Tachycardia With Position Change

[NurseJope]

My problem: When I am laying down, at any time, my heart rate is normal in the 60's-80's.  As soon as I stand up, it can jump from 72 to 115 or so.  I've found that most of the time when I am home just trying to pick up, clean house, do laundry, etc. my heart races way into the 100's.  Even just walking room to room it might be 140.  This is really irritating to have such a pounding, high heart rate when I am virtually doing none or little activity at all.  My heart acts as if I'm running and this high heart rate of course causes me to become short of air as well, since my whole body acts as if I'm running or something.  Does anyone else have/had this problem?  What have you been told is the cause?  It's very concerning to me that my heart races just because I stand up.  Thanks for your help and answers! (For extra help, I am a female, 24 yrs; 127 lbs; 5'3 in.)

[ccscott]

I was not trying to scare her..I told her it may just be anxiety..but the bottom line is this..if someone has these symptoms they should see a doctor....it could be serious or it could be not..either way...nice to post and ask others what they might think...but I felt it was serious enough to tell her to see her GP. When I read these posts and see people writing about problems they are having with their heart for sometimes years,,,and post here..I have to think..WOW...see a doctor and ask them ASAP or yesterday even...my husband has heart issues and he went years thinking it was stress, lack of sleep, to much drinking the night before, to much coffee ect....had he told a doctor 20 yrs ago about his heart he may not have had a massive stroke....so a little scare can be a good thing..not a big one mind you...but enough to get them to check it out...rule out the big scare..its well worth it as far as I am concerned.....but I am sorry if I did scare...not my intention which is why I said stress right after Cardiomyopathy .
Cheryl

[va_tony]

You might also wish to visit www.potsplace.com . They have lots of good info on POTS/dysautonomia.

Have you ever had a tilt table test?  That's the standard test to determine the extent of any postural problems.

[fwilson3]

Don't get too excited...

POTS is a symptom, not a disease.  Many diseases can cause the symptom of orthostatic tachycardia.  Only after a careful exclusion of all other causes of your symptoms, are you left with the "diagnosis" of a syndrome.

This particular syndrome does not have very good treatments associated with it.

[NurseJope]

That is crazy!!  I went to Wikipedia and read about POTS...that sounds JUST like me!  I'm not kidding, I can't believe it.  I printed out the info. and plan to take it to my doctor to see what he thinks.  I have even been told I have anxiety and panic attacks and I've been prescribed Xanax for it.  So when this racing heart stuff is going on, I usually get scared and call someone (mom, friend, cousin, etc.) to try and calm me down and they always just urge me to take a Xanax saying that I'm just having a panic attack.  That always upsets me too because I do not feel as though I'm having a panic attack at all.  I can tell the difference.  The problem is that my heart is going 140 beats per minute just because I stand up and I know that shouldn't happen so I get worried.  Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention, we'll see where it goes from here!

[SillyHeart]

Go to wikipedia and read about POTS: postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.  Does that sound like you?

[maggiemag]

You don't want to scare her, do you?  I don't see where she mentioned a thickened heart muscle.  If anything, it sounds more like an inappropriate sinus tach (IST) than anything else.  A 24 hour Holter monitor would be a good start to investigate the tach.

[ccscott]

If you have a GP you need to discuss it. Hypertropic Cardiomyopathy (sp) can cause this..thickening of the heart muscle..but so can stress....I would not start to worry just yet...see your doctor..tell him its bothering you..he may send you for a stress test, maybe an echo to look at your heart...you are young and if you have Cardiomyopathy..it can be treated very well...many people go their entire lives not knowing they have it..good luck.
Cheryl