Anybody with Sinus Tachycardia or heart palpitation related conditions?

[MaddiesMum]

Hi..

I know this is random and all but I am just really having a hard time with it lately and could use any sort of comfort with peoples related experiences. I was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White when I was 14 and had an ablation when I was 15.. They found 3 extra passageways (normal is 1) and the ablation was a 100% success, I have not had any problems with it since.

But this July (I'm 19 now) I was having more heart issues so I went to the hospital and they told me I have Sinus Tachycardia.. Which is palpitations but they are completely normal beats coming from the proper part of the heart (WPW was abnormal and would show up on EKGs.) I'm on a beta blocker med to help keep the palpitations at bay but there are still times when I have symptoms off and on for days on end and now it's causing me to miss work because I just can't go about my day normally with an irregular/pounding heart beat and the anxiety that goes with it.. as well as the fact that even small amounts of exertion (ie going up stairs or walking quickly) pretty much has me out of breath because my heart will speed up far more than it needs to.

I'm really trying to learn to live with this, but when it's acting up this much it's really difficult.. so anybody with related experiences, please share!

 

[Avlana]

Hi there. I'm right there along with you! Though, how I ended up with arrhythmias is different than yours. I was hospitalized at 19 due to severe injuries and infection. I was septic. I formed a clot in my leg and it broke away so I ended up with a heart attack and a pulmonary embolism. I was just out of surgery a few hours before this incident and was lying in bed for days, so a clot formed in my leg.

Anyways, during this episode, my pulse was in the 200s and it damaged my heart. Today, at 25 years old, I still have problems. I go through spurts of having constant palpitations for a few days or weeks. It goes into bigeminy which is a PVC (palpitation) every other heartbeat. And I've had runs of v tach. My cardiologist suggests I get an ablation. I don't know if I should go ahead or not. Haven't made that decision yet.

I've been on beta blockers and sometimes they've helped. But we changed my meds to a calcium channel blocker and it works a little better.

I know scary. It's very scary. I get into panic attacks sometimes from it and I know it makes it worse. Sometimes my meds don't work completely either. But it's best to keep taking them. And bug your cardiologist if you need to. Maybe they could adjust your meds? It's hard trying to explain to other people who don't have this kind of trouble and the anxiety that goes with it.

Also wanted to point out that you have your youth on your side. It would be very rare for something serious to happen. Just try your best to keep calm and find a cardiologist you can trust. Also, drink plenty of water. I've found being a little dehydrated will stir up palpitations. Being dehydrated can mess with your body's chemical reactions by having an imbalance in your electrolytes.

Hang in there

. You're not alone. You can always vent to me too. PS, I see your screen name is MaddiesMum, wondering if you have a daughter named Maddie? I have a little girl named Maddie

 

[MaddiesMum]

The name actually comes from a beloved little silkie/polish hen I had that passed away this September, she was very dear to me! It is a beautiful name though

That does sound terrifying, I can't imagine having constant palpitations for weeks on end... you poor thing, as well as all those different types of arrhythmias! I wish there were more people around (obviously I don't wish it on anyone) that have the same/similar problems that could be around just for support. It really helps and unfortunately a lot of us stand alone in this.

I have had my heart rate in the 200's when I had WPW, 220-250 I believe would occur during an episode, which could last a few hours. I have seen my heart go up to 190 with ST but it is not usually that bad, maybe around 140.

I never found any of the maneuvers they told me to try while attempting to slow down my heart rate worked (and to this day they still don't) but I have found that doing a handstand against a wall with someone holding my feet until I get a blood rush does help sometimes. It always worked with WPW but not quite as well with my current condition.
The ablation did wonders for me, it was just a day surgery and my only negative side affect, aside from a temporary limp and some pain, was that I passed out on the way out of the hospital, assuming because of the stress on my body and being in bed all day and then walking. Other than that it was well worth it.

I haven't had any full on palpitations over 120ish since October, when I went to the hospital just to be cautious when I had palpitations of 140 that ended up lasting about 8 hours before it slowly calmed down. Other than that it just flutters throughout the day and occasionally there are days on end when it's all over the place. I had a scare the other night at work when I suddenly got really cold, felt light headed, started shaking and was extremely pale with a fast heart rate.. It only lasted about a minute but it happened again the next morning, followed by irregularities in my heart rate for the rest of the day.

It's strange.. WPW never scared me, I was used to it and just went about my day, I think it's because it would stay around the same rate and I would adjust, where as this one is all over the place all the time and it just constantly has me in a state of anxiousness. I would give near anything to be like someone else and be able to go a day without thinking about that thing pounding in my chest, which can decide life or death for me. I know that my condition is not considered life threatening, but I'm sure you know that doesn't stop your mind from going there when symptoms arise.

I still don't know what causes the ups and downs, but thank you very much for mentioning the water, as I know I don't drink enough water. I've been trying to figure out all the factors but have been mostly unsuccessful. Have you noticed anything else in particular that seems to be related? Almost any time I used to get hiccups it would trigger my WPW, gave me a bit of a fear of hiccups for a while haha, I still naturally get cautious!

And I have been worried lately about the idea of ever having kids.. The one thing I've always wanted in life is to one day be a mother, but I am scared now that all of this has started. I'm scared that my heart wouldn't be able to handle it. Did pregnancy/delivery affect your heart?

