Chest Pain And Low Heart Rate

[Chrissy]

I have been experiencing SEVERE chest pain, kind of like I over exerted myself, for the past week or two. My heart rate is being "regulated" at 90 resting and up to 120, but lately it is between 50 and 80. Unlike normal POTS episodes it hurts the most when I'm laying down and just woke up. I've never felt this before and it is getting worse. I called my local cardiologist, but he doesn't get to the office for an hour and doesn't specialize in POTS. Is this POTS? I'm gonna send an email to my POTS specialist, but it takes them time to respond, and she's not a cardiologist. Any input to help me help them get on the right track to relieving this pain would be appreciated. I really don't want to go to the ER cause they always jump straight to panic attack. I know you can have panic attacks and not know it, but I seriously doubt I am. HELP.

[Broken_Shell]

Chrissy,

I am sorry to hear that this is happening to you. Have you had heart studies done lately - an ECHO, EKG, stress test? These tests can be ordered by even your PCP and could help rule out a problem specifically with the heart and point the finger towards POTS.

Hang in there and keep us posted.

~ Broken_Shell

[mjan]

So sorry for ALL you are going through. Some of this stuff is just too hard to know. So...get it checked out. At least they can rule something out. Remember tho..they are limited by their TESTS and some tests just dont show what it is you are going through. BUt trust their experience to know if its serious or not.

Good luck and let us know..

Jan

[juliegee]

Are you better, Chrissy? Mack, my son, had a really low HR (30's) once. His runs low normally- 60's- but this was unprecendented. I took him to the ER. They were alarmed, but couldn't find any cause and ultimately sent him home. I was worried because he was sleeping almost all of the time at that point and having lots of "D". Turns out he had a bacterial overgrowth (we learned a week or so later) in his GI tract that responded beautifully to meds. Sometimes a super low HR in autonomic folks is an indication something else is going on...Be on the look out for other symptoms OR maybe you're just suffering from a virus. Keep us posted on your progress.

Hugs-

Julie

[mkoven]

My heart rate has been going into the 40s at night-- but no chest pain. I think slow hr can also be part of autonomic dysregulation. My cardiologist chalked it up to "high vagal tone." I'm more likely to get it if I've really overdone it during the day and if I'm more premenstrual.

[Chrissy]

Talking to my cardiologist, he thinks its GI pain. Not! I know when I'm having GI problems and that would only last a day or two and come and go. My issues are constant. My dysautonomia dr said it doesn't sound like it is POTS or Mitral valve related, rather a more cardiac issue. I plan to go to the ER at the Heart Hospital, but keep putting it off. I guess I'm hoping it passes with patience or scared of wasting my time and money to be blown off. I don't know what to do, I know something is wrong. Its like my heart is warn out from the ups and downs of my hr and b/p. Plus I've done a few crash diets in the past that might of done damage to my heart. I also found out that I've been having high cholesterol for a few years now that no one is treating. My mom is hoping I can wait and have Vandy check me from head to toe in June.

[potsgirl]

Hi Chrissy,

It does sound like it might be a heart issue. My pulse was going into the 30s and 40s, and I had an echocardiogram done and found out I had cardiomyopathy. I also had bradycardia (the really slow pulse rate), so they ended up putting in a pacemaker. This was a year before they diagnosed me with POTS. My cardiologist, who deals with both heart problems and POTS, don't think that the heart problems are related to my POTS, so they're now looking at a condition I could have that includes both the heart and POTS. So much fun!

My point, however, is that you really should have your heart checked out just to be sure that's not the issue, or contributing to it. Please let us know how things turn out...

Cheers,

jana

[Chrissy]

I went to the ER at the Heart Hospital, waste of time. At least they listened and didn't tell me it was in my head or I was bringing it on myself. They also didn't act like I'm too young to have so many things wrong with me like most er docs do. They did an EKG which came out normal. They also monitered me on the heart moniters and it surprised my mom as she watched the numbers but never dropped low enough to alert the dr. He asked if there was any specific test I wanted him to run or what I wanted him to do. I didn't know I just wanted the pain to decrease. It hasn't, but I go to Vandy in June and hopefully they can help. I'm going for endocrine/Cushings testing, but while they have me and being that the endocrine is affecting my POTS I hope they autonomic team will at least come talk to me.

[Tessa]

Hi Chrissy

I can only answer based on my own experience, as I am not a doctor.

Have you tested your electrolytes: Potassium and Sodium?

Are your adrenals working properly? This can cause many of the problems you mention on your posts.

I also tend to wake up in the middle of the night with acute chest pain and it does not fade away until I take an extra dose of Hidrocortisone... Low and high levels of serum Potassium and/or Sodium can also cause problems...

Please, get your adrenal hormones tested properly.

testing

I would also recommend a ACTH stim test

Hope you can find the answers to your health issues. Please, keep us informed.

Take care,

Love,

Tessa

[jump]

Hi Chrissy,

What kind of pain is it? Sharp and acute or something different?

I have a chronic, crushing-type chest pain that I think is part of my POTS, and it is worse when I lie down and worse in the morning. My resting hr is often on the low end, around 50-55 and my sleeping hr is usually in the low 40's high 30's.

I was SURE this wasn't POTS-related, because this symptom didn't start with my other POTS symptoms, but after having everything checked out and finding nothing wrong, I'm kind of left with POTS as the only conclusion. I had my heart and lungs both checked out.

The pain, for me, is pretty much every single day, but some days are worse than others. There was a period of about two months when for a while it got MUCH worse - to the point where I could hardly move - but fortunately that subsided and now it just seems to be chronic and not getting worse or better. I haven't found anything at all that helps it (not advil or any other kind of OTC pain killer, not heating pads or anything like that), but I have found it's worse on days when I am significantly more active and/or if I talk a lot more than usual (like if I have to give a presentation or if I have a very long phone conversation).

If you find anything out, let us know 'cuz I'm curious!

[mountain girl]

I am wondering if it is related to the pots because I also had chest discomfort laying down. It used to happen at the end of the day, but has also occurred in the a.m. for me. At least getting it checked out can reassure you if there is nothing else going on. I take Ativan as needed for the chest discomfort, and it helps me. My pots doctor did not order it, but when it was ordered by the er docs and it helped my family doc was willing to order it and I only use it once a day or less. My best to you. Hope you soon feel better.