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I had a tachycardia episode 6 days ago and still don't feel right, any idea what could be wrong?

Posted , 4 users are following.

MTClaire
MTClaire

On sunday evening I started to feel slightly off in my chest, within 20 minutes my heart rate was 140 and I was shaking so we called an ambulance. Since then my heart rate has been up and down, resting at about 100. The hospital said I would most likely develop the flu as my urine and blood tests came back clear and my ECG looked fine. Over the next few days i was admitted again, as i was feeling breathless again and started with a slight pain the right hand side of my chest near my heart, and slight pains in my leg. Once again, everything came back fine. No deficiencies etc. I feel dizzy and lethargic all the time, even though last night my heart was at 60 I still felt incredibly weak and off in my chest. My heart has been really fast in general and I've felt very breathless. It has been 6 days now since I started, but I still feel unwell in my chest, and no flu symptoms! They completed urine tests, blood tests, echocardiograms, took my blood pressure and monitored me again but nothing has come up. My heart is healthy aside from a slight murmur and my oxygen is 100%. But i am bed bound. More recently I have felt slightly more energetic but my resting heart rate is still about 100-110bpm and I have this odd fluttering sensation just at the base of my sternum. Feels like a muscle spasm that lasts a few seconds and it comes in episodes of about 5 mins with a few minute break between each one. This fluttering has been happening for two days now. I went to the doctors yesterday to try and get some help and despite her being quite dismissive, she agreed to get a 24 hour heart monitor ordered which i will have sometime next week. Has anyone ever dealt with something like this before? Am I going to feel like this for a while?

Thanks.

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • XxaimxX
    XxaimxX MTClaire

    Posted

    I had that and was told it was anxiety!

    Get your levels checked I'm anaemic so could well have had a part to play! I feel better now but still feel anxious and like my heart is going to race! I had a 24hr monitor everything was clear apart from some ectopic beats which are harmless. So I'm waiting for some CBT I have an 8 month old so quite stressed and anxiety can do many things to your body! But please rest assured that if there was something wrong something would have picked up by now. Drink plenty of water and eat enough. I hope you feel better. It happened to me in July I'm still scared but keep plodding on smile xx

    • MTClaire
      MTClaire XxaimxX

      Posted

      This was not suggested to me! I wasn't feeling anxious at all at the time either.
  • XxaimxX
    XxaimxX MTClaire

    Posted

    I wasn't anxious either! Infact I was happy as my daughter had just come home! Apparently your stress can build up over a period of time and then suddenly your fight or flight system kicks in as your adrenaline pumps. I didn't believe it so researched it an it says it can do this to us. Also looked at other peoples experience with panic attacks out of the blue and their pulse went to 190bpm.

    Personally I think my anaemia contributed to mine it went on for 30 mins but all tests were fine. Since being on iron tablets it hasn't done it and I drink a lot more fluids as I didn't before!

    I try not to worry but it's hard so I get fluttering in my chest which I do believe is anxiety because I'm worried! Please ask your gp about this.

    Did you have any other symptoms? I had none I could breathe fine I had no pain at all but now I get pains and palpitations it's a viscious circle!

    If you have any other concerns or questions please go ahead and ask I don't want others to suffer for months not knowing xx

    • MTClaire
      MTClaire XxaimxX

      Posted

      I'm glad someone else went through something similar! The night it happened my heart rate topped at about 140-150 we think, could have been higher. When the paramedics arrived it said it was 130 and then it slowed down to 120 and i started with the shakes. Since then i've had pains in my chest but nothing that relates to a heart attack (i've researched alot of course). But my symptoms keep changing. For the first few days it threw me, I was in bed the whole time as i had no energy to walk, i was breathless, tightchested and my heart rate was still up and down. The past few days have been much better. Although my heart rate is high still at about 100bpm resting rate and i'm getting these weird fluttering sensations at the base of my sternum with slight chest pain, my energy levels are back up and I don't feel so short of breath all the time. Anxiety would make sense really. I have had a stressful year with college work etc and I haven't been looking after myself. Hopefully this 24hour heart monitor will either diagnose me with something and i can get medication, or show nothing at all and i can get past it! It's just so unnerving that it came out of the blue with no real reason, i was very relaxed at the time! 
    • MTClaire
      MTClaire XxaimxX

      Posted

      Also my pulse that evening was up and down for roughly 10 hours.
    • XxaimxX
      XxaimxX MTClaire

      Posted

      It's exactly like mine I didn't time it either I'd say 140 - 150! And when paramedics got to me it started to calm down! Typical anxiety symptom but I've never experienced anything so scary and I've always suffered with anxiety and panic all my life I'm 22. So after it happened your on high alert that's why your rate is so high. When I walked upstairs mine just jump up rapid even with the heart monitor they said it was normal.

      I think your pretty much in the same boat as me and when you find there is nothing medically wrong you can try and get past it, it's not easy being scared but you'll get there smile

      Try deep breathing and relax as much as you can and if you can't help yourself ask for some help from your doctor I've been referred for CBT but not got an app yet been waiting since September so get in when you can even if you find when it gets towards the appointment you don't feel talking with help or you don't need it it's still there incase smile don't worry though I'm trying not to lol oh and caffeine and stimulants try and cut down they play havoc with anxiety! Xx

  • stefania1234
    stefania1234 MTClaire

    Posted

    Hello. I have had a similar story. My heartrate has always been a little fast. It goes up with anything medically related. So...my Doctor referred me to a.cardiologist and I have had ecg and wore a 48 hour Holter monitor. They diagnosed me with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. He recommended Propranolol (beta blocker) and my primary doctor said I needed medication for anxiety. I agreed because I was having panic attacks and heart palpitations. I also decided to try Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It helped tremendously. I do not feel that I need meds for anxiety. I have researched IST and that is what they try to put you on. Having your heart race is scary and therefore it causes anxiety. I have stopped my anxiety meds and called my Cardiologist and he said I could come off the beta blocker for palpitations. My heartrate is faster than the normal person and that is okay. I am exercising slowly and hoping it helps my heartrate. I would recommend CBT because they give you through mechanism to think differently and therefore the anxiety isn't as bad. Hope this helps...
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