High Tachycardia

Jewlez - I apologize that I cannot give you any answers. Like you, I have tachycardia, and I am going for an echo next week. I am 'assuming' the specialist your cardiologist is sending you to is an electrophysiologist. I hope that joining this group will give you some direction and possible answers. I wish you the best.

Hi Jewlez, after reading your post I feel compelled to reply. I am so sorry you feel so desperate and overwhelmed. I am no expert, and I imagine you will have many on this site more knowledgeable than me with advice, but thought I'd just offer a few hints. I was diagnosed with atrial tachycardia a year and 3 months ago. I am on metoprolol succinate 50 also. It has been important to me to try to control the episodes doing the following. I take the metoprolol the same time every day with food. If I don't get enough sleep I'll get episodes throughout the day. Trying to minimize stress has helped too. It sounds like between your parents, kids and high stress job you probably don't take much time for yourself. I worked as a 911 dispatcher for 35 years so have a bit of experience knowing how hard it can be to just STOP. Try to find just a few minutes a day to breathe, listen to some calming music and close your eyes, taking some time for yourself. I also stopped all caffeine and alcohol, and cut back a lot on sugar. Several people on this site seem to have had some good results upping their magnesium intake, some using Heart Calm. Having this condition is difficult and scary. Finding some ways to help yourself deal with it is a process. I wish you the best.

@jewlez I read your experience, and I am going to share mine, mainly because I was kind of in the same boat that you were in in some regards and hopefully what I share will be helpful and can send you in a good direction. I know for every person, they have a different Health path, and sometimes a different direction on how they want to accomplish it, but ultimately all want an answer as to what is causing the medical issues. I have found this for him to be incredibly helpful for many of my health issues, not necessarily to go in the same direction as others, but to see what others did to help themselves with whatever path they took. I did not have any family history of heart issues. I myself did not have heart issues up until three years ago. Randomly I started having heart palpitations that felt like I was going to have a heart attack. At that at that point, I was assigned a cardiologist and interventional cardiologist I had to go through the stress test where a monitor see where I was at. Before this had all happened. I was immediately taken off my Synthroid and estrogen. When this happened, I did not make the connection. I did not make the connection until later. I was found to be having heart arrhythmias and palpitations. I was never put back on the estrogen or Synthroid and after a year, in the middle of the night I would start having SVTs. My SVTs would last 20 seconds of the heart beating over 200 beats per minute. This scared me to death. Imagine you are sleeping and you are in a calm sense of space and then your heart starts doing something very erratic. My cardiologist said it was normal. When your heart starts doing that it’s because something is wrong in the body and it is not normal. I get very frustrated by physicians or medical providers who say this is normal it’s not normal. There is a reason why your heart is doing it. I then randomly started emailing top cardiologists in the country. I got a response back from Albert Jung of NY Langone, saying it was not normal get a second opinion. So I started to try and get a second opinion, and my own cardiologist would not give me a second opinion, and this was in the same clinic seeing a different doctor they just dismissed me. I decided to pursue the answers on my own, mainly because I wanted to understand why this was happening. I had no history and it did not make sense, but I knew that there was a reason for why it was happening. I am not a doctor, but in the research that I’ve read, SVT’s or like misfiring of electrical activity in the heart. When speaking to different people about the situation, I would ask what would cause something like this randomly. I would get medication’s could cause this, stress stressed to the heart could cause this, a state of fear could cause this. So I did a lot of research and I have not totally answered the question but I think that I’m on the right path to answering it. I believe mine is caused by my thyroid issue. The physicians and doctors that I was seen were not connecting the dots. For me after doing the research the thyroid if it is not dosed properly or if you’re taken off medication abruptly, it can result in this. I also found that I was just given a T4 for over eight years for my thyroid. The thyroid needs more than just T4. I actually think that once I can see an endocrinologist and peace the puzzle pieces together I will find that this may be why I’m having these heart arrhythmias and SVTs. I would look at specific areas in your life if you have any other medical conditions or you’re on any kind of prescription, see if that is maybe what is causing it or what could cause it. A lot of of these conditions near other conditions and sometimes it’s very difficult to connect the dots. It takes time and research and pouring through medical journals like I have. I remember just feeling completely exhausted all the time like you talk about, and being stressed out from regular life and it’s problems. I wanted answers desperately, and I got frustrated with doctors just saying that it was normal when it’s not normal. For me, I started journaling down everything that I was experiencing, and when I started experiencing it. For me, I am going to try and get into an endocrinologist and have the entire lab work done to make sure that I can get the answers to these questions, because I simply was not getting the answers from the doctors anymore. They were not seeing me or they just pushed me away and said it was normal. I didn’t feel normal. I don’t know if your insurance will allow you to speak to one of the Mayo Clinic doctors but I know that is an option mine unfortunately didn’t. And I honestly don’t know what they charge. You would have to ask them if you decide to go that route. I tried to go that route, but that was not an option for me because of the insurance so I am opting to go through an endocrinologist and have my blood test done extensively, and see what they say. For me I believe mine is the thyroid. I say that because all the issues started when I was abruptly taken off of the thyroid medication and the estrogen. I know the thyroid and the parathyroid are regulators of everything in your body. The nice thing about this form as you can ask a lot of questions moderators will even chime in to direct you in a manner that is very helpful to find answers to your questions. I wanted to find answers to the root of the cause rather than just have medication’s thrown at me for symptoms, that way in hopes of alleviating the issue. I hope that you find all the answers to your questions, as I understand, it is so frustrating and overwhelming. I think you’re in the right place for asking questions and getting help and talking to others that have gone through similar circumstances as you and I wish you the best.

