I've been dealing with heart palpitations for over a year and a half now. I can do anything, and my heart rate spikes up. My resting heart rate is always between 100-140.
I get dizzy, lightheaded, I pass out. I feel like my heart is going to give out but my cardiologist thinks it's nothing. I've had several normal EKGs but this last showed
that the top chambers were sending the electric signal too fast to the lower chambers. The term the cardiologist used was short something. I can't remember what it was called :/
My 48 hour monitor showed the tachycardia that I complain about but he said it's fine. I have an ultrasound scheduled in a couple weeks where I think we'll be able to see more.
My heart symptoms have been persistent through oht treatment and it can often be quite scary. I don't think this is normal to say the least. Any advice or input?
Posted by lookup (Member # 44574) on :
He probably did not want to alarm you because that is not helpful.Did he say something like A-FIB? Did the cardiologist recommend something to help keep the blood thin?
When the upper chambers of the heart beat so fast it is hard to empty the blood out of them (like would happen with a single effective contraction that ejects blood to the ventricles
(lower chambers))so to keep things from coagulating it is not uncommon to take something to help things moving.
Things that can help with that is fish oil, curcumin, garlic, baby aspirin, etc.
Personally, I would call daily, to see if someone canceled their ultrasound appointment, so they could see me quicker for an ultrasound. People change appts all the time.
I don't have tachycardia but whenever I feel my heart start to bother me I take some magnesium potassium by Solaray and it helps. Once I had an EKG, and also another person in the family had one, and it showed an electrolyte deficiency and the above helped us.
Breathe. Inhale big for 4 seconds, hold 7 seconds, exhale 8 seconds. It is heart calming and oxygenating.
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. Please consult your doctor to address your health concerns.
Ok, just had to say that
It can be sorted out -- just see if you can move up your appt. Who knows, you might be able to get in today. Ask to be put on a wait list, perhaps. All the best to you!
[ 01-07-2017, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: lookup ]
Posted by Marz (Member # 3446) on :
How can they think it's nothing if you pass out!!!
I found out this week that I have heart beat that's too fast. I've been aware of palps, but never checked my heart rate.
I've been involved as a volunteer in a univesity heart study. For two weeks + another 2 weeks I wore a zio-patch heart monitor in the fall.
I just got the letter that said I might want to see a doctor if I feel lightheaded, dizzy or faint.
I've never fainted but feel tippy and lightheaded all the time.
I had a thorough echo done in the dark too and will wait for those results before I go to MD.
I can sympathize with how scary this is for you Stefi. After reading a lot (which can be dangerous), and finding out about the different kinds of tachycardia, I worry about A-fib which can cause stroke.
Hope you find someone to take this seriously!
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
Are you on any meds? Been offered anything? Asking because propranolol has been really helpful for me. Actually that plus bactrim solved the whole heart symptom thing for me.
Got plenty more but those two did help.
Posted by stefi42 (Member # 48591) on :
Lookup: he didn't say anything about a-fib which I was confused about bc when you say that the electrical signal in my heart is going out to fast, it kinda fits the bill for a-fib...
I was even on a beta blocker dog a while but that did absolutely nothing for me.
I do take fish oil along with magnesium and COQ10 but no relief yet. I'll look into your other suggestions as well!
Marz: I know I just don't understand it! This is the second specialist I see that said the same thing. It's not normal to feel like my heart is going to give out.
I can't even exercise bc my heart spike up to 190bpm!
I hope that you find some relief soon!
Posted by stefi42 (Member # 48591) on :
Jordana: yeah I was on propranolol for a while but it did nothing for me. We upped the dosage twice but I still didn't get any relief from it
Posted by Jordana (Member # 45305) on :
You know it didn't do anything for me at first either. But then later it really made a difference. There are other beta blockers; all kinds of stuff to modify the way your heart beats.
It's connected to adrenaline, cortisol and other hormonal transmitters.
One thing you could try is an antihistamine like benedryl or cyproheptadine that calm the inflammatory response, which lowers adrenaline and cortisol, which then calms the heart.
This is not the only idea, there are tons of them out there so don't give up.
See what sugar does, see what more salt does, see if a benzo helps, magnesium and so on. Look at your thyroid and adrenals.
People with tachycardia tend to find a way to make peace with it eventually and it can always decide to just stop on its own for unknown reasons.
I think the cardio doc isn't worried because you probably come through fine on all other cardio parameters, like your heart itself is probably normal and beats normally aside from the tachy.
So it just feels terrible. Doesn't mean it doesn't suck.
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
FYI -I found palpitations on symptom lists for Lyme and Bartonella.
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
My counser friend had that same kinda tachycardia and was referred to dr martz...who treated her for 1yr with iv abx via a hickman..roceph zith and flagyl.it resolved once nerves healed ..i got some extreme brady going down to like 50s i aint an athlete
Posted by mburrus (Member # 49432) on :
Stefi, after my trip to the hospital with similar symptoms, i got a great consulting cardiologist that i am going to see in her outside practice... maybe a little far for you, she is in kendall near baptist hospital, dr stratego castanes.
they put me on cardizem originally and it helped some, but not enough. then they put me on atenolol, and it made a big difference. i also got put on clonazopam for my anxiety, and im feeling somewhat normal again, not perfect, still a little dizzy, still fatigued, but i can function now and not worry about my heart exploding. all other heart tests came back OK for me as well.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
See post: Caution: Aspartate; Glutamine; and Phenylalanine (3 excitatory amino acids that can be wrong for us when added as supplements, beyond a normal dietary level)
Seaweed has its own natural MSG and can be very excitatory, above a small amount, usually too much so for those with lyme. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Of course, one's own ILADS educated LLMD is best to assess connection with lyme / other TBD -- specific treatment and expectations . . . how much patience and just waiting for treatment to work . . . how to support along the way
&/or recommend other experts / tests to explore.
Some links here that might be of help, just scroll through at first. Particular attention to:
Magnesium issues, overall nutrient balance
MANY Rx can deplete magnesium, adding to heart rhythm issues.
any meds / otc that could be interfering with QT RHYTHM
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