India Posted November 27, 2007 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 What is the connection between POTS and arrhythmias? I know that at first tachycardia was typically one of my symptoms--upon standing and as my heart fought to keep my BP elevated. But over the past few years I have been increasingly experiencing what people commonly call "skipped" beats--what may be PVC's. They have gotten very bad lately and have been occurring with more frequency and greater impact--breathlessness especially and then a general feeling of having what I can only describe as an "unbalanced" or "incomplete" heartbeat for hours and days afterwards even though my pulse seems regular.What are the mechanisms connecting POTS and arrhythmias of this type? Mine are sufficiently bothering me now and incapacitating me that I am going back to my cardiologist. (I do not hold out much hope, however, as she knows little about POTS and put similar episodes down to stress--how I hate, as a woman, that diagnosis!) Most troubling the "skips" are happening when I engage in any type of exertion or when I seem to be resting for an extended period of time. Very frustrating not to be able to either rest or exercise to cure the problem! What am I supposed to do? I've had holters and, of course, they never show up on them. But my husband can feel them in my pulse and sometimes even see my chest quiver when I have a particularly "fluttery" episode, so this is not only in my mind!Anyway, any insight would be welcome.Mahalo,India Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat57 Posted November 27, 2007 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 I have NCS and during the tilt table test (have you had one) various heart rhythms were seen.I was put on norpace, it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted November 27, 2007 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 Aloha IndiaI haven't thought about this for a while. I too get arrhythmias.When they were first explained to me, the doctor said that the POTS heart is working very hard all the time. We swing from highs to lows over short periods of time. Hard work that the average heart does not experience. The act of all this hard work / regulation causes the heart to become fatigued. The fatigue of the muscle causes the arrhythmia. The goal is to try not to have the swing as often, or as high or low.I totally understand your frustration. I too get the flips and thumps and usually can ignore them. I become more symptomatic when I am more active or less active...it is hard sometimes to find the balance. A virus, change in weather and special holiday activities are all triggers for funky heart arrhythmias for me. I don't know if you have looked at the effect of your increased arrhythmias on your balance of electrolytes. My internist was puzzled to see my potassium levels were low so he proposed that I was burning it up during increased arrhythmia activity; he suggested I take supplemental Magnesium Chloride since you need this to utilize the potassium in your body. It helped. So did more electrolytes in packet form taken 3 times a day.I hope you find the balance again soon.best regards, tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
India Posted November 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 Thanks Tearose, I shall ask the Doc about magnesium. I have had a cold for the past few days and you may be right that this is causing added problems.India Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajw4790 Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 This is interesting! Thanks for the info! Tearose: What kind of magnesium do you take?Also, what kind of electrolyte packets have you found to work?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tearose Posted November 28, 2007 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 Oh yes India, it sure seems logical that you would feel more arrhythmias with that cold. Do ask your doctor about the magnesium and update us!The magnesium is " SLOW-MAG" Magnesium Chloride. It says on the front of the blue and white label..64mg of elemental magnesium per tablet. I take only one a day. I felt a difference in the first week. I know some people may take two per day but I have found one works best for me.The electrolytes I use are found in the electrolyte section of the pharmacy... near the pedialyte.I like the packets by Gerber called "LiquiLytes", "Instant Mix". (fruit punch flavor) These are meant for kids who are dehydrated but I do very well with this since I tend to respond with smaller doses of things and it is perfectly balanced with potassium, sodium, dextrose, chloride and citrate...and then I put it into 6-8oz of water and it acts immediately when I feel weak or symptomatic. It actually makes me feel like a just caught a breath of fresh air! also...ajw4055...For a long time, I had used the electrolyte packets called "Kayolectrolyte" (grape flavor) by the same makers of Pedialyte. I just have found I liked the taste of the gerber product better. You may want to experiment!May all our hearts find a steady, healthy pattern!best regards,tearose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calypso Posted November 30, 2007 Report Share Posted November 30, 2007 I get PVCs on and off in spurts. I can go a year without them and then they come back for no good reason. I sometimes don't get them when I am stressed but do get them when I'm not. But if you have an otherwise healthy heart and no underlying disease, your body will tolerate the PVCs. They occur in something like 20 percent of the whole population, and some people don't even know they are having them. At one point I was having them every five to 10 seconds!Try to relax and have fun anyway by ignoring them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
India Posted December 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 Went to see the cardiologist and had a series of blood tests done. Potassium and magnesium are fine and she sees not reason to take magnesium supplements. However, she does believe given my TSH reading that I have thyroid issues, but probably subclinical hypothyroidism. Can this cause PVC's?My major concern, is that she has referred me back to my primary care physician for this and I have had similar readings before on my thyroid and he has decided that no action is necessary!I also mentioned to my cardiologist that I cannot breathe properly lying on either side at night--much better on back. And that if I lay on my side it feels as though my lower chest upper stomach area is full of pressure and it causes the skipping sensation, sweating, dizziness, nausea. She just looked puzzled and said she didn't know what was causing that? Any ideas? Because I know that not being able to sleep makes the skipping worse in the day and it's all a vicious circle.I have to go to D.C. (from Hawaii, my home) in a couple of weeks for work. I am dreading the long trip and being away for two weeks although I welcome the cooler weather which seems to make me less symptomatic. But I want some sort of answers before I go. I know I sound impatient, but 17 years of waiting for answers is trying my patience Any advice would be so welcome.India Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs. Burschman Posted December 6, 2007 Report Share Posted December 6, 2007 Wow, that IS a long trip! Good luck! You'll have to let us know how it goes.Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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