I am going to recount my personal story to you in the hope you can fully understand the reasons you may suffer from palpitations, why you may get them, why they happen and the many different types and feelings you may get whilst suffering them. What happens to the heart when it palpitates? How I have dealt with them, the countless and seemingly sometimes endless tests and investigations, but above all I want to explain it in the easiest and simplest terms that anyone can understand. I hope by writing this I can share with you those experiences and help give you a greater understanding to those of you who have to live with this condition and go some way to easing the anxiety that goes along with that all so familiar feeling and thought of "There is something wrong with my heart, I am going to drop dead", just before you head for the accident and emergency (ER) department at a great rate of speed for the umpteenth time. I am going to explain the workings of the heart, especially the parts that are most involved in the actual palpitation. I think it is important you understand exactly what happens during the process that induces such panic and despair in some of you that is capable of ruining your daily functioning and causes many more long term effects on your mental health. I have researched the subject, talked on many forums, consulted with many Doctors including a large amount of cardiac physicians and read much material on this subject. However above all I have experienced all types of palpitations which have a multitude of reasons in many different situations for a very long time and I am going to share that experience with you. Chances are, if you're still reading this, you already know what I'm talking about or are about to embark on a mission to find out what is causing your palpitations. You can sneeze, laugh, work out, cough, dance, run, jump, and then, suddenly, while you're sitting perfectly still and relaxing, you feel it- that thump of your heart suddenly fluttering to a seeming stop, taking a long pause, then pounding while feeling like it's falling into your stomach. It's a very scary feeling, that pause, and every time it happens, no matter how often it happens, you're helpless against the icy fear that this time, it isn't going to start beating again.