massive confusion about the rhythm of my heart

[kit_kat_1990]

Ok, so I have been told by two different hospitals that I have Atrial Tachycardia. What they have failed to tell me is A) what they are going to do about it and B) whether this is something that I need to have sorted out or exactly what it is and where it has come from

I have had several ECGs and Echos and they say there is nothing that looks physically wrong with my heart. One doctor does not believe I even have anything wrong with my heart - She took my blood pressure and checked my pulse and said it was normal, but I know she was lying because I could feel my heart skipping beats while she took my pulse. She told me I do not get palputations, I must be feeling something else and misinterpreting it for that. But when I spoke to another doctor, he explained to me what a palputation was, and took an ECG and confirmed I have palputations every single beat. He said my heart beats a third faster than it should. What doesnt make sense to me is my heart beats about 4 times at most, then skips a few. My pulse rate ranges from 54-68 a minute (at resting), which doesnt make sense because the average resting heart rate for women is 60-70 from what I have researched. My blood pressure ranges from 100 over 60 to 120 over 80

I have trouble sleeping because I can feel my heart beating constantly, I cannot lay on my left side as I find it highly annoying. I can see my heart beating when I look down at my chest and I can see it if I lay down flat and look at my stomach as it moves as though my heart is in my stomach (I know of course its not)

So my question is, could this shorten my life span? I mean I guessed it could because of the whole average beats of your heart throughout your life time thing but then my pulse rate seems normal so I'm not sure. Is this something I should be pestering my doctor about? I am only 19, going to be 20 in June and they seem baffled as to why my heart is the way it is (i.e. beating out of a rhythm, constant palputations every beat etc.) They have told me, this problem is common in older people and refuse to do anything about it.

[kit_kat_1990]

Thanks for the advice, but yeah, as I have just replied to Jerry_NJ, the problem isnt something that comes and goes, rather its there permanently, I've had it for years and never realised that it wasnt normal, until one day when I was about 18 I got sick and I was so ill a doctor had to come to my house, he took my pulse and asked if my heartbeat was normally quite fast etc and then the next day my doctors phoned me and told me to make an emergency appointment. Thats the only time I have ever been treated like I have a serious problem, since then the hospitals treat me like a hypacondriach (Sp?) as if I am making it all up. If they hadnt told me about it, I wouldnt have noticed it probably. Now it frightens me.

[kit_kat_1990]

thanks for the advice, this is my second opinion - they told me that they could put me on Beta blockers to slow my heart down because they think its stress, but this isnt a problem with my heart that comes and goes, I can feel it 24/7, I have palpitations in almost every beat. When I suggested to the doctor that I would prefer to have the one simple operation I had read about (which is where they go through your thigh and up to your heart and shock your heart which restarts it and fixes the rhythm), he said to me "Its not serious enough for that, I would suggest we try you on some medication first" and I told him I didnt want to because at the time I was only 18, going on 19 and I did not want to be on drugs for life. They believe the primary cause of my heart beating this way is because when I was about 8 or 9 I was electrocuted in a shower, but never thought anything of the fact that my heart has beat funny ever since. When I was four years old, I had an ECG and it came back regular and nothing was wrong. So since then, something has happened to 'break' it - In my opinion its definitley being electrocuted that did it. But doctors always ask me if i drink or am stressed, I have no stress in my life and I dont drink anyways, I dont do drugs or smoke, or anything. So I am still baffled.

Thanks for all your help though.

[blenki]

Hello,

I experience some of what your describing. In the past I've had little 'flutter' feelings lasting a couple of seconds, and then last year woke to a heart pounding at 250bpm and went to A&E, where they tried various things to get it down and not much worked! I had echos, numerous ECG's and all sorts, but all came back 'normal'.

I was signed off by the specialist last October, and then it happened again a couple of weeks ago. This time I saw a different specialist who has said it is SVT, very basically a problem with the electrical currents running through the heart being blocked and resulting in this fast past occasionaly. I'm now taking medication to see if this will prevent future attacks.

At no point have I been told this is life-threatening, and all throughout the investigations I've been told that as I have no sign of heart disease or any other serious heart problems, then the palpitations are not to be worried about, but you do worry about it because its your heart!! In my opinion it cant be too serious otherwise they would have me under constant or more regular supervision - my next appointment with the specialist is in 6 months.

I'd persist with the Drs if I were you, maybe see someone else for a second opinion? But again I would say that if they thought it was something more sinister they would not be being so blase about it.
Since I've been given a name for my palpitations and have since been researching on the internet, it actually seems very common...which has left me feeling better.

Maybe try avoiding caffiene, alcohol and stuff for a couple of weeks and see if that helps? Also I think a big trigger factor for me is stress - have a think about what might be causing this for you.
I am 26 by the way - and I've read posts from lots of people in their 20's, so it cant be something that just affects older people.
x

[Jerry_NJ]

At your young age everything should be done to cure the problem.  Sometimes that is impossible, but at you age and the fact that you heart is physically healthy I'd guess you can be cured.

Have you seen a specialist?  First a Cardiologist and then maybe an Electro-physiologist (EP) as we call them in the USA.  I see you are in the UK, and understand that you may need a reference/approval from you primary care doctor, and I'd not consider it "pestering" her/he if they don't automatically refer you to a specialist.

If you have electrical abnormalities the EP is the best to check it out and it may be that an Ablation or even a medication can solve your problem.  Again, at your young age I'd push hard for a cure, not a symptom treatment, such as medication(s).  

Good luck, and try to be calm, optimistic, and anything else you can do to reduce stress and anxiety, these will just make the problem worse, and could be the root problem.  Has emotional state been discussed with you?