Arrhythmias Support Group
Cardiac arrhythmia is a group of conditions in which the muscle contraction of the heart is irregular or is faster or slower than normal. Some arrhythmias are life-threatening medical emergencies that can cause cardiac arrest and sudden death. Others cause aggravating symptoms, such as an awareness of a different heart beat, or palpitation, which can be annoying.
I went to my family doctor the other day for the 6month check in. She didn't like what my bp and pulse were doing. She knows about my arrhythmia and that I am not on any medication for it.
While sitting in her office my bp kept climbing and my pulse went from 84 to 100 to 110 in about 10 minutes. I tried to tell her that that's normal for me. My rate is never constant. When I told her that I had started having worse episodes of getting dizzy and nearly passing out. Sometimes when I stand I can feel my bp bottom out and my heart races and it's like "the lights just go out".
She's put me on dilatzem to start with. I am on Ritalin to treat a sleep disorder and I really don't want to have to give it up. I wouldn't say that my heart has been acting any different since I started the Ritalin.
One doc diagnosed me with PACs, and i do feel skips pretty often.
Another said it was episodic sinus tach and that it isn't much to worry about.
Any advice, thoughts? Please I need some guidance.
Thanks.
While sitting in her office my bp kept climbing and my pulse went from 84 to 100 to 110 in about 10 minutes. I tried to tell her that that's normal for me. My rate is never constant. When I told her that I had started having worse episodes of getting dizzy and nearly passing out. Sometimes when I stand I can feel my bp bottom out and my heart races and it's like "the lights just go out".
She's put me on dilatzem to start with. I am on Ritalin to treat a sleep disorder and I really don't want to have to give it up. I wouldn't say that my heart has been acting any different since I started the Ritalin.
One doc diagnosed me with PACs, and i do feel skips pretty often.
Another said it was episodic sinus tach and that it isn't much to worry about.
Any advice, thoughts? Please I need some guidance.
Thanks.
I've since gone off the diliatzem because it was just making my heart go more out of control.
Positional Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. I'm still learning what that means. My best understanding is that my ANS Autonomic Nervous System can't control my blood pressure when I change my position, like going from sitting to standing, so my blood pressure bottoms out and my heart has to overcompensate by speeding up.
I have a tilt table test this week just to confrim and provide an official declaration of diagnosis.
The problem is that because of the POTS my doctor can't give me anything to control my arrhythmia. And the treatment for POTS isn't something someone with high blood pressure and arrhythmia can do.
So it feels like I'm stuck now. Depending on the severity of my POTS I may have to go on disability because working could be dangerous.
:(. I'm not sure how to feel.
Your doc will be able to give you more advise. I think you are going to be fine and there are other treatment options out there :)
Well I did the tilt test, not fun might I add. The nitro drops gave me a monstrous headache.
Right now it's all about lifestyle changes and being careful. I've upped my intake of water by a ton, it's pretty much all I drink now aside from some milk when I'm craving it.
Excerising is a little difficult because I have to make sure I stay up right but I think I've figured out a good compromise.
The doctor told me that excerise will promote my bonemarrow to produce red blood cells which will improve my blood volume.
I'll have a medical alert bracelet or necklace to wear whenever I'm out.
I see my cardiologist in about a week and a half to talk about what else can be done.
At least I know what I'm "up against" so I can start taking charge.