I don't know why I never thought about it. This ol' ticker has been a treat to be associated for almost 80 years. Between climbing mountains, being a long distance swimmer and runner, and doing all the normal stuff, it has never been a problem. Suddenly it is zooming along at about 150 bpm with no pain but sudden syncopal episodes. After about three months of this and realizing I had to quit driving if they didn't quit, the VA heard my concern and I wore a Holter for 12 days. The findings were supraventricular tachycardia, sinus rhythm, supraventricular ectopic beats and ventricular ectopic beats. There have never been any abnormalities of my heart and the fact that the issues seems to be ectopic I am assuming the lesions providing all this entertainment are in my brain...specifically the medulla oblongata and the brain stem.
Does anyone know anything about this or have a similar problem? I look forward to your answer!!
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Bodega1939
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I don’t have heart problems but neurologist did send me to cardiologist. Before my last relapse I was having heart palpitations and my entire hospital stay I had to wear a heart monitor and take potassium pills
I have tachycardia. All my life of being so fit and active like you, having a resting heart rate of 60, since having ms, it’s now 100 +. Never thought the two were related but you never know with ms. Blessings Jimeka 🙏
Jeez, Jimeka. I know how that is so well. I go this week to get an EEG--haven't had one for yonks--and it may point out where the origin of the rapid, irregular beats are. Other signs I have had point to the hypothalamus and brain stem. I am not really very eager to find out but I must because I have some serious thinking to do about how to handle what I've got.
Thank you, jimeka and all others who have responded. Nemaste.
I had a quad bypass 120 lbs no symptoms except the MS.Scarring can happen anywhere which is why 1 yr after the quad the vein they took out of my leg for my artery to my heart was already scarred and so now stents.All that in last 2 yrs.So yes, I believe thatMS can also cover symptoms of heart also.I had none.I had already quit potaotes cheese sauses including ketchup..so talk to your doctor and ekgs didn't show a thing..ECHO does.with less exercise and genetics.....I think the doc zerod in on the MS not heart also as it should.symptoms are fooling...pain management can cover.
I can't pretend to know anything about this, but since MS is the result of damage to the nervous system, and since we have more than one of these systems (central, autonomic, and sensory are what come to mind), it makes sense to me that MS could affect the heart. I am sorry it is happening to you. When the heart races it is a most unsettling feeling.
Yes, it does make sense. It didn't to the people I was interacting with at the VA. However when I talked to my "old" doc (who I can't afford at all anymore except for things the VA absolutely has no knowledge about or doesn't want to address) his eyes brightened and he initiated further action. The hypothalamus is the director of heart rhythms so to speak, like the captain of the boat. When I really looked deeply into what the "underbrain" and tht includes the brain stem does, it became apparent I really needed to look more closely.
I will know soon enough. And I will share what I know from the EEG as you now know about the Holter results and my two little syncopes and current tachycardia.
I have heard from one person who has MS and tachycardia. I am grateful to hear.
Supraventricular Tachycardia - Know it very well. Never had it, but my wife did. How many middle of the night trips to the E.R. to have the heart stopped, so it could resume a correct rhythm. Back in the day, it was almost unknown to most E.R.'s. At least in Chicagoland, as she had been to what seems like every E.R. in a 35 mile radius. Till, one evening, up north in Wisconsin, in the tiny little town near our "summer home in the woods", where the E.R. doctor told us about this doctor at the University of Chicago, who had just developed this new procedure. Dr. Wilbur, U of Chicago...look him up we were told. Did so,... after an outpatient procedure, which I was able to get a blow by blow from one of the doctors, where they intentionally stimulated the heart to create the abnormal rhythm, then went in with catheters and located the spot on the heart, then burned the surface of the heart lightly at that point to stop it. Never had it again! It's been decades! My son, many years later, same thing, though by that time, the procedure was done everywhere. He had it done at the convenience store in xxx! Just kidding. But it is very common, simple process now a days. You can look into it if it continues. Same recovery as for a colonoscopy! Easy!
Thank you. Since I do not know the origin of the supraventricular ectopic beats, I am glad to hear your story. I think my years of history of being an athlete and virtually no signs of MS (though I had it) would indicate my problem was initiated when my MS got very much worse the last 3 years...moving from RR MS to SPMS may have been the trigger for the constant problem. i am going to a Class C hospital (no Mayo Clinic or Hopkins within probably 1000 miles of here) and I hope they hear my doc and me as we explain how this might happen.
From Wikipedia: "Within the brain, the autonomic nervous system is regulated by the hypothalamus. Autonomic functions include control of respiration, cardiac regulation (the cardiac control center), vasomotor activity (the vasomotor center), and certain reflex actions such as coughing, sneezing, swallowing and vomiting. Those are then subdivided into other areas and are also linked to ANS subsystems and nervous systems external to the brain. The hypothalamus, just above the brain stem, acts as an integrator for autonomic functions, receiving ANS regulatory input from the limbic system to do so." And so, if MS is caused by an attack on our nerves, and if we know people in the MS population who have bladder/bowel control problems, swallowing problems, sexual arousal problems, and blood pressure problems, why would it be unthinkable that MS could not affect heart rate? I'm no medical professional, but if MS affects the brain, it surely can have an impact on every other bodily function.
I agree. I just had never thought about it before as I know absolutely no one with MS so I wasn't given to pondering problems and probable problems, etc. There is apparently a definite finite limit to my ponderings!!!!
yes I do know something,I have been diagnosed with afib and supraventricular episodes.I have been to the er 6 times in last few years.My heart rate has been over 300.they had to stop my heart to get it back to the correct rate.I was diagnosed before I was diagnosed before ms.I do think it is all ms related.The blessing I had was when I had left work, it absolutely settled down.I am now only seeing cardiologist 2x a year and are only on toprelI think mine was stress and ms. Who said stress can't kill you?????
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