Holter Monitor Questions - Heart Disorders Message Board

Sibyle~ · 02-17-2006, 11:59 PM

Hi,

I was recently put on a 48 hour Holter monitor due to very frequent heart palpitations. I also have other symptoms like chest pain and dizziness/ near fainting with the heart palps.

My question is this: I was having a relatively "calm" time when I was wearing the monitor. I only had a few palpitations and 1 incident of a rapid heart rate. Is it possible for me to still have a problem with my heart and the Holter test be normal? If so, where do I go from here?

I do not have the results yet, I simply want to be prepared in case it is normal.

Thanks!
Siblye

Lenin · 02-18-2006, 06:36 AM

Sibyle,

IF your Holter shows fairly normal results, I'd next schedule a stress test with nuclear isotopes to try to find out why you get the episodes of chest pain, dizziness and feeling faint. It would be best to rule out angina.

Sometimes the Holter's can surprise and what you think was a "normal" 48 hours turns out not QUITE so normal.

Sibyle~ · 02-18-2006, 12:09 PM

Thanks Lenin.
I am hoping they do find SOMETHING on the results. I am only 27 and I am worried about what this could be. I was hoping that I would have a bad day on the monitor so that my doc could see exactly what I am talking about.

Oh well, I guess I will just wait and see.

Thanks again!

Lindsay:-) · 02-18-2006, 02:52 PM

Hi,

Don't worry if the holter monitor doesn't show anything up, it doesn't mean that the palpitations aren't happening, you have to be lucky to have it catch anything.
In fact you can guarentee that the only time you will feel perfectly ok is when you have a monitor on. You can feel bad the day before and the day after but when you have it on your heart behaves perfectly. I'm sure it knows when it is being monitored.
I have had so many of theses things since I was born (probably about 30) and they have only caught things a few times.
I have even sat in hospital for a week attached to a monitor after complaining of racing/palpitations etc... and have had absolutely nothing happen.
Very very annoying. The doctors are quite used to this happening and would probably be surprised if it did catch anyhing.

Lindsay

jenn.e · 02-18-2006, 09:14 PM

5 years is how long it took before I caught a "good one" and was finally diagnosed.
Goodluck.