Scared of SADS

[donna80]

I really want to post this on the "ASK DOCTOR" But can never find the post a question.

Anyway I am 28 healthy female from the uk, and have 2 children, 10 and 2. I do not take any medication, just paracetomol when needed.

For the past 8 years i have suffered with palpitations, i have had many ecg (where they monitor heart for a min) and i have worn a 24 hour holtor monitor twice.  I have also had a heart scan.  All  came back fine, except when  pusued to see a private cardio who did my last 24 hour holtor monitor which was last year said sinus tacicardia.  He did say my ECG was fine and my QT levels were fine.. ?

Ok here is my concern, 2 november's ago i woke up with palpitations, my heart was going mad, skipping, bouncing etc, and i had a bad chest for a few days, and frequent palpitations, during the time when i was awoken by my then baby was crying for a feed.. could this of been the cause?

Then again last november i was in tenerife and i awoke with my heart going crazy again, and for the next few days i had a bad chest and frequent palpitations. That day i had an active day in the water park.. and that night the hotel from cross the way was very lively could this of been the cause?

And i can remember since the age of 14 when i would go back to sleep in the morning or take a day nap i would feel my heart beating fast and hard and i would awake startelled and scared.  And this has happened on and off since, about 2 times a year, unless i eat chocolate or drink alcohol.  ..

What has prompt me to post here today i i have just read about a 19 year old teenager being found dead, post mortem says SADS Sudden Adult Death Syndrome! Where your hearts just stops during sleep. ?

I am worse during sleep, and upon awakening, and it scared the hell out of me thinking i could have some underlying condition.. ?

Would my past ecg, and heart scan picked up on something? Please could you reasure me?

Many thanks

[stevie_wonder]

Hi,
I understand your concern because PVCs can be very scary. We all are told that they are normal and we just have to live with them... easy for the docs to say!

SADS actually stands for sudden arrhythmia death syndrome and can affect people of all ages, even children. What sets these syndromes apart from most other heart diseases is the "sudden" aspect of the symptoms. Most people do not have fore-warning of symptoms before they faint or worse, have a cardiac arrest. I have Long QT Syndrome and PVCs, both are NOT related. Most of my PVCs come from the anxiety of living with this.

If you have had tests done by a cardiologist and there was nothing to alarm him, then I think you can rest assured that you will be fine. Maybe check with your family doctor for some anxiety treatment and this might help your heart palpitations.
Good luck and take care

[tia77]

So sorry to hear about your problem.  I feel like I am worse at night or first thing in the morning or at rest because I can notice them more.  When you are up and about doing things they are less noticable.  If the doctor said they are "harmless" even though I know they don't feel that way I would still have checks once a year or 6 months to make sure there are no changes.  Unfortunatly for us ladies we can have alot of palps with changes in the hormons in our body.  Yes if I have to much caffein or alcohol they increase.  Around my cycle they increase and STRESS  or STRESSFULL times they are worse.  Maybe when the morning comes or if the baby was crying it got you going.  I take metroprol (toprol) 12.5 in the morning and one at night only if I feel like my heart is really doing the dance.  It does help somewhat and maybe you could ask your doctor is it would be approprate for you.  I think the baby would have to be weaned but I'm not sure about that.  Ask you shouldn't have to have them as much as you do and when they do happen it is so scary sometimes it used to put me in a panick attack.  I wish you well and ask the doctor about the medicine if you feel you can't handle it.  There is nothing worse than waking in a panick because of a jumpy heart.  Good luck.

[donna80]

Just want to add, i do not exercise much at all just general house work because i do not like it when i am hot sweaty etc because  i get more palpitations..