I had a heart attack a little over a year ago - it came completely out of the blue, I was 52, low cholesterol, low blood pressure non smoking, no diabetic, no family history etc. It happened when we were on holiday in Spain, so I had 5 days in intensive care and an angioplasty and came home (eventually) with 2 stents as my holiday souvenirs!
I am now on the usual cocktail of drugs - just come off Tricaglor, and taking aspirin, Bisoprolol 5mg, Losartin and Atorvostatin. I will admit that I have struggled mentally coming to terms with it, but the cadio rehab was brilliant and gave me the confidence to start going about my every day life. I do still get weird feelings in my chest, like a dragging or pressing sensation and palpitations - my doctor has dismissed them and recommended a self help relaxation book :(.
I wear a fitbit (had one before the HA) and when I check the graph after a walk, it does show that my heart rate spikes - it can go up to 176 briefly and then drop down again. Im not mountain walking - this is on fairly easy terrain. I had a stress echo when I first got back to UK which was all normal, but this is worrying me, again I have mentioned to my doctor but he doesn't seem bothered by it.
Any help or advice would be great, thanks x
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tabitha1964
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Hi tabitha64.....sorry to hear about your heart attack, but pleased you got the treatment.
I don't have any advice regarding the sensations and palpitations which are causing you the worry and anxiety, but wondered if you have a community nurse or support that you can contact?
It can be disheartening when our GPs do not offer any advice or explanation for what we are feeling but do persist.
There will be responses from people who have had the same medication and treatment as you and hopefully this will put your mind at rest.
So sorry to hear you are experiencing these spikes, my heart is like a box of frogs with permanent AFib so I have an idea of what it feels like and how worrying it can be. Perhaps you could ask you GP to refer you to a cardiologist to put your mind at rest. Also most GP’s have an interest in a particular field of medicine. Your surgery website might show these profiles and may reveal a GP with an interest in cardiology, if so you could request an appointment with them.
Hi there Tabitha, 176 is far too high. Firstly let's not panic, is it just a spike? As in a 176 read out the next being in normal range say 120? What kind of fitbit is it? Have you cleaned the connectors at all? Recently? How do you feel when it hits 176, light headed any pains? How quickly does it get to within your normal range, single minutes?
Hi, Look into Bisoprolol side effects that was the one for me that I took for 18 months with weird feelings ie anxious-out of sync- lethargic- low HB, now coming off and still a struggle after 5wks but a clearer head with out what I quoted. wish you luck matey and keep a positive head.
Two HA's here, one an unstented blockage in my Septal Artery, the other an Angiospasm.
I have exactly the same issue of heart rate spikes, also picked up by my Fitbit and also with no obvious explanation. Yesterday - 198.
My GP did take notice of mine and sent a screen shot to my Cardiologist, who then arranged for a seven day monitor. That confirmed they were happening.
He then saw me and asked whether I would know they were happening if I wasn't wearing a Fitbit. I agreed I wouldn't. He then advised that he wasn't worried about them, but that I should go back to him if they ever started to cause issues.
Thanks everyone for your replies, sorry for not responding earlier, but I had a colonoscopy yesterday - all clear thankfully, but I was pretty stressed beforehand.
Hi Skid112 - thanks, its a Fitbit Charge HR, only a few weeks old, as I keep having to get them swapped because the straps go. My last Fitbit showed the same, and I was wondering if it was a faulty device, but the as new one does as well, I thought t must be me. My normal pottering around heartrate is in the 70s, perhaps dropping to high 60s. When I am walking, it gets to around 110 - 120. The Fitbit chart shows a spike going up to 176 but only momentarily before dropping back down. I do sometimes need to take a couple of deep breaths and feel a bit lightheaded but I don't know whether it coincides with the spike.
Hi Carokai - thank you - I will talk to my GP again and see if I can do the 7 day heart monitoring, I did see a Cardiologist when we first got back from Spain, but not for a year or so now. Im glad Im not the only one, it has been worrying me.
I guess we take it all for granted when everything it working, it's very scary when it goes wrong
Ok, the normal readings are just that and within range. When I first got mine it was throwing in very high reading as well, and like you was a little light headed and needing to take deep breaths. Once my wife seemed intent on killing me, taking me and the poor pooch out in minus temperatures resultant heart rate of 160+ had me gasping and sitting on a wall, I actually felt fine but it scared the living daylights out of me! It has settled down a lot recently, though again I do get the funny feelings in my chest. I think you are doing fine but as ever, any worries please seek medical advice
Hello there - it might be worth chatting to a GP in your surgery about having a 24hr ECG monitor. Sometimes devices like Fitbits can pick up on spikes in your heart rate because they measure the average rate each time your heart beats. It might be that for a few seconds you're having some extra or abnormal heart beats, so it's worth checking out especially if you have any symptoms at these times. There some more information about 24hr ECGs and a video you can watch here: bhf.org.uk/heart-health/tes...
I think the weird feelings etc in your chest are not anything serious... and normal from what I’ve read. I’m 8 months on from my HA and stent and have various aches and twinges all the time. Can be very scary at first but as I’ve not died yet from them I’ve not worried about them so much!
You mentioned you struggled mentally with things and this was the most difficult part for me to deal with. I went to see a therapist for a while and that helped a bit but it didn’t really help me with my anxiety or fear of potentially leaving my wife and young family. What worked for me, and I know it’s not for everybody, but I found enormous comfort in returning to church and spending time in prayer - especially when in bed when my heart was skipping about.
Relaxation books are one thing but try reading this the next time things are messing with your head my friend... because WE HAVE walked in the shadow of death and need comfort... good luck with everything.
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”
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