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Tachycardia?
Hi,
I'm a 22 year old female who goes to the gym 5 times a week. I've had palpitations on and off for the past 5 years. My resting heart rate is around 65bpm.
Last Wednesday (five days ago) I was at my usual spinning class when I checked my heart rate monitor because my head all of a sudden came over very light. It said 200bpm (where I usually never exceed around 185bpm), before dropping to 120bpm, going back up to 190bpm, dropping back down to 90bpm, and so on. My arms and legs were going numb and I felt like I was going to pass out. I left the class and went home, where the episode carried on – I was shaking, I felt numb all over, was having strong palpitations, lightheadedness, and my heart rate was continuing to fly up and down.
I phoned a paramedic who couldn't get my heart rate to come down past 145bpm, even though I was sat resting for 2 hours or so. He phoned an ambulance and they took me to the hospital where they took multiple ECG's, a chest x-ray and a blood test. I know that my heart was palpitating during one of the ECG's, but when I saw a doctor I'm not sure he was looking at that one in front of him.
My chest x-ray was fine. My blood tests showed no problems, except a slightly underactive thryoid – something I know about and don't need medication for – and a reasonably high white blood cell count. He said that my ECG showed that my heart rate was regular, if a bit fast, but again I'm not sure whether I was experiencing any palpitations during that ECG. He said that it doesn't look like atrial fibrillation, since the beats are regular, and requested a 24 hour ECG and an appointment with a cardiologist the following Wednesday. He also gave me beta blockers to take: 1.25mg of Bisoprolol every day.
I left the hospital and felt totally drained, but I expected that since my heart was racing up and down, well above 140bpm for around 4-5 hours. I wasn't feeling well a couple of days later, but decided to get up and go for a short, slow stroll with my dog. Once I got back, I sat and watched TV and I had another episode – the same symptoms as before. Again, my heart rate was flying up to 170bpm, back down to 80bpm etc, along with the same lightheadedness, shortness of breath, etc. I went back to the hospital, where they basically just monitored me until it calmed down a bit and told me that there were no signs of damage to my heart, so I didn't have a heart attack, and to wait until my appointment with the cardiologist.
Ever since Wednesday I have been feeling really ill. I have no appetite whatsoever, I've lost around 9 pounds in one week, which is quite a lot for a 5ft 8, 126 pound (now 117 pound) girl. I am constantly exhausted. I have other feelings that come and go too: tightness in my chest, numbness in my left leg, pressure on my head and jaw, and still palpitations every day. I also get waves of what feels like adrenaline wash over me.
I'm sorry for the really long post, but my real question is – what is going on with me? The doctor wrote on my discharge form (from Wednesday, the first episode) 'ECG sinus tachycardia' – but could he tell if it were another kind of tachycardia if I wasn't having an episode during the ECG? I appreciate I should probably just wait until Wednesday and see what the cardiologist says, but I feel so ill and I've had what feels like two more episodes about to come on, that I've 'breathed away' – I wasn't measuring my heart rate then but I think it stayed pretty normal, nowhere near as high as the previous two times when I went to hospital.
I'm desperate to know why I'm feeling so poorly with such odd symptoms. People have suggested it could just be anxiety, but I'd love to know whether it's likely to be panic attacks, or a form of tachycardia, or could it possibly be a fever that's causing these episodes?
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your opinion.
I'm a 22 year old female who goes to the gym 5 times a week. I've had palpitations on and off for the past 5 years. My resting heart rate is around 65bpm.
Last Wednesday (five days ago) I was at my usual spinning class when I checked my heart rate monitor because my head all of a sudden came over very light. It said 200bpm (where I usually never exceed around 185bpm), before dropping to 120bpm, going back up to 190bpm, dropping back down to 90bpm, and so on. My arms and legs were going numb and I felt like I was going to pass out. I left the class and went home, where the episode carried on – I was shaking, I felt numb all over, was having strong palpitations, lightheadedness, and my heart rate was continuing to fly up and down.
I phoned a paramedic who couldn't get my heart rate to come down past 145bpm, even though I was sat resting for 2 hours or so. He phoned an ambulance and they took me to the hospital where they took multiple ECG's, a chest x-ray and a blood test. I know that my heart was palpitating during one of the ECG's, but when I saw a doctor I'm not sure he was looking at that one in front of him.
My chest x-ray was fine. My blood tests showed no problems, except a slightly underactive thryoid – something I know about and don't need medication for – and a reasonably high white blood cell count. He said that my ECG showed that my heart rate was regular, if a bit fast, but again I'm not sure whether I was experiencing any palpitations during that ECG. He said that it doesn't look like atrial fibrillation, since the beats are regular, and requested a 24 hour ECG and an appointment with a cardiologist the following Wednesday. He also gave me beta blockers to take: 1.25mg of Bisoprolol every day.
