India Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Many people on this site use the word "tachy" to describe their symptoms. What does that exactly mean to everyone? One of my initial POTS symptoms was tachy episodes, which for me meant an extremely rapid heart-rate that came on suddenly. Atenolol has helped reduce those incidents. Now, my heart-beat irregularities feel more like "missed" beats and they seem to be getting worse. Oftentimes I feel like my heart has actually stopped and then it starts again, oftentimes with a thump so hard that I can see my chest move. Or my heart flutters in my chest as though it is not completing a full beat and then suddenly resumes a normal pattern. I used to get both of these latter irregularities once in a while, but now they are more common and over the past two months have become frequent to the point that the skips are happening countless times a day.I called the Doctor today and she has advised me to up the atenolol--something I am dubious about given my low blood pressure issues--and she has ordered (another) 24 hour holter test for me next week (I have had about three of these already and only one has ever shown anything, usually because I have to wait weeks for the holter and by then my symptoms have abated--only to return weeks later!)What are other people's experiences with heart beat irregularities? I have had an EP study which was able to replicate nothing. Is it perhaps more than coincidental that these other irregularities have only emerged since that EP study--it was three hours long!? Or am I being paranoid?Anyway, these irregularities are very worrying. Also they seem to happen more at night, and more when I am laying on my side than on my back. I hate sleeping on my back and never feel rested after doing so and that may be compounding the problem.India Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bttrflyamby1981 Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hey,Tachy is considered a rapid heart rate with anything over 100 beats per min. What do you do when you have the holter on? My advice would be to do things that trigger an episode. With reason of course. The holter is the only thing that has picked up anything at all for me.....besides a couple of EKG's that is. I'm on an event monitor right now. Since I'm on meds the holter didn't pick up anything significant this last time. So they hope wearing one for 30 days will help. Maybe? Best of luck,Amber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dizzygirl Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 mmm.. tachy to me means of course a rapid heart rate.. but (i can have a rapid heart rate that doesnt bother me..) if i post that i am having tachy.. it generally means that my HR is over 120- 130 beats a minute and it making me feel like death warmed over.."tachy" doesnt usually begin to bother me till it reaches higher then 120...i wish you good luck on your holter monitor..and hopefully they can catch what is causing you episodes.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikigrl8883 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 my tachy is when i stand of course and in the middle of the night in my sleep ill wake up with it racing very fast its scary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
India Posted November 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Aside from the increased heartrate, does anyone get other heart irregularities or are these generally not considered a part of POTS?India Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikigrl8883 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 i get papaltations somtimes where i have to gasp for air i think i posted that before Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gena Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Anytime I have a heartrate in the 80s or above it really affects me. So even though "tachy" is normally considered 100 or above, I say tachy when I'm in the 80s b/c my body really feels it.I also get a lot of arrhythmias, including feeling like my heart stops completely, especially when I'm laying down at night. The arrhythmias often happen for no reason or if I eat a large meal or something sugary or caffienated. I use Inderal beta blocker (a very tiny dose) and it usually puts my heart back to normal. My doc told me that Inderal is specifically good for arrhythmias.Gena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukkychrm42 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Hey there,I have a very low resting heart rate, and always have had. So for me I'm "tachy" when I notice that my heart rate is way up- it might be relative sometimes, but it often coincides with being more POTSy, and is not fun. FX If I eat a larger meal, my HR will go up maybe not over 100 BPM, but up to 90 from my usual 50 which is definitely noticeable and uncomfortable especially if I'm just sitting there.I also experience irregularities sometimes, which I consider palpitations- sometimes they're fairly regular but just very forceful and uncomfortable. These have only been associated with normal POTS symptoms for me, though.I hope you guys figure out the problems soon! It definitely stinks to have this kind of issue, and sometimes worrying bout it can make it worse. ( Feel better soon!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stampingamy Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 I don't know for sure if this is "tachy" but for me when I stand up I sometimes feel as if my heart is beating really hard. Not necessarily fast. I have been taking my blood pressure each day, once lying and once standing. Typically in this controlled setting of lying down a few minutes and taking my BP and then standing a few minutes and taking my BP I don't get the hard heartbeat. So I don't know if it is beating faster as well as I don't usually have the blood pressure cuff with me when it happens. So... I don't know if it is really considered tachycardia. Good days to all,Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenwclark Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 I have the same experience as Amy. My heart doesn't necessarily race, but it feels like it's pounding really hard. I can see my hair twitching in time to it, or see waves forming in my water glass if I'm leaning on the table. For me, that definitely goes along with feeling more symptomatic. I've been on a beta blocker for several months now, and that keeps my heart rate low (maybe too low), but it doesn't stop that pounding.spike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
India Posted November 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 I get the really hard heartbeats too. No necessarily fast, but just hard. I can see the left side of my chest actually moving with the beats often too.I'm hoping that this holter monitor shows something. But I am only getting one for 24 hours and I have to wait until next Tuesday. I've had echoes and EKG's and thalium stress tests and the works and nothing has showed up apart from mild mitral valve regurgitation. But on some of my (many) trips to the ER "irregularities" on my EKG have shown up, but then on follow-ups have been absent, and no one seems to have any explanations for the irregularities.I can cope with the fast and pounding heart. But it is the irregular or skipped beats that are more frightening and make me feel worse. It's almost as if it sends my whole cardio vascular system out of whack, even when the irregular beats stop, and then it takes hours or days to get back to feeling "normal."Thanks for all your input guys,India Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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