Worried about a fast heart beat

[Starbuck]

Hi, this is my first message here. So I've been worried about my heart rate for a while as it always seems really high, but have been putting things off due to Covid. However recently my heart rate has been really high, and I've been having some chest pains, feeling like ill blackout when I stand up and also just a sick jittery feeling all day.Also I did an exercise dvd the other day and my heart rate went to over 200 and I obviously felt awful afterwards, so won't be doing that again. So ive booked an egg with the doctor on Tuesday.

My question is whenever I look at my resting heart rate its between 90-105, and goes up to 140 when I stand up and walk about. Its usually around 120 when standing up and working. So I'm worried if I have an ecg and its 95 say, will she say that's in the normal range and that I'm fine? I know I don't want to be sick, but I don't want a slightly lower rate to show that I'm fine when I don't feel it. Hope you understand what I mean by that. Any ideas what will happen when I have it? thanks

[GreenGuy999]

Any chest pain associated with high heart rate isn’t normal, she’ll want bloods doing and an ecg possibility more.

Any chest pain and high heart rate isn’t normal.

To be fair I’d be booking into the hospital rather than waiting!!!

[Starbuck in reply to GreenGuy999]

Thank you. I am getting bloods done as well Tuesday so at least that’s booked and sorted. I am really scared about having to go to hospital so trying to get through till next week if I can

[GreenGuy999 in reply to Starbuck]

What are your fears with Hospital? Message me, My work has me driving people to hospital so maybe I can calm your anxiousness.

[Starbuck in reply to GreenGuy999]

thank you, but its not necessarily hospital its just with Covid and everything I suppose

[Cigarboxblues]

I have a similar issue where my normally slow pulse is recorded in an ECG and the same thoughts cross my mind about not showing my true health issue. However I realise that as I, and maybe you Starbuck, have an irregular time interval between palpitation events it’s only time and regular checks and ECG’s that will overcome this currently unseen problem and it’s diagnosis.Keep at it is the answer.

I personally keep a rough “diary” of AF palpitation events so that I am building a history of me for the dr. to review if and when he asks, or I tell him/her.

So I’d say, observe and note down your events roughly and build on your knowledge. It’s not perfect but unless you present you worse condition in front of a clinician only you know what’s going on.

Look after yourself.

[JohnHosta in reply to Cigarboxblues]

Hi Starbucks,

I suffered for about 3 years with irregular heartbeat and episodes of a racing heart. When I did get to A&E my symptoms would often have settled down and the ECG didn’t help.

I invested in a device I think is called Kardia. AliveCor Kardia mobile records a lead 1 ECG on a smart phone or tablet in just 30 seconds. The benefit is you can record your heart trace similar to an ECG when your experiencing these episodes. You then send a copy of the trace to your doctor for analysis.

Maybe it’s something to consider and it was my cardiologist who suggested it to me. Good luck 👍

[Starbuck in reply to JohnHosta]

I have an Apple Watch which does an ecg so have some proof that I have episodes of high heart rate however when I told her on the phone that the watch showed 200bpm when I had exercised she just put it down to the watch being inaccurate so I’m

Not sure she’s a big fan of technology

[Starbuck in reply to JohnHosta]

This is a recent one I did. Says no af but a high heart rate

ecg

[JohnHosta in reply to Starbuck]

Sorry I can’t see any graphs or data.

[Starbuck in reply to JohnHosta]

Sorry it doesn’t look to be showing up for me in the app, but it did on the website when I posted it

[Cigarboxblues in reply to Starbuck]

It is visible to me. 👍

[Hollyday in reply to JohnHosta]

Click on the picture to see it all

[Starbuck in reply to Cigarboxblues]

Thank you for replying. I have some ecg’s which I have done on my apple watch showing I had a high heart rate hopefully the dr will take these into account

[GreenGuy999 in reply to Starbuck]

Yeah but an apple watch isn’t going to record it fully. Its reading off your wrist not from the source. There’ll be massive inaccuracies.

