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486038 tn?1300063367

what's an ok heart rate? (and other heart questions)

Mine always 100-135 when I'm resting, and higher when I'm moving around, according to my little home BP machine. It makes me feel tired when it's going very fast. I went up to 180 mgs Cartia xt about a month ago and it doesn't seem to touch it. Should I ask to go higher or just ask to switch?

i'm used to it skipping beats, it's been doing that for years and an echo test a few years ago mentioned that I have a little bit of valve problems but not enough to do anything about and my last EKG in 2007 said there was possible left atrial enlargement.  

But in the past few weeks there has been hours where it's been hurting pretty bad in the center of my chest and it just spreads to the left and leaves me breathless- and this pain has woke me up at night. It's not that sharp, it's more dull and achy. (it's sharp pain in my heart region when it skips beats, my old cardio's theory was that my heart was close to my chest wall and when it misfired it was painful- but this dully achy feeling is different than that) Along with this I've been really nauseated.

But I also have severe reflux and pretty bad asthma to and these give you pain in the chest area, so I don't really know what the pain is from and don't want to be a bother about it to anyone becuase it could just be nothing.

And I've read that low magnesium can bother your heart and make you nauseated so that could be my problem, since my magnesium is still borderline low.

It's still a long ways to my heart doctor visit. I asked my PCP and he said that I need to see my heart doctor ASAP, but when I called my heart doctor could not see me any sooner.

How do you know the difference between acid reflux, heart pain, and asthma pain?
Any rate, just had ask some one. :)
~Sunnytoday~

20 Responses
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751951 tn?1406632863
Glad to hear that, Sunny.  If you know, then you have satisfied my concern.  Enjoy New York.

I admit that I had forgotten that part about your parents and the bills, and I certainly respect your judgment there.  As much as we might think of one another online as family, and as much as we care for you, we all have someone even nearer, and to whom we've been related much longer.  We don't provide any portion of financial support to you, either, as much as we might like to be able to do so.  There's "family," and then there's "family."

None of us can make those decisions for you, though a number of us have been quite plain about the actions that we think you should take, it remains your decision to make, as it should.  Please just remember we only express such thoughts out of concern for your well being, now and in the future.
Helpful - 0
486038 tn?1300063367
deep breath.

we've all made mistakes. And waiting this long to find help for my heart was one of mine mistakes and I regret that fully.

However, as you know my parents pay my medical bills and their concensus is that unless the pain get's unbearable and or starts to travel down my arms or into my jaw and or I start throwing up, falling out, etc. they will take me to the ER immediatly but other than that they wish to wait until the appt. on the 5th of May so that I can see a specialist vs. a ER doctor. These are my parents and I respect them. They are are doing what they believe is best for me and I know that they always will. As you may or may not remember when they were out of town last summer and I had chest pain, etc I asked the forum for help and the forum (and Quix) said go to the ER-  and I went!

Dan- i'm not sure I grasped your meaning in your comment on a spiritual counselor. If I were to die in this minute- I know without a doubt that I would touch the face of God and dance with Him forever. If that is not what you were asking, please msg. me and I will be glad to chat about whatever you wish.

Thank you for your concern. I will be back on the forum when I return from New York.
Helpful - 0
751951 tn?1406632863
After reading Laura Lu's persuasive post, and knowing how she speaks from personal experience, I suggest that, should you opt to stay home and wait for the appointment three weeks away, you should speak with a spiritual counselor sooner.
Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
ST,
This heart problem has gone on way too long - I know you put off seeing the cardio when you were working in the same office a couple months ago because you didn't want your coworkers to talk.  Your PCP still wants you to see a cardio, and the instructions *ASAP* should be heeded.

Tachycardia (fast heart rate) while not usually instantaneously damaging like a heart attack can wear down you heart, shortening your life span.  Having a HR of over 100 at rest constantly as you have described is very unhealthy and needs to be attended to.  You should know that from your medical training.  

Dan is absolutely right that women and heart disease present totally different than men.  My heart attack was only felt in my throat as a spasm.  Chest pain was never in the picture.  I went to the ER fortunately on instinct alone - I knew something was not right. You are telling us here that you know something is not right with your heart too and that concerns me.

Granted a heart problem doesn't have the visible urgency like a broken bone, but you and I both know heart is much more serious.  You make the mistake of ignoring a heart problem and it could very well be the last mistake you ever make. I hope you and your family there can make that distinction - I know your mom is a nurse and she certainly knows that the ER isn't only for bleeding wounds and broken bones.  


We've been through this before.  We've talked a number of times about what an ok heart rate is and we both know the numbers you have are not OK.  

Young women are just as capable of having heart disease and problems as us older women.  You want proof? Go check out that other forum I referred you to and read about the women your age who are living day in and day our with HD.  There have been several new members come on who are under the age of 30 dealing with life threatening heart disease.

