Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Heart

Maggie,
it sounds as if John is offering sound advice..."composure" is the key!
On a more serious note I do hope you get better soon and that the med works FAST!
My ticker has always had a fast pulse. I dont have a high blood pressure...a very low one as a matter of fact. I do know my great grandpa had a pacemaker and they told my mom she will need one when she gets older. I forgot the term they told her. Have they done and EKG and all those tests? I had those done when I had the pleurisy as well. Can make the strongest of us feel very nervous.

My heart rate would shoot up to 140-145 while I was preggers with Gianna ten years ago and it has never stopped. They could not figure out why it happens. Neuroligst suspected vasculitis but can't pinpoint it. I remember one day my boss freaked because my pulse was flying off the walls....yet I was sitting peacefully at the puter'. He FORCED me to go to the ER. But all was well and since then I just get dizzy sometimes and out of breathe on occasion. If your doc brushes you off though...you know YOUR body more than anyone else and get that second opinion pronto! Better for you to have peace then more worries!

Hugs to you my friend]]]]


Buggy

Hi Maggie,

What you have is called tachychardia. I work in a lab and performing ECG's is one of my duties. If someone's heart rate is over 145 per minute I am to contact the dr right away. If the heart rythym is normal usually the patient can go home but if you have dizziness you must go to the dr. right away. Do you drink a lot of coffee or caffeine type drinks? Caffeine can raise your heart rate. Of course stress can raise your heart rate as well. If I was you I would ask your dr. for a Holter Monitor which is a 24 hr. monitor of your heart. You wear a little machine on your side for 24 hrs. and they see how different activities you do during the day affect your heart and how long and often it beats faster. I hope you get some answers soon.

Plant a seed of friendship; reap a bouquet of happiness.

Hi Maggie. I hope you find the exact cause for the situation! I have sort of the opposite thing happening where I feel like my heart is flying out of control and I feel like fainting (done the ambulance thing twice) but when they test my heart rate it's normal! I can't believe that's true but then I don't know how to refute it. Duh.
Have you had a 24 hour heart monitor put on and have your day tested?

Take care and all the best to you!


Timo

Hi Michelle

Thanks for the support and the link. I'm going to click on iy tomorow though. If it tells me anything bad - in my present frame of mind, I'll be expecting it for sure. For tonight - ignorance will be better.

Thanks Michelle

Maggie

Hey Maggie,

Perhaps your Doctor didn't know there was a connection between some heart problems and AS. Most General Practicioners know little details re AS.

Specifically (and a Cardiologist told me this on my first visit), people with AS are prone to having heart valve problems. The atrial valve is the more likely problem area but the mitral valve is also a possibility. The Cardiologist called for an Angiogram to determine how severe my mitral valves were and was quite amazed to find they were partially covered with calcification. That was why the valves were overworking and causing a strain on the heart and hence my arrhythmia problems.

Your Doctor really needs to send you to an expert, ie, a Cardiologist.

George

Hey Maggie,

One of the things it says about Propranolol is that it is useful in slowing and regulating certain types of abnormally rapid heart rates (tachycardias) just as Deborah suggested.


Michelle
'Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage.' --Lao Tzu

Oh dearest Buggy

I am so relieved to know I'm not the only one. They can't seem to pin point a problem for me either even though the read out from the EKG said there was one.

I agree, we know our own bodies best. It is just so frustrating when our doctor thinks not

I'm completely confused. I'm sorry you have a similar thing but relieved I'm not alone.

Buggy, you are allways so re-assuring and I love you for that.

Thanks

Maggie

Hi Timo,

I had almost forgotten about that type of problem but it did happen to my oldest son who also has AS.

Steve (son) woke up in bed about 3 years ago and being quite knowledgable in first aid etc, woke up his wife and had her phone the ambulance. Steve could hardly do anything but lie there till the ambulance came and when the attendants came in, they also came to the conclusion that Steve was still in the middle of a heart attack.

Even when he got to the hospital and was being examined, the Doctor had heart attack only in his mind. All the symptoms were the same but Steve was still alive and in considerable pain. Another couple of Doctors came rushing in and after a while, they realized what was happening.

The Vegas nerve has several lines running to all the major organs. The Vegas nerve line that went to Steves heart was being compressed as it exited the spine and that gave him a continuous repeat of heart attack symptoms that fooled everyone. A gentle massage in the area of the exiting nerve cured Steve's major "heart attack".

The same problem did cause another ambulance ride for Steve in the middle of the night and a few trips to his Rheumy cured his heart attack. (I forget what they did to stop the nerve from being compressed though).

Maybe that was the same thing that happened to you Timo.

George

Hi Maggie,

I've also had a fast pulse for over thirteen years. It runs around 120, my b.p. is normal. Doctors comment on it and nurses recheck to make sure they haven't made a mistake. I always have wondered if it's my body's way of compensating for reduced lung capacity. I'll be curious to hear what you find out. Are you feeling better on the propanolol?

God bless you and yours,

Kirst

Wow, thanks George! I will definitely talk to my doctor about this when I see him next time. This is the first time I've had any type of help with this. It might not be the problem but at least it's something to look at!

Thanks again my friend,

Timo