Heart murmur and skipping beats

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Megs028

160 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

Jan 27, 2007 6:53 PM

Heart murmur and skipping beats

I posted this in the newbie cafe, then I discovered this section of the discussion forums. I thought I might repost it here and see what responses I get.

I am 18 years old and in good shape and good health. About a year ago I had to see a pediatric cardiologist for a heart murmur, which was deemed innocent.
However, I have been training lately for a half marathon, and I noticed when I run and sometimes for a little while after my heart seems to skip a beat. It just feels like my heart kind of takes a break for a second or so. Often, I have dull chest pain too. Sometimes its all over my chest and other times it'll be in the right upper part like almost below my collar bone.

Just wondering if anyone has any opinions on if this could be related to that murmur or just in general what you think is going on here?

Runningstmarys

37 posts since
Aug 14, 2005

1. Jan 28, 2007 6:06 PM

in response to: Megs028

I think given your age most people including family doctors would tell you it is nothing to worry about.
However as someone who started having some of these same problems when I was 24, I say go see a good cardiologist and tell him the same things you just told us.
He will run a couple of needed and tests and tell you for sure what is causing this and whether it is a problem or not.

starlord

10 posts since
Dec 13, 2006

2. Feb 1, 2007 9:42 AM

in response to: Megs028

Don't delay... definately see a cardiologist. Not just a family doctor. Insist on it. You need a stress test... The skipping of Heartbeats, and chest pain are great indicators. I would limit your milage to less than 5 Km or 3 Miles. Keep exercising but keep your intensity low, until you see a specialist. I don't mean to scare you, but you could have a congential heart defect, which may predispose you to sudden death. Most, if not all of the cases I've heard about were young athletes, who were training very hard for long durations. The chest pain is not something to mess with.

Look up sudden death in young athletes, on the internet. There are a number of conditions that can cause it. Most of them detectable. There are almost always signs. Chest pain, shortness of breath. Numbness could be another one.

starlord

10 posts since
Dec 13, 2006

3. Feb 1, 2007 9:43 AM

in response to: Megs028

Another sign could be frequent indigestion. It's hard to say when it is during exercise. Just have it checked out. I wouldn't do the half marathon until I knew for sure it was safe.

starlord

10 posts since
Dec 13, 2006

4. Feb 1, 2007 9:49 AM

in response to: Megs028

One last thing. Sometimes there are no warning signs. It could also be something simple so don't freak out... just don't wait either. It could be if you are female that your bra is too big. If you are male you could be clenching your fists instead of relaxing them causing tension in the neck shoulders etc... but it's better safe than sorry.

Megs028

160 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

5. Feb 1, 2007 10:58 AM

in response to: Megs028

Thanks for your advice...I talked to my mom yesterday (I'm off at college) and I'm going to a cardiologist down here shorty...within a few days, I think. They had the pediatric cardiologist send my records down here. He seems to think the murmur last time was leading up to an indicator that I may have a leaky valve or something like that. But theres no way to tell without going to see someone, which is what I'm doing.

Thanks again!

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vzhokie

36 posts since
Jul 10, 2004

6. Feb 1, 2007 11:40 AM

in response to: Megs028

Yeah, go Hokies! As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan

I had similar issues and went to the cardiologist. They had similar concerns about sudden death with me as they found some minor structural abnormalities, but I was finally cleared to exercise.

It turns out that iron-deficiency anemia was actually causing my arrythmias. Once that was corrected, I could exercise much easier and didn't have nearly as many heart issues. You should get some bloodwork done too, just in case.

Good luck!

dg12002

622 posts since
Aug 26, 2003

7. Feb 1, 2007 12:36 PM

in response to: Megs028

This has happened to me twice and lasting for about a day or 2. Both times after becoming really dehydrated. The cardio doc may call this innocent but you're lacking in electrolytes and minerals. You sweated out too much potassium, calcium, magnesium as well other essential stuff.

Always rehydrate with at the minimum Gatorade.

dcv2002

260 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

8. Feb 1, 2007 1:23 PM

in response to: Megs028

I'm in the process of being evaluated by a cardiologist also. I was going through a period of overtraining where I just felt like ****. Went for a physical and had an "abnormal" EKG. Regular doctor said that it was something I didn't need to worry about, but suggested I visit a cardiologist for a better workup/opinion. They didn't have any previous EKG's to check against to see if it matched old tests.

