Tachycardia

[mis596]

I've had an echo stress test and holter monitor done for
fast heart rate.  I was supposed to wear the holter monitor for a week
but everytime I put it on it would go off because of my elevated heart
rate so was told to stop.  The stress test showed nothing either
except fast heart rate (180 bpm at 5 minutes).  Doctor put me on 25 mg
of Toprol XL to slow heart rate.  I have a history of fast heart rate.  Sometimes
when I roll over it clicks on and beats over 220 bpm.   I can always bring
it back to normal by taking deep breaths and holding  it.  Twice my heart
went into a quivering or fluttering action which really scared me.  Nothing
I did would make it go back in.  It went in by itself.  This was before the
Toprol XL.  I still have palpatations and mild fluttering with medicine.  
My question is if the doctor couldn't really find anything wrong do I
need to stay on this medicine forever or get a second opionion.  I know I
have different problems going on but since they always stop is it really
serious or not?

[sadeyes]

just want to say how much better i feel knowing i am not alone with my problem i have been told by my family dr. i have ventricular tachycardia first spell about 20yrs ago the dr wont put me on medication said the spells are not aften enough sometimes i go a month or more none then get two a day they can last from couple min. to 5or6hrs i usually can get them stopped by putting pressure on my stomach and drinking cold water but i live in fear every day of them i also have to be very careful not to stoop over fast or sleep on my left side or i get one will someone please tell me what i should do i live iv a rural area hard to find a dr. or would get second openion please help me going crazy with worry that one of these spells will be my last thing

[Podgie]

I have been experiencing tachycardia episodes for close to 22 years now.  For the last 5 years I have had to take medication (Verapimil 240 mg). I haven't experience but 2 minor episodes since being on the medication. I am concerned that my pottasium levels play a part in my tachycardia. The last time I had to go to the ER, my blood work showed that I had hardly any pottasium in my system. My cardio Dr. says that there is no correlation between the two. But I know that Pottasium is needed for a healthy heart. Also if anyone has had an ablation for superventricular tachy. I am scheduled for one in June.
If anyone has experience the low pottasium situation or the ablation I would like to know your thoughts or concerns on them.

[arthur]

Go see a cardiologist.  Get checked out with some simple, non-invasive tests to see if everything in the ticker is functioning normally (which it sounds like it should be)...there are many who are pregnant that complain of this type of arrhythmia, so it's probably nothing to get too worked up about...however, I would double check with the cardio.

[22scared]

HI, I am 22 years old and have just recently been bothered with svt, It seems that all of this stared when I became pregnant,and I very concerned.  When I first experienced this I was at work at it had happened three times in a row.  My heart rate at the hospital was 155 beats.  I felt very faint and they tried to tell me that I was having an anxiety attack.  Does anyone think that this is just happening because of the pregnacy,  I have only experienced this once after my intial visit to the hospital.  I am not on any meds,  any feedback would be greatly appreciated.  I am concered for my baby as well as my health

[dmorse03]

SVT:

I occasionally have what appears to me to be Super Ventrical Tachycardia with steady beats 120 BPM and higher, sometimes lasting several hours.
I am 80 yrs of age and take no medicine. I am active and do not suffer from stress induced by worrying.
I have experienced this for as long as I can remember but lately it lasts quite a bit longer.
The last one, I became somewhat weak and unsteady. The one thing new that I noticed is that it is accompanied by a tightness in the area of the esophagus from the throat area down to the Hiatus.
At times it seemed to improve with NaHCo3. But in the last instance, nothing seemed to help except time.
It existed at bedtime and returned to normal before wakeup. Can you point me to webpage which addresses the possible Esophagus-Tachycardia connection?

D Morse
***@****

[pikamom]

I've been lurking on this site for several days now but couldn't post a question as it's full. So I'll respond to this one. Last week I had my second ER visit in a year for tachycardia and angina. One year ago was the first time it happened and my EKG showed changes like the heart wasn't getting enough oxygen and constant tachycardia. I was given several tests that were normal but the cardiologist wanted me to use nitro when I had chest pain and to come back in 6 months. I'm 37 and female and was told there was a very low chance that anything would be wrong with my heart. But the angina and tachycardia problems continued although I didn't go back to the cardiologist until last week a really bad attack I thought sure was a heart attack. In the ER they said my EKG was very abnormal and that I was headed for a heart attack. I had an emergency catheterization which showed a normal heart. Now my cardiologist thinks I probably have coronary artery spasm and that my constant tachycardia will eventually weaken my heart. It was hard for him to decide which medicine would be best since I have a history of severe depression with 2 suicide attempts, and also in addition to the psychiatric meds I take meds for a bladder disease called interstitial cystitis that give me terrible bladder spasms. Anyway, I started taking cardizem yesterday and hope this puts an end to the racing heart and chest pain. I wanted to add that 2 years ago when I was in the psychiactric unit I was informed my resting pulse was 120 and that if I started exercizing regularly and cut out caffiene that would help. I did those along with losing 60 pounds as my depression lessened, but I still have a resting heart rate between 120 and 140.