I've had a sporadic issue that crops up now and again, usually only for a couple of minutes but sometimes as long as 15-20.
My heart will beat really hard. Not fast, but seemingly with much more force than usual. There is literally no change in the rate of my pulse, but during one of these episodes, my blood flows hard enough that my vision will jump in time to my pulse. I can feel each pulse running through my body, head to toe, in a wave. Well technically head, lower arms/hands just after, lower legs/feet last. Presumably due to the distance the blood has to flow to reach each extremity. If I have my shirt off, it is also possible to count my pulse by just watching the skin of my stomach which visibly jumps.
I have never successfully measured my blood pressure during one of these episodes. Typically, by the time I find the automated BP monitor, get it booted up, and then attached to my arm...the episode is over.
When I say these are sporadic - sometimes as many as 6-8 per year, since I was in my late teens. More recently, only 2-3. None at all in 2017. Last night, I experienced one as I was trying to go to sleep and this was the first one I've had since October 2016.
Given how rare they are, I don't know if it is really a problem, but no one else I know seems to have ever experienced something similar. It is also possible they occur more often, but happen in my sleep, when I would not notice.
They do seem to happen more often when I am lying down, but I have also had them occur when seated/standing.
My last primary care doctor told me to call him and come in while one was happening. I tried, but the episode had ended well before I finished the 10 minute drive to his office and they coudn't find anything. The last note on my file indicated he thought it was 'psychosomatic'.
Due to a completely different issue, I've changed to a new primary care doctor, but I would like to find something - anything - I can point to that might suggest this is really happening before I bring it up.
I'm just curious if anyone on here has ever experienced or even just heard of something similar?
My heart will beat really hard. Not fast, but seemingly with much more force than usual. There is literally no change in the rate of my pulse, but during one of these episodes, my blood flows hard enough that my vision will jump in time to my pulse. I can feel each pulse running through my body, head to toe, in a wave. Well technically head, lower arms/hands just after, lower legs/feet last. Presumably due to the distance the blood has to flow to reach each extremity. If I have my shirt off, it is also possible to count my pulse by just watching the skin of my stomach which visibly jumps.
I have never successfully measured my blood pressure during one of these episodes. Typically, by the time I find the automated BP monitor, get it booted up, and then attached to my arm...the episode is over.
When I say these are sporadic - sometimes as many as 6-8 per year, since I was in my late teens. More recently, only 2-3. None at all in 2017. Last night, I experienced one as I was trying to go to sleep and this was the first one I've had since October 2016.
Given how rare they are, I don't know if it is really a problem, but no one else I know seems to have ever experienced something similar. It is also possible they occur more often, but happen in my sleep, when I would not notice.
They do seem to happen more often when I am lying down, but I have also had them occur when seated/standing.
My last primary care doctor told me to call him and come in while one was happening. I tried, but the episode had ended well before I finished the 10 minute drive to his office and they coudn't find anything. The last note on my file indicated he thought it was 'psychosomatic'.
Due to a completely different issue, I've changed to a new primary care doctor, but I would like to find something - anything - I can point to that might suggest this is really happening before I bring it up.
I'm just curious if anyone on here has ever experienced or even just heard of something similar?
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