Fast and slow HR

[Blackwolf_7619]

Hello all.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year.

A week before Christmas I went swimming as I often do and my heart rate usually okay.

I started feeling chest pain to the point I had to get out of the pool. I then s saw my heart rate had reached 200 bpm. I was stuck in the cubical for over an hour. Every time I moved, even just an arm my hr spiked all the way back up again.

I managed to eventually get myself to A&E. (I was there for over 24 hours I kid you not.)

They were telling me the whole time that I had had a cardiac event. It turned out I hadn't but they still don't know what thr cause was. It still keeps spiking when I try and exercise, but goes too low when I'm resting. This morning my hr was 49. The lowest its ever been. My hr also reached 160 whilst just doing a mild warm-up.

I have a linq monitor but nobody contacted me. No change there.

I have bought a new watch that I can connect to heart monitor strap that I can use in the water.

Has anyone else had anything like this?

[Rabbit55]

Dear Blackwolf. I also have a heart condition and was told not to go swimming, unless I really have to. I hope it all gets sorted out for you. Kind regards, Rabbit55.

[Blackwolf_7619 in reply to Rabbit55]

Swimming has never caused issues really. It was a bit difficult when I first started, but I can swim 70 lengths quite happily now. Well, until a couple of weeks ago. I've now bought a water proof watch and chest strap monitor so I can hopefully monitor properly.

[airforce100]

What is a 'linq' monitor and who is supposed to contact you??! I'm afraid I've never heard of that!

Anyway, I had what you are describing and was ultimately diagnosed with the 'Tachy/Brady' syndrome - a variant of the sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and for that, I was fitted with a pacemaker 3 weeks ago and so far so good! This condition needs to be caught on a Holter monitor or a 'Kardia' device for correct diagnosis, so you definitely need to be seen by a cardiologist asap in my view. It sounds like you did have a cardiac 'event' (probably not related to swimming) which had resolved spontaneously by the time the medics saw you. Hope this helps.

[Blackwolf_7619 in reply to airforce100]

A Linq monitor is the loop recorder and be contacted by the pacing clinic who are 'supposed' to be monitoring it.

How did you get diagnosed with tachy/brady syndrome?

I have kardia which hasn't picked anything up as far as I know, and it is so difficult to get to see a cardiologist. I was diagnosed with ventricular bigeminy but nothing else.

How high/low does your hr get?

[airforce100 in reply to Blackwolf_7619]

Ah, so the 'Linq' must be a kind of Holter monitor, I did not realise you must have had that fitted after you had your 'event'. In which case, it should certainly have picked up Tachy/Brady so I'm unsure why it didn't. Mind you my 24 hour Holter did not pick up my T/B syndrome either - it was diagnosed via a combination of my fitbit watch which showed the frequency of tachy episodes and the printed out Kardia which clearly showed prolonged runs of atrial ectopics of around 140 bpm, from my overnight lows of 41 bpm. I agree it is very difficult to see a cardiologist and I'm afraid I went privately!

[Blackwolf_7619 in reply to airforce100]

A Linq isn't a holder. It'd an implant which lasts fir 3 years, but the pacing clinic ate useless.

I too picked my issues from my watch. My heart drops low wgennim resting though, but really low like yesterday was 49, the lowest I've ever known it to be, and 155 when just doing a light warm up or just a normal walking pace. My heart does recover quickly but that could be Brady. The linq monitor is supposed to be a tool in diagnosis. I contacted the pacing clinic through the Linq app and left 3 messages gor them to contact me, all of which went ignored.

The hospital said I hadn't had a cardiac event because my blood test was normal.

I am going to contact my cardiologists secretary and see if I can get an appointment. Otherwise I will see my GP. I gave booked a private echo that I will bevhaving on the 17th Jan. That can also be a good tool for diagnosis.

[airforce100]

I've now Googled 'Linq' so I now know, as you say, it is an implantable monitoring device - I had no idea such a thing existed!! Mind you there is no point in having such a useful device if it is not monitored and worse, not responded too. - that's just inexcusable, so you have my sympathies. I agree that contacting the cardiology secretary is a good way forward plus seeing your GP. I'm still unsure why your tachy is not being picked up by the Kardia - from my own experience, during tachy episodes, I felt dreadful and immediately set up the Kardia app with the finger sensor and obtained very clear (and diagnostic) evidence of v. fast atrial ectopics alternating with bradycardia which I printed out and sent to the cardiologist, ultimately resulting in a dual lead pacemaker being fitted with 'fine tuning' provided by varying doses of a Beta Blocker. PM only fitted 3 weeks ago but v. successful so far. I am therefore completely new to this group (and indeed any 'social media'!!!) but happy to pass on any useful info I have gained so far. I hope it all works out for you.