Rapid heart rate with little or no exertion, dizziness

[onesweetworld28]

I had three episodes of palpitations back in May and saw a cardiologist in early June who performed an EKG and stress test. He determined that I have a trace of mitral valve prolapse. I wore a halter monitor for ten days and the doctor didn't see anything concerning other than that I have occasional tachycardia for which he couldn't offer an explanation.

My resting heart rate is in the high 90's to lower 100's and it speeds up to 130 just by walking around. It will go up to at least 150 if I climb two flights of stairs, and 170 if I jog for one minute. It also increases to at least 130 if I'm walking or more if I'm walking while carrying heavy objects, such as groceries. If I'm climbing stairs while carrying heavy objects, I have severe chest pain accompanied by tachycardia. When I reach the top of a flight of stairs, I’m extremely dizzy and sometimes feel like I’m going to pass out. The same happens if I stand up after sitting for awhile. I’ve also been having intermittent low grade fever coupled with muscle pain and extreme fatigue, but I don't know if those symptoms are related.

My blood tests have come back normal except for slightly elevated CRP levels. I saw a pulmonologist, who found no problem with my lungs but after walking up two flights of stairs with me and seeing my pulse level increase and my oxygen saturation decrease on the pulse oximeter, suggested I go for a cardiopulmonary stress test.

I’m 24, female, and weigh about 128 pounds. I was going to the gym three times a week up until two months ago when I started having the palpitations. I started an aerobics regimen at home two weeks ago. I also walk as much as I can and eat healthy. I used to smoke every once in awhile but haven’t in over two months. The last two times I got my blood pressure checked, it was low.

Has anyone experienced these symptoms or has a similar story to share? Thanks so much!

[Cla2018]

Hi, I have similar problems and am 23. I am also almost constantly breathless even when resting. It came on slowly but is getting worse. You seemed to get a lot of tests done - what has happened since if you are there?!

[r9c]

Hi,its very hard for for something significant to changes in a short 2 months,but then anything can happen,and during your EKG stress test,wats ur blood pressure response is? i do have the same thing as yours,and nearly 2 years ago i had an ekg stress test,and was told my BP pressure response was good during the stress test and yet at times i still feel dizzy upon exertion.

[onesweetworld28]

Thank you so much for your help. I wasn't jogging per se, rather I was walking quickly to catch a train. It was for maybe half a minute. Then I checked my heart rate once I got on and it was close to 170.

My heart rate went up to 160 and my o2 went below 90 when I finished climbing three flights of stairs with my pulmonologist. He was worried because we were purposely walking very slowly yet even then my heart rate increased so much. Getting up to walk to the bathroom from my desk at work makes my heart rate go up from 84 to around 125.

Is it possible for my heart to change in two months? That's when I saw the cardiologist and got the tests done.

[is_something_wrong]

It could have, but if you're feeling worse, you should definitely see a cardiologist again.

All infections in the body will at some point somehow affect the heart and circulation. That's the reason why you shouldn't exercise heavily while you have a cold or a flu. With elevated CRP and fever, something is affecting your body. As I told you, chest pain and dizziness with activity and rapid heart rate, along with reduced oxygen saturation, is not something you should accept. I don't know how much your O2 reduced after walking the stairs, in my case during stress test, SaO2 at rest was 100% and at peak exercise (heart rate 210 BPM) 99%.

The heart rate of 170 while jogging isn't extremely high, but if it is higher than it used to be, it's a sign that something is changed. As I told you, this may be "nothing" but you shouldn't take any chances, so I would do as your pulmonologist told you and get tested by a cardiologist.

[onesweetworld28]

Wouldn't the EKG or stress test have picked up on something like that?  Then again, I feel like my symptoms have gotten worse since I saw the cardiologist.

[is_something_wrong]

Hello. While this can be caused by low blood pressure alone, I advice you to take an ultrasound of the heart and some blood tests, to rule out viral myocarditis. I wouldn't exercise heavily until cleared by a doctor if I were you. May be nothing, but the chest pain and exercise intolerance seems concerning to me.