Hi l am 21 year old female and l have been having heart palpitations for a few years now. It feels like my heart is beating super fast and its painful and very scary. They usually last about 5 - 10 minutes and then just suddenly stop and my heart goes back to normal. l used to have them once maybe a year if that. But my last one was 2 months ago and the worst. l felt very dizzy and needed to sit until it was over. Since then at night and sometime during the day l have trouble completely catching my breath and feel like my heart is going to start fast again and it makes me feel like l need to cough. l do not smoke and l consider myself healthy and stress free. l dont have insurance and do not know if l should go to a doctor. Sorry this question is long, l am a bit of a hypochondriac and just would like some feed back! Thanks.
To Answer some questions:

Yes l have thought about anxiety attacks. And l have had those before. Very bad anxiety runs in my family. But l have thought about all the times it has happened and none of them were at a stressful/scary time. One of them actually woke me up out of my sleep. And then yesterday, it was an all day pain in my chest. Simple things such as picking up Sundays paper, wiping crumbs off of the table, etc left me feeling like l couldnt breathe and l needed to sit. l know nothing about doctors or clinics, what kind of clinics go by my income, and how do l find them? Thanks for all the help!

You need to go to the doctor. It could be nothing but it is always better. to get checked out. Check those clinics that go by your income even if you have to wait the whole day. Are you over weight? Are you the nervous type. Check it out please.

hmm the symptoms sound much like anxiety attacks or neurocardiogentic syncope,which l have had for two years now and what your going through is much like what ive been encountering over the years but im not a doctor l suggest seeing a doctor about that

Have u ever thought that when these heart palpitations come on that ur actually having a panic attack?

Now, when u say heart palpitations & ur hearts beats per minute is just faster & there is not any pounding or the sensation of ur heart dropping out of ur chest, it still can be from a panic attack.

Dizziness & the feeling like u can not get enough air r also symptoms. Usually panic attacks last between 10-25 minutes.

When u have these episodes, do u have the feeling like u r going to die & u have a sensation of uncontrollable fear?

If u can rule out a panic attack then u must see a doctor about this.

Here r all the symptoms of panic attacks.
Pain in the chest and/or abdomen
Dizziness
Irregular heartbeat
Palpitations (fluttering of the heart)
Rapid heart rate
Pounding heart
Nausea or vomiting
Tingling or waves of shivers throughout the body
Shortness of breath
Hyperventilating
Difficulty swallowing
Excessive sweating
Throat tightness
Trembling
Flushed skin
Sense of impending doom
Tunnel vision


You do not have to have every one of the symptoms to actually have a panic attack.

Again, if it is not a panic attack then u need to recheck the rest of ur body for other symptoms or abnormalities that can possibly be linked to ur palpitations.

Take care & see a doc!

sounds like u have a arrythimia problem l would get it checked out if u can not count how many beats in a minute then get it checked out l was clocked at 265 on a ekg l had psvt for 15 years & doctors pretty much telling me it was panic attacks & so on but try counting beats next time if u cant count them because they r so fast then see a doc. l learned that laying down on the floor & breathing in for 10 secs not fast either & holding ur breathe at the top of ur 10 secs & baring down like u have to use the bathroom for 10 sec & then after that breathing out slowly for 10 secs helped my heart convert it to a normal ryhtm but u have to do this numerous of times also put ur fingers on ur stomach & fell the beat through this whole process from ur stomach also helps be careful not to pass out though :) it worked 99 percent of the time be free of noises also go into a seperate room close ur eyes when doing this & concentrate on ur breathing not the beat. also make sure there is someone around that can check on u periodically to make sure ur ok when doing this. because l would almost pass out when my heart would convert back to normal good luck to u if it gets bad & does not stop call a ambulance because it not healthy for ur heart to beat fast l think they told me for more than 2 hours my doc told me if l was having the symptons for more than an hour to call a ambulance