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Rapid Heart rate/Palpitations

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shamaine05779
shamaine05779

Hello,

Is anyone still using this forum? I am having the same issues and I'm so over trying to find the cause and a remedy. I'm 34 years old. I've been to ER 5 times with blood work and EKG'S, Chest Xrays, CT scan for blood clots, Blood work with my GP, Echocardiogram, two 24 hours holter monitors with 2 different cardiologists and EVERYTHING has come back normal besides palpitations and IST. I was taking Metoprolol in July, it worked but it made me really tired, Dilitzem didn't do the job for me and my last episode last Tuesday I was on Ivabradine and I think my episodes was a side effect from the medication. Now, I'm on nothing has my GP told me to stop taking it because of my last episode while I was at work. She says my heart is fine but now she thinks I have anxiety. I thought I wouldn't be able to function without a medication helping with my heart rate, but surprisingly I'm doing ok with just 1 or 2 episodes a day that goes away in a few minutes. Sometimes I feel light headed, dizzy, and tingling/heaviness feeling in my legs in the morning. Has anyone been diagnosed? Any suggestions? Anything will help.

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • jx41870
    jx41870 shamaine05779

    Posted

    These arrhythmias are a bxtch to live with, and doctors saying "Oh, you just have anxiety" doesn't make it any better.

    When I have any stress that can make the symptoms worse, but that's not "having anxiety".

    The good (?) news is that, if all the tests come back "OK", it probably means that, in spite of how badly it makes you feel, it isn't likely to kill you for the next twenty or forty years.

    Is your blood pressure OK otherwise?

    I take a little atenolol, a beta blocker, and the tiny dose seems to help, some.

    Wish the doctors - and I've been over this with several - were at least a little more sympathetic. I haven't had any give me the "anxiety" bit, mostly they just shrug and look out the window.

    • mark02382
      mark02382 jx41870

      Posted

      Hi Shamine

      Hi, my name's Mark I'm not a Doctor so please check any of my advice with them re excercise etc.

      I have had palpitations flare up a few times over the last 10 15 years. Often they last a few months or so and I have had up to 2000 a day. I know how hard and scary this can be.

      But!

      I have always been ok praise God.

      The best advice I have for what works for me:

      EXCERCISE, REGULAR CARDIO FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A WEEK ON CROSS TRAINER FOR 30 MINS, GOOD 5 MINS WARM DOWN ALSO GOING SLOWER AFTER 30 MINS UNTIL I SLOW THE EXCERCISE TO A GENTLE STOP.

      NOT SMOKING, AVOIDING CAFFEINE AND CHOCOLATE AND LARGE MEALS THAT LEAVE ME BLOATED ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING.

      I'M SURE A LOT OF MY ECTOPICS COME AND CAME FROM BEING OVERWEIGHT OR TOO FULL AND THAT All AGRIVATED MY VAGUS NERVE IN MY STOCMACH.

      PRAYING FOR THEM TO GO BUT EXCEPTING THEM AS BEST I CAN WHILST THEY ARE WITH ME.

      SLOWING MY BREATHING AND BEING CALM WHEN I HAVE THEM RATHER THAN PANICKING, THIS CAN MAKE THEM WORSE.

      MAINTAINING THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WHEN THEY GO NOT JUST WHEN I GET THEM, THIS IS HARD I'M WORKING HARD ON THIS RIGHT NOW AS HAD A RECENT FLAIR UP TOO. THEY HAVE CALMED DOWN AND SO I'M GETTING LAZY GOING TO GYM, DIET GETTING BAD AGAIN PUTTING ON WEIGHT SO TRYING HARD TO KEEP THE HEALTHY STUFF GOING LOL WITH GOD'S HELP.

      PRAYER, RELAXATION, MEDITATION, GOOD Sleep, AVOIDING STRESSFULL THINGS

      THERAPY AND RELEVANT SUPPORT GROUPS WHEN I NEED THEM, CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.

      I HOPE THIS HELPS,

      MUCH LOVE

      GOD BLESS,

      Mark

    • shamaine05779
      shamaine05779 jx41870

      Posted

      Hello and thanks for responding! My blood pressure is good for the most part until I'm freaking out over how I feel. The cardiologist gave me a prescription for 25mg Metropolol but I have not taken it since it made me feel so tired the first time I took it. He believes that since my B12 and Vitamin D was low maybe that contributed to me feeling toted while taking it.

    • shamaine05779
      shamaine05779 mark02382

      Posted

      Thanks so much Mark for responding!! I've lost 20 pounds since July by changing my eating habits and worry/stressing about this condition I'm sure. I'm not working out as much as I use to due to me worrying about "what if something happens". I should probably start back working out as it worst before when I was working out than it is now.

  • mark02382
    mark02382 shamaine05779

    Posted

    Hi Shamine

    Hi, my name's Mark I'm not a Doctor soplease check any of my advice with them re excercise etc.

    I have had palpitations flare up a few times over the last 10. 15 years. Often they last a few months or so and I have had up to 2000 a day. I know how hard and scary this can be.

    But!

    I have always been ok praise God.

    The best advice I ha E for what works for me:

    EXCERCISE, REGULAR CARDIO FOUR OR FIRVE TIMES A WEEK OM CROSS TRAINER DOR 30 MINS, GOOD 5 MINS WARM DOWN ALSO GOING SLOWER AFTER 30 MONS UNTIL I SLOW THE EXCERCISE TO A GENTLE STOP.

