Heart Rhythm Episodes - AFib; Tachycardia, High Blood Pressure

Posted by jayhawk57 @jayhawk57, Jul 30, 2019

Hello! I'm looking for feedback and any information on anyone who has episodes of excelled heart rate 160 + with increased blood pressure. I have been experiencing this for the past year. It comes without warning. If I try to eat or drink it will happen as well periodically and have lost 18 lbs in 6 weeks. I feel confused, dizzy, nauseated and foggy with a hard time breathing. It can last approx 1 hr. My pulse usually goes back down but blood pressure usually stays up. Feel sick 24 hrs after these flare ups. Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks!

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@cecilias

I am sorry, but I love to hear of folk that have the same problems as me. I just don’t feel so alone! I have had problems for many years, but I am at the wonderful age of 81.. One Dr told my Dr that he was glad he wasn’t my Dr because I have too many problems. That upset me because I thought when I was being treated I was fine. Now a problem without a cure or help would frighten me, but I feel good most of the time, and there are good people helping me.
I have had two brain ops for pituitary adenoma. Triple by pass. And now secondary adrenal insufficiency.
And the odd stent here and there... Not too bad. This wonderful life has been grand really!
Sincerely, Celia
Now I have rapid heart beat, taking Tykosin for this.
I have to say I am now on Prednisone and this has caused weight gain, being a woman I was happy with my weight, now I have gained 25 Ibs. But I thank my Lord many times during the day for this life he has given me... I know it could be much worse

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You're not alone Celia! Thanks for the message. You sound tough as nails!!

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@slynnb

Yes. The tumor is a pheochromocytoma - they are quite rare but not THAT rare... and they are almost always, always benign. They can cause spurts of extremely high blood pressure..There is now an easy blood test to first rule in or out the possibility of the tumor (the little tumor can trigger spurts of adrenaline which shoot BP up). Some doctors are not aware that it is now in the medical literature that you must NOT TAKE any PPIs ( drugs for reflux or heartburn or GERD ) for several weeks before the blood test or you will get a false positive for the tumor.

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Excellent news - thank you! I'll check with my doc about the blood test. That sounds far less invasive than an adrenal artery scan.

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@kellycross

Excellent news - thank you! I'll check with my doc about the blood test. That sounds far less invasive than an adrenal artery scan.

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The test is a plasma metanephrine test and it has the highest sensitivity (96%) for detecting a pheochromocytoma. However, urine tests are even more specific but a pain to do (collecting urine more than once) - so to rule in or out the possiblity of a pheochromocytoma, doctors usually order the blood test first., Then imaging shows where the tumor is, etc. I can't say if your doctor is going straight to the scan because he is pretty sure that's what you have but that's a guess...Or maybe he ran the blood work but didn't discuss it with you yet? Anyway, good luck. Nobody wants to have to have a tumor - but if you have one, these are usually very small, benign , treatable so your problem could likely be cured.

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@cecilias

I am sorry, but I love to hear of folk that have the same problems as me. I just don’t feel so alone! I have had problems for many years, but I am at the wonderful age of 81.. One Dr told my Dr that he was glad he wasn’t my Dr because I have too many problems. That upset me because I thought when I was being treated I was fine. Now a problem without a cure or help would frighten me, but I feel good most of the time, and there are good people helping me.
I have had two brain ops for pituitary adenoma. Triple by pass. And now secondary adrenal insufficiency.
And the odd stent here and there... Not too bad. This wonderful life has been grand really!
Sincerely, Celia
Now I have rapid heart beat, taking Tykosin for this.
I have to say I am now on Prednisone and this has caused weight gain, being a woman I was happy with my weight, now I have gained 25 Ibs. But I thank my Lord many times during the day for this life he has given me... I know it could be much worse

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Cecilia, the doctor who said he's glad you are not his patient shouldn't be a doctor. I'm sorry to hear about that. Please keep writing to us, we are here for you. Sometimes venting helps, I do that with my friends. I had been very healthy until recently and I feel depressed every now and again. Like you, I am grateful for my children who are very supportive and I feel very blessed. Keep well!

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@slynnb

The test is a plasma metanephrine test and it has the highest sensitivity (96%) for detecting a pheochromocytoma. However, urine tests are even more specific but a pain to do (collecting urine more than once) - so to rule in or out the possiblity of a pheochromocytoma, doctors usually order the blood test first., Then imaging shows where the tumor is, etc. I can't say if your doctor is going straight to the scan because he is pretty sure that's what you have but that's a guess...Or maybe he ran the blood work but didn't discuss it with you yet? Anyway, good luck. Nobody wants to have to have a tumor - but if you have one, these are usually very small, benign , treatable so your problem could likely be cured.

