Anyone had Heart Palpitations?

[wezey]

I have been on low carb for a couple of months and have started having heart palpitations and feeling like I am having a heart attack, but when I force myself to relax my muscles they go away only to return in a little while when I "forget" to stay relaxed. I researched this online and saw that low levels of magnesium might help. I took one last night and they stopped, but they are back again tonight even with taking the magnesium so apparently that is not the problem. It's beginning to worry me, which makes the tension worse. Am I crazy, or is this something to do with my food, etc.? I am not eating enough veggies I'm sure, but still no sugar or white flour. Have only lost 9 pounds but am not discouraged as I am looking at this as a lifetime way of eating, but I HAVE to get these palpitations to stop!!! I took some muscle relaxers and they help some, but don't want to get addicted to them for sure! It is hard to relax enough to go to sleep, but when I do I usually sleep OK for the most part and not bothered by them (waking me up). I may be overdoing this, but I need to know. I do have a lot of stress in my life, but surely it should not last so long! Thanks for any help or similar experiences.

[Matt]

if you are having palpitations that bad you need to get to the Dr asap

[FreeIndeed]

I completely agree with Matt. Get to the doctor right away. But I feel a need to get up on my soap box a little too and share my story with you even though I am not the Atkins Nutritionalist.

Are you doing induction level carbs? Maybe you need to up your carbs even if you lose a little slower.

I read in one of Dr. Atkins book where he said that if one experiences severe symptoms, they should add more carbs.

Many times in the past, I tried to start Atkins induction and I would always get heart palpitations. I never made it through the 2 week induction period – not even a couple of days. Physical exams did not indicate I had a heart problem.

I could do low carb just fine. In fact, I just thrived on low carb healthwise feeling great and with no weakness or heart palpitations, but at the Atkins induction level of carbs, I would have heart palpitations.

This time, I backed into induction meaning that I just started lowering my carbs and going lower and lower over a period of several months. After going just low carb, for several months, I then started doing induction level carbs without any kind of heart palpitations or weakness and now it is no problem going from OWL to induction level carbs and back and forth. I experience no discomfort at all – in fact the only discomfort I ever feel is if I get paranoid about eating fat and/or count calories – then I feel HUNGRY.

I don’t know if it was just too much of a shock to have been eating way too many carbs and then INSTANTLY going to induction level cold turkey for me or not. My recent EKG was good so it seems to just be a personal little weird thing with me. I do have a strong family history of heart problems.

I read one thread sometime ago where some lady asked if she could gradually lower her carbs to induction level and read a string of what seemed to me to be self-righteous, holier-than-thou remarks about how eating carbs was an addiction and addicts ALWAYS get off the substance they are addicted to cold turkey and I had to lol! Some of the so called tough love on this message board seems a bit bullyish to me at times although I’m sure they meant well.

Still, I had to laugh out loud and think that was one of the silliest threads I had ever read because I am a recovering alcoholic and even before detox wards where they use medications to help people detox safely – the old timers in AA used to detox alcoholics by giving them beer, a little less beer, and then a little less beer over a period of time (sometimes several days) so that they could detox without dying. Fact is, if an alcoholic who has been drinking a lot of alcohol for a very long time INSTANTLY goes cold turkey, they can DIE. I understand that is not true for heroin or other drugs, but it is for alcohol.

So if one has been consuming a lot of sugar for a long time, detoxing gradually made sense to me and that’s what I decided to do when I decided to do Atkins this time. And it worked for me so that's why I am mentioning it to you in case it helps you in any way.

Dr. Atkins not only suggested upping carbs if one starts having severe symptoms like the ones you are having, but he also recommends a complete physical examination FOR EVERYONE before starting his diet too which is why I recommend immediately upping your carbs (however much you need to prevent heart palpitations) until you get a thorough physical examination.

If the doctor gives you a clean bill of health, you may be like me and have to detox off sugar gradually before you can go really low carb - to prevent those scary heart palpitations. Actually, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if you never did induction level carbs or really low carb (if that continues to be a problem for you) as long as you eat healthy low carb and lose.

Like you said, this is a way of life. I am losing at the agonizing rate of 1-2 pounds a week, but the old ticker is ticking away just fine which is comforting because heart palpitations really are kind of scary.

Maybe the Atkins Nutritionalist can suggest some supplements, but I would think they would also encourage you to follow Matt's advise and get thyself to a doctor soon.

[Susiecarbojunkie]

Atkins also suggested that taking potassium supplements could help with the palpitations. I try to stay at induction levels, and whenever I don't drink enough water, have a crazy day, forget to take my calcium/magnesium--I get those palpitation feelings. I will take a couple of potassium tabs and they go right away. It has been suggested to use Morton Lite salt to get more of the potassium (the tabs have 90mg.--which is not enough) I am usually in too much of a hurry, or have already eaten when this happens--so I'll take 2 tabs.
I have also noticed that a nice little walk helps this go away. I think prolly because it relieves the stress ( I have a VERY stressful job)

[mulasoyo]

I just wanted to see how you are feeling and if you found anything out?

I do know the first few days on Induction I often felt like you described.

Just get some medical advice and at least you can take it from there.

Good luck!
Jennifer

[inatic]

You should go to the dr and not try to second guess what supplements you "might" need. There are blood tests to determine if extra supplements are needed and dr can rule out any other things as well.

That said I got palpitations when my thyoid levels were out of wack.. once properly medicated, it stopped.

Let us know how your doing

[Atkins_Nutritionist]

I agree that you should see your doctor.