 

[Avlana]

I haven't noticed anything else triggering my heart to go wacky, other than prolonged stress. Sometimes even crying would stir it up. Those maneuvers they tell you to do don't help me either. Does your beta blockers seem to help you? Are you on them everyday or just as needed? Also, since you said you get episodes of ST, have you ever had a run of SVT? Supraventicular tachycardia? If you just have episodes of ST, that's a good thing. Though SVT can be treated too.

I don't know much about WPW. But I've heard of many other women having ST and SVT. Even during pregnancies. I've actually had two pregnancies with my current heart condition. First pregnancy went perfectly. Heart did great. But after about a 6 months of having her, I had terrible heart problems. Lots of ST and bigeminy. My pulse was also high due to Grave's disease (hyperthyroidism). An autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid. So I had super high amounts of thyroid hormone being dumped into my bloodstream. That definitely causes a fast heart rate. I was in the 140s just sitting down. Have you had your thyroid hormones checked? Hyperthyroidism is notorious for causing fast heart rates and especially in younger women.

With my second pregnancy, with my son, my heart did okay. I did develop a heart murmur. Pregnancy is very taxing on the heart. You carry extra weight and 20% more blood volume. New heart problems can arise sometimes just from the pregnancy. I was a high risk pregnancy, which means the doctors watch you and baby closely. You may be considered high risk with a history of WPW. Definitely talk to your doctor about it. Since each person with even the same rhythm problems, can be very different to each other due to different makeup of the electrical pathways. There's many women out there who have had ST, SVT or even WPW during pregnancy. Some beta blockers are safe during pregnancy. Some are not. So you'd have to let your cardiologist and OBGYN know when you plan on trying for a child in the future. They can give you a safer med for the baby. I'm sure you'll be fine. But I know the worrying will still be there. I sure did worry! Delivery would probably be the most stressful on your heart obviously. My son came very fast and I didn't have time for pain medication or anything. I had to deliver him natural. My heart rate was very, very high and with palpitations. But they monitored it closely. And I made it just fine. Afterwards, my heart did skip a lot of beats, seemingly to adjust to the lower blood volume and to not being pregnant anymore. That stopped after a few days. So if you are worried about the delivery with your heart, I'd just make sure you have good pain management, since pain will sky rocket your heart rate, or opt for a csection. That will be much less taxing on your heart. Your doctors will know what to do. I wouldn't worry too much right now. But ask at your next appointment about your risks with future pregnancies. They may help settle your fears. My heart is a basket case, but it handled both pregnancies and I'm still here today

I think you'll be fine. And it's not impossible. You'll just need to be more closely monitored.

Also, if you ever get dizzy and lightheaded, sit down right away and hold your legs to your chest to keep your blood pressure up. Drink plenty of fluids too. Fast heart rates or some arrhythmias can drop your blood pressure. And be sure to tell your doctor. I'm sure you've been on heart event monitors. I know these things aren't technically life threatening, but boy do I know the anxiety that goes with it! And you just can't help it. So of course it makes your heart rate faster. I'm glad your ablation worked. That makes me feel a little better. I'm sure I'll be getting that done sooner or later. Anything that has to do with your heart is very nerve wrecking. And I don't think most people realize how lucky they are to have to not worry about their heart rhythms. It's the little things we don't realize that can be taken for granted. But, sounds like we have things relatively under control. And I'm glad you're on some beta blockers. Those are definitely the right drugs to be on to help keep heart rates in check. And if it doesn't work well, doctors can always adjust dosages and even try other medications. I hope I gave you at least some comfort. Know you're not alone. And make sure to drink plenty of water! And try to stay away from too much caffeine

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I don't personally have heart problems, but a room mate I was living with in college had to see a doctor about heart palpitations. She was diagnosed with a similar thing and was told caffeine and stress can cause it. Wasn't so easy to cut stress out of her life, but she cut out caffeine (For the most part) and that pretty much took care of it. If you do drink caffeine, it may be worth it to try switching to decaf.

I'm sorry you are dealing with this though! Health related issues that limit activity are so difficult.

 

[MaddiesMum]

Beta blockers (that I take everyday, twice a day) do seem to help overall, but I still have symptoms such as irregularities, random pounding and occasional palpitations. I've only had ST, thankfully.
I ended up going to the hospital again the other night because I had that cold feeling/palpitation spell accompanied by pain in my chest. They ended up increasing my metoprolol dose and I am having a follow up appointment next month to see if it helps

They did check my thyroid in July and everything seems fine! And they have checked me for a blot clot multiple times as well, which has always scared the crap out of me. As much as I hate the thought of a C section and the awful scar, I feel as though that is what I will end up preferring, just seems safer. Although that decision is a few years away and hopefully I will have it better managed by then. The doctor did say it was possible that it could go back to normal after a few years (although it feels highly unlikely for me)

I didn't know that thing about the leg thing, I will definitely keep it in mind!

And yeah,, I just gotta keep reminding myself that I'm not gonna die and keep breathing slowly lol. Oh my, it's a tough life. Thank you though!

 

[MaddiesMum]

I don't personally have heart problems, but a room mate I was living with in college had to see a doctor about heart palpitations. She was diagnosed with a similar thing and was told caffeine and stress can cause it. Wasn't so easy to cut stress out of her life, but she cut out caffeine (For the most part) and that pretty much took care of it. If you do drink caffeine, it may be worth it to try switching to decaf.

I'm sorry you are dealing with this though! Health related issues that limit activity are so difficult.

Yeah I have no choice but decaf, I had one regular coffee since this all started and I will never do that again hahaha

I think a lot of it is from anxiety..

Thanks for your response!