Effects of aging Part 2

[O2Bfree]

I had my stress test this afternoon. On the treadmill, I went "the distance" and my heart rate was "normally" elevated. Until......As soon as I got off the treadmill and sat down, my heart rate jumped to 200 beats per minute. Looks like I triggered a "condition". Plus, my BP at that time was about 80 over 40.

This happened to me during my stress test too, but I made it only a couple minutes into the test before my heart did a flip-flop then jumped to 219 bpm. No BP measurement though, and I'm curious now if mine was low like yours during these episodes.

Another symptom I sometimes had during multiple episodes was polyuria --I had to pee several times that morning:

https://litfl.com/supraventricular-tachycardia-svt-ecg-library/

"The patient may complain of shortness of breath, anxiety and occasionally polyuria due to elevated atrial pressure releasing atrial natriuretic peptide."

Glad you've had episodes while under observation. Sometimes these things get brushed off as panic attacks or whatnot.

 

[Alan]

Thanks for the update aja. As you say, plenty of data now. Good luck on the 30th.

 

[aja8888]

Thanks for the update aja. As you say, plenty of data now. Good luck on the 30th.

Thanks for the well wishes. The doc's office call me this AM.

The 30th is now tomorrow at 9:00 am. (they moved the appointment up - wanted to see me ASAP but today is not going to fit in)

 

[MRG]

Good luck AJA.

 

[aja8888]

Good luck AJA.

Thanks!!

 

[Bestwifeever]

Good luck AJA.

+1. So glad you are getting the results seen to so quickly. Sounds like you are in good hands.

 

[aja8888]

That's interesting.

After the extended heavy load section, was there a "cool down" period where you walked for a while, before getting off the treadmill? Or instead when the clock timed out, and the heavy load test was over, do you just stop and get off?

No, I just got off the treadmill and sat on the bench. When the tech was starting to remove the leads is when I felt the heart rate rise dramatically.

 

[aja8888]

More tests!

Met with the PA and went over the carotid scans. Both sides look very clear.

We discussed the SVT situation and they want me to take a Nuclear stress test and an Echocardiogram. Seems like they "want more data" before I see the "electro-doc". My feeling is they want to do as many tests as possible since Medicare is paying for them.

I'm not thrilled about more tests. But why not as I have never had any detailed testing done on my heart before.

So another week of tests coming up.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Met with the PA and went over the carotid scans. Both sides look very clear.

We discussed the SVT situation and they want me to take a Nuclear stress test and an Echocardiogram. Seems like they "want more data" before I see the "electro-doc". My feeling is they want to do as many tests as possible since Medicare is paying for them.

I'm not thrilled about more tests. But why not as I have never had any detailed testing done on my heart before.

So another week of tests coming up.

Money is usually the answer, all too often. No matter the subject.

 

[aja8888]

Money is usually the answer, all too often. No matter the subject.

I am starting to visualize these big, shiney, glass walled multistory hospital/doctor/lab facilities just like the casinos in Vegas. The only difference is I am not on vacation when I spend time in one getting poked, prodded, tested, injected and given a new date to come back for another go at it.

 

[O2Bfree]

No, I just got off the treadmill and sat on the bench. When the tech was starting to remove the leads is when I felt the heart rate rise dramatically.

This is similar to what would happen to me in the gym. I'd do a set, which'd get my heart rate up, then put the weights down. Then while I rested, my heart rate would jump. Gosh, it sure sounds like you're dealing with SVT.

Speaking of money though, my cardiologist also had me get an echocardiogram before the results from the holter were in. They were able to diagnose the SVT from the holter signals and the later stress test, so the ECG seemed unnecessary. Oh well, with the ablation I was destined to max out my deductible anyways, so what the heck.

 

[Alan]

When I first visited the N Houston heart center in 2015 I read all the paperwork I was signing and at the back was a list of doctors there that had a financial interest in the facility. This is where they were going to be doing all the testing so I was immediately suspicious about motives, but really what can you do.

I had 3 tests in that first week, a 48 hr heart monitor, a nuclear stress test and an echocardiogram. Given the similar symptoms that aja had, I don’t understand why they doubled up on the stress test.

After I returned to England I handed over those test results to the doctors here and 2 years after the tests were done, in 2017, they repeated the 48hr heart monitor and the echocardiogram.