My friend Poet, who we have talked about several times, is at Cleveland Clinic right now - again! Two open heart surgeries and an ICD implant by the age of 26 doesn't seem to be enough.  Her list of heart problems continues to grow.  She is a prime example of young women struggling with HD.  

I'm telling you all of this because taking chances with heart problems is not an option.  Its a game of roulette that you don't want to play because if you lose, you really lose.

You asked, so that's my response,
Lulu

Helpful - 0
848718 tn?1257138801
Just one minor suggestion -- if your PCP thinks it's important for you to get in to see a cardiologist, sometimes you can get in much sooner if your PCP calls and requests an appointment for you than if you call and make an appointment (especially as a new patient). I find it sort of funny that when I call for an appointment with a new specialist, it's often 4-6 weeks out or longer. But if I ask my PCP to have her medical assistant call and make me an appointment, they find openings within a week for me.

I have similar tachycardia to yours. They haven't figured out the cause yet, and I'm not convinced anyone but me is still worried about it two years later, although they keep running periodic tests. Can your PCP run an EKG on you, just to make sure there's not something you're unaware of happening with your heart? My layman's understanding is that if it's "just" sinus tachycardia, it's less worrisome than if they see an unusual pattern. My PCP runs those in her office, but she's got a big office. I don't know if all PCPs can do that. The other concern they've had for me (I have asthma too!) is when the tachycardia and chest pain started, my oxygen sats would also fall when I moved around. (That got me admitted to the hospital when I presented at the ER for what I feared was a heart attack but wasn't.) These days, my oxy sat only falls a little when I move and stays above 95 percent. Back when this was all new, I fell to 77 percent when walking at a very slow pace. Anyway, that's another thing your PCP might be able to check for you and might be reassuring if it and an EKG are normal other than the tachycardia.

Hope that helps, and that you're feeling better soon!
Helpful - 0
751951 tn?1406632863
Keep in mind that heart pain can be quite a bit different in women than the "heart pain" that we all see on TV, and that docs are generally listening for descriptions of that rather than this.

We love you like family, too, and we want you to be very careful with yourself, and when in doubt, err on the side of keeping yourself around, rather than let the financial aspects -- or the potential for the minor embarrassment of being called overly cautious by the ER people -- be the dominant factor in your decision making.
Helpful - 0
721523 tn?1331581802
No one is angry, we just care.  I hate getting medical bills when they don't find out the cause.  I hade over 2,000 worth last year.  Incredably frustrating.  I am happy to hear that you PCP does not mind the 3 week wait.  If your rate or pain gets too high you know what to do.  Keep us posted
Ann
Helpful - 0
486038 tn?1300063367
Quix. First let me apologize. I did not want this to become a worry to anyone. I was simply hoping to get some concrete facts so I didn't worry msyelf either. I had no idea if my heart rate was high or normal, and I wanted to know.

Next, please let me explain that I was treating this forum like family. In my family we share our problems and ask for advice. I understand that the advice given here was an order " go to the ER". I have talked this over with my parents and they understand the pain and heart rate and the advice you have given. They are not a ER type- we only go if there are broken bones or life and death involved. I understand that several people on here belive that to be in the case- however the family decision was to wait and see the cardiologist in a few weeks as I mentioned and if it gets any worse I will beat it to the ER immediatly.

As for my PCP- I did let him know what is going on. He feels comfortable waiting- he says it could be one of several things and wants the cardiologist to examine me. I did not tell him about falling becuase i have fallen before (I would have if I had broken anything). If i have worried you by telling you I fell, again I apoligize, I was once again treating you like family, and all i have from that fall is a very sore backend and a few bruises and a healthy respect for my bathroom. And my PCP is well aware of my asthma as I have had it for many years, I have a BCBS nurse that calls me monthly to keep tabs on me. As I was trying to say in the beginning of this post- my problem is that I am used to dealing with a high level of pain and I'm not sure how to know when "enough is enough" or where the location of the pain is... example: where is heart pain normally located vs the pain I am having? Remember I went into the ER and hospital last summer with pain and heart rate problems and they never found anything but a funky heart rate and low magnesium and all I got was a big bill out of that one and I refuse to do that again.


Lastly, the seizure thing did give me a scare, which is why I talked it over with mom  and brought it up on the forum and am carrying my cell phone in my pocket (I never have one on me, so this is positive) and I am going to be very  careful and if this happens again I will definetly talk to a doctor about it. Once again, I was not meaning to change the subject but only mention what was going on in my life and scaring me more than my heart is.

However, you did make one point I passed on to my mom, reflux doesn't cause tachycardia- and she did also agree heartily.

I hope you understand how much I love and care for each of you, and especially you Quix. I respect what you say very much (you might now think so if I don't obey all the time, but I did just do a bunch of calling and talked to mom for an hour).

please, please please don't be angry with me.....

(((hugs)))
~Sunnytoday~

Helpful - 0
147426 tn?1317265632
3 weeks??!!

