ilashes - this is my story... (skip to the last paragraph if you just want a quick answer to your question.)
::cue cheesy flashback music::
I'm 26. Last summer, I noticed that after taking a shower, I would feel dizzy and could feel my heart pounding hard and fast. I didn't think much of it...it didn't happen every time and after, I was taking a hot shower...that must be doing it.
End of July, early August, I stood up to get a glass of water and had the same feeling. My pulse was 170. It started happening more and more often...sitting, standing, laying down. By the end of August, it was happening almost all the time. I would get really dizzy, was short of breath, nausea, sweating, and had pain in my left arm going up into my next and jaw. I finally saw my primary care physician. He put me on a 24 hour holter monitor. When I came to drop it off, my blood pressure was up. Since he didn't know what was going on, I was put in the hospital for tests. All that was found was orthostatic tachycardia. I was given drugs and sent on my way.
In Sept and Oct, I saw my new cardiologist. I was switched to another drug and back to the first again. I had my first event monitor. He referred me to an electrophysiologist since my heart problems where electrical.
In Nov, I started passing out...this was my biggest fear. It still is...even more then needles. I teach and I was terrified I would pass out while teaching in front of my third grade class. I would take a shot every day if it meant I would never have to worry about passing out again. Anyway...I saw the ep. He wanted to do an ep study to see if he could find exactly where I was having a problem.
I had that ep study in Dec. It was, hands down, the worst experience in my life. The ep I was seeing knew the technical side of things I'm sure but had no bedside manner to speak of. He looked at me, saw a relatively healthy 26 year old female and didn't really think I could have anything wrong...and that's what he found. After the procedure, he walked in my recovery room, told me my problem was anxiety, and turned and walked out. I never heard from him again. I switched to a new cardiologist after that.
My new cardio put me on another event monitor in Feb. It picked up more arrhythmias than the first one did. He referred me to another EP. Mind you, at this point I've been on three different drugs, none of which worked. I was still passing out. I was afraid to do anything bc when the tachy hit, it hit hard and left me breathless. I met the ep in April and he wanted the ablation done. I was planning on waiting until June when school was over to have the ablation. My regular cardio said I shouldn't wait that long and spoke to the ep about moving it up. Three weeks later, I had it done.
I don't know if the ablation was a complete success. I'm still having tachy. However, I'm glad I had it done. I feel sooooo much better. The tachy I have isn't as bad. I was the stage manager for our school's musical. At one point, while taking apart and reassembling the bleachers, I looked at the director. I told her that I couldn't have done what I was doing before the ablation. I couldn't have run up and down the hallways at school getting 200 kids organized into their spots. Even though it may not have worked entirely, I'm still estatic I had it done. I have learned quite a bit through all of this though...especially about myself and the kind of person I am.
Now...to your question. I've had this problem for less than a year. Starting last August, my heart would racing daily...sometimes only 6-7 times a day...sometimes I felt like the racing would never stop. Meds didn't work for me...they're still not. I don't know why. You're right...it doesn't matter that your tachy is infrequent...it's still there. I hope that you can get it fixed. I really hope the meds work for you. I know how crappy it can be. I hope you're feeling better.
Lil