Scared about bounding pulse, heart rate

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with a pounding heart and
rapid heart rate during pregnancy.

I'm 31, was relatively healthy before pregnancy (average weight, ran
3-4x/week) with treated hypothyroidism. Before pregnancy, my pulse
resting was usually around 70. I have been hit with fatigure in the
first trimester and a heavy workload, however, so I've been slacking
on the pregnancy exercise.

I'm 20 weeks today, and have had an uneventful pregnancy thus far.
However, in the last week, I notice that often my heart
races/sometimes skips and it takes a long time for it to calm down
(like 1-2 hours sometimes). I can feel my heartbeat in my head on my
pillow. I tested my pulse during one of these times, and it was 92
bpm, even though I had been lying down for an hour. The only thing I
can think of is that it usually happens after a big meal - related?

Is this a known occurrence during pregnancy? It doesn't make me feel
"bad" per se, but it's scary.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Donna

On 5 Oct 2004 04:53:34 -0700, (DL) wrote:

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with a pounding heart and
rapid heart rate during pregnancy.

I'd talk to your midwife or doctor about it, but has your iron levels
been checked? I had similar symptoms when I was slightly anaemic. It
righted itself with minimal supplementation and some time (4 weeks on,
my HB was 12.2 (122 for USians) which is just fine).

Megan
--
Seoras David Montgomery, 7th May 2003, 17 hours. http://seoras.farr-montgomery.com
EDD 11th March 2005

I know I have suffered from skipping beats in some of my pregnancies, and the
doctor said that was normal. Can't hurt to check it out. Remember that your
heart is having to work harder, pumping all that extra blood for one thing.


Leslie

Emily (2/4/91)
Jake (1/27/94)
Teddy (2/15/95)
William (3/5/01 -- VBA3C, 13 lbs. 5 oz.)
and Lorelei, expected 11/2/04

"Children come trailing clouds of glory from God, which is their home."
~ William Wordsworth

"DL" wrote in message
om...

I'm 20 weeks today, and have had an uneventful pregnancy thus far.
However, in the last week, I notice that often my heart
races/sometimes skips and it takes a long time for it to calm down
(like 1-2 hours sometimes). I can feel my heartbeat in my head on my
pillow. I tested my pulse during one of these times, and it was 92
bpm, even though I had been lying down for an hour. The only thing I
can think of is that it usually happens after a big meal - related?

Is this a known occurrence during pregnancy? It doesn't make me feel
"bad" per se, but it's scary.

Any thoughts appreciated.

This is a known occurrence during pregnancy. If your heart rate goes up
more than it would normally do (a resting heart rate of 100 is pretty
typical for me in pregnancy) check your hydration levels i.e., drink a bunch
of dilute gatorade and see if it goes down and you feel better. When you
are feeling like it is racing, that is when I would go for the gatorade &
rest for a while.

-- Dagny
Mom to Meg, 10/03
#2 1/05

I felt/still feel the same way, but my doctor assures me that there is
nothing to worry about and it's just my heart working harder to move all
that new extra blood around. It's scary, but I've been told harmless. I
hope she's right

-Rebecca
32 weeks tomorrow!

DL wrote:

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has had experience with a pounding heart and
rapid heart rate during pregnancy.

I'm 31, was relatively healthy before pregnancy (average weight, ran
3-4x/week) with treated hypothyroidism. Before pregnancy, my pulse
resting was usually around 70. I have been hit with fatigure in the
first trimester and a heavy workload, however, so I've been slacking
on the pregnancy exercise.

I'm 20 weeks today, and have had an uneventful pregnancy thus far.
However, in the last week, I notice that often my heart
races/sometimes skips and it takes a long time for it to calm down
(like 1-2 hours sometimes). I can feel my heartbeat in my head on my
pillow. I tested my pulse during one of these times, and it was 92
bpm, even though I had been lying down for an hour. The only thing I
can think of is that it usually happens after a big meal - related?

Is this a known occurrence during pregnancy? It doesn't make me feel
"bad" per se, but it's scary.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Donna

I would ask your doctor but I'll bet it's normal. I feel the same way.
My heart can be pounding even when I am doing absolutely nothing. It's
that extra 2 liters of blood your heart has to pump through it that is
making it work so much harder.

Wendy