A cardiologist is a specialist in heart issues, but not necessarily in fixing all issues. The person you need to see is an 'electrophysiologist', or an expert in electrical disorders of the heart, which is what you have.

It is perfectly normal to be frozen in fear when one's heart begins to act up for no apparent reason, and it's even worse when you finally get to see a cardiologist who scratches her head and says, 'Beats me.' There is an answer, and the answer is probably going to be one of two interventions: a catheter ablation to block the inflow of the extra signal(s) to beat, or you'll need a pacemaker, which can be more involved than just hooking you up to a small appliance that gets inserted under your chest muscle. We can deal with the nuances of that process later, if it comes to that.
For now, you should avail yourself of a really good, a really busy, and highly accomplished, electrophysiologist (EP) and get an initial consultation going ASAP. If you have the resources to travel and to say a couple of nights in commercial lodgings in order to get to the best EP inside of a day's travel, driving or flying, I would urge you to do that.

Thank you so very much for your suggestions and insight!! I will definitely try all of those!

Yes, it is absolutely disgusting that docs tell you that something is normal, and you know it is not true.

You mentioned stopping thyroid meds abruptly. I know for a fact and personal experience that if you want to get off them, you MUST WEAN yourself off them. Many years ago, I was taking homeopathic thyroid meds in pill form and I decided to throw them literally out the car window.

Little by little for months, my hair started falling out. It got worse and worse and everytime I ran my fingers through it, I would get many hairs, and a pillow full every night. One guy told me, don't worry, it happened to a friend and they lost ALL their hair, but it grew back. Another told me, I didn't have enough faith. So I told God, if I am doing something to cause this I want to know TODAY!

I felt like He told me to go to the health food store and I did. I was scanning a book on the shelf, and I was reminded that after my divorce, I had not been eating veggies like I did when married and they contain Vitamin A needed for skin and hair. So I bought some Vitamin A and went immediately to the store and bought some veggies.

While I was standing in the checkout line, a magazine in front of me said in BIG LETTERS - Hair loss can be caused by low thyroid. I remembered that months ago, I had stopped taking the thyroid meds cold turkey. It was Sunday so first thing Monday I went to the doc and told her what had happened and she gave me the homeopathic meds. In 3 DAYS, I could run my fingers through my hair and NOT ONE HAIR would come out. Later on, I weaned myself off of them and no problem. Took a little sliver off the pill every day until no more. This happened when in my 30's.

Right now, I am 76. I am having an issue with a protruding stomach which is not normal for about 4 years. I recently started honeopathic thyroid meds by the drop. He told me 4 drops 4 times a day. I started with just 1 drop a day 4 times to see if a problem. I am up to 3 drops and so far okay. The first time in my 30's, I was having heart palpitations from the meds which is why I stopped. I am taking this time because according to blood tests, normal should be 0 to 3 and mine is 5,4. They higher the number is, the slower your thyroid is and mine very slow. He said it is possible, my inflamation could be from thyroid. We will see. I have no pain and am 121 lbs 5 ft 5 inches.

Jewlez - Here are the side effects of Metoprolol
Rash, Depression. Dizziness. Irregular breathing. Constipation, Diarrhea, Itch, Tiredness, Cold feet and hands, Decreased sexual ability, Xerostomia, Nightmares, Racing heart, Shortness of breath, Slow heart rate,
Abdominal pain, Unusual tiredness, Chest pain, Dizziness and low blood pressure, Fainting, Arthralgia, Nausea, Sweating, Bloated feeling.

I totally relate to your doc experiences of not listening etc. I am listening and have read and examined your message more than once.

Of the side effects of Metropolol, you have a few and maybe more you did not mention.
1 You say you have no depression, but mention sobbing.
2 You mention tiredness more than once, which is understandable because at 4am you still have not slept and then proceed with lots of responsibilities.
3 You have a racing, irregular heart. 4 You have chest pain.

