Was In The Er This Morning

[atomic811]

After being sick all night and a pulse rate of 155 and not dropping below 120 I went to the ER this morning.

It was a giant waste of time. I did the EKG and it was sinus tachycardia. I explained what goes on and such. I was being treated like a neurotic. I stayed calm. I was told I was dehydrated and I explained how much I drink. It was blown off like I didn't know. OK fine I stayed calm.

I said before you draw my blood can you start an IV or it will make me sicker. (I know from experience that when I am like I am today my heart rate goes even higher and I get bad anxiety from it) She got an attitude and said "I am only taking a little" (6 viles).I said "I know to you it is a little, but I know my body and it will make me sicker". "Well I can leave the line in and if the doctor wants an IV I can add it" I said I will wait till you talk to the doctor about the IV and we can do the blood then" She got all huffy with this attitude.

I unplugged myself from the machines. Told her "I have had enough attitude over the past 16 months of this. I know what I am talking about, so this may not seem like a big deal to you, but it makes a giant difference in how it will effect my body."

She left and within 3 mins a doctor came in because I was leaving. I asked him if it was sinus tachycardia? He said "Yes". That he would have given me the IV bag. I said "I know that is why I asked for one before my blood draw". He said if I wanted blood work I could. I said "What will you test for? He said "Thyroid, electrolytes, CBC". I asked if they could run something else with it. He said no just standard. I said they will come back normal or slightly low on potassium like all the other times. And I told him I have a chest xray every year, since he was going to do that as well..

I expressed my desire to just be admitted so I could get all this out of the way and how sick I have been and unable to get place to place ect ect . He said because of my age and symptoms they wouldn't admit me.

He listened to my heart rate and said "You are very tachycardic." I told him my thyroid was 2.5 last time I checked and he said "is that normal? I don't remember the normal range." So I had to tell the doctor the normal range of the hormone.

I left. My paper says "No strenuous activity" "avoid heat" "follow up with a primary care doctor and cardiology this week" "come back if necessary". Diagnosis "Palpitations with sinus tachycardia".

At least it was sinus tachycardia and not super ventricular tachycardia that is why I went because it was getting too high and wanted to make sure.

Positive note: The two young girl techs who did my EKG were very nice.

Pic I snapped before the ER visit this morning.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c52/atom.../Picture156.jpg

[tinkerbella]

I'm so sorry that happened to you...I dislike the er, and do a lot of over the phone treatment to bring down my HR with meds and extra fluids by my cardio or PC and we check in an hour and then again to make sure things are working. I'm blessed that I go to an infusion clinic 2 days a week. So, I get pretty pumped up. I hope you are feeling better now and now that it is getting hotter out I have to remind myself to drink more and becareful if I go outside in the sun as I can quickly be loose everything I just put inside of me.

I hope the rest of the day is much better for you.

xxx's

BellaMia~*

[peppermint patty]

I absolutely detest the ER. I refuse to go. Last time I went was only because I became so ill in my doctor's office and off he sent me. It is terrible. I hope you are feeling better. Please take care of yourself.....drink water and keep cool, Pat

[juliegee]

(((((((((Atomic811)))))))))

[Simmy]

Sorry you went through that ordeal. The ER is horrible for our conditions. As soon as we begin making demands they look at us like we're crazy, but good for you for standing (bad choice of words) your ground! After reading this, when I see my PotsDoc in two weeks I'll ask him to write a concise "ER Instructions for POTS" list on his Rx pad, to carry with me.

That 155bpm and 120bpm minimum, were they while lying down? If it was, did it get even higher when you stood up? If it was standing, what was it when you lied down? Or was it 155 up, 120 down? Sorry about all the questions, just trying to learn us.

I hope you're better now.

[lieze]

Yeah ignore this if I'm being lame but lay down.

I don't know if this will work or not because I'm not sure how we compare.

How long you've had your POTS if your case is more severe than mine etc etc.

And I am post ablation so there is no way how I can know what effect that has had on my tachy (whether it helped)

I do not have SVT's anymore but they warned me they could come back.

If I rest enough my heart will reset itself when I am tachy.

And I'm sure you know to drink plenty of water.

Did you go ahead and let them draw the labs when after he offered you the bag of fluid?

Having blood drawn drains me too but some of it maybe psychological.