I left the hospital and felt totally drained, but I expected that since my heart was racing up and down, well above 140bpm for around 4-5 hours. I wasn't feeling well a couple of days later, but decided to get up and go for a short, slow stroll with my dog. Once I got back, I sat and watched TV and I had another episode – the same symptoms as before. Again, my heart rate was flying up to 170bpm, back down to 80bpm etc, along with the same lightheadedness, shortness of breath, etc. I went back to the hospital, where they basically just monitored me until it calmed down a bit and told me that there were no signs of damage to my heart, so I didn't have a heart attack, and to wait until my appointment with the cardiologist.
Ever since Wednesday I have been feeling really ill. I have no appetite whatsoever, I've lost around 9 pounds in one week, which is quite a lot for a 5ft 8, 126 pound (now 117 pound) girl. I am constantly exhausted. I have other feelings that come and go too: tightness in my chest, numbness in my left leg, pressure on my head and jaw, and still palpitations every day. I also get waves of what feels like adrenaline wash over me.
I'm sorry for the really long post, but my real question is – what is going on with me? The doctor wrote on my discharge form (from Wednesday, the first episode) 'ECG sinus tachycardia' – but could he tell if it were another kind of tachycardia if I wasn't having an episode during the ECG? I appreciate I should probably just wait until Wednesday and see what the cardiologist says, but I feel so ill and I've had what feels like two more episodes about to come on, that I've 'breathed away' – I wasn't measuring my heart rate then but I think it stayed pretty normal, nowhere near as high as the previous two times when I went to hospital.
I'm desperate to know why I'm feeling so poorly with such odd symptoms. People have suggested it could just be anxiety, but I'd love to know whether it's likely to be panic attacks, or a form of tachycardia, or could it possibly be a fever that's causing these episodes?
Thanks for reading and thanks in advance for your opinion.
Hi Michelle,
Thanks for your constant responses to me – they really help when I'm feeling a bit anxious about everything!
I decided to pay to see a cardiologist sooner. He was such a great doctor – he initially said that it sounded like SVT but after looking at the ECG's from the day the first (and worst) episode happened, he said that it looks like sinus tachycardia. He wants to cover all basis though, so he's sending me for an echocardiogram, a stress test, and an event monitor.
I also got my holter monitor results back, which said:
'Majority of the rhythm is sinus with infrequent APCs as isolated. Infrequent VE's as isolated, couplet and bigeminy. 23 episodes of sinus tachycardia, longest lasting 88 beats, fastest 146 bpm.
Max HR: 133bpm
Min HR: 51bpm
Mean HR: 72bpm
Patient events correlate with sinus rhythm and an isolated VE.'
I'm guessing that's all okay? I forgot to tell the cardiologist that I was taking a low dose of beta blockers during the holter monitor... I wonder if that would make a difference?
Anyway, I just thought I'd keep you posted.
Thyroid levels do fluctuate so you could go back another time and they will be different again but it doesn't sound like it should be the cause of your problem. It is totally up to you if you want to pay to see the doctor sooner. I know first hand how stressful and scary issues with the heart can be so it is understandable you do not want to wait. The wait may actually cause you more symptoms because you are stressing out. This said, you are exactly right, if anything dangerous was seen on the results you would have been contacted immediately. Cardiologists seem very disinterested in things that send terror through us. They have the experience to know that even though the heart is acting up our bodies can handle it without much consequence. It can sometimes come off as them seeming to be uncaring but it is really just that they are not in fear like we are. But if getting in to see him sooner outweighs the cost then there is your answer. There is nothing wrong with you wanting to do that for your own well being.
As for the meds, no one here can recommend to you what to do with your meds. Any changes to them should really be discussed with your doctor for potential side effects and dangers. But I will say my cardiologist did not see a need for them in cases of svt. He would not prescribe them. He would for my pvcs but stated svt really isn't helped much by bp meds. It can slow the heart rate down when one is in svt but it won't prevent it so I personally didn't think the side effects, hassle and costs were worth it in my case. I went 44 years with my svt not being diagnosed let alone treated. I was starting to see the effects of an irritated heart but my heart is not worse for wear because of it. So you can feel relatively confident that the svt is not a danger to you especially since you are able to slow it down on your own. That is really the most crucial part. Not letting it go on for hours which could weaken the heart over time but the heart is very resilient and can handle a lot before Permanent damage occurs. The issues with my heart from the svt are all but gone.
Well best of luck getting this sorted out. Keep us posted.
