Venting

MountainD

Technical Excellence Contributor
That is a symptom of a faulty valve (like my Mitral). Glad you are going to the doc--and I hope they figure out a course of treatment to get you right again! There has been so many advances in heart and circulatory responses that we are in a really good time to figure things out and (fortunately) get them fixed more often times than not.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
`100% with JavelinDave. It took me some time to make the weight v reflux connection. Winter is the worse as I'm less active with fewer soccer games to referee. The peak soccer season for me is the fall with HS soccer. From Late August to early November I work over 80 games, often two back to back. I eat so much better when I'm that active, lose weight, and don't have any problems at all.
 

ghoregon

Active member
I'm sorry you are dealing with this, I know it is scary, I have been there personally and with my daughter.

I had very severe MVP and now have a mechanical valve...I now tick like a loud watch. My valve surgery was performed at St Vincent's in Portland by Dr Jeffrey Swanson, an excellent surgeon (hopefully not something you'll need). I really, really liked my cardiologist, also at St Vincent's, Dr Michael Wilson. If you are looking for a 2nd opinion I would strongly recommend him since it looks like you are near Portland. I will say that your symptoms were not symptoms I experienced with my valve condition which was more of a mechanical problem with my heart.

My daughter (10), on the other hand, has experienced episodes of supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT), which is more of an electrical issue. What you described sounds similar to her symptoms. Seemingly out of nowhere, her heart beats very, very rapidly (200+ bpm). It has been accompanied by stomach pain, which her pediatric cardiologist here in Richmond said is fairly common. As UD said, this condition is treatable with relatively non-invasive ablation. We haven't done this, but it is possible if she has more episodes.

As others have said, modern medicine is amazing and I'm confident the right doc can get you fixed!

Take care,
Greg
 

ghoregon

Active member
My daughter has had ablation surgery three times. She's only 22, first surgery was when she was 7. I remember her first tachycardia event vividly like it was yesterday, the inability to help her was one of the most humbling events of my life. The neural pathways that cause tachycardia remain a mystery but the correction surgery is nothing short of star wars futeristic technology. The nerves abilty to regenerate is a continuing problem.

The initial pre surgery consult when the mortality risk was explained and we as parents and my daughter all had to concur. When I asked my 7 yr old daughter if she understood, she responded that "yes I understand, my chance of dying during the surgery is x%", that was staggering. She was on the table over 6 hrs the first time.

Hi Doug.

Do you mind me asking who performed your daughter's ablations? My daughter may need this procedure and I'm told there are very few pediatric electrophysicists in Central Virginia. Did you take her to UVA?

I hope that my daughter will not need this treatment, but it would be good to have this info just in case.

I hope your daughter is doing well.

Thank you,
Greg
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I'm getting referred to cardiology. Hopefully next week. I made a point of telling him to put it on the list that I'd like to be monitored long term to try to catch the actual issue. I seem to remember that it was about the time I put the monitor on that the symptoms cleared up last time....

Hate hearing that kids have this stuff.
 

AdamSanta85

Well-known member
I've been through a battery of tests with cardiologists over the years regarding PVC's and high blood pressure. Acid reflux is a major PVC trigger for me. My cardiologist says the reflux irritates your vagus nerve which can have an affect on heart rhythm. I was scared for years until I made this connection. I changed my diet, lost some weight, and they've basically went away, until the holidays roll around, and they come back somewhat from eating all of the delicious food left out everywhere you go.

If anyone near NYC needs a cardiologist, mine is a 10/10

Article about it:
https://medium.com/@jancovorstermya...-nerve-palpitations-tips-for-you-b8b2acd4dbbe
 

Uncle Douglas

Well-known member
Callsign: delete
Hi Doug.

Do you mind me asking who performed your daughter's ablations? My daughter may need this procedure and I'm told there are very few pediatric electrophysicists in Central Virginia. Did you take her to UVA?

I hope that my daughter will not need this treatment, but it would be good to have this info just in case.

I hope your daughter is doing well.

Thank you,
Greg

Greg, Sorry to hear that, wouldnt wish that on anyone else. Female Dr named Bell @ The Heart Center @ FFX Hospital. Her practice had several Dr's and they specialized in SVT. Oddly enough the same hospital where Cassie was born. The heart Center @ FFX hospital has incredible operating rooms.
https://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-margaret-bell-x3rf3
 
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RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
It's interesting how many of you have had something along these lines. Good to hear that things have been done to improve/fix the situation.

