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Chest palpitations with short blackout

C

canarypilot

Member
Messages
21
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Not sure if anyone can help as doubt the issue I have is Diabetes linked but I really am feeling low at present. This site has helped before.

I was diagnosed type 2 in February this year and, following diet, went to prediabetes in June. Great news.

3 weeks ago whilst driving I had massive heart palpitations for a few seconds which resulted in a near blackout with massive headache and nausea. I stopped for 10 mins and then went home which was only a few mins away. I checked my blood sugar and it was 5.6. Again good.

Since then lot's of little palpitations and some giddiness on occasions but, no blackout.

I am seeing cardiologist and my ECG is normal as are blood tests and normal echocardiogram today. Next step is a holter monitor and then a treadmill stress test. Last glucose blood test was 8.6 so slightly high. HbA1C test results due next week.

Cardiologist says it can't be Diabetes related but just wondering if anyone else with diabetes has experienced anything similar.

I really want to sort this as told no driving until Diagnosis or blackout free for 6 months.

The only other comment I have is that I suddenly have lots of indigestion. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks.



Sent from my SM-G955F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
Indigestion can be mistaken for heart problems sometimes... and vice versa.

Ecgs do not give the full picture so best wait for treadmill and full diagnostic at hospital...

Are you eating regular meals?

Are you taking anything for your indigestion as PPI's can cause other problems..
 
Hi @canarypilot .
Yes. I have similiar. I am type2 but I believe your cardiologist when he says its not diabetes related.
My palpitations have reduced on my prescription being changed, by an a&e cardio ward cardiologist, to a doubling up on my beta blocker and starting lansoprazol for GERD.
In times of stress/shock I get delayed palpitations, normally long standing too. (Maybe panic attack related).
I am currently palpitation free but have periods of shortness of breath even though on 3 types of inhalers for asthma.

Hopefully your test will all come back normal.

I put my first palpitations down to when I started severely restricted my carb intake. I have now relaxed it's severity. Hence less palpitations and dizziness too.
My potassium, calcium and magnesium levels have been checked and are in good levels.
However my vitd was insufficient and I'm now on 1000ui supplement daily.
Like I've mentioned I've had palpitations early this month whilst taking this supplement so I cannot put them down to too little vitd.
However I do have levothyroxine for underactive thyroid which has been adjusted by my endocrologist after 3 a&e admissions for observations from nov'16 til june'17.
I'm still struggling with breathlessness and random palpitation sessions. Out of the blue.

Please rest assured your body is reacting to something but if the cardiologist discharges you, (like i have been after a good angiogram result) be assured your heart is healthy. I'm sure you'll be fully reassured soon.
 
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canarypilot said:
The only other comment I have is that I suddenly have lots of indigestion. Any suggestions welcomed. Thanks.
Click to expand...

If your Dr can't find the cause ask to be referred to see a Gastroenterologist at your local hospital.
 


I can relate, right down to the fact that it happened whilst driving a car!
Three years ago I had exactly the same experience. I'd experienced some palpitations on and off for months, had them investigated, turned up nothing. Then one evening on the way home from work, palpitations started and I nearly passed out.
I was blue-lighted to hospital, kept in, had my medication reviewed, had every test known to man... and everything came back relatively okay. They caught the palpitations on the holter monitor, and I was diagnosed with a benign abnormal heart beat and ventricular tachycardia.

Shortly after this I was taken off the small dose of beta blockers that I'd been given to control my blood pressure. The palpitations stopped completely. Earlier this year I was put back on beta blockers and they came back as bad as ever.
We stopped those again, and now I just get occasional flutters and missed beats.
If I get stressed, have too much caffeine, or get a fright, then the palpitations come back and are almost painful.
I do get a headache with them also - it's kind of like a thumping ache that goes in time with the missed beats. Apparently this is all normal.

Just to ease your mind, I was told that palpitations / missed beats / heart irregularities are normal unless they are continuous. I thought my 80 episodes of palpitations a day were bad until I was told that some people get more than that in an hour and are still perfectly fine.
 
Thanks. Only Gaviscon in the early days. Eating regularly on low fat diet. For me indigestion is very unusual.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
ickihun said:
Another idea is to go through your medication's side effect info (leaflets). Many meds have dizziness and palpitations as one.

Ps. I have palpitations and dizziness always together.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Never thought to check. Yes, seems my meds for blood pressure all say side effects include palpitations and one message syncope possible. I will discuss with consultant even though I have been taking for years. Thanks so much

Sent from my SM-G955F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
Thanks. I am wondering now if this issue is more to do with my Meds. I will discuss with consultant.

Your episode seems very similar to mine with no detection by ECG. It will be interesting to see how I get on with the monitor.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 

Canarypilot - several people have found a discussion with their pharmacist regarding side-effects/interactions of meds to be extremely useful. Meds are their specialism.

I'm not suggesting that to undermine your confidence in your cardiologist, or to suggest for a moment you act differently to his recommendations, but to try to add some context to your wider thinking.

It's also usually much faster to have a discussion with a pharmacist than a cardiologist, outside to emergency or extremely acute scenarios.

Good luck with it all. Sounds horrid.
 

I had a similar problem about 15 years ago - ended up in A and E where they diagnosed diabetes. They said it had nothing to do with diabetes, but it's odd that the symptoms improved once I got the sugar under control. I still have occasional palpitations, missed beats and flutters, but have been told not to worry about them. Beta blockers were prescribed, but aged me by about 20 years (I got breathless walking downhill, so I refused to take them!) I have come to the conclusion that it is just part of my makeup - I'm 76 and am not getting any worse.
 
My ecgs showed inverted t waves, told paramedics I could be having a heart attack so had to keep having blood tests. One occasion kept in overnight for observation. I still have to call ambulance if chest pains.
Im sure all will be positive @canarypilot .
 
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@canarypilot I wonder if you've had your thyroid function tested? When I was massively hyperthyroid I had palpitations and a resting heart rate of 130bpm, and was very dizzy, hot, sweaty and nauseous with a habit of suddenly passing out. And although I didn't have indigestion as such, I was struggling with both hiccups and being able to swallow food properly. Turns out I had a significant goitre which was preventing me from swallowing comfortably.

Might be worth checking it out.

 
canarypilot said:
3 weeks ago whilst driving I had massive heart palpitations for a few seconds which resulted in a near blackout with massive headache and nausea.
Click to expand...

I think the best thing to do is wait for the results of the tests that you're having done. Reading the experiences of different people might add to the anxiety and make things worse. I hope you get things sorted very quickly.
 
I suffer same thing and its nerve damage around heart from diabetus keep out of sun and hot cars and keep chest cool ,
They can put machine on u to check blood pressure for 48hrs to see what is going on ,
Nerves around heart control blood pressure the black out is blood pressure drop,
I keep meter in car and check blood pressure if feel faint , and before driving , get checked out i blacked out in car and crashed before they checked dangerous if they dont bring it under contro
 
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