VERY long heart pause. Thanks in advance

[jpcox]

Hi guys it's me again. I am having a bad day, and it's even my birthday. For the past days I have been having constant pacs. Today out the blue, I had an extremly LONG heart pause. I was driving and it felt like someone "hit the pause button on me" I felt extreme chest tightness, and it was like I was not breathing. Then it was like my heart kicked back in. I have had very weak legs after this and a general feeling of weakness. I immediately called the cardio's office and scheduled me an appointment. The next available is on the 8th. And yes I have been crying all afternoon because I am so scared of what this might be. And yes the doctor office made me feel silly, and now I don't know what to do next.

Could this be some type of heart block, or sinus pause or worse sinus arrest? If anyone can help me understand this, I would be forever grateful. I would like to know what kind of questions should I ask my doctor, so that I know they are not missing anything.

This site is such a blessing.

[jkfrench]

Hi
Yes, I always feel my PAT.  It causes symptoms.  I feel like I'm having an out of body experience.  Plus I always feel a long pause before it starts.  Much longer than that pause between pvcs.
If your doctor isn't worried because you don't notice it and if it is PAT then you shouldn't be worried.
Hope you have recovered from that nasty episode and that you had a wonderful birthday.

Frenchie

[Tracey759]

Hi.  I'm new to this site.  I have been having heart palpitations, arrythmias, missed beats, heart "quivering" sensations, long pauses in rythym then kicks in again with an extra strong beat.  Call them what you like, they are all VERY distressing and most times bring on feelings of anxiety or even panic attacks.  I was diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy 15 years ago.  This is where the heart wall is thicker than what it should be.  It is not obstructive but I do need to have it checked each year.  A lot of people have this condition and don't realise they have it as it can be without symptoms.   My Cardiologist put me on anti-arrythmia drugs and believe it or not, it made them worse.  I am not one to take drugs easily but I was desperate.  Never again.    Recently my naturopath suggested to me to get my amalgam fillings removed as mercury in the body can cause SO many health problems, one major one being heart arrythmias, palpitations etc.  If you have a mouth full of the silver amalgam fillings, check out the net (mercury toxicity) and you'll be astounded at the symptoms listed.   You'll probably be surprised how many symptoms you will relate to.  Mine are many!  Panic disorder, sinus problems, tinnitus (ears ringing), muscle pain ... the list goes on!  Hopefully this will be of help to some of you.  Check it out.  Maybe you're problems lie in your mouth!
Good luck everyone!   I've got my first appointment with holistic dentist in a few weeks.
Will see what happens!    
Cheers from Australia!
Tracey B

[jpcox]

Really, about doctors not knowing how to look at it? This is frightening, I have had probably had about 7 ekgs in the last 6 years. Do you think my cardio would refer me if necessary?  

[Sammie4258]

Start out with an EKG. Yes, it is possible for a doctor to miss it.  In fact, most doctors don't know how to look for it.  There is a Doctor Li Zhang in SLC, Utah.  She is with the LDS Hosptital.  She is one of the top ten specialists in the world.  She could maybe point you in the direction of a specialist in your area.

sammie

[jpcox]

Thanks for the reply. How does one find out if they have long QT? I see a cardiologist and have had echo, stress, holtor and event monitor. Could my doctor miss it will all those tests?

[Sammie4258]

Hi,  Happy Birthday.  Ask your doctor about Long QT Interval Syndrome.  It is often misdiagnosed and is a deadly heart attack condition that is completely treatable.  It hits people under 50 years old and can hit a 6 year old.  

Sammie

[jpcox]

Exactly, they come out of the blue. I didn't even notice a pac or anything. Bam it just happened, I thought I was dying. I still feel pretty awful today, my pulse and blood pressure are high. I am still trying to recover from this.

I read a post that said if your pause is too long even in a structural heart doctors are concerned. Just trying to figure out what is happening to me. This has definitely put me a few steps back, I keep my cell phone in my pocket and I do not want to be alone. I guess what scares me the most is the what ifs. What if it is that or this, not be able to capture this is frustrating.

When the PAT kicks in do you feel it? On a stress test once my doc said she caught that. I didn't feel it though, and she wasn't concerned.  Should I be?

Thanks for being here. It is nice to know that someone else knows what I am going through.

Jennifer

[jkfrench]

I know exactly how you feel.   I have posted this before but it always helps to hear it again when you have one of those episodes.   I will feel some type of flutter then nothing.  I always know when to feel for my pulse because it is a different type of flutter.  The pause is awful.  3 or 4 seconds at least.  Then it kicks into the PAT for several minutes.  During the pause, I am fading out, not blacking out, just fading out.  As if my whole body is numb.  Everything goes weak for those seconds.  This  happens about 2 or 3 times a year and has never been caught.  The pat has, just not the pause.  My doctor doesn't seem worried.  I'm so sorry this happened on your birthday.  Try to feel better.  I know when I get one of those episodes it takes a few days to recover.  By that I mean, I don't want to go anywhere by myself in fear that it will happen again.
You are fine if you have been checked out.  I also know how you feel when you call the doctor and they make you feel foolish.  The last time I did that, he said "well you are welcome to come in for a 24 hour moniter if you want to".  He said it in such a sarcastic way.  Like, come on, you have been checked out, this won't hurt you.
Those pauses come out of the blue and usually when I'm feeling good.  Go figure
Take care
Frenchie

[poohbear2026]

I haven't had the weak legs, but I do feel out of it and very nervous for a few days afterward.  My blood pressure was also a little elevated at the time.

[jpcox]

After you have an extremely long pause do you have weak legs, and feel out of it the rest of the day? I still feel out of it, I;ve been having high blood pressure readings (at home monitor) and a higher than normal pulse.

I everyone is having a good day.

[poohbear2026]

I am not sure about the compensatory pause thing that is just what my regular dr said it probably was.  The cardio didn't seem too worried since he didn't see it on the monitor and since all my other test came back okay. He was more worried about the NSVT until my tests came back normal.  Don't eat too much chocolate as that seems to be one of the culprits to causing skips (at least for me).

[jpcox]

I agree about the passing out part, it seems like that will happen next. I read something about if the pause lasts too long it concerns doctor whether or not if the heart is structural.. It is so scary to not know what is going on with your own body. I have had quit a few tests.  Can a compensatory pause cause those symptoms?

I plan on eating some German Chocolate cake as my gift to myself.

[poohbear2026]

I too have had something very similar feeling happen to me twice.  Except when it happens I feel like i am going to pass out or throw up.  It scares me.  My dr has not been able to catch it on any monitors.  I just wore the 30 day monitor last month and then a few nights ago  it happened again.  The monitor did pick up Pacs, pvcs and a 4 beat run of NSVT.  All tests (ekgs, nuclear stress and echo) all came back normal.  They are not sure what the long pause is but said it is probably just compensatory pause.  If you have had all the tests done and have a structurally normal heart they say they won't hurt you.  I know it is still very scary when it happens.  I still get nervous that I am going to drop dead from these arrhythmias.  By the way, Happy Birthday!!! hope you get to enjoy some of it.