AmyRS Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 I have a MAJOR update to share today.I think I've only posted my story once before, but here's the latest.On Monday I woke up and said to my husband that I felt different. When I put on my heart monitor like I do every day I looked and my rate was LOW! The Monday before I took my last pill, and exactly a week later my heart rate returned to normal! I'm still having breakthrough beats when i'm doing something (130s-140s) but my resting rate has been as low as 77! Usually it's anywhere between 90-115. So I guess this means that it WAS the Nortriptyline that was causing my heart problems. I can't believe the stupid doctors couldn't figure this out. Good thing I decided to go off them on my own to see what would happen. I've had some really bad headaches and tingling and some vision trouble, but I think I'm okay. Considering the heart stuff was only the icing on the cake, I'm not getting my hopes up too high just yet - I left my job because I was so sick before this heart stuff even happened, so it should be interesting to see how I feel now!Today is day 4 of low rates. I don't even know what to do with myself! On Tuesday I did all my cleaning on my own - I didn't have to get my Mom to help me at all! It tired me out but I was able to do it!I haven't told my dr about this yet - right now I think I'll still have the king of hearts monitor done next month, just to make sure the meds haven't done any damage or anything. That's my main concern right now - that this has done something to my heart!I KNEW this wasn't anxiety/panic attacks and I FINALLY have my proof!!Along with my heart rate being back to normal the pooling and cyanosis in my feet has gone as well. Amazing!I am so angry at my stupid doctors! After doing some research on the net I found a study done on tricylics that showed some people developed orthostatic intolerance while on the meds. Why in the world did my doctors not take this as a serious option?!Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futurehope Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 That's great news. What were you on the nortriptylene for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyRS Posted April 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 My neuro prescribed the Nortriptyline for numbness/tingling/sensations/headaches I was having, so it should be interesting to see if those things come back now that I'm off it. I've had a headache every day so far, but hopefully that's just temporary.The worst part is that he also told me that the med couldn't be causing my heart to do this, and it's pretty obvious that it has been! Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 my son got deathly ill on it. the doctor gave it to him for migraines. he actually ended up in hospital. interesting to see he's not the only one as this was termed a mild inocuous drug morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyRS Posted April 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 I was also hospitalized for over a week in the cardiac unit. The neuro and cardiologist both said the dosage I was on wasn't enough to cause my tachycardia - I was on 40mg a night. They made me stop it cold turkey but it didn't slow down at all, so when I was released from the hospital the neuro ordered me to go back onto it starting at 20mg and to build back up. I ended up deciding on my own to go off it again to see what would happen and if I could last longer than a week without it. I went down to 10mg a night for a whole week and then stopped. Exactly a week after my last pill my rate went down. Unbelieveable!!Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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