I keep having heart palpitations.

Why do I keep getting heart palpitations?

• I keep having palpitations. Every couple minutes, for the past day and a half. Feels like I'm short of breath only when it happens. I get a slight pain/ discomfort just before I get a palpitation on the right side just above my right breast. I'm 29 and female. I'm slightly overweight. Whats going on here? Should I see someone?

• Answer:

  If you are having pain and shortness of breath with them,go to the hospital. Palpitations are symptoms of an underlying issue. Of course, thats not always the case because caffiene, stress, and panic attacks can cause them. But I would go just to be on the safe side. Have you ever had an echo? I was having your same symptoms and had an echo and the doctor diagnosed me with Mitral valve prolapse, which is a valve defect, a floppy valve which millions of Americans have and some dont even know they have it. Many people are walking around with it, and have no clue. It's usually not an issue unless the valve is really floppy and the regurgitation of blood is severe. Then if thats the case, surgery to fix the floppy valve is required. But most of the time it doesnt need to be treated. However, it can cause worrysome symptoms. I would go , though. My mother had that flip flop feeling and they did an EKG, and everytime she had that feeling the line on the EKG would go down instead of up. That is how they found that she had a mild heart attack. They say pain and shortness of breathe are very important symptons and need to be evaluated as soon as possible. I hpoe its nothing, though! GOOD luck!!