[Starbuck in reply to GreenGuy999]

I think it is supposed to be comperable with the kardia, you have to hold your finger on the watch too

[Pinky1985]

Hi I don’t know but would your GP be able to request a 48 or even 24 hour heart monitor I am awaiting a 5 day one mine is fast like yours luckily I guess you would word it mine came up on ecg at 105 at hospital just a routine ecg but it alerted my cardiologist to go with a monitor as I described getting palpitations I wondered if you could ask your GP explain why. You know you don’t always get it fast but you know it happens so is it best along with symptoms to investigate it

Xx

[Starbuck in reply to Pinky1985]

Thank you I’m really hoping that’s what she suggests

[imps4 in reply to Starbuck]

I have a fit bit which shows may be 3 or 4 fast heart beats during the night and some in the day. I don't seem to wake at night with them and rarely notice them in the day.just had a ct with dye as I have mitral valve problems so hope it might shed some light on this.

[Starbuck in reply to imps4]

Thank you. Hopefully you get to feel better soon

[JohnHosta in reply to Starbuck]

I can understand doctors not accepting a lot of the data we present to them as there are so many variations. I have a Fitbit and I have seen some rapid heart rates and this has been down to the sensor needing to be cleaned. Another factor which I found had an effect on my heart rate was that I suddenly became anxious when I thought my heart rate was increasing and it would suddenly jump and I couldn’t control it.

The difference with the Kardia technology is you hold two fingers down on the device and I believe it is recognised by most doctors as reliable data. The more factual evidence the better!

It’s too easy to say don’t worry, we all know it’s constantly on your mind, but I am confident you will get through this. Ask your doctor if he can arrange a meeting with a cardiologist.

I also agree, keep off caffeine and too much alcohol as these can possibly influence your condition.

[Cigarboxblues]

This is very interesting to me as in 10 months in as an (P?)AF and I’m lucky to have been given an iWatch in June. Since then I’ve been able to gauge the crazy HB when it happens and the duration (and date).This is my outer-body memory rather than accurate fact. I too might get anxious over a reading that is not the norn, but I think to myself...I already know the “twins are arguing” (see my biog) and the data on the watch is ONLY recording what I’m feeling and storing info for retelling to a clinician later. So I don’t get any more worried than I would without the watch.

However, I’m very interested in the Kardio gadget for another more factual database if I don’t soon get a monitor from the dr. for 24hrs or whatever.

I had a look online and see that the (so called) 6 lead version uses two fingers and either your ankle (if you can reach) or knee as a third ‘lead’ point. That’s if I’m reading it right. So I guess you (StarBuck) have a 1 lead version and just use the fingers?

Question; does the app (that operates the hardware) cost much?

[JohnHosta in reply to Cigarboxblues]

Hi, sorry just seen your reply.

I can’t remember the exact prices for the single and 6 lead versions of Kardia.

I thought about the single line ECG at the time (about £120), but I thought, this is probably the most important device you might ever purchase as it could result in saving your life - so I went for the 6 lead version. You can either use two fingers or touch one part to your knee or ankle, I prefer my knee, it’s not difficult.

Anyway I sent my results through to my cardiologist and the data was used to help in my diagnosis.

Hope this helps.

[Cigarboxblues]

That helps. I’m very greatful for the heads up and details. 👍

[Smileyian]

It all depends on why you have a high heart rate. An ECG will show if it is Atrial Fibrillation as your post possibly suggests. If AF then the cardiologist and electrophysiologist will likely prescribe a rhythm medicine such as Amiodorone and explain the ongoing management of this very common arrhythmia. Be aware that heart rate and rhythm are two different things. AF usually presents as a fast (as you describe) but irregular. The ECG will show if you are in persistent AF. Of you have Paroxismal AF ( where it comes and goes) it may not show on if not present at the time of your ECG, in which case you should ask for a 24 or 48 Holter Monitor.