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Very fast heart rate

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/17/2015 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
So my heart rate is racing when I'm resting and pretty much doubles when I'm moving. Feels like I just got done sprinting just from simply moving around. This causes a crazy amount of exhaustion and I'm wondering if it's common with UC and if it's from the flare or the steroids?
Posted 8/17/2015 4:30 AM (GMT 0)
I had a pretty elevated heart rate most of the time I was in the hospital. I could feel it pounding, so much that it would keep me awake. I also had a bit of an arithmia during that time, every minute or so I'd have a HUGE thump!...(I would watch the change in the T-wave pattern when I was hooked up) but the nurses didn't seem concerned. My resting BPM is usually like 65. I was at 115 then. I just figured it was my body working hard to fight off that suspected (yet never proven) c diff infection. Pretty sure it is a known side effect of prednisone though. I didn't have the fatigued feeling you are getting though. Did you ever get tested for anemia?
Posted 8/17/2015 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
yup its very common
as flyingjen said it can be anemia, or from steroids
anxiety causes it as well
my heart rate was close to 150 at times when i was really sick
Posted 8/17/2015 11:11 AM (GMT 0)
Steroids are the likely cause. As you reduce your dose, it should start returning to your normal heart rate.
Posted 8/17/2015 11:26 AM (GMT 0)
I've had an incredibly fast heart rate for many years, but since starting some cardio work at the gym it has decreased noticeably-it used to feel and sound as if it was pounding out of my chest (even my partner commented on it when we first met two years ago). I've only done three dedicated cardio sessions- 12 minute interval on the treadmill and 25 minutes on the cross-trainer- and my 'average' heart rate during exercise has dropped to below what it used to be at rest (160-at one point my resting heart rate was 172!) ! So, just try and start moving-get your heart working as it should-even if you just break a sweat for five minutes initially.

:-)
Posted 8/17/2015 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
It'd be good to get your BP checked. Both my heart rate and BP elevated drastically prior to my first flare.

Exercise is great but if you're too sick and have a family history of high BP, meds will help greatly.
Posted 8/17/2015 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
If you're on IV steroids I'd say that's the most likely cause. I hated the feeling of my heart racing while I was on IV steroids and begged the nurses to leave more time between doses. It was a very unpleasant feeling.
Posted 8/17/2015 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I think this is common. My heart rate would get elevated when on steroids or whenever my hematocrit was low from UC related blood loss.
Posted 8/17/2015 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
My guess is that it is the steroids, I always get like that when I take them, I also get extreme anxiety.
Posted 8/17/2015 9:18 PM (GMT 0)
Since you aren't on the steroids at this point, it could be from not continuing them...that and possibly anxiety.

Have you called your doctor about this and the bleeding yet?

q
Posted 8/18/2015 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
When I was in the hospital a few weeks ago, I was told it was from the steroids. I am usually about a 40-43 resting heart rate (I know....ridiculously low. They won't give me pain medicine sometimes because of it!). But when I had IV steroids, it jumped to 60-65 and it felt like my heart was going to pound through my chest. The doctors were of course not concerned because that was still low but not low for me! It will die down once your body adjusts.

Could you try splitting your oral pred dosage (are you still on them?) and taking half in the morning and half at night? I found that helped me.
Posted 8/18/2015 2:04 AM (GMT 0)
I think it's from both. My last flare was the week between Christmas and New Year's and I was admitted for IV steroids. The steroids made me very hypertensive, like a lot of us, so they sent me home on a blood pressure medicine categorized as a calcium channel blocker. I had the same problem as you. My resting heart rate at home was in the 120s but just taking a shower or walking around my condo, it was in the 130-140s. My normal resting heart rate is in the 60's. After 2 weeks of feeling like crap, I asked my pcp to switch my blood pressure medicine to a beta blocker which slows the heart rate and lowers the blood pressure. Once I was on it, I felt so much better. Now with that said, you need to make sure you aren't dehydrated or have a low hemoglobin. Definitely speak with your pcp about how lousy you feel. He/she should be able to help you.
Posted 8/18/2015 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
I left the hospital with a hemoglobin of 10.1 which is lower than the range they want you in but not low enough to say I'm anemic apparently. (According to them). I'm not really losing any blood, haven't lost blood in weeks and the blood I've recent seen the passed couple days is only during occasional BM, usually not much though. I did stop the prednisone 3 days ago but even on the prednisone I had the same heart rate (I was on IV for two weeks, weaned off and went on pred for 2 days before making my decision on stopping), doctor never called back today so I'll be waiting to hear tomorrow from them on another medication.
Posted 8/18/2015 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
My heart rate now is the same as it was on steroids so it's not from stopping them, I'm assuming it's from taking them then. I took 40mg for two days then stopped, going into day four tomorrow with no significant withdrawal symptom other than my appetite not being as strong. How long after stopping does the withdrawal using kick in (if it does at all), would I have known by now if I was gonna get any major withdrawal symptoms?
Posted 8/18/2015 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
I was on two weeks of IV steroid prior to the 2 day pred dose as well, they weaned me off of the IV but people tell me they don't wean you off completely, they wean you off to the prednisone dosage. I have an Iwatch that detects my heart rate for me lol. about 110 give or take, and 130 moving give or take, sometimes these numbers can be a higher.
Posted 8/18/2015 3:59 AM (GMT 0)
I always have tachycardia when I am flaring. It's a common issue while in a flare up regardless of steroids.
Posted 8/18/2015 6:08 AM (GMT 0)
My guess is on the rapid pred taper. IV steroids + 2 days or 40 mg oral pred + nothing.....that is a fast taper! I got chastised from my GI for tapering from IV steroids to oral pred over 3 weeks.

Didn't you start remicade too? I wonder if that could cause it? I never got rapid heart rate from remicade but everyone is different.
Posted 7/18/2016 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
A hemoglobin of 10 (male) will most certainly give you heart palpitations/tachycardia. [Tachycardia is defined as a resting HR of 100 and higher.]

How is your FERRITIN level?
Posted 7/20/2016 4:38 PM (GMT 0)
1. Tachycardia can be part of taking Prednisone. (They are called 'Satan's pills' and 'the devil's tic tacs' for a reason.)

2. But it can also be related to IBD flaring: inflammation, low iron (low hemoglobin, low ferritin, chronic blood loss) etc. I also find I get it AFTER eating. It is like the GI system has to work extra hard and is struggling.

Many chemicals are released in the 'inflammatory cascade'. These include things like the Interleukins and Cytokines -- all inflammatory.

Consider this: Our GI system also uses a huge amount of the blood pumped around by our HEART. e.g. The GI tract demands ~25% of our Heart's entire 'Cardiac Output'.

That's why we can get so darn sick when our bellies are unwell.
Posted 7/20/2016 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Don't forget dehydration, as that's a big one for us. Especially during bad uc flares with frequent diarrhea, dehydration can cause rapid and hard heart beats. Less liquid to cycle around, makes our tickers work pretty hard.

I'd wager for us it's usually a combination of things: prednisone + dehydration + anemia or whatevs.
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