My Heart Is In My Throat...Literally

Flo1216 · Jan 3, 2003

If I thought something was majorly wrong, I would have gone already. I just wanted feedback that's all. AND IT'S NOT STRESS!!!! Maybe it's nothing serious, but that doesn't make it stress. I am sorry but I don't get stressed when I am bending down to tie my shoes or getting the mail and those are the kind of instances in which the heart flutter thing happens. And 220 BPM? That must be some stressful mail I am getting. Hey, Wendy...you are younger than me, aren't you? Just wondering...

hapeewendy · Jan 3, 2003

I dont know how old you are but I'm 25 almost 26 ...

I *WAS* posting out of genuine concern for you , but do you realize that youre completely contradicting yourself

first you say you think its nothing major

then you say its gotta be more then stress

people post advice because you ask for it...

I dont know, I sense this funny "tone" from your posts , so Maybe I shouldnt post anymore, but really , you have been posting about your symptoms for awhile, if there is something brewing you'll wanna know right?

Flo1216 · Jan 3, 2003

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound curt in my post. The reason I posted in the first place was because I myself wasn't sure if this warranted concern or not. It is scary when it is happening but when it is over I feel foolish. So I probably AM contradicting myself because I know it's probably nothing, but what if it's not? Does that make any sense? The one reason I am reticent about going to the doctor is because I am afraid I will be " blown off' and told I just need to relax more. I know the body does weird things under stress and if this occured during a stressful situation I might be inclined to chalk it up to stress, but like I said it happens when my mind is pretty much blank and I am performing some mundane task. I don't know. Maybe I will wait to see if it happens again.:)

pickledpepperRN · Jan 3, 2003

I agree, go to a cardiologist.

Our CCU has a monitor a doctor can order so the rhythm is sent by telephone. The patient puts electrodes on their chest and the telephone on the electrodes. We record it and decide whether to call the doctor.

There are preventative treatments such as beta blockers. A curative cath lab procedure is available for some causes.

Usually it is an SVT of one kind or another.

You could pass out while driving, working, or walking across the street.

Please get help STAT!

ktwlpn, LPN · Jan 3, 2003

Originally posted by spacenurse
I agree, go to a cardiologist.
Our CCU has a monitor a doctor can order so the rhythm is sent by telephone. The patient puts electrodes on their chest and the telephone on the electrodes. We record it and decide whether to call the doctor.
There are preventative treatments such as beta blockers. A curative cath lab procedure is available for some causes.
Usually it is an SVT of one kind or another.
You could pass out while driving, working, or walking across the street.
Please get help STAT!

Years ago I had episodes of severe chest pain with SVT-so severe that it literally took my breath away.I did not link it to stress at the time because it happened when I was relaxing,watching tv, or reading...It WAS due to stress and rx'd with prozac with good effect (my mother was undergoing tx for cancer at the time and I had a 2 yr old and a full time job) Several years later while working on a busy med surg unit myself and several of my female co-workers had episodes of SVT over a period of time-I passed out and was taken to the ED-later went to a cardiologist-mine was due to STRESS,exacerbated by too much caffeine.I cut back on both and it never happened again..A few of my co-workers were given Holter monitors-a few were not...Bottom line-out of (I think ) 6 of us all close to the same age-none of us needed meds or ablation-we went to de-caf at home and work and none of us had any further problems....My episode began when I was sitting in a pt's room starting a hep-lock=I felt my heart begin to race and pressure on my chest...I got short of breath and my peripheral vision started to go.I made it out to the nurse's station where one of the docs grabbed me and massaged my carotid-I passed out -they ran me to the ED and put me on the monitor....I remember the doc telling me to settle down because I was starting to really panic....Suppose I had been driving? One of my co-workers had a few episodes-one behind the wheel...Scary to think that you could kill someone..