You say you are scared which is understandable, but fear in itself can multiply and causes stress. And because of all going on, you can't sleep which causes additional stress on your body and heart.

You say "I am healthy, MAYBE a little overweight." My response to you being healthy - when you are not sleeping, have a too fast heartbeat and at 4am not sleeping and have many many responsibilities and sobbing. No, you are not healthy.
You do not mention your age, but I am 5 ft 5-1/2 inches and weigh 121 lbs. I went up to 150 lbs and stayed there for awhile because in a very unhappy marriage. He died of bone cancer 5 years ago. But I finally told myself that I was not going to allow him to ruin my health and dropped the weight through Weight Watchers. There is none where I live but I track points daily to keep my weight down.

But I am 76, and walk up and down steep hills to town every day, but I would NOT be able to if I weighed 150 lbs like before or the 165 lbs you have.

Here is my pea brain response from a person who has learned to take charge and responsibility for my health more and more starting at age 21 and now 76.

You have not mentioned your diet meaning what you normally eat, which can cause many of your health issues directly or indirectly. I suggest you EXAMINE your diet, by getting a notebook and writing down EVERY thing you eat and drink every day. I understand changes are not easy, and do not beat yourself up when at times you do not do perfectly, but challenge yourself to improve your diet and health habits every day.
1 Decrease and eliminate junk food. - Processed foods, chips, candy, ice cream, sodas, store fruit juices.
2 Decrease and eliminate anything containing wheat, bread, pasta, etc. - especially refined that is not 100% wholegrain.
3 Eliminate ALL containing caffeine - coffee, tea with caffeine, Mountain Dew, colas, chocolate, energy drinks.
4 Do a few stretching exercises a day and walk in fresh air if able.
5 Track and measure how much water you drink daily.

A question - did you have all your negative symptoms before taking med Metroprolol?

I hope you will keep us updated.

Hi Jewlez,
I too have palpitations - sometimes severe, that have always scared me. It's been so long now that I am less freaked out but still, it's not an ideal way to live. I believe menopause, for me, was the start of it. I'm 70, so in the generation of women that were denied estrogen, etc to combat what happens to the body during/after menopause. I take metoprolol which helps a bit, and am on ablood pressure med and a daily low dose aspirin. I find meditation, good diet and exercice help quite a bit. I wish you the best in your journey.

Hi, @jewlez I had what you're describing for about 10 years. Known as VT or Ventricular Tachycardia which is a fancy word for fast heart rate. Being your very concerned with what's happening let me explain mine as mine was of the type that minutes counted, or I would be probably not living. There are two types of tachycardia which can either start in the upper chambers and is commonly called AFIB. this type can seem bad but usually doesn't require medical attention as fast as VT or SVT. The latter is of the lower parts of the heart or the muscle area. Which when they go into an arrythmia, blood stops flowing. I had a pacemaker with difibulartor which if the pacemaker part could not pace me out of it I would get a shock to bring my heart back to sinus rhythm. So to determine for myself if I was having a sever attack when my heart rate would increase I would monitor my pulse. When things were getting to the point that I knew my pacemaker needed to kick in was my pulse would stop. basically your heart goes into a quivering mode and on a heart monitor would look like a really fast heart rate but basically no blood is flowing. So here is my advice, As some of the others have said the type of cardiologist is really important. even among EP(eltrophysiologest) Cardiologist there are different specialties. So when looking for one you may ask if the specialize in AFIB of VT/SVT. The other thing I used to do if I was having an attack is to use some tricks to help your heart get back in rhythm. For the ladies who had children you may have heard of pelvic Floor Muscle exercise. That particular muscle is very close to the heart so try really fast contracting and releasing that muscle. Also because your lungs are right there also start coughing very intensely. These for me worked on a few occasions and Ive heard that heart attack victims use them also. But most important find a good EP Cardiologist.
So I hope that helps. Please ask any questions you like. I look forward to hearing what you find out? And as someone who really appreciates all the great nurses that have helped me. Thank you for being a Nurse. Very honorable profession. I to this day remember one in particular Cody who when I was in a place you are in now was so helpful during a period I was afraid to even move in fear of the arrythmias. I hope for you that you can get the peace you need. For me it was the having some control over the arrythmias that started giving me hope of a solution to my problem.

@lindy9 I appreciate your response. The medical provider that was treating me abruptly had me go off of my thyroid medication and estrogen. This has now been 3 years and I have the exact same issues as you. My hair falling out, fatigue, heart palpitations, the list goes on and on and yes the stomach protrution as well. Nobody ever said that I would have issues, and for years, after trusting them abruptly stopping them for no reason it all makes sense. I will see if I can get into a endocrinologist to get back on them. What are the drops you take called?