OT my heart

I got called yesterday and offered a cancellation for a stress echo
test. The results were basically as I expected, the heart is
structurally fine with no arrhythmias, it just beats far too fast, at a
medium jog, my heart rate hit 220. So it's good news there is nothing
structurally or rhythmically wrong, but the doctors opinion is that we
do need to act to get it down and having gone over all the details there
is nothing that can be changed, I'm already fairly fit, consume low
amounts of caffeine and don't take any medications it can be attributed
to. Which leaves taking medications for it, we're starting with a beta
blocker.

I feel like there is so much more I want to know, I haven't been able to
find out much about tachycardia without arrhythmia or other cause, it
generally seems to be a symptom, rather than a stand alone problem, yet,
for me, that seems to be what it is.

Anne

I don't have any answers for you Anne, but am glad that you got it checked
out, and kept us in the loop!
--

Jamie Clark



"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...

I got called yesterday and offered a cancellation for a stress echo test.
The results were basically as I expected, the heart is structurally fine
with no arrhythmias, it just beats far too fast, at a medium jog, my heart
rate hit 220. So it's good news there is nothing structurally or
rhythmically wrong, but the doctors opinion is that we do need to act to
get it down and having gone over all the details there is nothing that can
be changed, I'm already fairly fit, consume low amounts of caffeine and
don't take any medications it can be attributed to. Which leaves taking
medications for it, we're starting with a beta blocker.

I feel like there is so much more I want to know, I haven't been able to
find out much about tachycardia without arrhythmia or other cause, it
generally seems to be a symptom, rather than a stand alone problem, yet,
for me, that seems to be what it is.

Anne

On Feb 21, 4:15 pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
I got called yesterday and offered a cancellation for a stress echo
test. The results were basically as I expected, the heart is
structurally fine with no arrhythmias, it just beats far too fast, at a
medium jog, my heart rate hit 220. So it's good news there is nothing
structurally or rhythmically wrong, but the doctors opinion is that we
do need to act to get it down and having gone over all the details there
is nothing that can be changed, I'm already fairly fit, consume low
amounts of caffeine and don't take any medications it can be attributed
to. Which leaves taking medications for it, we're starting with a beta
blocker.

I feel like there is so much more I want to know, I haven't been able to
find out much about tachycardia without arrhythmia or other cause, it
generally seems to be a symptom, rather than a stand alone problem, yet,
for me, that seems to be what it is.

Anne



At least you know now that there isn't anything seriously wrong.
((hugs)) I hope the beta blocker does the trick.

Sharalyn
mom to Alexander James

Anne Rogers wrote:

I got called yesterday and offered a cancellation for a stress echo
test. The results were basically as I expected, the heart is
structurally fine with no arrhythmias, it just beats far too fast, at a
medium jog, my heart rate hit 220. So it's good news there is nothing
structurally or rhythmically wrong, but the doctors opinion is that we
do need to act to get it down and having gone over all the details there
is nothing that can be changed, I'm already fairly fit, consume low
amounts of caffeine and don't take any medications it can be attributed
to. Which leaves taking medications for it, we're starting with a beta
blocker.

Experiment to find out which beta blocker works
best for you. I've had thyroid problems (hyper)
and I have a premature heartbeat. I was prescribed
propranolol, but pretty quickly, it lost its primary
effectiveness and all I got was the secondary effects
of insomnia, which just exacerbated the hyperthyroid
insomnia! Then, I got atenolol, which lowered my
already low BP so that I got dizzy every time I
stood up quickly. Eventually, the thyroid problem
went away on its own. The premature heartbeat is
still there (confirmed via 24-hour Holter), but
the cardiologist says not to take anything for it,
that everything one could take for it would be
worse than not taking anything (side effects, et. al.).

-- Anita --

Jamie Clark wrote:
I don't have any answers for you Anne, but am glad that you got it checked
out, and kept us in the loop!

Thanks Jamie - obviously I asked about pregnancy and the medication and
was told it was fine in the first trimester, but would probably need to
stop later due to increased risk of growth retardation. My own looking
up yesterday suggests it might not be that clear cut, but it's still
several months until our earliest thoughts of when we might ttc.

