Please help: heart racing, chest heavy... scared!

[Headmeister]

I'm only 25w pregnant and this has been a rough pregnancy for me already, but today something is happening that I've never experienced before - while pregnant or not. When I'm walking around, my chest starts to get heavy and my heart starts really thumping and feels like it's beating in my throat. I start feeling like a weight is on my chest and I have no energy and am totally winded and need to sit down. Once I sit down I feel almost immediately better, but after about 10 minutes, I feel a little pressure in my chest again (but not nearly what I feel while walking). It's gotten so bad this morning that I've been crying off and on just wondering how I'd make it through the day at work. I got ready, was walking out the door and dropped my keys. I leaned down, picked them up, bent back up and then was breathing heavy trying to catch my breath - and my heart was racing. As I was walking to the car, it started again... so I turned around and came back in the house to sit down.

I have no idea what this could mean, but I've never experienced it before...

... have you?

[happysmileylady]

IMO, anything involving the heart, I think a trip to the ER is in order. Especially given that you are pg. At the very least, I would suggest calling your OB and see what they say.

[womenswisdom]

I would call your CP also, but I do remember something similar happening with both my pregnancies. I don't remember if it was at the same point in pregnancy that you are. My mw said it was b/c of the physiological changes like the blood volume expansion that occurs during pregnancy.

[is it puppies?]

I was also experiencing something similar- it was almost like a chest-crushing, heart pounding, blood thumping panic attack. I had a few panic attacks many years ago to compare this to- and at first I thought that maybe the preg hormones (or being pregnant) started to cause them again- but I looked into it further and realized that similar symptoms are caused by expanding blood volume and the extra work the heart has to do. It only happened a few times (mainly before bed, when I was doing NOTHING) and possibly just a little earlier than you are experiencing it. Now if I get anything like it I just ignore it- but it has never been as severe as it was a few months ago.
I hope that it's something similar for you!

[pacifica]

It's been happening to me as well, but to a lesser degree. I don't usually stop what I'm doing so much, but it does really freak me out. My heart seems to flutter and act abnormally. I have had this happen while not pregnant as well. I haven't mentioned this to the doctor. Probably should. You probably should too.

[VillageMom6]

It happens to me, too. It's supremely annoying. I can't take a shower, get dressed, do my hair and make-up without having to sit down a time or two because it feels like I'm having a heart attack. I feel like the most out of shape pregnant woman ever.

In case it is in any way related to panic attacks, I've bought some Rescue Remedy to help calm me down. Maybe it's just the placebo effect, but it does seem to help.

I hope that you feel better soon!

[mediumcrunch]

tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) is really common in pregnancy. definitely mention it to your CP as sometimes it does require intervention if the HR gets so high that is starts comprimising blood flow to the baby but that is relatively uncommon. stay away from caffeine, chocolate, and simple carbs in large amounts-all of which can aggravate the situation.

[2sweetboysmom]

Please call your care provider. What it seems you are describing is common, though generally not so severe. It also could be something which needs immediate attention like Preeclampsia. The only way to know is to call your provider.

[AmyKT]

Please let us know what you find out. I had something similar happen yesterday. My chest didn't feel heavy but my heart rate got really fast and it seemed like I had an additional and extra-hard beat every 5th or 6th beat. I read up and found that it is very common in pregnancy due to high estrogen and increased blood volume. My situation wasn't severe enough to feel I needed to contact my mw.

I hope you find a benign reason for your episode, and I hope it doesn't come back.

[HeatherB]

I'm also having more episodes of "extra beats" and harder beats. It's not unusual for me (I used to have it ALL the time as a teen and beyond), but it hasn't happened in a long time. I'm assuming being pg has a lot to do with it - perhaps a need for extra magnesium, or the increased blood flow, etc.

However, with recurring symptoms including shortness of breath and a heavy chest, I'd definitely recommend a call to a care provider. If nothing else, it will give reassurance.

[BarnMomma]

I'll echo what others have said about it being fairly common but I was also told it could be from excessive salt and lack of water as well. I had it bad first tri but not so much now(3rd)

[dannic]

For me, it was adrenal related. They can take a hit during pregnancy. It caused those symptoms but was from adrenal stress or also anxiety on my part.

I would talk about it with your HCP, tho.

[Llyra]

I had terrible issues with tachycardia and breathlessness when I was pregnant with DD1. I wound up seeing a cardiologist, just in case, and discovered that I actually have a congenital heart condition. It had gone undiagnosed all these years, because it isn't all that serious, but the extra blood volume that comes along with pregnancy was aggravating it. It's still no big deal-- when I'm not pregnant, it doesn't bother me at all. But it did cause me some problems during labor, so I'm glad we knew about it. We were able to realize what it was, and deal with it, without going all into a panic about what was wrong.

It's very common to experience some degree of tachycardia with pregnancy, but I think that if it's persistent and enough to interfere with your normal activities, I'd get it checked out, just to be sure you're not dealing with anything more serious.

[Rowankc]

You may be anemic, this is the time in pregnancy that your blood volume is increased to almost max... usually around 27-29 weeks, and the time when you are most likely to be anemic. Anemia can cause the symptoms that you describe, and most providers will do a CBC at this point to check you H and H.

[slgt]

I've experienced this with both pregnancies; the challenge is, the signs are similar to those of anxiety. So if you start worrying/freaking about it (which is easy to do - it's an awful feeling!), anxiety can exacerbate the symptoms. A call to your care provider never hurts - that's what they're there for!

[sk8boarder15]

I had the same thing the other day! I was just sitting in the car when I had all the signs of a panic attack minus the panic!! It freaked my out! I'm 19w. I'm going to the dr in a week and half, and will mention it them. I also have the weird occurrence where it seems my heart skips a beat, or maybe adds one.... I don't really know, but it feels like a quick flutter in my chest for a second. Thats happend a handful of times.