Should I be concerned about tachyardia

Hello Olivia,
I am a female with tachycardia issues. I had a heart ablation Dec 2013 to correct A-Fib. Now I am having issues with tachycardia. Either Sinus or Atrial tachycardia. Hopefully I will know something today.

First tachycardia can come and go. So if you are not having an episode at the time of visit that will be missed. I would have times when my heart would beat fast and then other times very hard - I had an echo cardiogram and treadmill test done 02/13 and was told to have a wonderful life - no heart problems. But I continued to have times I felt very bad.

Finally I saw another doctor - he suggested wearing a heart monitor for a month. This has two leads -one goes on your lower left rib side and the other on your right-side a few inches above your breast. You can press the button when you feel your heart racing, in addition, the cardiologist will set for the monitor for certain heart conditions. If any of these are present the machine will capture the activity automatically. I have worn one three times now.

If I might suggest a few things:
1. Buy a blood pressure machine. When you are feeling your heart racing take your blood pressure. Then you will know your heart rate and blood pressure. I would tract that for several weeks. Both when you are not having any symptoms and when you are. Take this information to your doctor.
2. Track what you are eating and drink - chocolate for example can cause your heart to race. (Please know this is one of my favorite things to eat).
3. If you purchase a polar chest heart monitor (has a watch and then a strap that goes around your chest). I think I paid about $80.00 - Dicks sporting good is where I found mine. Most people wear one in the gym when doing cardio. This will allow you to know your heart rate whenever you want and you can set an alarm when it goes to a certain high range and low range number. I am wearing mine most of the time. This helps me in two ways - First when I am feeling bad - I can know immediately what my heart rate is and in some cases your heart could be in tachycardia and you not feel it. V-Tach for example.
4. Make a list of what you felt right before your heart started beating too fast, while it was beating too fast and what you felt afterwards. Note the times this happens and what was your activity. You might not find anything from the list but you could find a certain activity seems to be a trigger. This information will help your doctor. Example if you are sitting watching TV and your heart rate is 80 but suddenly jumps to 125 BPM without activity that is some form of tachycardia.
5. Ask the doctor to test your thyroid level. TSH rate. Your thyroid can make your heart beat too fast and too slow if the levels are out of normal range.
6. If you take any prescription medication to reduce your acid level for your stomach or have taken over the counter meds for a long period of time - ask the doctor to check your magnesium level. Mine was low and the doctor did not catch this until my ablation. Low magnesium can effect heart rate.

Please know, regardless of what the doctor says - YOU are the BEST Judge if something is not right. If it is not your heart or they are not sure - keep searching and researching.

I felt very bad for almost 9 months knowing something was wrong with my heart. But because the cardiologist said - "have a great life, your heart is not causing you any problems" - I questioned my own judgment.

Bring the evidence regardless of what it is to the doctor - then together decide what course of action.

I pray that something here is helpful.

Dear OliviaJ,

Don't give up.

Monitoring, I think is key. When the doctor comes in, he, at times, has already made up his mind on the diagnosis. This happened to me last week.

I had requested and received my test results from wearing the heart monitor before the appointment. This gave me the opportunity to research the findings. As soon as my cardiologist walked into the room, told me I had sinus tachycardia. I questioned a few of the readings given his diagnosis. We had a LONG discussion. At one point - I gently told him "You are not listening to me". I AGAIN described what happens with my tachycardia events. He changed his diagnosis to Atrial Tachycardia. I am scheduled for an ablation mid May. However, I am going for a second opinion for peace of mind.

What I did not know, due to only TWO leads on the monitor, Sinus Tachycardia and Atrial Tachycardia can look the same. The defining difference is the onset. If your heart rate increases gradually, it is Sinus tachycardia. Atrial Tachycardia is a sudden increase in heart rate and stops the same way, suddenly. My tachycardia is immediate from normal range up to 135 (or higher) BPM and then, ends the same way, immediately. Another way for me to explain it was, as if I had snapped my fingers and the lights turned on and then after a period of time snapped my fingers suddenly turned off the lights. The importance of knowing how it started and ended changed my diagnosis. "ALL" the information from both test results and the patience's experience, is the only way for a correct diagnosis.

You stated you have a goiter. I also have goiters 1 so large it has deviated my esophagus on the right side and 2 smaller ones on the left. All my test functions for my thyroid come back in normal range. I have wondered if the goiters could have anything to do with my tachycardia. I noticed when my head and neck is at certain angles or downward - I can have an episode of tachycardia. If you notice anything similar PLEASE let me know.

You are not alone in feeling discouraged. I have been there and some days, I STILL am. I know, the "unknown" of what is going on and "feeling so bad", that after a while. "it wears on you". But I have decided to keep trying to find the answer. Living and existing are not the same. I prefer to LIVE. With God's help, I hope to find the answers. And hopefully with the answers, the solution.

Ms. Olivia I WILL PRAY for YOU. I hope to hear from you again soon. God Bless.

troubletrusting