JJR512
Forum Deputy Chief
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Earlier this afternoon, I was lying on the couch watching a movie, when I felt my heart flutter. I don't know how to better describe it, what if any technical term there may be. There wasn't any pain, just a sensation that my heart beat rhythm was off for a second. I can't be certain, but it may have felt like it beat a couple extra times around the normal rhythm. I've felt this before, from time to time, maybe a few times per week, spread out, and it only lasts about a second.
Anyway, a little bit later, I'm still lying on the couch and I feel it again. I have my stethoscope and BP cuff nearby, so I figure what the hell, I'll check my vitals. I started with my pulse, and it was 62. That raised a flag for me because my pulse is normally in the 90 to 100 range. I then checked my BP on my right arm, and I got 100/60. That sent up a bigger flag for me because it's normally in the mid-140s over 90s. I then listened to my heart for about a minute, and although I didn't time the rate, I could tell it was about one per second, in line with the pulse I measured radially. My heart rate was also irregular, which I had also noticed when checking my pulse. It would speed up slightly or slow down quite a bit (a few separate times, there were periods of nearly two seconds with no beating at all). During all this, I wasn't moving, and was breathing at a steady rate of 12-14. After listening to my heart, I checked my BP again, on my left arm this time, and got 120/80.
Because I was not experiencing any pain or other symptoms, I decided to wait a bit and see what developed. I also decided to sit up and see if that changed anything. Actually I got up and walked around the apartment for a minute, then sat down, waited a few minutes, and checked my pulse again. It was 64. I waited about half an hour, and then my pulse was 66. I waited another half hour, and my pulse was 70. At this point, I checked my BP again, and it was 132/82.
Each of those times I checked my pulse, I observed the same irregular rhythm described earlier, although each time it seemed to be getting a bit less irregular than the last (in other words, slowly returning to regular). I also felt that fluttering sensation in my chest a few more times. Unfortunately, I was never able to listen to my heart at the same time I was getting that feeling, because it would only last for a second, two at most.
My pulse and BP seem to be slowly returning to what's normal for me, and as I mentioned, I'm not experiencing any pain or other symptoms. How concerned, if at all, should I be about this, and what, if anything, should I do?
Anyway, a little bit later, I'm still lying on the couch and I feel it again. I have my stethoscope and BP cuff nearby, so I figure what the hell, I'll check my vitals. I started with my pulse, and it was 62. That raised a flag for me because my pulse is normally in the 90 to 100 range. I then checked my BP on my right arm, and I got 100/60. That sent up a bigger flag for me because it's normally in the mid-140s over 90s. I then listened to my heart for about a minute, and although I didn't time the rate, I could tell it was about one per second, in line with the pulse I measured radially. My heart rate was also irregular, which I had also noticed when checking my pulse. It would speed up slightly or slow down quite a bit (a few separate times, there were periods of nearly two seconds with no beating at all). During all this, I wasn't moving, and was breathing at a steady rate of 12-14. After listening to my heart, I checked my BP again, on my left arm this time, and got 120/80.
Because I was not experiencing any pain or other symptoms, I decided to wait a bit and see what developed. I also decided to sit up and see if that changed anything. Actually I got up and walked around the apartment for a minute, then sat down, waited a few minutes, and checked my pulse again. It was 64. I waited about half an hour, and then my pulse was 66. I waited another half hour, and my pulse was 70. At this point, I checked my BP again, and it was 132/82.
Each of those times I checked my pulse, I observed the same irregular rhythm described earlier, although each time it seemed to be getting a bit less irregular than the last (in other words, slowly returning to regular). I also felt that fluttering sensation in my chest a few more times. Unfortunately, I was never able to listen to my heart at the same time I was getting that feeling, because it would only last for a second, two at most.
My pulse and BP seem to be slowly returning to what's normal for me, and as I mentioned, I'm not experiencing any pain or other symptoms. How concerned, if at all, should I be about this, and what, if anything, should I do?