What Causes Heart Palpitations When Suffering From Multiple Sclerosis?

Posted on Tue, 9 Dec 2014

Question: I have MS, and I am having a relapse...I am also experiencing heart fluttering or heart palpatations...Is this part of MS?It might help you to know, I was diagnosed in 2002. I have had vision problems, and bouts of fatigue. I have the relapsing kind with long remissions in betwwen!

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (11 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Heart palpitations are unrelated.

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

I have noted your diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and your current symptoms.

Heart flutter or palpitations are not related to MS, and are related to heart disease.

Detailed evaluation is needed to identify the cause of palpitations. This would include electrocardiogram, Holter monitoring, etc.

Thyroid profile should also be checked.

Sometimes, anxiety could also cause palpitations.

I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.

Wishing you good health,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (9 minutes later)

I.am a Canadian traveling in the US... a long way from home... I am not traveling with medical insurance that works other than for an emerency visit...Shoul I go to a hospital here to get this heart problem checked out, or should I fly home! What is your best advice? Thanks, Ali... And does it sound like it would be safe to just fly home without having this checked out, and, I I go would it be properly checked and diagnosed? I have had this problem in the past, BUT they do an EKG and say all is well.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Heart check up is not urgent.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

It would be alright to go home and get your heart checked up.

Since you already had EKG done earlier, there is no real need to do it again right away. Rest of the cardiac evaluation can be done once you reach home.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (15 minutes later)

Ok, so you are saying I should be safe to take the flight home! I have been having this heart problem, daily for about a week. very tired and have anxiety. The heart problems are during the night, or early morning! The flight home is about 12 hours? Is it safe for me to use alternative medicene to relax with? And should I go imediately? Thanks... Just trying to figure out how urgent this maybe. My mother had two triple by pass operations in her life... So now this concerns me....

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, would be safe to fly home.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

It would be safe to take a 12 hour flight home. Possibly, you could take an anti-anxiety medication such as clonazepam at bedtime, until you reach home, especially during the travel.

The check up can be delayed by a few days.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (4 minutes later)

How would I get clonazepam?... I will make arrangements to go as soon as we can find storage for our motor home...Thanks again.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
You can get it prescribed.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

Clonazepam is a prescription drug. So, you can get it prescribed by a doctor there.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (26 minutes later)

We are here in XXXXXXX SC... do you mean I should get the prescriptiom, when I arrive home, or here in the US???.. Also my hubby says I have not been totally honest, as I do have some discomfort At times , mostly in my back, shoulders, and sometimes into my arm pits. He says before we book the flight, I needed to disclose this...Just to make sure , you still have the same advice. I actually thought this was an MS flare up...Thanks again... This is a good sight, I will pass it onto our many traveling friends... :) It appears it will be late Monday or Tuesday that We would get home...Is that quick enough?

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You can take the prescription once you reach home.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

You can take the prescription once you reach home in a couple of days. In any case, this is not an emergency.

Also, I would like to reassure you that it is not a flare up or relapse of MS.

It would be better to disclose this to the airlines. At the same time, we do not expect any complications to arise in the plane.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (3 minutes later)

We have one lasr question... I have also been feeling light headed at times... is this caused by the anxiety, or heart?

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Most likely related to the heart.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

Light headedness is most likely related to the heart, on account of mildly decreased pumping of heart muscles, at times.

As mentioned, cardiac evaluation with echocardiography and Holter monitoring would sort out the diagnosis and it can be well treated.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (5 minutes later)

My hubby is STILL overly concerned about all the symtoms, and a long flight... You seem to think this is seroious , but the flight and delay at getting it checked out, is not too big a deal... So, in other words I have time to get home, and get to the bottom of this problem...Right? And thanks again.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes, I agree with you.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

I would agree with you that a delay of 1-2 days would not matter, and you can get your heart checked up once you reach home.

On the other hand, if you develop chest pain, breathing difficulty, or more frequent palpitations, then, you should possibly visit the emergency department here, before you can return home.

Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (6 minutes later)

The palpations are every day... sometimes two or three times a day? And the anxiety is almost constant, but I do get relief from that with an alternativ remedy I have been using.. Stiil the same advice...We are really worried... and I know I need to get home.

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Still the same advice.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back.

What I meant is that if the symptoms are same for several days, then, there is no need to go to emergency. Only if the symptoms get more severe, you need to go to the emergency.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)

Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar