Aa
Help....I'm stuck!
I need advice from you guys. I had an ablation (not successful) in Sept. The Dr. couldn't even go in through my femoral veins, just my right jugular......hmmmmm. Anyway it took 3mo. to find an antiarrhythmic ( flecainide, that i had experience with before and a very high dose of it (400mg) to stop my constant bouts of a-fib. It was agony.
Well, after that no a-fib whatsoever...had to start weaning off the dangerously high dose of flecainide and have gotten down to 50mg morn and night. I had experienced within the last couple of momths maybe 2 very short episodes, hrs to 1 1/2 day of atrial tachycardia or PSVT. My rate was 112 and went up later to 120 and stayed there. Wasn't too bad and it did go back to my normal 60's-70's. All the while my BP is low, 80-90's over 60.
This new episode has come to stay it seems. It's been ongoing now for over 60 hrs straight, 125bpm, now a pretty steady 128. It's constant but I don't notice it so much if I don't do anything. It's upon any exertion that i feel shortness of breath and fatigue. This is the first time I've had to deal with a long constant episode. I'm home alone, my husband is out of state, my kids are out of town. Don't want to have to go to the hospital...if I can avoid it. Has anyone else experienced a long episode of this along with relatively low BP? Would a toprol bring down my HR without messin with my BP?
Please, I can use some help here!
Well, after that no a-fib whatsoever...had to start weaning off the dangerously high dose of flecainide and have gotten down to 50mg morn and night. I had experienced within the last couple of momths maybe 2 very short episodes, hrs to 1 1/2 day of atrial tachycardia or PSVT. My rate was 112 and went up later to 120 and stayed there. Wasn't too bad and it did go back to my normal 60's-70's. All the while my BP is low, 80-90's over 60.
This new episode has come to stay it seems. It's been ongoing now for over 60 hrs straight, 125bpm, now a pretty steady 128. It's constant but I don't notice it so much if I don't do anything. It's upon any exertion that i feel shortness of breath and fatigue. This is the first time I've had to deal with a long constant episode. I'm home alone, my husband is out of state, my kids are out of town. Don't want to have to go to the hospital...if I can avoid it. Has anyone else experienced a long episode of this along with relatively low BP? Would a toprol bring down my HR without messin with my BP?
Please, I can use some help here!
Best Answer
Linda, happy to hear things are better,hope it's permanent! So if I remember right you moved to Louisiana wasn't it? How's that going? My sons getting married in June so it's fun to see him go through all the turmoil and anxiety caused by the planning. HA.
My afib is pretty much gone. My heart rate seems to be slowing, which is good,was in the low to mid 80s now in the 70s. My BP is great. Talkingto the other 5box people in the yahoo site has been educational. The recoverys, symptoms and small differences weall have but in the end everyone seems to have a goo outcome. I'm so looking forward to warm weather. Even 60 degrees isn't good enough for me these days, I want 80! It's weird to look back to last year at this time when my afib came back. I was tired, depressed and just beginning my research into my next step. After having the 5box don in Sept it's been all good news.
Linda I hope your life continues on a positive note and keep in touch.
Pete
My afib is pretty much gone. My heart rate seems to be slowing, which is good,was in the low to mid 80s now in the 70s. My BP is great. Talkingto the other 5box people in the yahoo site has been educational. The recoverys, symptoms and small differences weall have but in the end everyone seems to have a goo outcome. I'm so looking forward to warm weather. Even 60 degrees isn't good enough for me these days, I want 80! It's weird to look back to last year at this time when my afib came back. I was tired, depressed and just beginning my research into my next step. After having the 5box don in Sept it's been all good news.
Linda I hope your life continues on a positive note and keep in touch.
Pete
Hey, how's it going, Pete.....I've really been doing quite well since in Dec a high dose of flecainide has kept me out of a-fib, but this tachycardia episode that just went on and on caught me out of the blue. Ok for now. I wish you all the best too, Pete.
Linda
Linda
Hi Linda
I just came back for a short visit and see how everyone is doing. Sorry to hear you are still struggling. I can't imagine how you are handling all the turmoil that has come you way in the last few months.
I very very much wish you well.
Pete
I just came back for a short visit and see how everyone is doing. Sorry to hear you are still struggling. I can't imagine how you are handling all the turmoil that has come you way in the last few months.
I very very much wish you well.
Pete
BTW, just a thought -- I was told not to mix Xanax and alcohol. Just something to consider:)
I'm glad to see you're better. Uh . . . the eating has gotten me in trouble too. I once had a bottle of soda (no caffeine) and 2 pieces of chocolate and went into Afib. It did convert on it's own after 15 hours, but was kind of bad until it did. I am totally off caffeine and am trying to eat smaller meals, because just having a really full stomach will irritate my heart at times.
So glad the breathing exercises helped -- WooHoo! I was thinking about you and wondering how it was going.
I think my short periods of irregular beats may be the same as I had last time I was converted. I'm calling the dr. in the morning and getting in to see him asap. I'm not going back to work until I get this explained to me and I think I may be able to get FMLA leave and only work half days for a time. I'm getting ready to retire, but have a couple of loose ends to take care of first.
So glad the breathing exercises helped -- WooHoo! I was thinking about you and wondering how it was going.
I think my short periods of irregular beats may be the same as I had last time I was converted. I'm calling the dr. in the morning and getting in to see him asap. I'm not going back to work until I get this explained to me and I think I may be able to get FMLA leave and only work half days for a time. I'm getting ready to retire, but have a couple of loose ends to take care of first.
Jerry, thanks for the reply. I was in the process of weaning off a high dose of flecainide that I was prescribed in Dec. I had almost constant a-fib episodes until I did that. This tachycardia really caught me off-guard. Not sure what triggered it, stress, MSG, California and spring rolls w/ahi tuna. and topped off with choc. brownies for dessert. The stress I was enduring led me to the food....so I guess it was one vicious circle. Bad me :(
Anyway....all is well this morning, After taking Delta's advice about the breathing exercises, I took my regular meds and went to bed....with a beer! And this morning i woke up in beautiful, blissful perfect NSR!!!! Yay! I'm sooooo excited!!! I hope I don't throw myself back into PSVT. I better settle down and savor the way I feel right now. I may try to go for a walk in a little bit. I'm just soooo happy!
Anyway....all is well this morning, After taking Delta's advice about the breathing exercises, I took my regular meds and went to bed....with a beer! And this morning i woke up in beautiful, blissful perfect NSR!!!! Yay! I'm sooooo excited!!! I hope I don't throw myself back into PSVT. I better settle down and savor the way I feel right now. I may try to go for a walk in a little bit. I'm just soooo happy!
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Hi Linda,
Sorry to read about you heart problems. I didn't read your post until now as thought you were on the way to a full recovery with the Ablation.
For me, I would not go to ER with a HR under 140, but would be sure to get it checked by my doctor as soon as I could. As for the BP, I always thought too low was like being too thin, not possible. That assumes, of course, you don't have any low oxygen symptoms, such as dizzy.
I found Toprol (Met,,,) when taken at a high dose level, I've been as high as 200 mg a day, pushed my BP too low, causing dizziness. It seems that my body did adjust to it over a few weeks, but not sure. I now take much less, to lower my HR. With BB and CCB my resting HR is in the 80 range and I too get fatigue when I do physical work. Sitting around I'm fine, but I have to walk at a slow pace if there is any kind of an upgrade or stairs.
Sorry to read about you heart problems. I didn't read your post until now as thought you were on the way to a full recovery with the Ablation.
For me, I would not go to ER with a HR under 140, but would be sure to get it checked by my doctor as soon as I could. As for the BP, I always thought too low was like being too thin, not possible. That assumes, of course, you don't have any low oxygen symptoms, such as dizzy.
I found Toprol (Met,,,) when taken at a high dose level, I've been as high as 200 mg a day, pushed my BP too low, causing dizziness. It seems that my body did adjust to it over a few weeks, but not sure. I now take much less, to lower my HR. With BB and CCB my resting HR is in the 80 range and I too get fatigue when I do physical work. Sitting around I'm fine, but I have to walk at a slow pace if there is any kind of an upgrade or stairs.
Hi and thanks. I have taken 2 of my toprol at once (50mg) and my rate hasn't changed. I do have a prescription for zanax that I've had for awhile so I will try one of those. I do take an ambien at night to help me sleep but I think Torrent is cutting the ingredients because after over 10 yrs and no problems with the strength, I am now with the last 2 scripts having to take 1 1/2. Also i will try the breathing exercises. Thanks for that too.
The beta-blockers don't seem to be bringing it down. It's mid 130's to 140. I can't imagine what has caused this all of a sudden and lasting this long. I took a clonazapam to help me relax and it did but the HR is still up there.
My husband is in Alaska and we are having problems with the upcoming closing on our place up there. It was after I found out about those issues that my HR sky-rocketed. My BP has remained perfect throughout.