 

[Dawg52]

My original question really belongs here I guess.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/seeking-advice-on-a-health-issue-94399.html

Had another episode this morning. Got up early as the weather was bad so wanted to watch the Weather Channel. Was up for an hour and sitting on sofa when I got light headed and heart started racing away. My BP wasn't horrible 140/80(normal for me 115/70) but heart rate was at 144. Also had shortness of breath. No blurry vision this time or chest tightening. But I headed to ER. Calmed down there and EKG and blood work turned out ok. They gave me a 24 hour monitor to wear and told me to follow back up with primary care doc. Said they couldn't trigger a stress test since my numbers were ok with them. So I have an appt with regular doc Monday. I'm sure he will initiate a stress test as he almost did last week.

Flaky stuff. Never had these symptoms before. Just yesterday I walked over an hour at a good pace up and down hills in my neighborhood. No shortness of breath and didn't feel tired afterward.

 

[O2Bfree]

Did you have coffee this morning? That'd trigger it for me sometimes.

 

[RAE]

Met with the PA and went over the carotid scans. Both sides look very clear.

We discussed the SVT situation and they want me to take a Nuclear stress test and an Echocardiogram. Seems like they "want more data" before I see the "electro-doc". My feeling is they want to do as many tests as possible since Medicare is paying for them.

I'm not thrilled about more tests. But why not as I have never had any detailed testing done on my heart before.

So another week of tests coming up.

aja - did you bring up the tamsulosin you are taking with this doc, and its potential side effects (like low BP, racing heart rate, etc)? I'm guessing a cardiologist isn't going to be familiar with tamsulosin, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

[Dawg52]

Did you have coffee this morning? That'd trigger it for me sometimes.

Decafe coffee. Just barely one cup.

 

[bmcgonig]

My original question really belongs here I guess.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/seeking-advice-on-a-health-issue-94399.html

Had another episode this morning. Got up early as the weather was bad so wanted to watch the Weather Channel. Was up for an hour and sitting on sofa when I got light headed and heart started racing away. My BP wasn't horrible 140/80(normal for me 115/70) but heart rate was at 144. Also had shortness of breath. No blurry vision this time or chest tightening. But I headed to ER. Calmed down there and EKG and blood work turned out ok. They gave me a 24 hour monitor to wear and told me to follow back up with primary care doc. Said they couldn't trigger a stress test since my numbers were ok with them. So I have an appt with regular doc Monday. I'm sure he will initiate a stress test as he almost did last week.

Flaky stuff. Never had these symptoms before. Just yesterday I walked over an hour at a good pace up and down hills in my neighborhood. No shortness of breath and didn't feel tired afterward.

Were the symptoms going by there time you got to ER? Ie was your heart still racing?

It sounds very much like symptoms of arrythmia. I have AFib and many times the doc asked me if I had symptoms similar to what you describe. I only had the arrythmia, not the dizziness etc.

 

[Dawg52]

Were the symptoms going by there time you got to ER? Ie was your heart still racing?

It sounds very much like symptoms of arrythmia. I have AFib and many times the doc asked me if I had symptoms similar to what you describe. I only had the arrythmia, not the dizziness etc.

Yes, pretty much gone although I had an uptight feeling. And I wouldn't say dizzy from the standpoint of falling down. Very lightheaded tho.

 

[RAE]

I looked at the side effects of Lovastatin, and dizziness and blurred vision are among the possible side effects listed by the manufacturer. This web site lists dizziness and blurred vision as "common" side effects:

https://www.rxwiki.com/lovastatin

I know it probably seems very unlikely that a med. you have been taking for 12 years could suddenly start causing such side effects. But an intolerance to any med. can develop over time. If nothing else, maybe this is something else you could ask your doc about - I know that I would.

 

[Alan]

Yes, pretty much gone although I had an uptight feeling. And I wouldn't say dizzy from the standpoint of falling down. Very lightheaded tho.

Over 2 years I had similar symptoms which were never captured at the doctors or cardio doctors place. It elluded a stress test and two times wearing of a 48 hour monitor halter and eventually was captured when it happened during the day and I immediately drove down to my doctors offices, having an ekg done within an hour of it starting. In my case it turned out to be episodes of AFib.

In January this year I bought an ekg device and app from Alivecor and was able to capture my episodes of AFib on ekgs myself. These I were able to print out and bring with me to the cardio doctors along with a log of the episodes that were confirmed as AFib by the app.

I’m not saying that you have AFib, lots of things it may be, just throwing out a couple of suggestions on how to capture an ekg during an episode.

