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Pro Cyclist with tachycardia
by Tachometer, Jan 31, 2007 12:00AM
I am a 26 year old professional road cyclist and suffer from tachycardia. After exercising at a moderate to fast pace, my heart beat will almost always shoot up 35-60 beats higher than where it should be. The result is a weak yet fast beat. These tachycardias happen as I've just begun to let up. I can be cycling, xc skiing, or walking the dogs up a hill. Pretty much anything slightly aerobic triggers it. The problem seems to be getting worse and worse as it wasn't until last year that I first felt symptoms. Obviously, this is detrimental to my profession. I have had the catheter ablation procedure done but it was not successful. Dr.'s triggered it but weren't able to pinpoint a pathway misfire long enough to be sure they knew what to fix. I've seen several cardiologists, a neurologist, and a general practitioner, all of whom are stupified by my symptoms. The cardiologists don't even think it's a heart problem any more but a hormone problem instead, even though my blood tests checked out perfectly normal. I am at a loss here and would really appreciate any light you could shed on this subject. I am not willing to accept living with it as a solution.
Thanks from Vermont.
Thanks from Vermont.
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It sounds like you've already done a lot of smart things towards trying to identify the cause and a solution to your tachycardia problem. I have no idea of who your doctors are, but if I were in your situation, I would go to a cardiologist who specializes in treating athletes. You should contact the OTC in Colorado Springs and speak with their chief physician to help you locate a specialist. I also suggest you contact Dr. Rob Schott in Sacramento, he's a cardiologist who is also a bicycle racer, very knowledgable, he may be able to locate a specialist for you. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to contact the Cleveland Clinic to discuss your case. A specialist working with arrhythmias in athletes will know the best electrophysiologists with experience in this area.
Good luck with your problem. I know you are not willing to "live with it" as a solution, but you should be aware that not every arrhythmia problem is solveable given today's understanding and technology. I personally know several high-level cyclists who have either been taken off the bike or had to change their perspectives on what they could do as a result of non-resolvable arrhythmia conditions. That said, there's no reason for you to accept "living with it" until you're convinced you've done everthing possible.
Thanks a million!
I still ride, a few thousand miles a year. I'm on a beta blocker now, which really puts a ceiling on your aerobic and anerobic levels, but it's better than not riding at all, so I have no complaints.
If this board is still live, plese get in touch with me. I'm a former Cat 1 with 8 seasons in Europe behind me and I too recently underwent ablation for V-tach. I am now a journalist and am putting together a piece about arrhythmias and elite athletes. I'll keep an eye on this board to see if you respond and give you my name and contact info.
Thanks
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