4 years of unexplained heart problems.....and waking up in the middle of the night with severe tachycardia

[MLMCARDIO]

Hello:  I am a 31 year old female whom, 4 years ago went to bed one night and woke up to an extremely rapid heart rhythm/tachycardia and consecutive irregular heartbeats.  I just about passed out and ever since that episode I have been consistently plagued with sporadic tachycardia, PVC's, PVC couplets and stroke-like symptoms including numbness, memory loss, severe dizziness and confusion.  The "events" are sporadic but in general tend to happen in the middle of the night/early morning when I am sound asleep.  I have seen 6 cardiologists across 3 different states...have had multiple Holter monitors, event monitors, stress tests, echos, etc. etc....and have had a cardiac catheterization to patch an ASD/PFO.....however my symptoms continue and are debilitating in terms of preventing me from living my previously active/athletic life.  Additionally, even with mild exercise/exertion I get to maximum heart rates in the 190's.  
I am fairly desperate to find out what is wrong.  I feel awful all the time and at 31, feel more akin to an 80 year old.  These heart issues came on very suddenly 4 years ago and have not ceased.  Beta Blocker therapy has not had any positive effect......and none of the doctors I have seen have come up with any conclusive answers.  Right now I have been seeing physicians at Duke and they are still not sure what is causing my heart such distress, but tend to think that my heart is "reacting" to some other issue in the body and have somewhat written things off as inconclusive and not a major threat.  I have had an exhaustive medical work up aside from a cardiac standpoint and yet the symptoms are still very prevalent and severely affecting my day-to-day functioning and I am not sure what steps to take in order to get an actual diagnosis, but my family and I have been considering the Mayo Clinic.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my situation and any insight and advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Odyvanchk]

I have read somewhere that tachycardia in a parasympathetic state is almost never due to the heart problems. Someone on Amazon wrote review on L citrulline stating that it cured 10years of tachycardia and afib. I am in the same boat,diagnosed with POTS. Midnight  episodes of all kind of things my body decides to perform freaking me out no matter how many times I had it.

[MLMCARDIO]

Thank you for sharing your story with me and I am glad that you have had such a successful recovery.  I unfortunately do not know if I'm dealing with the same type of situation.  I have spent the last 4 years on various monitors and have had countless trips to the ER's and elsewhere for EKG's etc.  I just spent the last two days at Duke for yet further monitoring because they "thought" they finally found something going on with the lower part of my heart.....but after being called into the hospital they have now decided that what they thought was wrong was incorrect.......and so I"m back to "square one" again.  

In the past I have seen regular cardiologists as well as an electrophysiologist.  They told me during my hospital stay over the past couple of days that since they have not yet found conclusive evidence from any of my previous heart monitors over the past few years, that going and doing an EP study of my heart may lead them to burn out pathways that aren't going to resolve what's wrong......leaving me with holes/burnt pathways when it may have not been needed, etc.  They seem to "think" that whatever is wrong pertains to another organ or system within my body, but that it is wreaking havoc on my heart.  I had a cardiac cath procedure done in 2008 because after going to 5 different cardiologists, I eventually went to Duke Hospital in NC and they discovered I had been born with two holes in the upper part of my heart that went un-noticed up until this point.  They patched the holes, however my cardiac symptoms have persisted.  They tell me that short of surgically implanting a permanent monitor to try and "catch" whatever rhythm is waking me up at night and short of doing an EP study and potentially doing unnecessary ablations......that I should be seeing a good internal medicine doctor whom may be able to figure out what else may be happening in my system that is causing what they feel are "secondary" reactions from my heart.

Anyway, I've seen tons of "regular" doctors, specialists, cardiologists, etc. etc.....yet know one seems to know anything or what to do.  It's essentially ruining my life, as I'm sure you can relate........and the worst part is that I have a 3 year old and have virtually "missed out" on much of his life due to spending so much time in the hospitals.  I hope that somehow/someway I will figure out what is wrong......but having to constantly go to this doctor or this hospital .....only to be left with no answers and continued symptoms is so upsetting.  I may find myself at the Mayo Clinic .......something that my current cardiologist is considering.........but I am not sure if even an analytical hospital like this will even be able to help me........since Duke is a pretty top-notch facility and even these professionals have yet to find a diagnosis or solution.

Thank you again for sharing your input and story.......if all else fails I will consider seeing another electrophysiologist for a second opinion.........considering it took me 5 cardiologists even to be diagnosed with the ASD/PFO (*holes in the upper region).....I wouldn't be surprised if it took me numerous cardiac specialists to get to a conclusion.

Best of luck to you

[ltomich001]

Forgot to mention mine started at age 33. Yours sounds a lot like mine. The good news is if it is AVNRT you have the most curable problem out there! 3 - 6 hours of ablation surgery and 98% chance of a 100% cure.

[ltomich001]

I had the same problem, woke up with SVT's, just had one of those several weeks ago before I had my ablation last Friday for AVNRT. See an electrophysiologist and he will diagnose from your EKG and tell you what is really wrong. I feel like someone gave me a new heart. I couldn't be happier. It has to be an electrophysiologist not just a regular cardiologist those never helped me they just said could be this, could be that. I'm in Kansas City and William Brodine did my ablation. His team was so awesome I wasn't worried for a minute. I was stupid and lived with this for 18 years. The drugs caused me dangerous rhythms. Ablation is the way to go depending on the type of SVT you have. For AVNRT, the most common SVT, they cut the extra pathway that's causing the problem and you have your life back! No more worries! No more living in ER's and a bubble.

[MLMCARDIO]

Thank you for your input.  I have heard the whole gamut from potential anxiety/panic to an inappropriate release of adrenaline, etc. .....but so far these things have been evaluated and ruled out as not the issue.  I am due to see a new endocrinologist next week, as they are planning on further evaluating thyroid/adrenal and similar issues......however the heart "symptoms" are just really frightening, even if the heart itself isn't to blame.  I guess I just have a hard time not thinking that I'm in danger, given how my heart is reacting to whatever it is that is wrong.......no matter if it's a direct cardiac problem or some sort of glandular or other issue.  

I appreciate your information about the plant magnesium.  I will look further into that.  Thank you again for your input ...I value and appreciate the opinions of those who can relate to and/or have some knowledge of this type of scenario.

Be Well~

[anxious09]

hi, sorry to hear of yr troubles.

i have been having episodes of waking up with tachycardia sometimes.

i have been told that it could be related to anxiety or a due to my hashimotos thyroiditis (somethiing like too much thyroxine). anyhow pls consider that
it may not have anything to do with yr heart.

i was also informed that the magnesium from plants NOT the mineral combined
with the antistress b complex vitamin will do wonders for yr cardiovascular system
and help you mentally as well.

take care