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calcium channel blocker not working for tachycardia

I have been taking a calcium channel blocker for my tachycardia and it is not working.  I am taking cardizem, and my heart rate is the same as when I started, now he wants me to take a higher dose.  This will be the third time raising the dose in 4 weeks!  Please if someone can help me, I would greatly appreciate it.  He also wants me to take zoloft for my depression and said it will lower my heart rate.  Is this possible?  I'v had tachycardia for years, I am in my 50s. I just read another post saying the opposite, that zoloft can cause palpitations.
Thank you to ANYone who can help me.
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for answering.  Yes, I have had SUV over the years and the last cardiologist I saw didn't seem too concerned.  That was a few years ago.  I had my holter monitor on last month before I started medication and I believe he said it was sinus tachycardia but will know more after I get a stress test.  I am too physically unfit so will have to have the stress test via injection to speed up my heart, yeah that's all I need is to speed up my heart more!  I agree with you that before treatment I should know all that might be wrong with my heart, and I was started on a beta blocker before he switched it to a calcium channel blocker.  Also, he said I have high blood pressure because sometimes my diastolic number is 90 or above.  I have normal readings all the time as well, so how do I know I REALLY have high blood pressure?  I, too, take my pulse on my wrist and you are so right that when it is sooo high you can't even count, I know that all too well.
When I start the highest dose of (generic) cardizem, and it still does not bring my heart rate down, then what?  Also, what if it slows my heart rate TOO much?  I am so fed up with my fast heart rate, but know enough to be grateful that someone finally told me that my heart can't take tachycardia for the long haul.  Thank you soooooo very much for your answers and support and help, I appreciate it more than you will ever know.  I am scared though even though I'v lived like this for so long but sometimes now I have chest pain and it sends me to the hospital. I always get discharged, but some day I may not.  Thank you.
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Avatar universal
SVT is supraventricular tachycardia which is different from tachycardia.  Tachycardia is a faster than normal heart beat.  So, at rest you're normal pulse would be around 100 or so and tend to stay there.  Your doctor is right - it's not good to always be in tachycardia (at rest) as this puts stress on your heart.

Supraventricular tachycardia is a sudden increase in heart rate.  Mine went from a normal resting of 54 to close to 170 (hard to count when it's that high) in a matter of seconds.  It tends to make you feel quite dizzy.  It has a habit of disappearing as fast as it comes and when it rears it's ugly head, it feels awful.

I could be wrong but I believe beta blockers are more effective in lowering your heart rate than calcium channel blockers.  Both will lower your blood pressure.  Not everyone has a bad response to beta blockers and some people find that the side effects improve over time.

Ablation is a procedure in which they burn or freeze the areas of your heart that are causing the arrhythmia.  Arrhythmias tend to be caused by an electrical problem and ablation is a good treatment option for some.  I certainly have no regrets.  It's quite successful in treating SVT but not so much for atrial fibrillation or PVC's.  There are many who have success stories but it is not without risk.  

You should not come off your medication without your doctors approval.

You need to speak to your doctor and get referred to a cardiologist (if you haven't already).  Further testing (eg. monitor of some sort, EKG, echocardiogram, stress test, etc) can give a more definitive diagnosis and confirm a structurally normal heart which is essential for deciding your treatment options.

Good luck.

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Avatar universal
What is SUV?  I have tachycardia and have had it for years, but have also had supraventricular tachycardia at times, correct me if I am wrong, that is where your heart rate is very fast into the 200's?  Mine is always fast above 100, 150 or more or less. I am very sedentary too.  I just started cardizem 3 weeks ago, but my heart rate is still high, when I'm resting it can go down to 70-80 SOMEtimes.  I don't want it to go down too much, like you said you are a zombie.  What's an ablation?  I'v read on here, it can make things worse.  Is it easy to wean off this med?  I never took meds for my tachycardia before, but he said it's dangerous for the long haul for my heart
to beat this fast.  I am scared, leery of medication and just don't know what's going to happen to me.  Thank you so much for answering me.
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Avatar universal
Do you have SVT?  I took Cardizem for this and initially it worked great.  However, it stopped working after about 3 months.  Upping my dose wasn't an option I wanted to go with.  Therefore, I had an ablation which took care of the problem.  Unfortunately, from posts that I have read, SVT can be hard to treat with meds.  I think beta blockers may have a bit more success.  I could not tolerate these as they lowered my pulse to the low 40's and I felt like a zombie.

Have you talked with your doctor about an ablation?
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