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Heart palpitations during periods

Has anyone noticed an increase in palpitations when they get their period during perimenopause?

– Mandy, UK

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Community comments

25

Real experiences shared by the community, from the original discussion to today.

  • Tomar6 years ago

    Yes! I usually get them just before my period starts. Thats been one of my symptoms for quite some time but I always attributed them to having PCOS.

  • Lucette6 years ago

    Hi Mandy, I’m not sure if they were happening while I was having my period, but I definitely noticed that my heart was racing at times when I was just sitting watching TV and I also didn’t know that palpitations were a symptom of perimenapausal women. I went and got an ECG done at the recommendation of a physician friend of mine. Of course, at the time of the ECG nothing is happening. My doctor literally told me that if he was teaching med students how to read an ECG, he would use mine as a baseline. He said it was perfect, which is what you want to hear. But at the same time, he never explained that the palpitations were part of the lengthy set of symptoms associated with perimenapause. They seemed to have subsided at this point. But as my physician friend recommended, you may want to go to the doctor to rule out any possible cardiovascular issues. Hope this helps. All the best on your journey!

    • Cil6 years ago

      I hope you don’t take this in the wrong way: but palpitations are not the same as having a ‘racing heartbeat’. A racing heartbeat is called taquicardia. Palpitation is the sensation of a ‘skipped heartbeat’ that can come with a thud making you feel line gasping for air, or a feeling of ‘flutter heartbeat’. I didn’t know that palpitations were a symptoms of peri menopause and I have noticed that I seem to get them leading up to my period and during my period. But it doesn’t happen in every cycle.

    • FYIreplying to Cil6 years ago

      Tachycardia and palpitations are both arrhythmias. Palpitations are a sensation or awareness of your heart beating. They may feel like your heart is racing, thumping or skipping beats. So while not exactly the same thing there is substantial overlap.

  • Amy6 years ago

    Yes ! I definitely get them before my period. It’s been going on before peri menopause though...

  • Julie6 years ago

    Yes but mine have got worse developed into flutter and I now have af but initially it was at the start of the period every month . It probably was a problem that was going to develop but that how it started. Starting on hrt did help for a while . Sorry this is not v helpful but it’s what happened to me

  • Kiara6 years ago

    Yes, not every month but I’ve noticed an increase in them whenever I feel particularly hormonal and bloated, either before my period or around when I think I’m ovulating. My cycle has reduced to around every twenty four days from thirty plus days and has been this way for around eighteen months. I do have cardiovascular problems so it always really freaks me out as I worry it’s something sinister but my cardiologist feels they are likely benign. I have asked about the connection between menopause/perimenopause and cardiovascular health but he’s often quite dismissive of it as a concern (I think that’s supposed to reassure me but I find it really frustrating and sadly a fairly common reaction-especially from male medical professionals I have encountered.) I’m only just 38 so I think they assume I’m being paranoid but my mum and granny were early with peri/menopause and I’ve noticed lots of changes since I was around 34/35. I agree with someone else suggesting you get any palpitations checked out though, just for peace of mind if nothing else hopefully.

    • Mandy5 years ago

      Agh I totally get your frustration I’ve been told mine are nothing I’ve had them from around the same age as yourself I’m now 41, doesn’t make them less scary though and when the doctors wave them off like they are nothing it’s really frustrating because your breathing in deep thinking you need to kick start or something lol

  • Tommi6 years ago

    Yes

    • Mac6 years ago

      Mine started all of a sudden and are quite regular but they don’t seem to be related to period as haven’t had one for quite a while. - they come on quite quickly and like a little flutter which slightly takes your breath and then it goes. It only last seconds. Never had it before and seems to have started since I became peri menopausal. (together with a list of other symptoms) ? it does get better ?

    • Leliareplying to Mac5 years ago

      Thanks for the positive outlook.

  • Jennifer6 years ago

    I was noticing this right before my period but haven’t noticed it the last few months. (Although I haven’t had my period since July.)

  • Julia6 years ago

    I have been noticing but will pay more attention

  • Mandy5 years ago

    Ladies I was going to reply to all individually, but just felt it was easier to do it this way! I have to say, this being a woman carry on is hard work lol but it’s a good job us females can handle it... I honestly could write a book with the crap that’s been thrown at me with perimenopause lol

    • Jennifer5 years ago

      I meant to also add earlier that magnesium glycinate has helped to reduce my heart palpitations.

  • Christine5 years ago

    Yep! I get them. Feels like a flutter. I don’t get them every month, maybe 3-4 times year.

  • Anna-jo5 years ago

    I’ve had palpitations/ skipped beats through perimenopause... two things that have helped for me is reducing caffeine, one cup a day and taking magnesium.

  • DaisyBoo5 years ago

    Yes I’ve noticed it but it doesn’t happen every month, it seems to be every other month or 2 month. It is very random when it happens but noticeable before my period not during, around ovulation time and the run up to my due date. It comes hand in hand with me generally feeling more anxious/panicky. Having read a few books on the subject of the menopause. It is very common and amazing how many women suffer from it, my mum did, maybe I’m following in her footsteps! I’m peri menopausal and finding my way of dealing with it, I don’t really suffer with hot flushes, night sweats or general sweating. But I have found that reflexology has really helped me deal with readdressing the hormonal imbalances.

  • SM5 years ago

    I have Mitrol Valve Prolapse and palpitations are “normal” for me. However, they are more frequent now as my hormones changes. It’s frustrating because it was controlled and that is no longer the case. MVP is common and I am healthy so I am not concerned. Just annoyed.

  • Kate5 years ago

    I’ve been experiencing what I would describe as fluttering. Very conscious of it especially if I’m sitting watching tv or as I type this comment!!! It tends to be around when I should have a period or around when I should have fertile days. I keep expecting to see my heart pounding but it isn’t. I also get a tenderness around the ovary area. Does anyone else experience this? What I am grateful for is I’m not alone so I don’t start to go into worry overdrive!

    • Jennifer5 years ago

      Yes, my I’ve been getting palpitations and fluttering a lot more recently.I’m going to try increasing my magnesium.

  • Melissa5 years ago

    Oh my goodness!! You ladies are helping me so very much !! I’ve had so many symptoms that I never thought were related! I never thought my heart flutters could be a symptom but I guess you learn something new every day!! ?

  • Lelia5 years ago

    I’m new here and really appreciate this conversation. I started noticing the heart palpitations a few months back during my cycle, which is now like clock work every 24/25 days. Sometimes during my period and sometimes during ovulation. All the reading about peri menopause has been reassuring but it’s still alarming every so often. Once or twice I woke up to my heart racing, which only triggered my anxiety. Thank God for breath work!

  • Katie4 years ago

    Yes!! These are the worst. I have to remind myself that it’s hormonal because it can cause real anxiety or panic. I’ve also noticed when I try to exercise, my heart rate is much higher and takes longer to recover. My bed also tracks heart rate and during my period week, my HR while sleeping is much higher than my normal.

  • Christine2 years ago

    I’ve had a tendency to have palpitations during PMS for years. They’ve been worse during my perimenopause years. It’s always been mostly during PMS or start of period so I assumed it was hormonal. I’ve had EKGs in the past for other reasons and even wore a holter monitor for a week last year and everything was completely normal. They feel so uncomfortable though!

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