Help! I'm having episodes of rapid heart beats and high blood pressure.

[annab08]

I'm 22 years old and have been exercising since I was 14. Needless to say, I'm in pretty good health and have always had a low blood pressure: 110/65.

However, about 2 months ago I started having these nighttime episodes in which my heart rate suddenly jumps way high, I can feel my heart beating in my chest, and my veins in my arms feel like they're going to burst. I also have shortness of breath and slight dizziness. If I breathe and focus on calming down, I can usually control these episodes.

Now I'm really worried. I just had my first daytime episode last Tuesday after work while I was driving. I had a dull chest pain over my heart, and then my heart beats increased and my bp went through the roof. I was on my way to ER when it suddenly stopped. Later that night it happened 3 more times while I was awake.

Since then, it's happened towards the evening after a meal and then many times right as I'm trying to go to sleep.

I've been to my gp and he ran some blood work and ECG, but nothing conclusive. I have an appointment with a cardiologist next Wednesday, but I'm so scared and I don't want to suffer through another episode like I did last night.

During the day, I feel almost ok, except for being a bit tired and feeling a bit out of it.

Any ideas on what this might be? SVT? Pituitary Adenoma? RTA? Acute Intermittent Porphyria? Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome? I looked all of these up and I seem to fit each one.

Thanks!

[hopesprings2]

sounds like mvt.stv any of them

[Machaon]

Originally Posted by annab08

... However, about 2 months ago I started having these nighttime episodes in which my heart rate suddenly jumps way high, I can feel my heart beating in my chest, and my veins in my arms feel like they're going to burst. I also have shortness of breath and slight dizziness. If I breathe and focus on calming down, I can usually control these episodes.

Regardless of the cause, or your age, you are probably now faced with a life-long tendency towards uncomfortable heart and blood pressure problems.

There are four approaches you can take to improve your health problems:

1. The first is diet. A balanced, reasonable calorie diet, low on the Glycemic Index (slow carbohydrate-calorie absorption) is the best starting place.
2. The second is a daily physically exerting exercise program. Quality exercise does wonders for one's heart health.
3. The third is trying to avoid those things (triggers) that will excite, or activate your immune system into overproducing hormones, such as from the Adrenal Glands. Triggers are such like caffeine, excess high glycemic carbs, stress, anxiety, smoking and alcohol, allergens and other environmental irritants.
4. The forth is to start with a low dose of a "cheap" heart medication that will help to quiet your over-active immune system, such as 3.125mgs of Coreg (Carvedilol). Coreg is a beta blocker which attempts to inhibit hormones produced by the Adrenal Glands.
   
   • You might NEVER be successful at being able to calm your immune system naturally, so a good quality effective medication, like Coreg, will probably always be a part of your life.
     
   • Coreg is excellent at calming overactive adrenals, has been around for a long time, and can be purchased without insurance at $4 per month, or $10 for three months. Heart medications, like Coreg can unfortunately cause uncomfortable side effects, so, if it were me, after being approved by the doctor, I'd want to start at 3.125mg per day, once per day only, and try it for a few weeks, or more, to see if Coreg, at this low dose, was sufficiently effective.

ALL four of these approaches work together to improve health. Leave one out, and the outcome would suffer. Of course, all or any of these approaches should first be OKed by a medical professional.

Best of luck to you!

[annab08]

Thank you! I am sure that your suggestions will help. I actually haven't had an episode since two days ago, so that's good news! I've been relaxing, drinking a bit of wine at night and playing tennis/walking a lot during the day. It seems to be helping! I will keep you updated...

[mpkndl]

Originally Posted by annab08

I'm 22 years old and have been exercising since I was 14. Needless to say, I'm in pretty good health and have always had a low blood pressure: 110/65.

However, about 2 months ago I started having these nighttime episodes in which my heart rate suddenly jumps way high, I can feel my heart beating in my chest, and my veins in my arms feel like they're going to burst. I also have shortness of breath and slight dizziness. If I breathe and focus on calming down, I can usually control these episodes.

Now I'm really worried. I just had my first daytime episode last Tuesday after work while I was driving. I had a dull chest pain over my heart, and then my heart beats increased and my bp went through the roof. I was on my way to ER when it suddenly stopped. Later that night it happened 3 more times while I was awake.

Since then, it's happened towards the evening after a meal and then many times right as I'm trying to go to sleep.

I've been to my gp and he ran some blood work and ECG, but nothing conclusive. I have an appointment with a cardiologist next Wednesday, but I'm so scared and I don't want to suffer through another episode like I did last night.

During the day, I feel almost ok, except for being a bit tired and feeling a bit out of it.

Any ideas on what this might be? SVT? Pituitary Adenoma? RTA? Acute Intermittent Porphyria? Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome? I looked all of these up and I seem to fit each one.

Thanks!