 

[Dawg52]

Over 2 years I had similar symptoms which were never captured at the doctors or cardio doctors place. It elluded a stress test and two times wearing of a 48 hour monitor halter and eventually was captured when it happened during the day and I immediately drove down to my doctors offices, having an ekg done within an hour of it starting. In my case it turned out to be episodes of AFib

In January this year I bought an ekg device and app from Alivecor and was able to capture my episodes of AFib on ekgs myself. These I were able to print out and bring with me to the cardio doctors along with a log of the episodes that were confirmed as AFib by the app.

I’m not saying that you have AFib, lots of things it may be, just throwing out a couple of suggestions on how to capture an ekg during an episode.

Thanks for the info. When they gave me the monitor I figured the odds of capturing another one would be pretty low during a 24 hour period. No one has suggested AFib yet, but that was a thought I had.

 

[aja8888]

aja - did you bring up the tamsulosin you are taking with this doc, and its potential side effects (like low BP, racing heart rate, etc)? I'm guessing a cardiologist isn't going to be familiar with tamsulosin, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

I asked and he didn't think the tamsulosin would create the severe effects I am having. My uncontrollable heart beat coupled with the very low blood pressure at that time are clearly SVT symptoms as he stated.

Today I had the Nuclear stress test. Pretty simple and only took about an hour.

Next will be the Echo test on the 14th.

At some point in the near future, I will be requesting a meeting with the cardiologist to summarize the results of all these tests. Not having a great amount of this stuff done to me in my life, it surprises me that a patient can be taking multiple tests and not hear back any results shortly thereafter. Maybe that's how "the medical field" works these days?

 

[bmcgonig]

Thanks for the info. When they gave me the monitor I figured the odds of capturing another one would be pretty low during a 24 hour period. No one has suggested AFib yet, but that was a thought I had.

This is what Alan is talking about. I have one too. Well worth $99 since you can catch it as it happens. And if it's normal and not arrythmia that's great info as well.

https://www.alivecor.com

 

[MRG]

I asked and he didn't think the tamsulosin would create the severe effects I am having. My uncontrollable heart beat coupled with the very low blood pressure at that time are clearly SVT symptoms as he stated.

Today I had the Nuclear stress test. Pretty simple and only took about an hour.

Next will be the Echo test on the 14th.

At some point in the near future, I will be requesting a meeting with the cardiologist to summarize the results of all these tests. Not having a great amount of this stuff done to me in my life, it surprises me that a patient can be taking multiple tests and not hear back any results shortly thereafter. Maybe that's how "the medical field" works these days?

Good luck with your results.

I received a phone call about my carotid scan. "You have some blockage but not enough to cause your dizziness". Ok what does that mean "some blockage"? When I asked the question the nice lady repeated herself.

I've been reading the report. What a joke. Yeah I can look up all the medical terms. Just a pia.

I did learn I have antegrade, something the ole man assured me I never had.

ETA: Your guy understands tamsulosin, it's an alpha blocker sometimes used for BP.

 

[Dawg52]

When I first visited the N Houston heart center in 2015 I read all the paperwork I was signing and at the back was a list of doctors there that had a financial interest in the facility. This is where they were going to be doing all the testing so I was immediately suspicious about motives, but really what can you do.

I had 3 tests in that first week, a 48 hr heart monitor, a nuclear stress test and an echocardiogram. Given the similar symptoms that aja had, I don’t understand why they doubled up on the stress test.

After I returned to England I handed over those test results to the doctors here and 2 years after the tests were done, in 2017, they repeated the 48hr heart monitor and the echocardiogram.

Thanks for the info. When they gave me the monitor I figured the odds of capturing another one would be pretty low during a 24 hour period. No one has suggested AFib yet, but that was a thought I had.

Had my first cardiologist appointment today. Just as I figured, the 24 hr monitor didn't capture much. The doc ran another EKG and blood work and nothing shown there. She set up a stress test for late November and a follow up appt with her 2 weeks later. The very next day I have a neurology appt. I also saw my GP doc today as i have a slight UTI and I recapped my symptoms with him. He was also the first dr I saw about my heart symptoms. He said it sounded like AFib to him but as Alan stated, not easy to get documented. He recommended running by his office for a quick EKG if another episode occurs.

So looking like I might have a similar run with all this as Alan. Plus the joy of writing a lot of checks due to my high deductible.

Yours Truly,

Born Loser......