Anyways, I had a cardio appointment last Friday. Dr. said everything was fine, blood work was fine, but I did have a slight murmur on the right side of my heart. Talking with my mom, I was diagnosed with one around when I was 7 or 8, but nothing became of it.

So, to make sure I have an echo done this morning. I don't know how that went but we'll see. The Dr. last Friday said I could continue to exercise, but I'm holding off just to make sure. He did mention that in endurance athletes, you do notice changes in the heart (larger heart, thicker walls, strange things in the EKG).

So hopefully I'll get my test results today or tomorrow and can start up running again next week. (BTW, I'm 34).

mga014

5 posts since
Dec 28, 2006

9. Feb 11, 2007 7:53 PM

in response to: Megs028

Megs-

For what it's worth- I have also had my heart skip a beat or two while running. I'm an older male (34) marathoner-- but otherwise deemed healthy. I'm not a doc, but I don't think that an occasional "skip" in beat is anything serious. Just my one cent's worth.

Mike

mga014

5 posts since
Dec 28, 2006

10. Feb 11, 2007 7:55 PM

in response to: Megs028

One more thing: Not to infer 34 years old is really, really old ...I just meant it's quite a bit older than 18!!!!!!

Mike

Megs028

160 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

11. Feb 11, 2007 8:34 PM

in response to: Megs028

Thanks for all of your replies!

I had a docs appointment on Friday with the cardiologist. They saw something weird on the ultra sound thing or whatever its called (not the EKG one but the one where they look at your heart on the screen). They want to do another test where they inject dye and watch it go through. So, I have to go back this Thursday. We'll hope for the best. For now they said I could run, but to take it easy and if I felt pain I need to stop.

------------------
Go Hokies!!

What if the Hokie Pokie really IS what it's all about??

Megs028

160 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

12. Feb 13, 2007 11:04 PM

in response to: Megs028

Ok, so I went for a 2 mile run today. I kept it at 9:30 min/mile pace. I was wearing gloves and when I finished and took them off my fingertips were blue and my toes were blue also. I also had blue around my lips. The doctor last week said I could run as long as I took it easy and didn't have any chest pain. Well, no chest pain, but this blueish stuff was alarming. So I called my pediatric cardiologist lady and asked her about it today. She says its an indicator (I don't know what that means) and to not run until Thursday, which is when I'm having dye injected to watch it go through my heart. I'm worried now and kind of scared. I just want this to go away. I guess I'll find out whats going on this Thursday. I hope I can get back to running soon, as I am in training for a half marathon.

------------------
Go Hokies!!

What if the Hokie Pokie really IS what it's all about??

vzhokie

36 posts since
Jul 10, 2004

13. Feb 13, 2007 11:38 PM

in response to: Megs028

I went through a VERY similar thing. The docs saw something "suspicious", and then all of the tests began...
I know this is hard advice to swallow, but really try not to worry. A couple of reasons:
1. The docs generally know what they're doing, and they will definitely stay on the cautious side with exercise recommendations until they know what's going on
2. If you're able to run a 9:30min/mi, you are very healthy in general.
3. Even if they do find something wrong, most things (valve problems, etc) can be corrected.

Please keep us posted, and definitely follow the advice of your physicians.

Megs028

160 posts since
Dec 14, 2007

14. Feb 16, 2007 5:37 PM

in response to: Megs028

I had the test yesterday. They inserted a catheter in myarm and injected dye and watched it go through my heart. It took about 45 mins to an hour.

I got a call today telling me that I have a hole in my heart. They think it is a congenital thing, but they don't know for sure I guess. It is between the two atria (top chambers) which means the blood without oxygen mixes with oxygenated blood. That is why I get chest pain and turn blue in my fingers/toes/lips. They are going to do a procedure next Friday where they put a catheter in my leg and thread it up to my heart. They are going to sew a patch over the hole. This should fix it, and eventually the heart tissue is supposd to grow over the patch. They said something may go wrong during the procedure. If this happens I'll have to go immediately into open heart surgery. I'm really hoping the procedure works so that I don't have to have open heart surgery.

I am supposed to be able to return to my half marathon training a week from next Friday, but I have to take it really easy. They want to give my heart time after the procedure and time for my leg to heal.

------------------
Go Hokies!!

What if the Hokie Pokie really IS what it's all about??

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Jan 27, 2007 6:53 PM

Heart murmur and skipping beats

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