What is so strange about this is how most of the day yesterday I felt like I was waiting for an episode to hit. Had a few odd bumps and such, and cramped leg and other discomfort all day long. But I woke up this morning feeling perfectly normal. Although I'm tired, I feel like I should. It's like someone has a switch with three settings: Normal, Get Ready, or Heart Flip-Out. There have been times when I feel any or all of these "settings" from one to another almost instantaneously.

Thanks for all the feedback. The advice I see here all seems to line up with what the doctor said, and with what I've read elsewhere. I'm just looking to get the thing actually diagnosed now.
 

ghoregon

Active member

4RF RDS

Well-known member
Panic response as you say, is legit and don’t underestimate its effects nor dismiss it. Even though I had ablation to correct my arrhythmias it still get a few seconds of the rapid rates trying to break through. In just two or three seconds I get rates of 10-15 beats. Each time it happens I’m like fuck me... back to the ED for cardioversion but thankfully it never lasts more than two or three seconds.

Its taken a year of this to get used to it without “panic” or at least increased anxiety. I am happy for you that this (forum) has helped you out. Good luck and stick with it. As was said, a positive attitude is paramount. There is light at the end of the tunnel (and its not train coming to wipe you out.
 
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RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I'm getting around to some testing.... someday.... in March.... I'm afraid that this will subside by then, and the monitor won't catch anything. As last time, it hit hard, then like an earthquake with aftershocks, it slowly faded over the next month or so. Right now I'm back to feeling almost normal on any given day, but I'm having these brief spikes of activity once or twice a day. These aren't so scary, and they aren't debilitating like the first three weeks were. I'm not missing any more work, and actually sleeping well.

I'm curious about what all of you did/what they did/what it took to get a diagnosis enough to be able to get the ablation or other treatment as a serious possibility.

Although I was on a break from running over the dark and busy days of November and December, I'm really wanting to get back to exercising. I feel that as long as my heart can handle it, it can only be a good thing.

Something else: I'm on an experimental diet to see what changes I get. First, I'm working hard to control portions. Second, although for the past 10-15 years I've really avoided junk food, I'm now making a concerted effort to eat healthy. My diet over the past week has been about 60% oatmeal, the rest being fruits and vegetables, granola bars, eggs, and meats. I'm not being a Nazi about it, but I'm avoiding processed gluten for now. A good piece of bread made with the right type of wheat, or items without wheat but that might have traces of gluten don't bother me. After the first two days, I felt a difference. Like I felt this summer when I got back from Africa. So much so, that when I ate a club sandwich for dinner two nights ago, I almost immediately felt the acid reflux start up, and my heart went wild, light headed, etc... It's hard to describe, but I'm sure the acid reflux triggers it. NOT that it is the cause, only a trigger.

I appreciate the feedback from all of you.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I'm getting echocardio test done on Wednesday. Which I'm looking forward to, since the last few weeks have been back to normal, but the last few days have not been so fun. Almost left work in the middle of the day today. I'm sure it would be legendary if I went down in the middle of a lecture.

I have to wait till March 1 to get the monitor though.

I've had both of these before, so I'm hoping the echo will show something this time! It's annoying to spend a day being completely useless, feeling horrible, knowing that something is going on, but not able to prove it to the people who could do something about it.

I was wondering if any of you would be able to describe what your symptoms felt like. I'd be interested to know how common or rare mine are.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Echo came back all normal, except for a few minor things. One thing is that they say they have no previous echo to compare with, but I got one done about 6 years ago. Maybe the time frame is too wide?

"Borderline mild prolapse of posterior leaflet without any mitral regurgitation."
"The left atrium is upper limits of normal in size. Left atrial volume index is 34 ml/m2."

Lately I've either felt normal, or totally off. If I'm having an off day, my heart flutters or races a few times per day, and in the mean time I just feel terrible. On those days, just going up a flight of stairs gets me winded. Just getting out of bed makes my heart rate go to 90+. Getting a monitor on the 1st of March.
 
Has your doctor checked you for the H- Pylori bacteria, that can be a major cause of reflux and can be treated , if not have him do it. I would also mention a echo or stress echo.
You also made need a beta blocker ( metoprolol )which is a med used for b/p but in small doses it may be used to slow the heart rate , in large doses may cause fatique .
I'm 68 yrs old and not at the top of my game as I once was but I look at it this way, this is not a practice round so I try
make the best of it, sure i'm slower and sometimes I hurt like hell but I refuse to sit down and I have just discovered you guys.
 

