Can a Neuro problem cause Tachycardia

[Eric874]

I am a 36 year old healthy male (non smoker).  Back in Feb. I had a very unusaul headache.  I would get a sharp pain in the back left side of my head.  I could put my finger on the spot.  The pain would last 10 seconds and then go away for 10 seconds.  This lasted for 2 days.  On the second night I awoke with palpitations.  The headache became more of a left side headache.  I made a trip to the ER.  CT scan did not show anything, but my heart was in the 140's.  Blood test revealed low potassium.  I took a potassium sumplement for a couple days and felt normal for a week.  At a follow up visit with Cardiologist my resting HR was 110.  That night it increased to 130's - 140's  I called the next morning and was admitted into the hospital for test.  I was given a complete workup.  During my stress test it took about 1-2 minutes to get my hr to 170's, but I passed the test.  The doctors told me the MRI of my head showed a spot were the headache was, but not a bleed.  (I dont understand) what was the spot?  I was in the hospital for 1 week for test.  An MRI of adrenal showed a small node.  I was tested for Phoecromocytoma (test came back negative) I was told Node was an incidental finding.  Endocronolgy was all normal.  I was given Motoporlol ER succ. and the dose was gradually increased until my symptoms subsided (100mg twice a day) I still have mild episodes of tachycardia while taking the beta-blocker.  My resting HR will vary from 60's to 90's and sometimes my hr will jump into the 120 range during normal daily activity.  Some days I get a sensation on the left side of my head and get a pulsing like a heartbeat above my left ear.  I keep going back to the fact that this all started with the worst headache that I've every experienced, but no cause of my tachycardia has ever been found.  I would love some advice.  Thanks.

[Detours211]

Eric
I would like to hear more about your situation.
I'm 29 and male also
For the last 15 days or so I've had tachycardia (getting as high as 135).
Had echo and holter monitor - according to doctor both of these "look good."  I have a follow up with him this Thurs the 14th and have a STRING of questions to ask him.

Are you still taking the drug?  He started me on metoprolol but I didnt like the side effects.  It did,  however, lower both my BP and my  heart rate to closer to normal.

I'm now on a calcium drug instead, Diltiazem and it is not working as well on lowering my heart rate and i feel much like I did before I started drugs.

Has this affected your quality of life?  I am completely wiped, cannot work, and just feel absolutely terrible.  If you can share more of your experience with me I think it would help me.

Thank you.

[Eric874]

yes, the tach was normal sinus rhythm.  I have not had an EP study, but the EP doctor suspects innappropriate sinus tach (IST).  The symptoms fit, but I really dont understand the headache that started two days prior to the tachycardia.  I've never had headaches and this one was so bad that I had to rest my head on an ice pack.  But, like I said before the ct scan and mri was normal.  The docs only mentioned a spot, were the headache was, but did not explain what the spot was.  How acurate are the ct and mri test.  Is it possible that something could be missed or too small to see, but big enough to cause problems.  If so could something neuro cause tachycardia.  I have no neuro symptoms.  I think your correct about riding it out.  I just wish that I could have been given a firm diagnosis.

[itdood]

The tach doesn't sound like a worriesome type of tach to me, I'm just basing that on the numbers though.  It was probably normal sinus rhythm/sinus tach which is completely normal.  

The potassium issue can take weeks to get back to normal.  When you test low for an electrolyte I don't think of the situation as normal  just by taking it once and maybe getting the plasma level back up.  Cells have to absorb it back to normal levels and that can take some time.

I think you're in a situation where you can only ride it out.  Stay on top of it, and get things checked out.  Eventually whatever is going on will change and you can move on.