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.
It's been 3 years since I noticed changes in my heartrate. It's steadily gotten worse and I've been left with no real answers.
My family doc did an EKG after I told her about these episodes where it felt like my heart was pounding out of my chest, skipping beats, and racing out of control making me dizzy beyond belief. Needless to say I was sent to a cardiologist the next day because she saw something on the EKG. That cardiologist had me wear an "event monitor" for 3 long weeks and had an ultra sound of my heart done. The ultra sound looked good (yay) and said that based on the monitor I had simple PAC. After a few weeks my episodes went from just a couple days a week to daily. He tried me on Atenolol. It was amazing I felt great, until I had one of the rare reactions so goodbye meds. He told me PAC is begnin and I shouldn't worry about it it'd go away eventually.
After a year of getting worse I went for a second opinion. This doctor had me wear a holter monitor for 48hrs. He was fairly shocked by the results. While asleep my heartrate jumped to 174 and for 8hrs straight it was at 128. He said it spiked frequently. He said I actually had EST, episodic sinus tach. I wasn't allowed any meds because of allergies. He also said it would resolve itself in time.
Now I go all day with my heartrate spiking up to 190-200. When it pounds hard it feels like my heart is actually hitting my ribbcage and is very painful. I've come close many many times to passing out because of the dizziness. I've been to the hospital twice because of my heart. The second time after having what the ER called a "significant cardiac event" that caused me to crash my car into a wall while going into work.
I don't know what else to do, if i have any options, is it something else. . . . ?
My family doc did an EKG after I told her about these episodes where it felt like my heart was pounding out of my chest, skipping beats, and racing out of control making me dizzy beyond belief. Needless to say I was sent to a cardiologist the next day because she saw something on the EKG. That cardiologist had me wear an "event monitor" for 3 long weeks and had an ultra sound of my heart done. The ultra sound looked good (yay) and said that based on the monitor I had simple PAC. After a few weeks my episodes went from just a couple days a week to daily. He tried me on Atenolol. It was amazing I felt great, until I had one of the rare reactions so goodbye meds. He told me PAC is begnin and I shouldn't worry about it it'd go away eventually.
After a year of getting worse I went for a second opinion. This doctor had me wear a holter monitor for 48hrs. He was fairly shocked by the results. While asleep my heartrate jumped to 174 and for 8hrs straight it was at 128. He said it spiked frequently. He said I actually had EST, episodic sinus tach. I wasn't allowed any meds because of allergies. He also said it would resolve itself in time.
Now I go all day with my heartrate spiking up to 190-200. When it pounds hard it feels like my heart is actually hitting my ribbcage and is very painful. I've come close many many times to passing out because of the dizziness. I've been to the hospital twice because of my heart. The second time after having what the ER called a "significant cardiac event" that caused me to crash my car into a wall while going into work.
I don't know what else to do, if i have any options, is it something else. . . . ?
Are you not able to take Beta Blockers either?
I do not take meds, only because my doctor said I do not have enough "extra beats" in a day to warrant medications. they are OK in a healthy heart, they do not put us at more of a risk. But, I have not heard of an arrhythmia ever really going away. I think if you can manage the stress in your life and accept them, they are less bothersome and you tend to forget about them (to an extent)... But if yours are severe enough to make you crash and get dizzy etc, I think something needs to be done. I would push my cardiologist if I were you for other answers.
The other night while I was hanging out with some friends just sitting and talking I actually passed out. I do have orthostatic hypertension where when I stand up my bp will bottom out, I'll get dizzy but it fades. Well that night I stood up to go get something and got the dizzy feeling from the ortho hype and it faded, well I took two steps, heart raced completely out of control and I passed out. Next thing I know I'm waking up in my one friends arms. (I think I scared the crap out of him) My heart slowed way down and started to contract hard. I felt better after 10min or so.
I called my Aunt who runs a heart institute in GA and she's making time for me to come down and get a cardiac work up from the cardiologists there. Hoping they can give me real answers and not just guesses.