Why Does My Holter Monitor Show Nothing Re Pots

[louloutinks]

I went to see a cardiologist last November before I was diagnosed with POTs in January this year and they fitted a 24 hour monitor. Whilst I was at the hospital, they took my HR sitting 74 then standing 118.

They asked me if this is usual and I said yes. The cardiologist told me to drink more water - which I drink lots of anyway! Well the post arrived yesterday with the results of the monitor (yes 6 months later) and it stated no brady or tachy.

Few isolated PVC's and APB's. Max HR 149, minimum HR 55.

What is tachycardia classed as then....so my HR rising on standing is not classed as anything. I dont understand.

They did not request me to write anything down to compare to the monitor either. If I had they would have known that I had a day at home, just doing general things.

Nothing was mentioned on the report about my sitting and standing heart rate either.

Does pots not show on a monitor like this?

[juliegee]

From my experience, docs are just trying to rule out dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, like atrial fibrilation. If you were not exercising & had a HR of 149- YES, of course you have tachycardia. You are absolutely right, w/o an accompanying log of your activity with times, the test is useless.

I had the same experience you did. Disappointing & NO help towards a DX, but scary stuff is ruled out.

[lieze]

Tinks I wore a holter and 2 cardiac event monitors.

My holter did show pauses but they were associated with SVT's I was having so it may have just been my heart resetting itself is what I am hoping.

I had a cardiac ablation to eradicate the SVT's but still had all types of scary episodes after with my heart not feeling right.

The cardiac event monitor did not show anything that concerned the doctor twice after wearing it a total two separate times of two months.

I guess the good news is they don't see anything life threatening going on with the heart even though it feels bad at the time.

It is frustrating.

I've been basically told there is nothing that can be done for me by two cardiologists but I'm not sure they really understand my problem either.

I have not been seen by a POTS specialist.

[louloutinks]

Hi MM and Lieze,

so really they do not show up with much anyway and as you say MM, it is pretty useless without a log. I felt pretty 'potsie' that day too and was sure that it would show something. But yes I would call 149 tachy just by standing up and making a drink.

Does anyone else get stages of feeling REALLY bad then pretty good. I can go 2 weeks feeling really dizzy, headaches, tachy, shaky etc then I can feel ok for a few days. I have tried to work out what I am doing different but there is nothing to note.It's like the brain is working ok then it isnt!

I started the gym just before christmas and the trainer who was training me was shocked at my HR just taking an amble on the treadmill which I had to stop and sit on the floor lol!

Annoying that the HR was not mentioned that was taken whilst at the hospital too, but my mum was there when they did it.

[lieze]

My doctor noted the tachycardia but still was not concerned about it.

Even with the SVT's they said they are not life threatening.

I would get so freaked out looking at my EKG results.

I didn't think it looked normal and they would look and say oh this looks great.

I have less of the heart issues now over a year later my resting pulse has lowered but I still get worn out very easily and have periods where my heart either feels like it's going too fast, or working too hard, or not working right.

I'm trying to not worry so much about it but easier said than done.

[louloutinks]

I can imagine that Lieze as I had a scare a year or so ago and was told I had a heart attack due to st elevations on ecg - then another doc said no as no tropanin in blood. Another ecg showed m shape p waves, and all this was such a worry why the ecg's were showing changes - but one good thing is that it led me to a dx of pots.

[Frugalmama]

From my understanding, they don't use the Holter to diagnose POTS, but rather to diagnose abnormal rhythms. I had my second Holter done a number of months ago (a 48 hour one), and I had POTS symptoms every time I stood up during that period. But when the report came back, it was "normal". Needless to say, my GP was shocked, as during that period, my average heart rate was above 100 bpm (including time spent sleeping). When I discussed it with the cardiologist, she just said, "well, I don't see abnormal rhythms, so it's normal". The report did have a side note saying that I had experienced a varietyof symptoms, but didn't even touch on the fact they they occurred when I was standing (which also had been recorded in the log).

[RhinoGut]

I also wore a holter monitor and my heart rate was from 75 to 145. I had a couple PVC's and a few episode of brady, and I was told it was NORMAL. This was all well before my diagnosis. At the time I did not know much about heart rates and what was considered normal. When I found out what my heart rate should be six months later, I remembered that my heart rate was 145 and realized that I wasn't doing ANYTHING that day expect lounging around the house. That's what led me to search online for a diagnosis. I was also told to do a journal, but they never mentioned anything. I wrote down that I walked around the house, but they didn't seem to notice that my heart rate should not be 145 while walking! As everyone has mentioned, holters are just used to look for abnormal rhythms or they will just call it inappropriate sinus tachy like they tried to diagnose me with!

--Ryan