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Heart rate question...

Okay so for a little background. I am a 26 year old male. I don't drink anymore, and I am not a smoker. I used to smoke weed, and drink a lot. In 2004 I was diagnosed with WPW. I had an ablation to fix that in 2004 as well. I have not had problems with that since then. Starting back in August I was getting episodes of dizziness, and went to the doctor. They did an EKG, and I had bradycardia. After this I had a holter, and after that I went to see a cardio and they ordered a stress test, an echo, and eventually an event monitor. I had all these things checked by both a cardio and an EP, and they said everything was normal. They figured I probably just had anxiety. I realize now I probably do have anxiety, but it really didn't start till all my symptoms started.

Now flash forward to recently. I had been feeling very good for a while, and then all of a sudden things were back with a vengeance. I had been noticing recently that my heart has been racing a lot. I had purchased an exercise heart rate monitor because of being worried, and wanting to be able to work out again. So I have just been wearing it recently to try and monitor what my heart rate is doing when I feel it racing. So just for a week or so now I have noticed that my heart rate while just like sitting around at home or in class will be in the 80s or 90s consistently. Then when I stand up it goes up to 110 or 120. So just like walking around it stays around 110 or 120, and just walking up stairs at a very slow pace will make it shoot up to 140, and I will feel like I am short of breath (not seriously like bending over struggling, but just not like normal). To me at my age, and the fact that prior to all this starting in August I was in very good shape. I just do not think my heart should be this high all the time. I just wonder if anyone has any ideas on this. I haven't been to my doctor about this lately because every time I mention something like this they now just say it is anxiety. While I know I do have some of that this seems to me like there is just something not quite right. Do you think I should go back to the doctor and push to have another EKG? I also notice on the heart rate monitor that the rate seems to jump around.

Thanks for any help
Jordan
7 Responses
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967168 tn?1477584489
there's good and bad to feeling both sides of the story...I've been there and been on my side where there's something major and life threatening going on.

I don't know if ignoring the way I felt was good or not, but then again that's something most dr's tell patients and advice I've given not only myself but others...and it almost killed me.   Ignorance IS bliss, and dealing with the reality of something really wrong is scary, but I don't dwell on it.  Dwelling and obsessing over something will only make it worse and possibly make your health worse over the stress.

Talk frankly with your doctor about your condition and if he/she really thinks nothing is wrong, but you do, then def go and get another opinion.   Sometimes, things crop up during surgery; that didn't show up during tests (that's my case) and in some cases, they may never find the problem.
Helpful - 0
995271 tn?1463924259
I've gone through similar episodes starting in my 30s.  I'm 42 now, and these have either stopped or I don't notice it anymore.  I'm still here and no worse for the wear :-)

It's really common what you're feeling with the anxiety and the heart changes.  Most of it is aging I think.  Your autonomic nervous system that controls all this is changing and you're feeling those changes.

I let it partially control my life for about 5 years.  I limited myself and was too anxious to push my limits sometimes.  I wish I hadn't done that because in the end it meant nothing.  My attitude these days is that no one gets out alive from this world.  Time is moving by me so quickly I'm doing my best to make the best of it.

Get your tests for reassurance.  Stop over-thinking your heart and SOB because more than likely you are thinking yourself into it.  This takes work, it's not easy.  Take care of yourself, set aside some me-time.  Being happy, not anxious, is a behavioral thing.  Sometimes you have to force it on yourself.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you everyone for your responses. I have been trying to just not let it get to me as you guys have said. It is tough. I just notice every time I stand up it seems like I get short of breath (not really bad, but just doesn't feel quite right), and I have weird pains in my chest and middle of my back. I sometimes think this is all just anxiety, and then sometimes I don't do so well and think it is something else. I am probably going to go to my doctor this week and just talk with him about it, and see what I can get checked out.

Lisa
I had a 30 day event monitor back in October of last year. I have had all the cardiological tests you can think of back then. Everything checked out fine, but I really wasn't having this same type of problem back then. I am interested in trying to get another EKG or possibly having another Holter just to pretty much put my mind at ease. I really don't think it is related to my WPW because it feels completely different to those episodes, but I guess that is something that could be.

Thanks again for everyone's help
Jordan
Helpful - 0
967168 tn?1477584489
I would ask for a 30 day monitor, and stop obsessing about your HR.  Stress and anxiety plus caffeine diet etc can make it worse and just a burst of adrenaline from thinking about it going up could make it raise.

If the monitor doesn't show anything, you may want to ask about anti anxiety meds to help calm your nerves and see how that works.

I would err on the side of caution when something has happened previously just to be on the safe side then, if you get a clean bill of health - live your life like nothing is wrong with you...then believe it because

(side note - could any of this be from wpw? I dont know alot about it other than reading here)
Helpful - 0
1144520 tn?1277115601
When i was still "panicking" about my funky heartbeats I too walked around with a heartrate monitor everyday everywhere i went... i had the same prob as u.

The  strange thing was that i didn't feel like i was affraid and i didn't feel panicked at all... yet everytime i wore that heartrate monitor my heartrate would go up.

You wear a heartrate monitor to see if there is a threat which would require more medical attention. So you wear it to see if there is DANGER... if u look for danger u will see it... ur fight or flight system will activate and heartrate will go up.


When focusing on the heartrate or on the breath it's easy to mess it up. You're better off not thinking about it too much and if you find u can't focus away from it, start singing a song in your head, start counting...

Don't try to ignore it too much though, the transition of ur focus must be smooth for it to be natural. U must really stop caring and let it go...
If you're still having problems with this u might want to look into vipassana meditation to learn to "let go and relax", i practice it and it's pretty good.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I realize it is a bit excessive. I also realize it is a vicious cycle I am in right now. I feel my heart rate go up, and it worries me. Then I'm worried and it goes up more. Sometimes I may not even feel worried, but I do keep checking which probably makes it go up. I also realize that a full blown panic attack can make the rate go much higher. In fact I am pretty sure I had another panic attack (which I hadn't had in a while), and my heart got up around 155. I also know it could be much much worse than that. In my final WPW episode (the one where I finally got the diagnosis) my heart rate went above 300 which luckily by the time it was that high I was already with the paramedics so they could give me something to slow my heart down.

The thing about the panic attack is it doesn't normally last more than an hour, and the fast heart rate with it normally only lasts 15 minutes at the most. This is pretty much sustained at 110-120 maybe even 130 for as long as I would be standing up or walking around. I know it probably really isn't anything serious because they probably would have caught it before, but I just keep thinking it is something like A-fib or something worse. I guess the thing that worries me the most is the symptoms that go along with it.

Thanks again for your help
Jordan
Helpful - 0
995271 tn?1463924259
Just my humble opinion....wearing a HRM to class and what-not is a bit obsessive.

I don't think the rates are that bad.  A full blown panic attack can affect the heart rate much worse.

I think you're a bit anxious, over monitoring your heart, and you're seeing the increased symapthetic tone.
Helpful - 0
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