atrial tacchycardia

Hi,
I am new here. I have been anxiety ridden for 2 years after my first episode of  severe tacchycardia .  After my stress/echo which caught my heart rate at well over 200bpm and seeing 2 EP doctor's they  were not too concerned and said it was not the dangerous type.."atrial tacchycardia".  They said I could just live with it "it would not kill me", or they would do an ablation if I got tired of it because it will not go away.  I am afraid to live since I never know when the bull will want out of my chest.  Has anyone chosen to live with this or is an abation the only solution...scary!  I read where nutritonal defenciencies and/or a hernia can be the cause.  Help!  Thanks,  ajc

[Jerzeegal]

Hi and welcome :-)

How often are you having episodes of tachycardia and how long to they typically last? What do you do to make them stop.   Personally I know how scary and limiting tachycardia can make someone.

Here is how I look at it.   If its the anxiety over having an episode while you're living your life thats the issue then get some help coping with the anxiety which may also help decrease the episodes of tachy. I personally would try everything before I had an ablation but that's just me. Others here have had them and it's been quite successful from what I have read. I used to have episodes of this quite a few years ago and discovered that one thing that got them to stop rather quickly was to make myself burp.

Once I started being treated for GERD and my hiatal hernia the tachy episodes decreased. I also got some therapy for my anxiety which helped as well.

Good Luck

[ajc57]

Hi,

So happy to finally hear from someone, thank-you!  Many months can go by with no episodes but I counted maybe only one every 2-3 months.  I feel like you that if I take an alka-seltzer right away (promotes belching) if the bearing down or water splashing on the face doesn't work.I do want to explore a natural anxiety remedy too...valarian etc.
The 1st episode lasted about 30minutes probably due to not knowing what was happening, but by the time I got to the ER it of course stopped. Now episodes are only 5 maybe 10 minutes tops.  I also really do not want an ablation because of the risks and I read where it can find another pathway and usually do not work for the long haul.  Everyone needs to read Dr. Bruce West's Health Alert Newsletter about the possible causes and natural cures for arrythymia's etc.

How long do your episodes last and how often and your BPM?  It is so comforting to know someone else lives a normal life with this phenomenom. Thanks so much for sharing and listening.

[Jerzeegal]

Hi there :-)

When I had them they only lasted about 5 to 15 minutes and I had them maybe a couple of times a month. More during times of stress, multiple trips to ER showed nothing because by the time I got there the episodes were over, at one point I was above 120 BPM and learned to stop counting because that only made it worse.

I don't think I would have ablation done unless there were daily and interfering with my daily life but that's a personal choice.

I used cognitive behavior therapy for the anxiety rather than herbal remedies only because so much is unknown about they interact with other mainstream medications.

Mine were also worse as I approached menopause. Hang in there and do what you feel is right for you :-)

[Jerzeegal]

Hi there :-)

When I had them they only lasted about 5 to 15 minutes and I had them maybe a couple of times a month. More during times of stress, multiple trips to ER showed nothing because by the time I got there the episodes were over, at one point I was above 120 BPM and learned to stop counting because that only made it worse.

I don't think I would have ablation done unless there were daily and interfering with my daily life but that's a personal choice.

I used cognitive behavior therapy for the anxiety rather than herbal remedies only because so much is unknown about they interact with other mainstream medications.

Mine were also worse as I approached menopause. Hang in there and do what you feel is right for you :-)

[ajc57]

Thanks for your input. Your BPM were only 120! I would be so happy if that is all my heart raced to. :)