Tachycardia, arrythmias

[Gena]

I posted about a week ago regarding some problems with arrythmias and my heart stopping for several seconds. Well, every other night or so since then I've woken up in the middle of the night with a brief spell of tachycardia (tonight I has another arrythmia spell too, with what felt like multiple heart beats at the same time.) Tonight I had the tachy after having a bad dream but then, my heart was settling down after a couple of minutes, and I coughed and then that's when the arrythmia kicked in and my HR shot through the roof again.

I've had nearly 3 great months of only mild symptoms and now I'm having a bit of a relapse. ugh! (and nothing has changed in my daily regimen.) When I first developed POTS symptoms, my BP was on the floor, so when I had tachy in the middle of the night I could either attribute it to a nightmare or to low BP. But my BP has stabilized a lot of the last couple of months. When I go to bed now it's usually in the nineties over fifties.... which is great for me, b/c it used to run much lower.

This past week, when I take my BP in the middle of the night, it's right after or during the tachy episode and by then it's shot up to at least 110/70, so I'm not sure if it's falling too low prior to the episode or what is actually triggering it. (I'm lying in my bed when it happens. (I'm not triggering it by trying to get out of bed or anything.) I have mild MVP and I know hypovalemia can make that worse ,but I am drinking plenty of fluids.

I'm getting to my question now... Does anyone have tachy and/or arrythmias even when their BP and fluid level seem to be pretty good? I guess I'm just looking for some peace of mind here....my anxiety levels have been running high this week b/c of all this! Not to mentioned I'm really bummed about this setback!

[yogini]

Gena,

Sorry you are having these attacks late at night. I know it can be really scary.

My BP is always in the "normal" range and I still get tachycardia attacks. Before POTS it was always around 90/60, but with salt, fluids and florinef, I have brought it up to be a bit higher. I try to keep my BP as high as I can, because it seems to keep my HR down and lower the tachy. (But my BP has gotten too high a few times which is a nightmare too.)

The tachy is always worse around my period. I also posted last week about getting tachy attacks in the afternoon which I think are linked to food. I switched to taking my beta blocker in the morning. I have been eating smaller meals with fewer carbs for the past few days, and have been feeling much better. It's only been a few days, so only time will tell if this will last! I don't know if you're eating late or heavy meals at night, but this could be factor.

Have you had a 24 hr blood pressure monitor test? I had one of these at Mayo and it takes your BP and HR every 10 min during the day and every 20 min at night. It might help you get to the bottom of things.

Feel better,

Rita

[Gena]

Have you had a 24 hr blood pressure monitor test?  I had one of these at Mayo and it takes your BP and HR every 10 min during the day and every 20 min at night.  It might help you get to the bottom of things.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Rita,

In regards to your statement above....I didn't know a 24 hr BP monitor existed. I thought you could basically only get those readings if you did a sleep study. No one has ever mentioned it to me. The cardiologist wasn't even aware of it, b/c I asked him how I would go about monitoring my BP 24 hours and he said a sleep study. Can I only get the device through Mayo, or do you think I could get locally through a doctor? I think it would definitely help me get some answers.

During the day, the only problems I usually have are if I eat a large meal (which I really try not to) and when I'm exercising, I just have to hold back and not go all out. Sometimes I also have problems breathing during the day, i.e., my breath is not on autopilot like it should be...I have to conciously think about breathing in and out, it doesn't come naturally. These problems are minor to me.

It's the really bad tachy and occasional arrythmias at night time that are really the hardest to deal with. Thanks for the suggestion!!

[MomtoGiuliana]

My bp can be pretty low (80/50) or higher, like 120/80. I take a low dose beta blocker in the AM b/c that's when my tachycardia seems to be the worst. I think my fluid levels are generally fine b/c I am not losing so much fluid through frequent and copious urination like I used to be.

So, I also wonder, like you--what is causing my tachycardia at this point. It seems my body is still inappropriately releasing adrenaline--but what is triggering this?

I also have night episodes of tachycardia. I wake up and notice that my heart rate is pretty fast. I try to ignore it and relax, but it is bothersome.

Katherine

[yogini]

Gena, You should be able to get the 24 hr bp monitor through a local doctor or hospital. Maybe your cardio can ask around. It's just a small electronic device you wear. You can do all the things you normally do except shower during the 24 hrs. My auotonomic neuro (who is based in a hospital) wants me to do it again (since I have been having the high BP issues), only a patient seems to have walked off with their monitor!

I also wonder whether I have IST in addition to POTS, because I seem to get tachy more these days when I am sitting and/or sleeping than when I am standing.

[Gena]

Katherine, yes I am wondering if it's adrenaline release that's causing the tachy or like Rita mentioned in her last post maybe it's IST in addition to the POTS? It's so hard to tell what symptoms to investigate further, like IST or arrythmias or whether to chalk them up as "POTs". Technically speaking I think, that although many of us are dx'd with POTS, we all have symptoms that do no fall within the exact definition of POTS -- which is having tachycardia upon standing, with or without BP changes. I think quite often our symptoms fall more under the general term of dyautonomia....but that doesn't provide any answers either.!

All of my autonomic tests at Mayo came back normal, so I am clueless as to what is the actual cause. All I know is, when I have a flare-up, my symptoms are prominent in the middle of the night. I will try to get a 24-hr BP monitor and hopefully that will shed some light. Would appreciate any addtional insight from others. Thanks everyone!