This stalling around is -- okay I'll say it - dumb.  Your heart is playing games and you're being nonchalant about it.  If it is doing what you say it is doing and if you're feeling the way you say you are feeling, then this is very serious.

Why do you tell us about this things and when we tell you they are serious, you change the topic and tell us about other serious things?

Our collective opinion is that this cannot wait.  A 24/7 Doc in the Box is for cuts, stings, colds, flu, ear infections and other minor emergencies.  If you are having a resting heart rate in the 100's and it races if you move around and you are falling and you think that you may be having seizures and you have chest pain and pretty bad asthma and your PCP has advised you to see your cardiologist - Then what in the world are you doing asking us about it??!!  Do you just want us to worry?

This is not rational behavior, young'un.  I know I sound harsh, but these things are not for tossing out into the forum, getting the feedback you have gotten and then irrationally calling it all "probably just reflux."  We love you dearly, but now we are all worked into a lather and worried, and now we see you seem less concerned about it.  Arhgg!

At minimum - this is something your PCP should answer.  He wants you to see the cardiologist - The cardio can't see you for three weeks -- ask him what you should do to get evaluated for all this.  Ask HIM if it is okay to wait 3 weeks.  Does he know that you fell?

And don't try to change this to a discussion that maybe it's only reflux.  Reflux doesn't cause resting tachycardia and falling.

((((Hugs))))

Quix
Helpful - 0
486038 tn?1300063367
ah Dan, that tub is metal, my dad tried to get it out with a sledhammer and couldnt' dent it when we tried to remodel years ago... so I don't think my arm would do much harm... :)

~Sunnytoday~
Helpful - 0
751951 tn?1406632863
Hope you didn't hurt the tub! ;P
Helpful - 0
486038 tn?1300063367
i'm here. i got a appt with a heart doctor in three weeks. i have other problems- my heart seems to be quiet for now other than the obnoxious racing and funky BP- but I fell tuesday and managed to hit the tub, cabinet, wall and floor and the way down. I'm fine.  I'm also having problems with my seizure medication and i will post a question about that.
love to all
~Sunnytoday~
Helpful - 0
751951 tn?1406632863
Bump.

Anybody seen or heard from Sunny?
Helpful - 0
486038 tn?1300063367
im not ignoring this post- i know it's important...... it's just that i never meant this to be a "should i go to the ER post".

i will talk it over with mum- i would feel stupid going to the ER for just reflux which i have every day. I think i'll do some calling and see if any other cardio's have openings. I need to avoid any extra costs right now- we'vd had too many bills lately.

~Sunnytoday~

Helpful - 0
738075 tn?1330575844
It's hard to tell what's causing the difference between Reflux, heartburn, and real angina.  Always best to check it out!  Everyone here is  correct!  I've been performing echos and stress echos for the past 29 years.  Get thee to the ER or cardiologist!

((Hugs)),
Guitar_grrrl
Helpful - 0
559187 tn?1330782856
Walk-in clinics don't like seeing heart patients.  They would rather you go to the ER as there is only so much they can do onsite.  I know you would rather not go to the ER as it seems like more drama, but this is important and like Lu, Dan, and Ren said, you can't mess around with your heart.  

I hope you know that there is only one you.  

Please do something about this Sunny, even if it is just to call the ER.  I'll bet they will tell you to get your hiney in there ASAP!
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751951 tn?1406632863
Hey!  What about the direction they gave you in the posts above?  They sound awfully consistent with your PCP's instructions.  Get thee to a cardio or an ER ASAP!  ASAP!  If you're still procrastinating in the AM, call the PCP's office, read 'em what Lu & ren wrote, then ask him his opinion again.  Betcha he'll be emphatic.

ASAP, girl!
Helpful - 0
486038 tn?1300063367
thanks for the info- it was helpful. If needed be, there is a great walk-in 24/7 emergency doctor's office I could go to that would be able to run any needed tests if needed before my appt this summer.

I'll be sure to keep a journal of my BP and heart rate.
thanks guys!
~Sunnytoday~


Helpful - 0
739070 tn?1338603402
You really do not need to be stalling about seeing a cardiologist. Follow your PCP's advice!! Like Laura said, go to the ER. Heart disease can present in many ways, especially in women.

Please go see a cardiologist....SOON

Worried for you,
ren
Helpful - 0
572651 tn?1530999357
Sunny,
Any resting heart rate over 100 is not a good sign - if you can't get in to see the cardio sooner, perhaps you need to go to the ER then. I've told you before, don't mess with your heart - you only have one and if it stops or you break it, you are in a world of trouble........

Your PCP said see the cardio ASAP, so call all over town until you can find one that can see you.  you have no attachment to this other cardio because you haven't been there yet, right?

See the doctor and ask these questions please.
as always,
Lu

PS - I'm saying exactly what you knew I would say!!! :-)
Helpful - 0
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