Topperkenobi

Well-known member
That's good news. That means that your heart is structurally ok. Normal ejection fraction, no mitral regurgitation, no enlarged left atrium and no aortic stenosis are the things you want to hear.
Next step is to do a Holter type of monitor to see when is it that your heart rate gets out of control. If that is non conclusive, you definitely need to get an electrophysiology study.
The picture attached looks like it is from someone who got a heart attack. Purple is normal conduction tissue and red means scar tissue with low voltage transmission, meaning that it can trigger an arrhythmia. What they do is they burn the pathway to that abnormal tissue to avoid the generation of arrhythmias.
I am not saying you have something like this. But with an EP study they can identify what tissues in your heart might be having low voltage and triggering these arrhythmias. We even run some meds to speed up your heart or even change the volume of your lungs under general anesthesia squeeze or let the hear dilate to trigger this and map these abnormal pathways.

7316



Echo came back all normal, except for a few minor things. One thing is that they say they have no previous echo to compare with, but I got one done about 6 years ago. Maybe the time frame is too wide?

"Borderline mild prolapse of posterior leaflet without any mitral regurgitation."
"The left atrium is upper limits of normal in size. Left atrial volume index is 34 ml/m2."

Lately I've either felt normal, or totally off. If I'm having an off day, my heart flutters or races a few times per day, and in the mean time I just feel terrible. On those days, just going up a flight of stairs gets me winded. Just getting out of bed makes my heart rate go to 90+. Getting a monitor on the 1st of March.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I had assumed it was high voltage jolts that I'm getting. This is good info.

Your assessment works with what the cardiologist told me several years ago after the stress test, that my heart was strong, the problem is electrical. I'm getting the monitor on the 1st, and I'll push for the electrophysiology test as well.

Thanks,
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Has your doctor checked you for the H- Pylori bacteria, that can be a major cause of reflux and can be treated , if not have him do it. I would also mention a echo or stress echo.
You also made need a beta blocker ( metoprolol )which is a med used for b/p but in small doses it may be used to slow the heart rate , in large doses may cause fatique .
I'm 68 yrs old and not at the top of my game as I once was but I look at it this way, this is not a practice round so I try
make the best of it, sure i'm slower and sometimes I hurt like hell but I refuse to sit down and I have just discovered you guys.

I'm on metoprolol. I am assigned a 12mg dose, I often take 6mg in morning, 6mg in evening as I feel the need. I think the 12+ dose lowers my regular bp too much. I'm usually at something like 118/70, but I sometimes get as low as 108/68 or so. I can feel it. And I think it might be the meds. Yes, it does seem to even out my heart rate as long as there are no other causes at the moment.

I'm currently running through every single over the counter heartburn med I can find. Some are just the quick-fix type, some are 1-2 per day pills. I'm on the 1 every 24 hours for 14 days pill this week, so I should know if it is going to work in the next few days. If it doesn't, I'm going to ask my doctor for a prescription. I'll look into that bacteria! I had wondered about such a thing.
 

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Well, I kind of knew something like this would happen.

Briefly: the first three to four weeks after my initial episode in January, I was feeling horrible most days. Then there was a bit of a break for a day or two, after which I entered a pattern of having some kind of mild episode, not debilitating, every other day or so. It was during this time that I was wearing the monitor, and had the echo test done. So I tried to make sure I pushed that button whenever I felt anything at all. But I knew I was mostly feeling pretty mild things.

Today, they called and told me that all tests and “episodes” were normal cardiac rhythms, and wondered if I had any questions.

I spent some time describing things like last night where I was awakened by my heart racing and skipping beats, at about 130 BPM. I was able to stop it almost immediately by belching real good for a minute or two. But then a random wrong number call at 2 am sent my heart rate to 120 for several minutes, dizziness, and skipping beats that finally settled down, but then I was shivering uncontrollably for about an hour while feeling odd palpitations the whole time. Today has been hard — it goes up to 130 or so just standing up, etc....

So I have an appointment to talk to my doctor, but that’s about it.
 

rocky

NAS-ROW Addict
Dude thats crazy scary. Keep digging. Somethings weird. I've found with fitbit that it takes my body a good 48 hours to recover from a heavy weekend of soccer refereeing. I was out on the fields for 11 hours on Sat and an addition 6 on Sunday. Covered over 32 miles. Heart beat never rose above 138 during the soccer games which is fine for a 57 year old guy. But Monday morning while walking the dogs it blipped to 158! Normal max is 118/122/
 
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