Tachy- When To Go To Hospital? How High Do You Get?

[katT]

In a recent post many of you were saying you get uncomfortable or scared when you get Brady...I am reverse! My heart rate will be around 50 and I am fine with that. It gets over 100 when I am just sitting or lying down and it scares the pants of me.

My question is how high do you typically get before you go to the hospital? I think I freak out unnecessarily sometimes but when I get tachy or irregular beats (PVCS or PACS) I get so worried. Any assurances would be nice! I hate running to the hospital anytime my heart goes between 115-145 as they just give me fluids and send me home. Yet I can't help but get worried when it happens

[AllAboutPeace]

Kat

I feel for you! I absolutely hate the irregular rhythms (PVC, SVT, etc). The last time I had days of them in a row, I had called my internist for advice because I didn't want to go to the ER but I wasn't sure if it was safe to ignore it. Anyway, he didn't return my call (he said he knew he was going to see me in a few days anyway...not helpful...argh!). So, I decided I was just going to ride it out at home. It is very scary!...Things settled down for me after a few days of solid rest.

I have never gone to the ER for the tachy, but aside from a few exceptions (like SVT or during sleep), I don't usually have it while sitting or laying down. It is more scary when you can't control it by changing position and of course becoming anxious about it just compounds the problem. I will usually try to distract myself for a little while (i.e play an ipod game or something pretty mindless) to see if things will settle down.

It would seem that POTS is designed to rid us of our fears, because once we've lived through all of this we could probably handle anything!

I think it is important for you to listen to your gut though. When I get that strong gut feeling I don't ignore it - there is no second guessing at that point - you just instinctively know what you need to do. Don't worry about anyone else judging you...if they felt what you felt they would be concerned too.

[goodnuff77]

My Dr tells me any time my heartrate goes above 130 I should go to the er. After about 12 visits and nothing being done I choose not to go any more. For me I get tachy laying sitting and standing. On average when standing my heartrate is 165 - 180 sometimes higher. When laying and tachy it's around 125. I've been acused of drug use at the er and they just dont know what to do for me. So now I pretty much just stay home unless the chest pain gets real bad. If I do go they just give me something for pain, anxiety, and iv and send me home. I do iv's at home so the hospital is last option for me.

[Anoj]

you know what's weird ... before the 48-hour holter, i never noticed that my heart rate was high. however, the holter confirmed it. i suppose i have been so used to mine being high for so long that i don't know what normal is anymore? does anyone else feel this way? if i don't feel good, i can't always articulate why. or, i think i have adjusted to my situation throughout the years by just not moving around much without knowing why i felt better that way.

i don't think my HR gets as high as those on this board. highest is around 120; average is around 100.

if you go to the ER with high HR, what do they do for you?

[yogini]

ask your doctor, because everyone is so different. I have had over 100 lying down many times and that is not dangerous for me, even though my usual lying HR is in the 70s. You may also want to ask for any medicine. I use beta blockers as needed to manage my tachy and that calms things down soon after I take it.

Edited May 18, 2012 by yogini

[surfgirl14]

Hey. I totally understand how you feel about this. This is too one of the symptoms and issues that scare me the most (apart from GI issues lol ). But anyways yes when I get like this I just try to drink lots and lots of gatorade/water and increase my salt and rest , rest, rest! Just remember POTS is NOT life-threatning although it is life-altering and scary at times. Hearing that it wasn't life-threatning was the hardest for me to hear becuz I didn't belive it and and times I still don't. But my cardiologist tries to reassure me that I am not going to die from this and to just try to stay calm at times like these. Now I am not telling you heck if you get like that just ignore it and move on lol.... oviously if it continues and doesn't get better always call your in charge doctor of you POTS for advice. Even if its after hour service at the office you can always call and let them know watsup. This always makes me feel much better and puts me at ease.

One exception- I was told if I got dehydrated whether it be (diarrhea, vomitting, or for some other reason) and it is combined with high tachycardic symptoms to then be a bit concenred. This is when the role of fluids would come into play. Some doctors will call them in directly so you don't have to go through the whole ER mess.

Sending good thoughts your way

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