Along with my RA, I have heart disease. I was diagnose in 2016 a couple of months before I had the heart procedure. The week before last I started having minor chest pains and heart palpitations. I believed this was from me not taking my meds properly. I felt scared and stupid. There is no way I should have forgotten to take my heart medicine.

The palpitations weren’t like what I experienced several years ago when I had the stent put in ,but still I thought I might end up in the ER, but I didn’t.

* Stents are often used to treat narrowed coronary arteries. I think in my case one of my arteries were 89 percent blocked. Stents are minimally invasive procedure and not considered major surgery. (www.nhlbi.nih.gov)

My resting heart rate was elevated; I didn’t think I was having a heart attack, but I was concerned. So I got on the internet and meditation or mindfulness exercises can help control the palpitations. I took a hot shower, fixed me a cup of tea with lemon and ginger, afterwards I got back in bed.

* Heart palpitations can feel like pounding, flip-flopping or the wrong amounts of heartbeats. You can feel palpitations in your chest, throat or neck.