bounding heart/dizzy -- neurological?

[Kit1]

Thanks for your response to my question on 10/4. I am writing again to ask if a strange episode is neurological in origin.

I was sitting down about 30 min after dinner (no unusual food) and suddenly my heart started pounding and I felt lightheaded (not room-spinning, just dizzy/faint). I had to lie down. My heart was going fast, but the more noticeable symptom was that it was beating HARD, much harder than I had ever felt before. Although I was dizzy, I could see and hear and was conscious enough to time my heart (110 bpm, totally regular). Mentally, I was almost euphorically calm (in retrospect, it seems unnaturally calm). No pain or shortness of breath.

The bounding heart/dizziness persisted for about 90 min; I was conscious the whole time. Then it faded over 5-10 min, leaving me with all-over body weakness and nausea (I did not vomit). Although the unpleasant nausea faded after 12 hrs, my stomach felt unsettled and I was not very hungry for about 5 days.

I feel better now, but I do notice that my heart will sometimes pound for no apparent reason, usually for 30 min-2 hrs at a time. (And it's nothing like that one time in intensity).

I saw my PCP, who ordered blood tests for thyroid function-- all normal. (About 7 months ago, I also had CBC, Chem-12, ESR, ANA, RF blood tests-- all normal).

Do you think this was a neurological event? I've never had anything like it.

[necia]

I recently had a strange experience at the mall. I started getting visual disturbance, then the top of my left hand went tingly. I also felt tingly going up both sides of my neck and my ears were burning. I felt that my equalibrium was all wacked and that if I kept walking I would pass out.
Called 911 and while in the ER my heart rate went to 187 along with my blood pressure to 160/102.
I am wondering if anyone diagnosed with Tackycardia has had these same syptoms. They called it tackycardia and I am going to see a cardiologist. What is wierd is I can walk around at the house but I recently tried to walk into walmart and those syptoms started again. I feel like a caged animal and that I cannot go out by myself. They did put me on Verapmil, it seems to keep the heart in check but not the other problems.
Hoping to get my life back soon.
thanks
Wendy

[rascal]

Dear Kit 1,
Sometimes, after eating, a person might get a squeezing of the esophagus and cardiac sphincter causing stimulation of the vagus nerve. This would cause the heart to slow down (may not be apparent to the person). In response to the slowing down the body will elicit a "reflex tachycardia" that can last for a couple of hours. Try sitting up with pillows (if you can). This is usually common with folks that have gastroesophageal reflux disease.
:)

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

Sounds more like a primary cardiac event or possibly a panic attack (although you don't report any anxiety). Aside from routine blood tests, an EKG and perhaps more prolonged monitoring of the heart may be needed to further evaluate the heart pounding problem. There is a relatively uncommon disease that can cause transient elevations in heart rate along with flushing and increased blood pressure called pheochromocytoma. Otherwise, I would first rule out a cardiac cause for your symptoms. good luck.

[puma]

It sounds as if you may have a problem with an arrythmia called tackycardia which is a heart problem, but it also and very likely could be caused from anxiety attacks which cause the same symptoms.

Since I have been on Klonopin I have had no tackycardia episodes from my generalized anxiety disorder at all. Hope this helps. I am sure the Doctor will have a good answer for you.

Chatahan.......Wildcat

[biko]

Hi
I'm writing from New Zealand. I had symptoms very similar to you. The dizziness was the killer for me and I ended up with it 24/7. In a last ditch effort to get some relief I went to a chiropractor. I was very dubious as I had heard about the disagreements between doctors and chiropractors. I had also read about the idea that subluxations are not something that can be actually proved. However, I was desperate and went anyway. My chiropractor diagnosed me as having subluxations of C1 and C2 cervical plexus and subluxations of the C6 and C7 brachial plexus. Meant nothing to me at the time until she told me that these C1 and C2 if subluxated can cause dizziness because they help control messages from your eustachian tubes. At first the treatment made me feel worse than I had ever felt in my life. However, after about one week solid in bed I began to feel much better. As of this date I am at least 70% better than I was, but I am still going through the acute stage of my treatment as my subluxations were severe. Subluxations can be caused from bad posture or injury from years ago and depending on how long you've had it will depend entirely on how long it takes to get well. The C6 and C7 help control heart behaviour and I too had the rapid heart beat which after my very first treatment disappeared completely. But be warned, if you take this course of treatment, you will feel a whole lot worse to begin with, but within a week or two you will not know youself. It's worth a try and you have absolutely nothing to lose except a couple of dollars. Please let me know how you get on.
Biko