When I was in Cleveland Clinic they drew so many vials of blood that I couldn't count and not to mention the EMT let me bleed out a huge amount trying to change over my IV tubing and I was still okay. Even with anemia my cardiologist said I was not too anemic to do the ablation-yes I felt like I was hit by a truck after but they gained valuable information and ran tests on a whole list of things that I know I don't have now.

I know that ER trips are frustrating but try to work with them if you can.

Also try some deep breathing to see if you can get yourself to calm down.

Do you have any Xanax? Not to over do it but it will bring your heart rate down.

Weird story-I ate a shredded chicken sandwich and a chocolate shake one day and my bodies reaction was a heart rate of 130 no other symptoms that would not come down. As soon as I took the Xanax my heart rate instantly came down to 90.

How are you doing today-has your heart calmed down any?

Ignore anything I say that isn't useful.

[Guest humanb4monitor]

So sorry. So Sorry.

Plus-ever have ER people want you to be nutso when you are assertive? That is fun.

I have a primary care ( a cherub in disguise) that says "if you need me anytime." So I do.

Good luck and tach. is a drag. I have to got into heat into car, in a while but AC will be on quick. Then I hope to exercise to music and I love thatkind of UP HR!

Have a peaceful day.

[houswoea]

I avoid the ER until I am dragged in there by people who don't understand that they're just going to tell me I'm fine. I'm sorry you had to go there. But at least the techs were nice, every time I get a resident or tech, they listen to me much better than the trained doctors. Props to you for being patient with the people there, I usually just get angry and start crying! Hope you feel better, Elizabeth

[atomic811]

Sorry you went through that ordeal. The ER is horrible for our conditions. As soon as we begin making demands they look at us like we're crazy, but good for you for standing (bad choice of words) your ground! After reading this, when I see my PotsDoc in two weeks I'll ask him to write a concise "ER Instructions for POTS" list on his Rx pad, to carry with me.

That 155bpm and 120bpm minimum, were they while lying down? If it was, did it get even higher when you stood up? If it was standing, what was it when you lied down? Or was it 155 up, 120 down? Sorry about all the questions, just trying to learn us.

I hope you're better now.

My normal is 76-96 sitting and 120's to 130s standing. However days like today with the heat from yesterday and today it was 120 soon as I woke up sitting. My normal when I first wake up before I stand is in the 60s. Before I left the house standing it was 155. Laying in the ER flat it was 126-134. I don't think I sweat very much. I don't even have a diagnosis yet all I know is I have been sick for 16 months. When it gets warm out I get a fever.

They didn't check it standing there even though I told them it goes a lot higher when I do.

[atomic811]

Yeah ignore this if I'm being lame but lay down.

I don't know if this will work or not because I'm not sure how we compare.

How long you've had your POTS if your case is more severe than mine etc etc.

And I am post ablation so there is no way how I can know what effect that has had on my tachy (whether it helped)

I do not have SVT's anymore but they warned me they could come back.

If I rest enough my heart will reset itself when I am tachy.

And I'm sure you know to drink plenty of water.

Did you go ahead and let them draw the labs when after he offered you the bag of fluid?

Having blood drawn drains me too but some of it maybe psychological.

When I was in Cleveland Clinic they drew so many vials of blood that I couldn't count and not to mention the EMT let me bleed out a huge amount trying to change over my IV tubing and I was still okay. Even with anemia my cardiologist said I was not too anemic to do the ablation-yes I felt like I was hit by a truck after but they gained valuable information and ran tests on a whole list of things that I know I don't have now.

I know that ER trips are frustrating but try to work with them if you can.

Also try some deep breathing to see if you can get yourself to calm down.

Do you have any Xanax? Not to over do it but it will bring your heart rate down.

Weird story-I ate a shredded chicken sandwich and a chocolate shake one day and my bodies reaction was a heart rate of 130 no other symptoms that would not come down. As soon as I took the Xanax my heart rate instantly came down to 90.

How are you doing today-has your heart calmed down any?

Ignore anything I say that isn't useful.

When I lay down on normal days it stops. Days like today not really, but I lay down a lot anyway to keep it in the 120s.

No diagnosis yet seen many docs though.

