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I’m 21 year old and diagnosed with atrial tachycardia
Hi I’m just been trying to find the right doctor for awhile now about two years ago I started feeling ill, had bad stomach pain that would leave me in tears unable to move and other stuff, doctors not listening to me nor running anything but blood test. I’m Eve starting to have issues with my nerves. My most recent doctor had me wear a heart monitor after me pushing for it and turns out I have atrial tachycardia and I have also had issues associated with that. Instead of answering my questions she’s just trying to prescribe me 50mg of beta blockers which seems excessive to me and will not refer me to a specialist. Beta blockers concern me because yes my heart rate needs to be slowed but my lowest heart rate recorded was 36 and also normally showed that it did like to dip into the higher 30s. I’ve also lost weight from not feeling good for so long and all of these doctors are just trying to treat me for eating disorders when all I’m trying todo is feel better. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.
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I hope you can see a cardiologist. Many of us can relate to your frustration. And you are so young. In my experience it may take seeing a few doctors before you find the right one, and that is hard at your age.
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1 ReactionHas she checked thyroid function?
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1 ReactionYes all of my life whenever I have gotten a new doctor they have checked my thyroid because I’m under weight.
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1 ReactionSome patients don't do well on beta-blockers. Why would he/she not try a calcium channel blocker...or is that clearly not indicated in your understanding? Might be well worth seeking a second opinion.
If the diagnosis is correct (and for that you'd want at least one more opinion, maybe even fresh ECG to ensure it wasn't operator error), then a beta blocker is only going to suppress the rate, and then only when you are in SVT. The rest of the time, one or the other, disorder or drugs, is making you miserable. This is where I would seek a really highly regarded electrophysiologist near to you, maybe one state over, and ask to have that person set fresh eyes on your case; it is entirely possible that you need something more, or better, than what you have going for you now.
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1 ReactionI honestly don’t know I’ve done hours of research just to advocate for myself at appointments, doctors in my area can’t look past the fact that I’m underweight and had depression in early highschool. Even with abnormal test results they give me half anwsers and try prescribing me all sorts of pills to combats my symptoms, I sent in a request to Mayo to see if they could see me because I’m starting to think with everything that happing that I have POTS or EDS or something like it that would easily connect a lot of my symptoms but no one in my area wants todo further testing once they see my back ground of mental health issues and the fact I’m underweight.
That is the age learned that the severe heart rhythm problems were due to caffeine. I would be very surprised if you are not drinking, coffee, colas, Mountain Dew, energy drinks and a high sugar junk food diet.
Be honest and let us know. Getting rid of that stuff beats, meds, scary treatments, and spending your life in doc offices and hospitals. Most docs do not suggest natural solutions, because they will have heart problems if they have less patients and earn less money.
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1 ReactionEven if you don't have an eating disorder, being underweight can affect heart function in my experience with family. We don't know how underweight you are. One thing you could do is see an anorexia specialist or clinic and get cleared for an eating disorder. That documentation would help with other doctors.
That said, addressing weight would seem to be a priority. And balancing electrolytes, addressing deficiencies and so on. Has a GI doctor accounted for your loss of weight?
The whole time I was on my heart monitor I have zero caffeine and usually stay away from it since it makes my acids reflux nuts. Most of my days consist of drinking not great tasting nutritional drinks like the high calorie nestle boost that are 520 calories. I get most of my age group takes terrible care of themself and consume stuff that probably should never be put into a human body but I have made many changes to my diet to try and gain weight and feel better as a whole.
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1 ReactionI used to have bad stomach pain. Would have to curl up until it subsided. After changing my diet, I rarely have had a stomach pain in years. It was drinking colas and bubbly drinks, Idaho baked potatoes, acidy fruits. Along with sugary foods. Foods with refined flour. I personally do not believe those powdered protein drinks are healthy but have never used them.
Hi,
I only have one question: you said you have atrial tachycardia, what was your highest heart rate? Atrial tachycardia, really isn't much of a big deal, run down the street to catch a bus and you have atrial tachycardia. If you actually are having heart rates in the 30s, that's a problem and it surprises me greatly that, number one the doctor would have prescribed medication that would slow your heart rate down even more and number two that you don't have a pacemaker. Having worked as an EKG Supervisor, that REALLY shocks me.