Expert: David Richardson - 11/11/2009

Question
I HAD ONE EPISODE YESTERDAY AND ABOUT 4 TODAY. MY HEART STARTS TO BEAT FORCEFULLY FOR A FEW SECONDS AND I GET SHORT OF BREATH. I CAN ACTUALLY FEEL THE HEARTBEAT IN THE FRONT PART OF MY CHEST, IT'S A DULL PAIN. I'M ABOUT 5'5, 180LBS, I JUST HAD A BABY ABOUT 10MTHS AGO AND I DONT EXCERCISE AT ALL. IS THIS SOMETHING I SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT  

Answer
Dear Donitha,

You're probably feeling skipped heart beats.  Each skip is followed by avery forceful beat.  Skipped beats are normal heart activity, no threat to life or health in someone with normal EKG and echo.  About half of us have them, they are easy to understand as normal from knowledge of the heart's electrical system, and they don't mean you will ever get heart disease or any catastrophe.  They are truly harmless.  Anxiety and panic make them more frequent.

To allay your concern, I would see a doctor and ask for an EKG and echocardiogram to be sure your heart's stricture and function are normal.

Please write back if this note doesn't answer all your questions.

David Richardson