What to do and when to take arrythmia seriously???

Question

I have had ongoing heart arrhythmia's for many years, and in the past 3-4 they have been getting progressively stronger and longer lasting.  My whole body shakes with my heart beat, my left jaw and throat get tight and are aching, and most recently my heart beats started making an audible clicking sound with my latest 20-25 minute episode.  A friend could actually hear it as well...My heart rate was clocked at 188bpm, although I am sure it may have hit 200+, but my iphone couldn't detect it for much of the episode.  My chest ached, but now it is the day after and it is still slightly throbbing with my heart beats off and on.  Before the onset of these palpitations, I had started to get a headache, and day after am nursing a migraine.  The clicking looks like symptoms of mitral valve prolapse???  I went to the ER once when these symptoms were ongoing, but they can quickly come and go and they were unable to detect anything.  So, I felt as though I was wasting their time and mine.  Besides an overnight stay at the hospital, which I don't have the patience or the time for.  It is very random when this occurs.  Usually when I am completely relaxed, even when going to lay down for bed in the evening.  I thought about going to the ER when this happened, as the clicking is a new phenomenon for me.  What should I do???  Has anyone had anything similar and what did it end up being and how serious should I take this?

Jeffener · Answer

Also, to further note, I do not appear to have high blood pressure nor have I ever. It is usually very low. Unless that can be a random and sporadic episode event as well. I do smoke, to which I am seriously considering quitting and have tried several times in the past to do!!!

hefner33 · Answer

Personally, I would just set up a appt with a cardiologists and go from there. I've been told that ecoptics in the critical care scene (ER) are usually ignored. Cardiologists will run you through all the normal tests.

As for the quitting smoking, be it for the arrythmia or whatever, will always have a positive effect on you.

As for they happen when laying down, theirs a theory of the change of pressure in the body causing this to happen. Theres a guy that use to post here named Artuad that explained this pretty well. Maybe you can search and look up some of his posts

MichelleP_3811 · Answer

It sounds like you possibly have an svt caused by some extra muscle tissue in your heart allowing the signal to get caught in a loop.  The biggest indicator of it is if the fast beat starts and stops in what feels like one beat.  One beat you are fine the next you are in the 200s the next you are fine then it is likely and svt that can be pretty easily fixed with an ablation most of the time but you do need to get it diagnosed.  Going to the er really likely won't catch it so you would need a monitor that you wear preferably on that you wear for 30 days so you have ample time to catch it.  If your episodes are farther apart than that then it may be hard to diagnose at this time.  Once it is captured then you may be offered an ablation to correct the issue for good.  So go see a cardiologist and see if you can't catch this to know for sure what it is.  Until then try to see if you can get them to stop on your own by holding your breath and bearing down like straining to go to the bathroom or drinking a super cold glass of water.  In general if it is svt it is pretty benign but you do want to be responsible about managing it so you don't cause undue stress on your heart.  I had one all my life and only got it ablated in my 40s so it isn't considered terribly threatening to you but at some point you may need to have it correct if it starts to disrupt your life too much.  Best of luck sorting it out and keep us posted on how you are doing.