Question:
Normal to be getting STRONG heart flutters post-op?

Hi. I had my surgery (open distal RNY, 5/21/01) about 2 weeks ago. I went to see my surgeon yesterday to get my staples out. I weighed in & I lost 35lbs.???! Not too sure how accurate this is though 'cause I'm not sure what my starting weight was, but I'm sure it had to be about 375 and now it's 340. Is it possible to loose THIS much so soon? Anyway, I've been getting some mild heart flutters since maybe a week after surgery. I told my surgeon & he said not to worry. Well when I came home & went to bed (my dr's appt. was late evening; got home around 11pm), as soon as I lie down, my heart was fluttering so strongly that it kept me awake. It was doing erratic beats, then a few pounds, then some flutters, and so on. Felt like a trapped bird trying to get out of my chest. I never took any phen-fen or anything like that in the past, but I was once on a diet for a few years that had alot of ephedra which I stopped because it gave me heart flutters. I don't know if my current flutters are related to that or not; if the ephedra may have damaged my heart some. But I'm scared to death that something is wrong. Could the surgery have done something to my heart? I will tell my surgeon but I was wondering what any of you think. Should I be worried? Another point to consider is that yesterday I also went to see my counselor, whom I've been seeing for the past 2yrs. She's done me a world of good so far and now that I'm a post-op, I was relying on her to help me through the difficulties (breaking my food addiction). Well, she gave me some BAD NEWS. I'm so upset. She said that she was leaving the agency...so I won't be able to see her anymore. I'm stubborn and I don't want to see anyone else. So I'm feeling a big loss now and maybe the heart flutters are related to that?    — lalasmommy (posted on June 6, 2001)

June 6, 2001
I just wanted to tell you that I too had heart flutters that felt like a little birdie was in my chest flying around. It turned out to be anxiety related and led to an anxiety attack. Now believe me, I had no IDEA I was experiencing any anxiety, felt totally sure and rested, but after a zillion heart tests, there was nothing wrong with my heart at all and anxiety, I was told, is a common reaction to any stressful situation. I still think you should see your doc if they continue, mine told me not to worry and I had to press for heart tests. But since I now know what they are, they are not as frequent or pronounced. I was also given some anti-anxiety medicine that worked perfectly. (It comes in a liquid) Good luck to you!
   — sandieguy

June 6, 2001
I had heart flutters too, I am about 10 mos post and I still get them, just not as bad as they were right after surgery, nor are they as often. I think it's anxiety too, and stress and who knows. These heart flutter too away my breath and one day they were so bad, I had trouble breathing and got really dizzy, so I went to the ER. All was fine, and they have never been that bad since. I just let them pass, no one seems to know why or what they are. I do notice that I get them the most when I am laying down. Don't have a clue there either. If you figure anything out about this please post, I would be interested to know. Congrats on your weight loss.. Hugs and love
   — Alison B.

June 6, 2001
Please refer to the surgery notes in my profile. I too had this problem and it was not simply anxiety. I had to wear a heart monitor for several weeks so they could capture an "episode". I have a condition call "Supra Ventricular Tachicardia". Laying in bed is one of the favorite places that my heart likes to act up. As you will see from my profile, this caused severe problems immediately following my WLS. I am not saying that this is what you have, but your symptoms sound very familiar. Please see a cardiologist and let him/her run some tests and make sure that it is simply anxiety related. I have to take medication daily to keep the "episodes" at bay. Regardless of what it is, it is some form of arithmia, some of these are dangerous, some are not. Good luck and God Bless!! Dot Trudeau
   — Dorothy T.

October 6, 2002
I also have SuprTach--it can be a life threatening problem. I just thought I was experiencing the beginnings of bronchitis when I felt "the little bird" flutterings. They soon grew to basketballs thumping inside my chest. After rounds of doctors and heart monitors, I had to have an EPS done to find the problem in my heart and have it burnt out. IF YOU THINK YOU FEEL ANY HEART FLUTTERINGS, SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY! A CARDIOLOGIST PREFERABLY!!
   — Carla C.