Xanax very long story short (many don't believe it) when I was tapered off after I started having reactions to it even on a low dose I went through a terrible withdrawal. I have been in my current state since. March 4th of 2009 I passed out sitting on my couch, since that day I have a fast heart and high standing heart rates. The xanax was given for anxiety (not severe anxiety or anything) I took it daily for a year before issues. Then off all **** broke loose. I have had my social anxiety since I was 15 and now am 34. I was only on pills for a year and now this is my result. If xanax didn't cause this it was perfect timing that it just happen to hit. I was on .25mg every 8 hours and by the time I was at .25 mg every 10 hours I started vomiting and withing weeks I fainted and my heart has been wonky since, that and my whole body.

The social anxiety haunts me now because doctors keep telling me its all anxiety. However I never had problems standing in the many years that I had social anxiety issues. Also I try to ask how my anxiety can only happen when I stand and stop soon as I sit on normal days , not like today where it is just high either way.

Yup I have been drinking fluids all day. I have had 3 gatorades the 32 oz ones and filled one with water and drinking that now. I am not hungry at all yet.

No because the labs they wanted to draw were the same labs they always draw and it is always the same results. Once I knew it was just sinus tach I figured there was no sense in stressing myself out more.

Funny about your chicken sandwich story I have some foods that set me off bad. Or a heavy meal, which I don't do anymore. Not that this is a food haha, but I take cool/cold showers because the heat from the shower causes my heart rate to climb very high.

Whatever is wrong with me in a few days I will be back to 70s sitting 120s standing like nothing ever happened.

[atomic811]

Thanks to everyone else for their well wishes.

[lieze]

I have the whole anxiety connection also.

I believe you with the horrible withdrawal that you are describing from the Xanax-it's why I never took mine as ordered.

You might do well on Klonopin-some here take it and you might ask about that.

I'm headed to my nurse therapist Tuesday to see about a antiD to help chill me out.

I don't feel so anxious it just comes out directly in physical symptoms.

Yeah the SVTS's were a bit extreme but I had 6 panic attacks waiting for the ablation.

I also get social anxiety and anxiety in the form of dizziness when driving and like at work.

I hardly do work any more at least not until I get myself more stable.

I've had it with all my ER trips from work only to get there lying down in a room by myself in the nice air conditioning and for all of my symptoms to resolve!!!!!!!!!

I wish we could just turn these crazy bodies in for a new model.

[Crow]

Sorry you went through that ordeal. The ER is horrible for our conditions. As soon as we begin making demands they look at us like we're crazy, but good for you for standing (bad choice of words) your ground! After reading this, when I see my PotsDoc in two weeks I'll ask him to write a concise "ER Instructions for POTS" list on his Rx pad, to carry with me.

That 155bpm and 120bpm minimum, were they while lying down? If it was, did it get even higher when you stood up? If it was standing, what was it when you lied down? Or was it 155 up, 120 down? Sorry about all the questions, just trying to learn us.

I hope you're better now.

Does that exist on the web anywhere? I know one of the mito orgs has something like that and one of the marfan orgs.

Thanks.

[Crow]

(((atomic811)))

I've contemplated going to the ER when I couldn't get my hr down but I've heard about similar stories and it dissuades me. I'm sorry that happened.

Do you have a primary care DR? If so, does that Dr have privileges there? Does that even matter these days anymore?

[tinkerbella]

When I can I keep at home bb's. I'm allergic to them but if I spike I can take a sliver of attenolol every couple of hours just to get me down. So I never throw out what I turn out to be allergic to as in tiny pieces just for a day I can be micro managed. When I'm at the infusion clinic and this happens I can't get out of being sent down as they have to check for CHF or that I haven't had a heart attack from all the fluids they just gave me. I really dislike it, I have been admitted and they haven't been able to reach my cardio and infact made me worse. Now I have his permission to page him myself until he is reached.

It is protocal that he is paged until he is reached and last time it didn't happen.

So, we have made a plan. : ) BellaMia~*

[atomic811]

(((atomic811)))

I've contemplated going to the ER when I couldn't get my hr down but I've heard about similar stories and it dissuades me. I'm sorry that happened.

Do you have a primary care DR? If so, does that Dr have privileges there? Does that even matter these days anymore?

Not currently no. They tend to get rid of me when I won't agree that this is all in my head.