequi really calmed them down, to the point where I've wondered if I should have been on it earlier and a little miffed that many different doctors told me this wasn't a symptom of peri menopause (thankfully the lovely people here did and that's when I asked the doctor to try hrt.  It's not the answer for everyone I know, just giving my experience).

Wrensong, I can relate, i wonder if my thyroid needs another check

[Karras77]

Thank-you all 

@Wrensong - One of the things my current gp mentioned was possible thyroid when agreeing blood tests so hopefully that is something he can explain when the app happens to discuss the results. I noticed from googling it was high but wasn't sure if that was cause of peri hormones or a related but additional issue.

@Paz23 - I know what you mean re dying! I had always had mild anxiety especially health anxiety but never panic attacks like this. I had to go through cbt twice with them telling me if you focus on the thing your scared of you'll eventually stop panicking. Well that doesn't work with these bloody things! I kept trying to explain I'm fine if I don't have palpitations but I don't think unless you've had it do you get it.

@KaraShannon - is Evorel Sequi hrt?

@jaypo - I think the gyn near me in Essex is meant to be good. When I saw her last time she was very pro hrt whereas I was very nervous of it especially at the time as the gps thought I wasn't peri. Fingers crossed they give me a new referral and I will give it a better try this time.

[Wrensong]

Hi Karras, please do make sure you speak to your GP about the raised TSH.  It may be only a temporary change but some of your symptoms are found in underactive thyroid & menopause is a time when thyroid often goes awry.

[Wombat]

Hi, you’ve described my life to a tee! I too have had digestive issues, many of the symptoms you described and the worst palpitations since I turned 40. Initially I was put on antidepressants as this was put down to anxiety - which is true because the palpitations caused massive anxiety, especially as my dad died young of a heart attack and I was convinced I was going the same way! I had countless heart tests and told this is ectopics although I’ll always be convinced they missed something. I started a low dose HRT 3 months ago (now 47) but it’s not really done much and actually caused anxiety so I’m now taking antidepressants too. I am going to up the dose of my HRT and if this doesn’t make any difference, I will give this up. I can honestly say these palpitations have ruined much of the last 7 years of my life!! I know how you feel.

[holidaylover]

I'm also suffering terrible palpitations, and have just this week started taking beta blockers.  I've always suffered from anxiety but this just seems 'different'.  I also have digestive (heartburn like) issues and wondered if I may have a hiatus hernia, but when I asked the doctor last week he said that a hiatus hernia would not cause palpitations.  There seems to be so much conflicting views regarding this issue.

[Joaniepat]

I'm also suffering terrible palpitations, and have just this week started taking beta blockers.  I've always suffered from anxiety but this just seems 'different'.  I also have digestive (heartburn like) issues and wondered if I may have a hiatus hernia, but when I asked the doctor last week he said that a hiatus hernia would not cause palpitations.  There seems to be so much conflicting views regarding this issue.

Gastric reflux gave me palpitations! The stomach acid will irritate the vagus nerve which also serves the heart. You could try taking Gaviscon Advance after every meal and last thing at night, see if it helps. I haven't had palpitations for a few years now.

[Taz2]

If you Google Roemheld Syndrome there is more information on the effect of the digestive system on heart palpitations.

Taz x

[Karras77]

I can third / forth the whole gastric angle as it definitely antagonises and relates. I've had ibs since my teens and gerd / stomach acid issues since about 30. I was diagnosed with a slipping(?!) hiatus hernia and gastritis a few years ago. I find my palps definitely are worsened by eating, laying back, being hungry, certain positions in bed and changing position normally stops them. I'd heard of Romheld last year but sadly seems like doctors don't really take it on board any more. I found beta blockers helped with the runs of horrible beats but gave more mild single extra skips at least around the time the medication peaks. But they did help. Oh Wombat I feel you 100%. I've had a lot of things over the years inc a kidney stone and this by far the worst condition I've ever had. Ironically I had just got off antidepressants for anxiety just before pandemic began (great timing me!) and cause of all the palp then panic attack issues had to go back on them. I find they help with the obsessive worrying but not much else.

[Wombat]

I can third / forth the whole gastric angle as it definitely antagonises and relates. I've had ibs since my teens and gerd / stomach acid issues since about 30. I was diagnosed with a slipping(?!) hiatus hernia and gastritis a few years ago. I find my palps definitely are worsened by eating, laying back, being hungry, certain positions in bed and changing position normally stops them. I'd heard of Romheld last year but sadly seems like doctors don't really take it on board any more. I found beta blockers helped with the runs of horrible beats but gave more mild single extra skips at least around the time the medication peaks. But they did help. Oh Wombat I feel you 100%. I've had a lot of things over the years inc a kidney stone and this by far the worst condition I've ever had. Ironically I had just got off antidepressants for anxiety just before pandemic began (great timing me!) and cause of all the palp then panic attack issues had to go back on them. I find they help with the obsessive worrying but not much else.

Karras77, funnily enough I also have a sliding hiatus hernia (1cm so apparently small?). I sometimes get a lot of acid, and at other times, none at all. I think that my palps are worse when I’ve got a lot of acid - I think this is a sign my hernia is ‘up’ if this makes sense. I sometimes get the missed beats when I exercise, sometimes when I’m lying down, but often when I’ve not eaten for a while and then have something to eat or drink. I’ve also posted about having a racing heart if I drink alcohol. So I’m now having to give up.

[Petal]

Hi, I hope you don’t mind me jumping in on your thread , but after reading all your comments , I’m in the same boat. I’ve suffered on & off with palpitations for a while now but this last week they have been a regular occurrence , so much so I ended up in A&E on Friday being checked over , ECG , bloods all came back normal , including thyroid ,doctors thought a combination of stress & menopause. I have had all the usual symptoms - hot flushes , anxiety, dry mouth ,overwhelming  tiredness etc but this seems to be the most unnerving , even though they’ve told me not to worry , it’s hard not too. It’s a relief to know I’m not alone. - I’ve read the comments from you lovely people for a while now but this is the first time I’ve commented. 😊

[Kathleen]

Hello Petal and welcome to the forum.

I have also had palpitations and odd heartbeats.  I always assumed that  they were hormonal so didn't worry or stress about them and never had any of the tests that many other ladies had. The good news is that they resolved in time and with HRT.

Unfortunately palpitations etc are a common menopausal symptom so you are definitely not alone.

Wishing you well.

K.