    NOT SMOKING, AVOIDING CAFFEINE AND CHOCOLATE AND LARGE MEALS THAT LEAVE ME BLOATED ESPECIALLY IN THE EVENING.

    I'M. SURE AOT OF MY ECTOPOS CONE AND CAME FROM BEING OVERWEIGHT OR TOP FULL AND THAT AGROVATED MY VAGUS NERVE IN MY STOCMACH.

    PRAYING FOR THEM TO GO BUT EXCEPTING THEM AS BEST I CAN WHILST THEY ARE WITH ME.

    SLOWING MY BREATHING AND BEING CALM WHEN I HAVE THEM RATHER THAN PANICKING, THIS CAN MAKE THEM WORSE.

    MAINTANING THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WHEN THEY GO MOT JUST WHEN I GET THEM, THIS IS HARD I'M WORKING HARD ON THIS RIGHT NOW AS HAD A RECENT FLAIR UP TOO. THEY HAVE CALMED DOWN AND SO I'M GETTING LAZY GOING TO GYM, DIET GETTING BAD AGAIN PITTING ON WEIGHT SO TRYING HARD TO KEEP THE HEALTHY STUFF GOING LOL WITH GOD'S HELP.

    PRAYER, RELAXATION, MEDITATION, GOOD SLEEP,

    THERAPY AND RELEVENT SUPPORT GROUP WHEN I NEED THEM, CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.

    I HOPE THIS HELPS,

    MUCH LOVE

    GOD BLESS,

    Mark

  • jwsonoma
    jwsonoma shamaine05779

    Posted

    Hello Shamaine,

    It can be very frustrating and scary figuring things out.

    Lots of people on this board have been through the same thing.

    Being your own advocate is crucial.

    Not getting answers can self perpetuate anxiety and contribute to the problem.

    I think you are right not to settle with anxiety as a diagnosis.

    While you are grinding through the system there are a couple of life styles you can change if applicable.

    Don't smoke, don't drink, loose weight.

    It took my doctors a year to diagnose me correctly and researching this board to push the doctors in the right direction. I have PAF and PSVT but between, changing from a GP to a specialist to another specialist, life style changes, avoidance of triggers and the right meds it has been under control for + 3 years.

    This board and Dr. Google can assist you in asking questions and discussing options with your doctor.

    The 24 hr Holter didn't catch anything for me. There is a 10 day stick-on monitor called the Zio patch which can give a better look. The Holter caught 1 SVT event which they said not to worry. The Zio patch showed 1 every day and a follow up showed they dropped to 1 a week with 100mg of Flecainide.

    I am now on 150mg so hopefully that is it. Haven't had a 3rd Zio patch yet.

    I would also request a Cardiac specialist.

    You can buy a small and portable Kardia ECG monitor which will do a 1 min ECG that you can e-mail to your doc. It is about $100 US on Amazon. It works with a smart phone and uses 2 fingers from each hand.

    I didn't get any control of my arrhythmia with a rate reducer (BP) drug which I think you were on. It just slows your heart. I had great success with a rhythm control drug called Flecainide. You have to take a small dose of a BP med with Flecainide to prevent a common side effect.

    This may not be the answer for you and I am not a Doctor.

    Others may have different and better advice.

    Best of luck.

    Cheers

    John

    • jx41870
      jx41870 jwsonoma

      Posted

      I've worn a Holter and it catches I don't know how many dozens or hundreds of minor (to them!) events, and the doctors still just shrug it off.

    • shamaine05779
      shamaine05779 jwsonoma

      Posted

      Thank so much for responding John! I have a cardiologist and I have an appointment with a EP Monday. I've have not a alcoholic beverage and lost 20 pounds since July. My cardiologist did mention Kardia device to me but I just thought it would catch the same thing as the holter monitors. He also mentioned doing a 2 week Holter monitor but I can't do that as I have to work and the holter monitor has all those cords attached. It sounds like you are feeling better and gotten your arrhythmia under control! That's exciting! I have good days and bad days and not too bad considering my heart rate is not going haywire while not being on any medication. If I have episode my HR spikes up to around 115-130 then I just feel kind of drained for a hour so.

  • mattchu84
    mattchu84 shamaine05779

    Posted

    i would first get any serious heart conditions ruled out then start looking on autonomic nervous system and hormone(glands) testing 😃

    • shamaine05779
      shamaine05779 mattchu84

      Posted

      Hello and thanks for responding! The EP doctor agreed that it was a normal rhythm just elevated heart rate after reading all my work ups and doing another ekg. IST /Palpitations since a cause cannot be found on my heart tests and blood work. He wants me to do the Metroplol 25mg once a day.

  • mattchu84
    mattchu84 shamaine05779

    Posted

    ah ok im glad you got some answers, no i have dysautonomia

    • shamaine05779
      shamaine05779 mattchu84

      Posted

      What exactly is dysautonomia? I'm really trying to find out the "why" to my situation. Ugh.

  • mattchu84
    mattchu84 shamaine05779

    Posted

    i know its horrible when you dont get answers 😦 , its a nervous system disorder that normally causes multiple symptoms , my heart has a abnormal response ie fast when i say change position from sitting to standing , does your heart just randomly speed up? like comes on instantly then goes back to normal or is it more gradual? x

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