Sudden Unexplained Tachycardia Episodes

[Lindsay67]

I am a 41 year old female (and a registered nurse for 20 years) - healthy, normal weight,routinely exercise, non-smoker, take no medications, live in a good healthy environment, occasionally have a glass of wine or two at night, and drink only 1 or 2 cups of coffee in the morning.  I do have a history of systemic lupus which has been in complete remission since 1999 with zero problems.  Given that, at random times I have begun to regularly experience episodes of tachycardia that come on taking my hear rate up to 140-170 bpm (from a normal of 70-80).  This will happen in the morning sometimes, afternoon, at night, and sometimes will wake me up in the middle of the night as it makes me feel slightly short of breath.  It will last an hour or two...sometimes all day..then it will go away.  I notice it immediately as it feels very strong and bounding.  It will happen on days when I haven't had alcohol for days, and it will happen 12 hours after a cup of coffee, so it doesn't seem to be alcohol or caffeine related. Oddly enough, the fast heart rate will sometimesz come on after eating. The worst is when it comes on in the middle of the night. It is very annoying.  Could this be Wolf Parkinson White syndrome or some random rhythm issue?  I have had hormonal testing for estrogen, LH, thyroid and all are within normal parameters.  Is next step an EKG as I presume and has anyone ever experienced similar issues and found resolution to this problem?  Thanks for reading this.

[btodd11]

Wow, it's weird to talk to people who have the same symptoms.  Yes, mine wake me up in the night.  With my Lupus, I constantly have dull, throbbing chest pain; pericarditis, plurisey, etc.  No one's really sure what it is, however, as soon as my heart stops it's little "jump for joyfest," every normal beat feels like someone is stabbing me for about 15 beats & I can't catch my breath.  That's mostly what wakes me up.  Not a very pleasant thing to wake up to, I might add.  I don't really notice if eating has anything to do with mine or not.  Doesn't seem like it.  My SVT started when I was 16 & I'm 34 now.  I tried medications then & they didn't work.  I don't really recall what they were because I was so young.  I did try Toprol this summer and all it did was make it start & stop more often, rather than start, last 30 min to an hour, then stop.  I didn't like that feeling, it was harder to get used to.  Like Tsco, I get sick to my stomach & dazed.  Lot's of skipped beats, also.  Sometimes I think my hearts doing summersaults in there.  I sure wish we could all get it fixed & be done with it.  I know I'm tired of it.  Best of luck!  :)

[Lindsay67]

Interesting.  I have taken Toprol XL 50mg prior to see if it helps, seemed to calm it down a little.   The problem of it seeming to 'have a memory' is interesting as my heart rate will automatically go up to this set point between 140 and 160, stay there, and then calms down automatically when it's ready.  We'll see what happens with the holter.  Just don't want an underlying condition I'm not aware of.

Thanks for the input.

[tsco]

I'm in the club too.  I also have had four ablations with the only result being lowered SVT rate and increase in ectopic beats.  Mine started suddenly at age 35.  I never had one skip beat in my life until then. The problem is it seems to have a memory, the liklihood of it going away is slim to none.  I guess we just have to learn to control any triggers (anxiety, lack of sleep, etc.) and deal with it.  And yes it is a pain but it won't kill you. My episodes used to require ER visits, now I can limit them to two hours by taking a 50 mg toprol.  Alchohol,, stress, no sleep are my biggest triggers. I feel mine are more likely when my stomach if ull and sometimes when stretching my arms up or bending over.  My episodes are very strong, hard beat, fast (now 140 to 160), get dizzy/lite headed, feel kind of sicky, sleepy, confused and out-of breath...on the positive side....I guess my heart is strong.

[Lindsay67]

Thanks for your comments on this.  I actually went for the first time today and had an ekg and have a 24 hr holter monitor on right now.  I was worried I would have this monitor on and nothing would show up, but in the past 3 hrs I have had an episode of tachycardia lasting around 1 hour - only 120 hr but pounding.  Hope it is nothing.  Curious if you have ever had this about an hour after you eat or wake you in the middle of the night?  Also, did they try medications first or go right to the ablation?  Hope your improves as well.
Thanks

[btodd11]

Wow, seems like you just wrote that about me!  I have Lupus also, since 1994.  However, I cannot say that's mines been in remission.  :(   Anyway, I've also had SVT since 1990.  I've had 4 ablations since then; the last one being last Wednesday.  My symptoms are exactly the same as yours.  I feel right when it starts beating fast and right when it stops.  My EKG's have always been normal.  I caught mine on a 48 monitor.  I had 98 episodes the last time I wore it.  Doesn't matter if I have caffene or not, although alcohol seems to aggrivate it more.  It is extremely annoying because it feels like it's just going to pound right out of my chest and I'm short of breath because it's pounding so hard.  I have never been able to pinpoint a trigger, either.  My EP doc says it's just more of a nuisance than anything.  Some of the arrythmia's are more threatening, though, so it's definately worth looking into.  Unfortunately for me, I'm just going to have to learn how to deal with it.  My last ablation didn't work either, (although it has slowed the speed down).  It does seem to solve the problem for lots of people, though.  I don't know if any of this helps or not.  Hang in there...you're not alone.