I really want to wait till Mon. morning to decide. If my rate is higher tomorrow I will call my primary Dr. or the Dr on call and field some questions with them. Delta, just how low was your BP?
My husband is in Alaska and we are having problems with the upcoming closing on our place up there. It was after I found out about those issues that my HR sky-rocketed. My BP has remained perfect throughout.
I really want to wait till Mon. morning to decide. If my rate is higher tomorrow I will call my primary Dr. or the Dr on call and field some questions with them. Delta, just how low was your BP?
My experience is mostly with Afib, but I don't think you want your bp to be low or your heart rate high for too long. I am just out of the hospital, low bp was an issue and one nurse told me if it gets too low it can affect your kidneys. And of course, the high heart rate for too long is like running a marathon -- not good. I know how you feel about going to the hospital, especially on the weekend, as nothing much gets done until Monday. Still, you would be monitored, and medicated to reduce possible complications.
Do you have a friend who could go with you? Seems like there is no place lonelier than the hospital at night. Good luck, and hang in there.
Do you have a friend who could go with you? Seems like there is no place lonelier than the hospital at night. Good luck, and hang in there.
Thanks, Jan...I will. Sorry you are still having issues too. That's pretty cool that you have a portable ECG machine. I might have to look into getting one myself. Let us know what your Dr says about your recorded episode. Good Luck!
I know how you feel Linda, I am also having some issues 6 months after my ablation for SVT (AVNRT). I knew it was a 50/50 chance of success/failure as it was too deep in the heart muscle and according to my report after the procedure I was throwing different signals out during the procedure and the Cardio said the risk of AV block is increased with this problem.
Right now I have a portable EKG machine (omron HCG-801) and believe I may have caught some kind of episode on it. It actually said irregular heartrate please show your doctor. Pulse was only 77 though so am confused at what it could be as my SVT had my rate into 230bpm. Might take it in to the docs on Monday and see what he says.
Hang in there and get yourself off to the ER if you don't convert yourself.
Right now I have a portable EKG machine (omron HCG-801) and believe I may have caught some kind of episode on it. It actually said irregular heartrate please show your doctor. Pulse was only 77 though so am confused at what it could be as my SVT had my rate into 230bpm. Might take it in to the docs on Monday and see what he says.
Hang in there and get yourself off to the ER if you don't convert yourself.
If I'm still like this Mon. I guess I will head for the hospital It's very frustrating. I don't know if they can cardiovert NSVT or not. I've never dealt with this before, just a-fib, which i really hope doesn't kick in.
That last question is the 64,0000 dollar question. I know my veins are small and it's often impossible to draw blood unless I've drank a lot of fluids. I know they marked wihere they planned to go in but for whatever reason they opted to go only through the jugular. Maybe that's why it wasn't so successful. At this point I'm not planning to have another...that would have to take a lot of thought. Thanks, Tom for your input
I would seriously think about going to the hospital and getting it checked out. The longer you leave it the worse the complications could get.
Take care
Take care
I'm sorry you're having problems again, Linda. My experience with Toprol (the time release version of Metoprolol) and the generic, Metoprolol is that it is very effective in lowering BP. The lowering heart rate is a side effect, but is often administered for that reason, as was in my case. I still take 50mg. daily for BP, and find that my resting HR is often in the low 60's. I hope you can get a resolution. What was the reason for not using the femoral veins? Best of luck.
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My heart rate will take off under stress. I have some breathing exercises that will slow it down and Xanax does help cut the adrenaline that makes your heart rate higher. As it was explained to me, your heart is reacting normally when it goes higher to prepare for a perceived stress. But as far as it being sustained at a high level, it kind of wears you out. Mine was in 130's and 140's for 48 hours before I got a bed at the hospital. I think your plan to talk to your dr or whoever is on call is a good one. They can advise you.
The breathing exercise, if you want to try it, is the following: Breathe all your air out thru your mouth. Inhale thru your nose to the count of four, hold your breath to the count of 7, exhale thru your mouth to the count of 8. Keep your tongue pressed to the roof of your mouth. Do this 4 times. When you get used to it, you can do it 8 times. I also try 3 deep breaths, imagining watching my breath coming into my body, going to the bottom of my lungs and then back out again. These may seem simplistic, but they work. When I had my CTA Coronary scan, they needed my hr a little lower and I was able to lower it with the breathing technique.
Can you increase your beta blocker? I did that -- you might want to ask about that -- it may hold you over until Monday. Good luck, I will keep you in my thoughts.