As for the meds, no one here can recommend to you what to do with your meds. Any changes to them should really be discussed with your doctor for potential side effects and dangers. But I will say my cardiologist did not see a need for them in cases of svt. He would not prescribe them. He would for my pvcs but stated svt really isn't helped much by bp meds. It can slow the heart rate down when one is in svt but it won't prevent it so I personally didn't think the side effects, hassle and costs were worth it in my case. I went 44 years with my svt not being diagnosed let alone treated. I was starting to see the effects of an irritated heart but my heart is not worse for wear because of it. So you can feel relatively confident that the svt is not a danger to you especially since you are able to slow it down on your own. That is really the most crucial part. Not letting it go on for hours which could weaken the heart over time but the heart is very resilient and can handle a lot before Permanent damage occurs. The issues with my heart from the svt are all but gone.
Well best of luck getting this sorted out. Keep us posted.
Forgot to add, my blood test results were completely normal... as in the slightly underactive thyroid that I've had for the past 5 years, including up to the blood test I had at the end of August, has all of a sudden regulated itself. I have very normal thyroid function now apparently... Bizarre.
Hello all,
I was hoping you could give me some advice. I was able to move my appointment with the cardiologist a week sooner, but that's still the best part of 2 months away. I also enquired about the results of my holter monitor, but I was told that I would probably get these results at my appointment with the cardiologist. The lady on the phone told me that usually if there is anything to worry about with the results of the holter monitor, they will move my appointment forward... so I guess seen as it's still 2 months away, they can't be too concerned by what they've seen.
I've decided to wean myself off of the beta blockers. I was only on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol to start off with, but it has been making me feel awful – lightheaded, nauseous, and plenty of headaches/head pressure. I took half a tablet for 3 days and now I'm taking half a tablet every other day for the rest of the week. I already feel so much better for it.
My question is, if it were you, would you pay to see the cardiologist sooner? Since I live in the UK my appointment with the cardiologist is free since it's on the NHS, but I can pay £200 for a private appointment with the same cardiologist, and I'll probably get to see him this week.
I guess logically I know that there can't be anything that wrong with me otherwise they would have been in touch much sooner regarding my holter monitor results. The real question is am I happy to pay £200 for peace of mind 2 months sooner.
I feel much better now I'm coming off the beta blockers. My heart rate is completely normal still. Having said that, I'm still not 100% myself with a bit of a stuffy, tight chest and numbness in my left arm that comes and goes – this is the reason why I'm tempted to see the cardiologist sooner rather than later? What would you guys do?
Thanks for your input in advance.
I was hoping you could give me some advice. I was able to move my appointment with the cardiologist a week sooner, but that's still the best part of 2 months away. I also enquired about the results of my holter monitor, but I was told that I would probably get these results at my appointment with the cardiologist. The lady on the phone told me that usually if there is anything to worry about with the results of the holter monitor, they will move my appointment forward... so I guess seen as it's still 2 months away, they can't be too concerned by what they've seen.
I've decided to wean myself off of the beta blockers. I was only on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol to start off with, but it has been making me feel awful – lightheaded, nauseous, and plenty of headaches/head pressure. I took half a tablet for 3 days and now I'm taking half a tablet every other day for the rest of the week. I already feel so much better for it.
My question is, if it were you, would you pay to see the cardiologist sooner? Since I live in the UK my appointment with the cardiologist is free since it's on the NHS, but I can pay £200 for a private appointment with the same cardiologist, and I'll probably get to see him this week.
I guess logically I know that there can't be anything that wrong with me otherwise they would have been in touch much sooner regarding my holter monitor results. The real question is am I happy to pay £200 for peace of mind 2 months sooner.
I feel much better now I'm coming off the beta blockers. My heart rate is completely normal still. Having said that, I'm still not 100% myself with a bit of a stuffy, tight chest and numbness in my left arm that comes and goes – this is the reason why I'm tempted to see the cardiologist sooner rather than later? What would you guys do?
Thanks for your input in advance.
the telltale sign of an accessory pathway svt is that it starts and stops in one beat. If you do deep breathing and it all of a sudden stops then it could be accessory pathway otherwise it may be something other than an extra muscle fiber causing the rapid heart beat. It doesn't even need to be fear type anxiety but just plain adrenaline from being a high energy person can do it. If I make sudden moves exerting myself quickly I can notice little runs of something happen. I don't fall into svt anymore because I had mine corrected but something else does get triggered so something is causing your heart to beat faster than normal. I would try to assess yourself when you notice it. What did you just do, were you holding your breath for any reason, running out of breath, feeling even a little anxious or excited in the moment. The more you can pin down when it fires up the better you will be able to help the doctor so maybe having a little time before you see him would be good you can get some thoughts in order before hand. Well do let us know what the holter results say.
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