Can someone please tell me what causes tachycardia? I am a fairly healthy 23f. Out of the blue about a month ago I started having a very rapid pulse that is constant (even when I'm lying down). It makes me dizzy and have lots of weird feelings in my chest. I also get out of breath just doing light activities. I have seen a few different doctors and have had several ekg's and other tests done. All the tests have been normal so far. My resting pulse has been running 105 (used to be around 70) and whenever I am up walking around or just standing it will go up to 130 or higher. If anyone else has had this or knows of any conditions that could cause this please let me know.

I'd like to know too, I'm 16 and it started like 2 months ago. I've felt the same way except I don't get out of breath at all, just sometimes I feel like I'm getting suffocated and I start to breathe kind of heavy.
I'm a little relieved to know it happens to someone else though.

Hilery-
Tachycardia is defined as a heart rate of greater than 100 beats per minute originating from the sinus node.

There are many causes for it, such as exercise, anxiety disorders, smoking too much, panic attacks, dehydration, deconditioning, volume loss due to bleeding or other loss of body fluids, hyperthyroidism, electrolyte abnormalities (that could be perhaps low potassium etc.) and many other conditions.

You mention that you've seen a few different doctors..and had many tests done including EKGs...and all was normal. What other tests did they do?

What did the doctor's tell you? Did they just shrug, tell you all was normal and then send you home without at least giving you an IDEA of "why"?

I presume one of them did a complete blood panel on you, including a metabolic panel which would show how your kidneys and electolytes are?

You are probably fine, since none of the docs are concerned......but if you continue to feel lousy I would press for more answers.

Are you an anxious young woman by any chance? Worried about anything? Anxiety states can send our hearts racing. Lack of sleep and too much caffeine consumption as well.

But again, apart from EKGs what other tests did you have done?

zuzu



[This message has been edited by zuzu8 (edited 06-19-2003).]

Thanks for replying~
I have had a complete blood panel, thyroid panel, ekgs's, ct scan of my chest and head, and a 24 hour holter monitor(don't have the results yet). Yes, I do have anxiety and have anxiety attacks every now and then. I just have a hard time believing that anxiety could be causing my heart rate to be fast ALL the time. I also just found out that I may have thyroid cancer(biopsy results came back as "very suspicious"), but all of my thyroid hormone tests have been normal. So, my dr says that can't be the cause of my tachycardia. They keep shrugging their shoulders and saying it could just be anxiety. I do have a lot of anxiety due to the thyroid tumor, but all of this started way before I knew anything about the thyroid tumor.

Hilery- I absolutely can understand why you are confused.....Because so am I!
If all your thyroid studies were normal, why did they feel the need to do a BIOPSY?

Are you dealing with an endocrinologist about this thyroid tumor? There's a piece of the puzzle missing here.
Could they feel an enlarged thyroid when they examined you? Otherwise I don't understand why the biopsy unless they saw/felt an enlargement.

What are they suggesting now? Are they asking you to return for a followup?

When I first went into my dr with my symptoms, the first thing she thought of was hyperthyroidism. She felt around on my neck and felt a nodule on my left thyroid lobe. Then, they did a thyroid panel and thyroid scan - my thyroid was functioning normally on the scan and all of my hormone levels are normal (they have checked 3 times now) On the thyroid scan, my nodule showed up "cold". That's why they did the FNA biopsy. I haven't seen an endocrinologist yet, but I am seeing a head and neck surgeon (who did the biopsy). I see the surgeon again next week. The next step there will probably be surgery. So, I have two seperate problems and it is very frusterating!

Hilery- I've heard that you can have a thyroid tumor that makes you symptomatic, and yet your thyroid tests read normal. Have you posted on the Thyroid Board for more info? Bet you'll get some answers there.
By the way, "suspicious" doesn't necessarily mean malignant but even if it's cancer, it is one of the most treatable and HIGHLY totally curable cancers,so try not to drive yourself into a frenzy.....

My grandfather had thyroid cancer back in the 60's (before the latest most innovative surgeries were available) and he was cured completely.

I have a work collegue who had the same thing, had totally curative surgery and is healthy and doing great 13 years later!

zuzu xx

Thanks for all your help, zuzu.
Well, I talked to the pathologist about my biopsy and he said they did find some cells that were consistant with follicular cancer. I am hoping that somehow maybe this tumor is causing my heart problems, even though they say it's not. I guess I'll find out once they take it out.
Thanks again,
Hilery

Hilery-

T