Abnormal Arrthymia and VT

[dvicki3]

I am 43 years old, I have lived with abnormal arrthymia for a long time, over the past 12 years (since i had my last son, he is 12), they have gotten worse, about 3 months ago i went to a heart doctor and i wore a monitor for 2 weeks, while wearing it , i got a call from the nurse telling me that they picked up something on the monitor and wanted me to come in, i asked her what was it and what time did it occur, she told me it was VT and the exact time this occured was the exact time that my alarm clock went off, i asked if being startled from the clock would cause it, she said NO but I asked the DR and he said being startled could cause it, but i do not understand if that is what caused it, and if so, then shoudl i still be worried? he gave me Toprol ER which i did take but after a few months i started having major dizzy spells, i called the DR and he changed the medicine to  Diltiazem ER, I took 1 and felt totally horrible, still light headed and for some reason, spent the evening crying (which i never do)...any opinions?? could being startled be the cause?? after wearing the monitor for 2 weeks that was the only time it picked the VT up..    

[dvicki3]

Thank you! I have been taking half of my medicine and I have not had any spells yet! The doctor said he thought it had to be something to do with my ears and not the Toprol, he said the Toprol should not cause what I was experiencing...So I am going to just take Half of it , I have not had a spell yet so we will see in time.    

[Mom2four85]

good luck with finding out what it is; hopefully it's something that's a one time thing and you won't have any more problems

[dvicki3]

NO havent went through a sleep apnea test, I am certain I do not have it.
This VT that was picked up, it was only picked up 1 time within the 2 weeks that I wore the heart moniter, and it was picked up at the exact same time my alarm clock goes off, but I have talked to my DR (again) about that and he said that my heart should NOT have done THAT , even if I was startled (and theres no way to know if i was) when my alarm clock went off, he said it would not cause that to occur. What Do I know either??!! And, I havent had any major problems with dizziness, I have had spells years ago, but I am certain it would have been from some new medicine a doctor put me on ( I do have severe anxiety also), but normall, I do not have any issues with dizziness! Thank you :)

[Mom2four85]

I was quite shocked when they said I had OSA...I never snored until after my dx, slept on my side with 2 pillows propped up.

I've had arrhythmia's and fainting/dizziness since I was 9 and not dx until I was 42.  I found out my VT was alittle more serious than what they thought it was, and OSA makes my heart go into actual Vtach episodes at night and my heart stop for 1-3 seconds at a time.  They think this is all caused by my faulty autonomic nervous system failing.

I know tracking some of my VT/Vtach episodes relates to waking many times so I thought it was something to mention to your dr.  

did you go through a sleep apnea test? I'm not a doctor but I can see the alarm going off and the adrenaline surge as a trigger for an episode; but meh what do I know =)

[dvicki3]

Actually I do not have sleep Apnea, I am very aware of it being that my sons father has it really bad, but I do not have it, the only thing that ever wakes me up is having to use the bathroom, LOL, and I am a very light sleeper but, other than that, nothing more. I did ask my doctor once again about the deal with the alarm going off at the exact same time that it picked the VT up, I thought that maybe being startled could cause it, because I had asked him this before, but he explained that it can cause something but it would not cause THAT to occur, but it only picked it up that one time in the 2 weeks I wore the monitor and I had no idea of anything going on at that time...ive had a abnormal heartbeat for a LONG time and ive just learned to live with it so if anything occured, i didnt know either way. and i guess it came and went pretty fast, or , i am sure he would have told me that it lasted a while, or , i am sure i would have known. he seems to think that my ears could have caused the dizziness but funny thing is that, when i skipped a few days taking it, i didnt feel the dizziness , but i am going to take half of the medicine and see if that helps, its only been a few days so , time will tell.

[Mom2four85]

do you have sleep apnea? if not, have you been tested for it? I have OSA and have finally found I have many VT / VTach episodes during sleep.

I asked a CC sleep specialists here and he said "Obstructive Sleep Apnea can cause oxygen desaturations which in turn could trigger episodes of Vtach. These people are also more prone for Hypertension"

just a thought to ask your dr about

[dvicki3]

I really do not know, I was unaware of anything at the time, I have lived with a abnormal arrythmia for so long that I dont know if I would have known when it Happened, I did not ask how long and he did not say if it lasted long so, I assume it didnt last long.
It happened at the exact same time that My alarm clock went off and I had no idea until the next day when the DRS office called and told me and he wanted me to come in the following day.    

[itdood]

How long did the VT last?  how many beats?