Hi everyone I’m a 22 year old female, and about 3 weeks ago I went into a&e with a beating heart and tachycardia, but was told it was regular just fast it reached almost 140bpm resting (I was a bit nervous) I had a Chest x ray and lots of bloods taken and ecgs I was told all came back fine, was given bisoprolol and sent home, two days later I went back into hospital after being woken by my rapid heart rate and breathlessness again was told the same thing and sent home. The third time we called an ambulance and the paramedic ecg machine showed some abnormalities but they made out like it wasn’t anything, I stayed over night on a monitor after having a ct scan (which came back clear) the monitor over night never went over 100bpm which was good, I was sent home the next morning and still no doctors could tell me what’s wrong? I had an echocardiogram over a week ago and it came back perfectly normal, I’m still having palpitations and a heart rate of 100 or just over, I’m waiting for my app with a cardiologist finally and have a 72 hour heart monitor fitting on 5th jan, I’m just terrified of waiting for things as I haven’t had a diagnosis yet and I’m worrying my condition is just going to get worse while I’m waiting as It’s not being treated! I have no family history of sudden death or heart problems(that I’m aware of) and iv never smoked and a very light drinker, I’m just terrified of doing anything too strenuous just in case something bad happens in the mean time! I wondered if anybody may have had a similar experience etc... any help would be appreciated as I’m quite down about it all at the moment as I’m so young. also my heart rate is up and down a lot of the time it settles but then the slightest movements can make it beat faster again, especially going up the stairs, it’s never really properly settled. Thank you
#afib #sinustachycardia
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Hayleywayley
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Hayley, it’s good that you’re getting a 72 hour monitor to see what’s happening with the tachycardia. Try not to worry.
I used to wake regularly in the night with tachycardia but not since I began taking 800mg of magnesium a day.
So my suggestion for you is to take magnesium supplements. If it doesn’t help(I think it will) it can do you no harm. (Although People with kidney problems should seek advice before taking).
My suggestion is to begin with taking 400mg of magnesium citrate every day. You can buy it online or from any health shop. Up that dose to 600mg if you can without it making you rush to the loo.
I ought to say don’t take it purely on my advice but do a little online research on it’s positive effects for tachycardia and other heart rhythm abnormalities.
Also, Keep away from energy drinks and red bull etc.
Thank you so much for this information! I will have a good look into it and fingers crossed it might help I never drink energy drinks luckily so that will be easy thank you
You could try cutting out tea, including green tea (rooibosh is OK), coffee, chocolate, coke and also any food containing monosodium glutamate or aspartame for a couple of weeks. You will soon knowif it makes a difference or not. Any, or several, of these may be contributing to the problem. Also is there anything you've started eating/drinking a lot of since a few days before the problem started? That could also be a culprit.
There is something called the Valsalva Manoeuvre which may help you. Take a deep breath, close you mouth and hold your nose and try to breath out really hard against the pressure. This can often stop tachycardia.
It is good that all your tests have come back clear so try not to worry. You have a slight electrical problem in your heart not any serious plumbing issues . The bisoprolol will keep your rate down to a safe level (100 is top end of normal) so try to relax.
The worry and the anxiety will exacerbate the symptoms so do try to find some strategies to help you deal with that. Doctors are not magicians and cannot always give you answers, even after tests but they will spot anything serious or life threatening. The beta blocker will help lower your heart rate and we were told that they have upped the ‘normal’ range for resting HR to about 110 before they treat.
Just keep an eye on your HR at different times of the day and see if there a particular time of day or activity that triggers the elevation.
Many of us have this type of Arrythmia frequently.
Do try Bobs suggestion on Valsalva and note any frequent triggers. HR of 140 will make you breathless and feel a bit fatigued but as long as you don’t over exert yourself carry on as normal. I may sound a bit harsh but having been there many, many times I speak from a little knowledge and a lot of experience.
You have done everything you could, you are in the system, there is no emergency and a little patience is required now as it may take some time to see anyone, especially over the winter period, depending upon where you live of course.
Hi, and I know I’m trying to cope with the worry as best I can and trying not to think about it too much, I know they’re not iv been very happy with them it’s just scary I guess👎🏻 oh gosh ok I didn’t know that! Yes definitely walking up the stairs is the worst, and no thank you so much for your words, they’ve helped☺️ thank you
Look at the POTs section in particular. If anything resonates ask to be referred to a specialist autonomic dysfunction cardiologist - few and far between but could be worth it? Good luck.
Thank you for the link! Yes iv heard of pots, one doctor briefly mentioned it to me but the other doc had never heard of it so it wasn’t bought up again, but yes I’ll see how it goes it’s definitely worth a try! Thank you
Were you completely well before this happened? No suggestion of a virus infection or overactive thyroid gland? I guess they would have tested you for those.
Yes I was as far as I knew! It happened out of nowhere👎🏻 and iv had lots of bloods done my thyroid is all clear and there were slightly high levels of something that indicated inflammation/infection, but some doctors dismissed it and said it was fine yet others were a little more concerned? All of my lymph nodes are up in my groin which is strange also, So I have no idea
Hi I was terrified when I got taken in and sent home with Bisoperal as well and leaflet with AF .A heart scan followed a 24 monitor followed heard nothing finally got an appt Jan 24 .Bless you I thought I was young at 51 I am obsessed with fitness though and they cut the Bisoperal down for me and managing quiet well now .everyone here will help you and in time one learns to live with it but it's never far away AF that' what I find hard no booze coffee or tea is helping me a lot sadly had to change my life so much - good luck with all
Wow Hayley, you ARE young to become so heart aware. Once we become aware of our heart beat, that awareness never seems to go away again. However, if you concentrate on your heartbeat at any age you could learn to feel it, and maybe that is something that we shouldn't normally do.
Everybody's heart rate increases when we climb the stairs, that is normal. Your muscles are demanding more fuel and oxygen for the exercise. Don't be worried about that. I believe the 'resting' heart rate is the important bit, and you can't be truly resting if you are anxious about your heart - catch 22.
As BobD likes to tell us, these electrical faults with the heart don't normally kill us, unlike the heart plumbing diseases that do, and you've had your plumbing checked out OK. I hope that the medics get down to the cause of this for you, and wish you well.
It is normal to be very scared at first. We all know what that is like. You must be one if not the youngest person on this website. An electrophysiologist is a cardiologist that specializes in heart arrythmias. I suggest that you get a referral to one. You are so young that this may just be some temporary problem. I hope so.
There is a device which you could buy that is called a Kardia Mobile which will give you an ECG on your cell phone. Look on EBAY or ALIVECORE website. It is inexpensive and will show you what your heart is doing.
You’re having bouts of atrial tachycardia which is not life threatening ans in common in young people. Usually stress or stimulants are the culprits. Worrying will only make it worse.
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