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This is incredibly helpful - thank you very much! Any problems associated with having a tumor removed?

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No, no problems with either. I still have half of it there, the surgeon only took the part that was on the optic nerve. It hasn’t grown anymore. Celia

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@ew100

My fast heart rate 133 bpm started 6 days ago and still keeping the same rate! The cardiologist diagnosis is Paroxysmal Atria Tachycardia (PAT). I am taking Atenolol 25 mg. The cardiologist also said PAT will not cause heart attack. I am going to have treadmill test in a month to check if Atenolol is working. He didn't say how soon Atenolol will take effect to slow down my heart beats! I hope it doesn't take one month! I think he probably doesn't know the answer, everyone reacts to drugs differently.
Would you please share your experience if you had fast heart rate and your treatments?
Greatly appreciate your input!

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Sorry this broke up last try. Seven years ago I had total heart block. That started afib that started in middle of the nite. Three years ago I heard about triggers ( my drs did not tell me about this) I read about them on this site. I started checking out each one as I heard about it. Now my dr tells me that I have this less than seven tenths of one percent of the time. Also warns me that afib cannot be cured only minimized. I now have a completely different life. No wine, no caffine ( this is no coffee, most soda drinks) don’t get too hot, or too upset , etc

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@natashapulaski

IN reply to danab. Hi, I had to reply to your response however, it's not in reference to the original post. On 6/28/15 I experienced being very short of breath in which, I rushed myself to the hospital and the doctor was discharging me but I prompt him to do more test even though he said everything was fine and I didn't look distressed in breathing however, the squeezing/tightness and feeling like I was running a marathon was present in my chest so he ran more test/ ct and discovered I had 3 clots in my lungs. I've clotted 5 more episodes after that lungs and legs even on clotting meds in which, i'm on enoxaparin now 80mgs 2x a day due to this unknown disorder. I had to be my own advocate with each clotting episode found and press the doctors to do more! I've been to almost every ologist that you can name and no one can find out why this left me with extreme shortness of breath, the squeezing feeling in my chest/ sharp chest pain, and tachycardia with even moving my limbs, doing small household chores, showering or even walking up stairs. I was brushing my teeth on one episode and my heart rate went up to 200 so I was hospitalized in which they gave me metoprolol but I couldn't handle that due to it lowering my blood pressure too much and not lowering my heart rate and now I've been on a heart failure pill corlanor in which, I'm suffering extremely everyday from the exact symptoms and went out on medical leave. I've been to the best hospitals in Chicago and even visit the Mayo 11/2016 for a week but they just gave me more appointments( didn't do anything different from the doctors in chicago) that I couldn't meet. I recently discussed this vegas nerve that you mentioned to my cardiologist in which, I've had a right and left side heart cath and it showed nothing and now I have a loop recorder in my chest to monitor my heart rate and rhythm but nothing! My cardiologist wants me to see someone at University Of Chicago in which, he practices in microvascular disease in which, I do have that but they said early on that microvascular coudn't contribute to all my symptoms, I'm hopeful that they can correlate this microvasular to the vegas nerve that you mentioned because sometimes it feels like it's coming from the stomach area before it hits the chest and thats when I have to been over because it feels like I've ran 5mls. Thank you and the originally poster for sharing! Just maybe this will help someone or someone can give me some insight.

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@natashapulaski I am so sorry to not have seen your reply until now. As a note if you put a @ symbol before the name the person will see it faster. For me it would be @danab Thank you for your experience and yes we do have to speak up sometimes. I hope that the loop monitor will help figure things out. The friend I mentioned was convinced it was from certain foods he ate. Mainly for him it was spicy foods and alcohol. It's been a couple of months now has the monitor discovered anything? Have a great day and I hope to hear more.

Dana

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@jayhawk57 Hi Jayhawk I have been curious how it went with the Cardiologist? Did you questions get answered?

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I was wondering if I should try going without my tykosin. I was on Hydrocortisone for my Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency the Hospital Dr changed me to prednisone. If hydro caused my afib and I am no longer taking it could I stop this Med... just a thought.. What do you think.... I would not do it without a Dr.

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