tachycardia, 150 bpm

[worried784]

Hope someone can help, thanks. I am female, 50s, very sedentary with tachycardia of 150 bpm.  Have had tachycardia for years, (100 bpm) but not this high.  Have anxiety, stress, depression etc. as well. Started beta blocker few weeks ago, but was switched to calcium channel blocker last week.
Will this work? How high can heart rate get before it's dangerous? Does heart get used to fast rate?
Thank you in advance, this is a miserable condition.

[kim62]

I too have a VT problem. I have topped 300 bpm, many times, never passed out and have had this problem for many years. I also was told that this could go on for hours like  without causing damage to the heart...but my doctor only allowed 1 1/2 hours and I had to go to ER. I had an ablation done about 5 weeks ago and only 2 of the 6 areas were ablated and an ICD was implanted. I was told I would still need to return at some point to have the remaining 4 areas taken care of in the future. One thing that did happen is that at a recent visit to my Chiropractor(for who I have been treated for lower back issues)and when we we discussed my ICD,  He talked to me about my upper vertibrae (T1 & T2) which has a big impact on your heart rythum. He has been working on these for 3 weeks and since then, I have had no activity from my ICD. I wish I would have discussed this prior to the ablation, but he does believe that I did have an issue that needed ablating but this misalignment was just magnifying it. We will see what happens and if it all stays under control.

[worried784]

No, the doctor that gave me the meds said it's stress, anxiety etc.
But, I'm not thrilled about taking the meds either.
I imagine if/when I no longer want to take them, my tachycardia will get worse.
Can taking the meds, then stopping (with doctors knowledge) make my tachycardia worse?
Thank you

[SillyHeart]

Worried, do your doctors have any idea what is causing your tachycardia?

[worried784]

Thank you so much for you answers.  sillyheart, I know it is getting dangerous, but I don't think medication is the answer.  Is it?  I am at the end of my rope, and am trying meds but don't want to take them for the rest of my life. Thanks.
salidamommy, thank you as well.  Sounds like you know how I feel.  What can we do, other than deal with this like we have for so long.  Did you stop beta blocker for any particular reason? Thanks
Flintstone, Thanks to you as well, I hope to find out any answers you may get.  I avoid so many things as well, but I can stay inside and the tachycardia comes while I am exerting no energy at all.  I am so glad I "met" others who know what this is like.  I have asked many cardiologists if I will die from this, and they all say the same, "I can't say whether you will or not".  Some are so matter-of-fact about something so important as my heart!
Thanks to everyone.

[salidamommy]

Hi.
I have had a sustained heart rate of 250 for over an hour before I went to the local ER to get the shot of adenosine.  I have had tachycardia since I was 14...and always around 200 plus beats per minute (I am not 28).  I once asked my cardiologist how long it could last without killing me, and he said hours..not fun, but at least reassuring.
Hopefully you can learn some reliable techniques for stopping it so you don't have to rely too much on the drugs.  For me it took awhile to figure out..but if I lay a certain way on my back and breathe as deeply as possible, I can get it to go away in less then a minute now.  I used to have to be on beta blockers...but haven't had them now for over two years.  I had an ablation done, that didn't work..in fact, it made it worse.  
I wish you the best.

[SillyHeart]

How high can a heart rate get before it's dangerous?  It depends what you mean by dangerous.  Many of us here have had heart rates well into the 200s for a couple of hours at a time.  The heart could probably sustain that for awhile but it would eventually damage it.  A heart rate of 150 over the long term is dangerous, but in the short term it is not.  You have plenty of time to treat it before any damage is done to your heart.

[worried784]

Thanks, I hope we do get answers.  Do you take anything for your fast heart rate?  I hope someone (a doctor) can explain the pros and cons of taking/not taking medications for it.  And, you are SO right about worry/stress/depression/anxiety causing this!!!
Thank you

[spoooked]

Sorry I can't answer your question, but just to let you know you are not alone, I am having the same type problem, I do know that the rate can go alot higher than that, and some just call it episodes, and not be dangerous especially when you are very anxious,depressed, and of course worried really adds to the mix.  So, you are not alone, just to let you know that I too am looking for answers, and on this site, I am sure you will get some real good answers to help in your quest with this " miserable condition" as you stated, and that the perfect description!  Hope we get the answers that will ease our nerves a little.  The constant fear is really draining.huh?   Take care, and keep searching, as I am.
                                                                               sincerely,  Spoooked