Heart Palpitations

POUNDING HEART FROM OREGON

Dear Crabby,

How long do heart palpitations last going through menopause? I have had them for almost 2 years. I already had my heart checked and all is okay. I am on oral natural progesterone which helps some. Is this a fairly common symptom of menopause?
Signed,
Pounding Heart from Oregon

Dear Pounding Heart,

Yes, for some, heart palpitations can be a common occurrence during menopause.

During menopause, heart palpitations can be scary, happening at inappropriate times. Sometimes palpitations accompany hot flashes.

Keep a hot flash/heart palpitation diary.

No one knows for sure why some women suffer from heart palpitations during menopause. It is often attributed to hormonal fluctuation. You may wish to discuss hormonal balance with your healthcare provider. Usually heart palpitations go away within a few months after your hormones have settled down. Hormonal balance often relieves heart palpitations.

If you suspect heart disease or if heart disease runs in your family, discuss these symptoms with your healthcare provider. From your inquiry it appears that you have had your heart health checked by your doctor. This is good news.

The most common non-hormonal cause of heart palpitations is ingesting too many stimulants: alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, decongestants, and diet pills all contain chemicals that stimulate the heart. Too much of these stimulants can confuse your heart and cause it to beat out of control.

Other causes of heart palpitations could be more serious and require medical attention: anemia, hypoglycemia, and certain thyroid conditions.

Stress can also cause irregular heartbeats. Practice relaxation techniques.

Consider:

-Limiting alcohol and caffeinated beverages
-Do not smoke
-Exercise regularly, after discussing with your doctor
-Avoid stimulant medications
-Decrease stress
-Keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control
-Manage a healthy weight
-Practice relaxation techniques
-Avoid activities that tend to activate or increase your palpitations
-Tracking your heart palpitations may help identify triggers.
-Make sure to share your heart palpitation journal with your clinician. Even if you have previously talked with your doctor regarding your heart palpitations, it is still important to inform her that they are continuing.

I am not a doctor, and encourage you to continue communication with your healthcare provider. I applaud your commitment to seek out information. We are all different. It is important to maintain good health, eat healthy and exercise during menopause.

Once I obtained hormone balance my heart palpitations disappeared. It took a few tries with different hormone therapies before finding a program that effectively managed my menopause symptoms.

If you need a second opinion, The North American Menopause Society has a wonderful list of healthcare providers:

http://www.menopause.org/cliniciansus.pdf

I hope the next heart pounding experience you encounter is one stimulated by love – not fluctuating hormones.

Signed,
A calmer Dear Crabby

NOTE: Pounding Heart from Oregon continued her search for heart palpitations solutions working closely with a naturopath. She discovered taking a compounded progesterone lozenger place under the tongue helped with heart palpitations. If her symptoms worsen she will consider estrogen/progesterone therapy. I applaud Pounding Heart for her extensive research and exercising an open conversation with her healthcare provider. It is the first step to managing menopause. We are all different. Each of us will have different solutions to treating menopause symptoms.

Write to Dear Crabby and get advice about your menopausal symptoms.
If you have:
• Hot flashes
• Itchy skin
• Breast tenderness
• Mood swings
• Memory lapses
• Fuzzy thinking
• Night sweats
• Sleep problems
• Loss of libido
• Dry vagina
• Irregular periods
• Headaches

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