24 hour holter and Echo results advice

[Jen1610]

Hi, I have just joined and looking to see if anyone can give me any advice. I am 34 years old and have been experiencing episodes of palpitations, breathlessness, fatigue, dizziness. When I'm having an episode the breathlessness is worse when lying down.

I have had a 24 hour holter and the results showed stage 1 heart block, nocturnal wenckbach with longest rr interval of >2.4seconds, lowest heart rate of 35 and highest of 148. I didn't exercise that day just did some light walking.

Have had an echocardiogram and results have come today saying normal left and right ventricular dimension and systolic function and normal valve function.

Should I take from this that everything is okay now the echo was normal or could there still be an issue that the holter detected with my resting heart rate being fairly low? My symptoms are driving me mental and getting more regular and its been a long road to finally get tests as I have been told its panic attacks, hyperventilating, ling infection been given diazepam, propranolol, antibiotics, been offered antidepressants even though my mood is fine and I have no anxiety.

Thanks for any info!

[Prada47]

Hi Jen

If I was you I would phone a Cardiac Nurse on Monday here at the BHF they are the experts and will help you to clearly understand what has been written.

Regards

[Jen1610 in reply to Prada47]

Thanks I didnt know that was an option, I will do that. Thanks for your reply!

[Pete1]

Pretty much the same symptoms as me, so too with the heart block diagnosis. I was a lifetime athlete whose performance degraded drastically over a period of 12-months. Couldn’t sleep due to the palpitations. Also fainting became an issue. My lowest HR was 29 bpm when halter monitor checked over a 48hr period. Was under the care of a cardiologist but now discharged with bradycardia and heart block, no medication. I’ve changed my day-to-day living habits to try and reduce the symptoms and I’m pleased to say I feel a lot better – not 100% but I’ve resumed training albeit at a very low effort. I do feel better exercising than when at rest, although if I do too much then it takes me a few days to recover (I’m talking jogging here). My resting HR is back to historic (started recording bpm in 1976) norm of 44 bpm so I’m hoping I can get back to the level I was but it’s probably not possible. My mind says go for it but my body says no chance!

[bantam12]

I have the same problems and diagnosis of heart block/wenkebach, it's been going on for over 6 years but I'm getting a pacemaker in a couple of weeks so hopefully the end of it ! If your symptoms are affecting your life style then be persistent and insist on treatment.

[Jen1610 in reply to bantam12]

Hi thanks for your reply, what stage heart block do you have? Did you have an echo that came back as normal results?

[bantam12 in reply to Jen1610]

I have 2nd degree mobitz 1.

My echo wasn't entirely normal as it showed the pauses and minor mitral leak, it was classed as ok but I wasn't prepared to ignore my symptoms, a later ecg showed AF as well so persistence paid off !

[Jen1610 in reply to bantam12]

Good luck with your pacemaker op hope all goes well. Please come let me know and how it helps your symptoms. I am really symptomatic today, just dont see any point going back to the doctors becasue they cant do anything until I have my next appointment with the cardiologist. Who I know is going to try dismiss me again due to the echo results.

[bantam12 in reply to Jen1610]

Maybe a change of Consultant might help, I'm on my 3rd one ! 1st one I saw totally dismissed everything and put it down to anxiety, 2nd one was more helpful but he retired before the end of my investigations, 3rd time lucky and he got straight on to finding a solution, possibly helps that he also sees my husband who has very complex heart issues.

Good luck, be persistent 🙂