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Rapid heart rate
Hi, for 9 months I have had a rapid and hard pounding heart rate which occurs in all sorts of settings, but primarily when I get up from sitting, when standing in a line, or even walking slowly, or standing at a counter trying to cook. When it happens I have to sit fast, or feel like I will faint,, I have many pain problems and possible sjrogens syndrome. I have managed ok until this heart thing started. I can literally not make it through a short shopping trip, have to rapidly go to the car, and sit more or less feeling out of breath and pounding chest, maybe for about 15 minutes. This has beome so limiting to my life. I have seen a cardiologist, did a holter monitor, doctor said normal. Ekg normal, echocardiogram, normal, potassium and sodium normal. I'm 64, 3 years ago I was exercising regularly, then a lot of back issues started. I know I am out of shape, but basically can only do very minor exercise, so some have suggested being unfit is the cause. I have been out of shape at other times, and yes, it effects you as far as stamina. But this is simply upon standing, sometimes even just turning too much in bed it will do it a little. I have low blood pressure. My primary has tossed put an offer of beta blockers, but this worries me. The cardiologist says heart is normal. But it sure doesn't act normal. I eat healthy, all blood work except auto immune is normal. I am at a loss. Seems that I would try the beta blockers, but I am alone a lot and fear they would drop my bp to pass out level. I believe in holistic medicine, and have been taking magnesium for years. I plan on trying the theonate form soon. If anyone has experienced this or has an idea of where to go next, would appreciate your thoughts
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I would tend to think that increased heart rate with epinephrine is fairly normal but perhaps it isn't supposed to happen with the smaller amount given in dental anesthesia. You can request dental anesthesia without epinephrine. They do not add it to mine because I have a weird reaction which affects my contralateral eye.
Have you looked into the possibility of POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) or other types of autonomic heart issues or dysautonomia? Kind of sounds like you would fit into that category. It may be something to inquire about.
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1 ReactionI hadn\'t read the other posts before commenting earlier. Interesting that your sister has POTS -- I don\'t know if it can be familial. There are some suggestions that are made in this article regarding other helps besides exercise. Take a look at: http://www.dysautonomiainternational.org/page.php?ID=30
My heart rate jumps over 200bpm without activity. It can happen while I’m sleeping, sitting or moving.
I wear an Apple Watch and run the Kardia heart rate monitor and instant EKG. (Kardia is an FDA approved medical device that partnered with Apple). Studies have shown it correctly identifies Afib 97% of the time. There are many testimonials from Apple/Kardia users that the watch has saved their life.
The first cardiologist I met with suggested I stop wearing my watch. Not my idea of treatment!
Thankfully he left the practice and I saw the NP who took my situation seriously. Although she refers to my watch as “Your little watch” and insists I double check with a ‘reliable’ device, she seems to find my OMRON BP cuff acceptable and it confirms ‘my little watch’:-))
I wore a continuous heart monitor for two weeks. I had a Nuclear Stress Test, EKG and blood work. Naturally, my heat rate didn’t exceed 145bpm for over 15 seconds with these tests. My BP is on the lower end and perfectly acceptable. My Cholesterol is 294 (Tri 269, HDL 79, LDL 161, Ratio 3.7... there doesn’t appear to be any concern about that).
Now I’m taking 1/2 of a 25mg Metoprolol twice daily. The Metoprolol has reduced the number of the unexplained heart rates.
Has anyone been successful getting this condition under control?
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1 ReactionThanks for your post. I don't have an answer, so I'll be watching. I wore the VIOS (?) device for two weeks, and there was a prolonged episode of SOMETHING (tachycardia, I'm pretty sure) during that time, but the dr. who read it (an internist who installs pacemakers, but he's not a cardiologist) pretty much dismissed it, and the company lied and said I didn't return the booklet with it with notes. I sent a HUGE note saying I wanted to know what that incident was, exactly. The clinic staff always dismisses my Fitbit Charge HR reports, too, but it is consistently within 1-2 beats of their devices. What it does NOT handle well, however, is sudden dips or spikes. What you're having is dangerous, according to what I've been told (during an ECHO treadmill test). So keep banging on the pipes until you get someone to pay attention and consider finding another dr. who will.
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1 ReactionThank you for your response.
I have trouble understanding why medical professionals are so reluctant to embrace the latest technologies available to patients. So many intermittent and unpredictable conditions exist.
Keep up your persistence!
~Conny
@sandra1953 Once upon a time I suffered through years of tachycardia like yours. Eventually I found a series of disorders that sounded like your symptoms and mine. I got a lot of help from the Mayo and other clinic videos, and from NIH.gov books, articles, etc. I finally got on metropolol tartrate, which seemed to alleviate it. But Mayo and AlnylamAct.com are helping me. "all blood work except auto immune is normal" Sounds like mine.
Thank you for your reply. I’m on Metropolol tartrate now and it’s helping.
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1 ReactionHAPPY SUNDAY,
I ALSO USED TO TAKE METROPOLOL TARTRATE. WHEN I LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT I WAS TAKEN OFF. WHEN I HAD SURGERY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, MY PCP PUT ME BACK ON THE METROPOLOL TARTRATE FOR A WEEK BEFORE SURGERY, UP TO THE DAY OF BECAUSE I ALWAYS GET TACHY WHEN I AM UNDER. GUESS WHAT? IT WORKED!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)