Anne

At least you know now that there isn't anything seriously wrong.
((hugs)) I hope the beta blocker does the trick.

Yes, that is good to know, though it's a little confusing as to why the
doctor so strongly feels I need to slow it down, she seems to be saying
because of long term risk, rather than management of present symptoms,
though I'm crossing my fingers that it may reduce tiredness, if my heart
rate is always about what it should be if I'm walking briskly, but I'm
lying down, then that can't be very restful.

Cheers
Anne

Experiment to find out which beta blocker works
best for you. I've had thyroid problems (hyper)
and I have a premature heartbeat. I was prescribed
propranolol, but pretty quickly, it lost its primary
effectiveness and all I got was the secondary effects
of insomnia, which just exacerbated the hyperthyroid
insomnia! Then, I got atenolol, which lowered my
already low BP so that I got dizzy every time I
stood up quickly. Eventually, the thyroid problem
went away on its own. The premature heartbeat is
still there (confirmed via 24-hour Holter), but
the cardiologist says not to take anything for it,
that everything one could take for it would be
worse than not taking anything (side effects, et. al.).

It's wierd getting my head round the idea of taking beta blockers, seems
like something your grandparents take! I'll be watching out for side
effects, though the one I have seems to be one with a lower risk of side
effects, it's metoprolol, an extended release version. I'm a bit
concerned about the possibility of dizziness on standing, as that is
something I've had problems with in the past. I'm thinking I should
probably get my thyroid checked, I noticed a couple of things that could
be related to that.

Anne

On Feb 22, 1:20 pm, Anne Rogers wrote:
At least you know now that there isn't anything seriously wrong.
((hugs)) I hope the beta blocker does the trick.

Yes, that is good to know, though it's a little confusing as to why the
doctor so strongly feels I need to slow it down, she seems to be saying
because of long term risk, rather than management of present symptoms,
though I'm crossing my fingers that it may reduce tiredness, if my heart
rate is always about what it should be if I'm walking briskly, but I'm
lying down, then that can't be very restful.

Hey Ann,

I expect she wants to slow it down because prolonged fast heart rate
can lead to heart failure. Working at an increased rate means your
heart is working harder than it ought, which usually leads to a series
of events that remodel the heart to adjust to its new workload. Some
remodelling is good, to compensate, but there's a point where
it becomes problemmatic. Your heart may become hypertrophic
(big) and then as heart failure progresses risks of arrhythmias and
other things increase. Some remodelling can be reversed but at
a certain point it is irreversible.

One way they create heart failure in animal models is by rapid
pacing of the heart. It's a well established model to study
heart failure.

I imagine that's why she wants to get your rate down. I do think
having your thyroid checked is a good idea.

Good luck!

Mary W.

I expect she wants to slow it down because prolonged fast heart rate
can lead to heart failure. Working at an increased rate means your
heart is working harder than it ought, which usually leads to a series
of events that remodel the heart to adjust to its new workload. Some
remodelling is good, to compensate, but there's a point where
it becomes problemmatic. Your heart may become hypertrophic
(big) and then as heart failure progresses risks of arrhythmias and
other things increase. Some remodelling can be reversed but at
a certain point it is irreversible.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that, she did mention heart
failure and I sort of realised it was related to muscle size, but you
explanation really helps. I wish I knew more numbers, but I guess
without finding a cause yet that's not going to be possible. You don't
happen to know how long beta blockers take to work do you? She told me
to check my pulse rate a few times a day and after taking the first dose
this morning I've not noticed any change today.

Thanks, Mary,

Anne

Anne Rogers wrote:

You don't
happen to know how long beta blockers take to work do you?

With my propranolol, the doctor gave me 80mg
per day in 4 doses, but I took just 10mg (1 pill)
and felt my heart suddenly become normal in
half an hour.

You do need to experiment to find the correct
dosage, too. My doctor knows that I like to
start at low doses on all meds he gives me.

-- Anita --