PennyLane, RN · Jan 3, 2003

Originally posted by Flo1216
Sorry, I didn't mean to sound curt in my post. The reason I posted in the first place was because I myself wasn't sure if this warranted concern or not. It is scary when it is happening but when it is over I feel foolish. So I probably AM contradicting myself because I know it's probably nothing, but what if it's not? Does that make any sense? The one reason I am reticent about going to the doctor is because I am afraid I will be " blown off' and told I just need to relax more. I know the body does weird things under stress and if this occured during a stressful situation I might be inclined to chalk it up to stress, but like I said it happens when my mind is pretty much blank and I am performing some mundane task. I don't know. Maybe I will wait to see if it happens again.:)

Wait, you said before you were definitely going to see a doctor, not you're going to wait and see if it happens again? How do you know the dr. is going to "blow you off" if you don't go? I've been having heart palps and a pounding heart on and off for years. I;ve told numerous docs about it. I finally demanded from my last doc that she take it seriously, and I had an echo and a whole slew of labs. She didn't think it was that bad, but admitted she didn't know what 'mild, nonspecific mitral valvulopathy' meant. Guess what? I made an appt for a cardiologist for later this month. So what if they think it's mild? It;s MY heart.

Go see a cardiologist ASAP!!

sphinx, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2003

Hi Flo,

There's some things I don't understand. Please understand, I do not mean anything as an "attack", try to read with an open mind:

It's been clear to me you posted originally to get the opinion of others, specifically your nursing peers (I assume because you trust a fellow nurses judgement?). And here is what I see: a lot of people have suggested stress or anxiety. This understandably upsets you (and causes you to become defensive) because you stated right away that you are afraid you Dr is going to blow off your symptoms, and eventually (don't know if it was you first post or not) you state you know that women are often perceieved at only being stressed or anxious and not being taken seriously (not a direct quote, sorry). However, you were looking for people's opinions, and this is just one of those opinions. For some, they have actually experienced similar symptoms, and had it truly be stress related. In any case, they are just trying to be helpful.

You mentioned you take ephedra. Just about everyone immediately said to stop, and you became defensive saying how you have taken it for a long time at less than suggested levels. Well, even the general public has heard in many cases that ephedra can be harmful, and certainly a nurse would know that. So does it surprise you that posters here would advise you to stop taking it, esp in light of your cardiac-related symptoms? I read a recent post stated you'd stopped taking it. I am curious, when was that? BTW, I am curious because you also mentioned you hadn't had an episode since the day after Christmas. My mind wondered if the 2 were connected, but of course I have no idea when you stopped the ephedra, so I could be waaaay off track.

OK, also, many people with cardiac experience have posted their ideas of how to handle this (ie being monitored, etc), you then say you don't think it is serious. Well, people who say it is stress you disagree with, people who say it might be something more serious you don't agree with, so what answer are you looking for? You asked for advice, but when you get it, in several cases, you have responded in a way that suggests you don't agree. I am sure everyone who responded assumed you actually wanted the advice they gave.

OK, last, at one point not long ok, you said you were indeed going to your doctor. I hope you have made a definate appointment. If you are afraid he/she will blow you off as being a stress case young woman, then come prepared. Write down your symptoms, when they happen. Then explain how yopu normally react when you are under stress and that you don't think this is related. Be honest. You can even let your doctor in one your fear that you might not be taken seriously or it might on the other hand be something serious. I'd hope you have a doctor who takes time to listen. If not, does he have a nurse practitioner? If no luck there, can you look into getting another dr? For ages, I had a dr I thought was great, until I realized he never really listened to what I said. I hesitated for a long time before deciding to get a new doc. Then it took a long time to find one I liked. Now I have a wonderful dr who I love dearly, who always listens to me and takes me seriously.

In the end Flo, seeing your dr is what you need. We nurses know alot (more than docs a lot of times, it seems!), but we cannot diagnose you. And it seems clear that you are having trouble accepting opinions that don't fit right into what you already feel in your heart is right.

Again, I am not trying to be mean. I am merely concerned. In fact, in many ways, you remind me in many ways of myself. I hope you get some real answers soon. Please, please take care of yourself.

ayemmeff · Jan 3, 2003

I'm with Smilingblueyes and Baseline on this one...........why start the thread if you're not even gonna consider taking the advice on board?!

and now I'm cross with myself for even bothering to post this,from reading some of your other threads and posts I should be.....:chair:

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 3, 2003

Originally posted by ayemmeff
I'm with Smilingblueyes and Baseline on this one...........why start the thread if you're not even gonna consider taking the advice on board?!
:

LOVE your dead-horse icon! Where'd ya get it? SO clever!

ayemmeff · Jan 3, 2003

Deb!!! Empty your mailbox! (you're just showing off what a popular gal you are,aren't you!? :cool: ):wink2:

BJenkins1 · Jan 3, 2003

can anyone tell me a good source or a good way to study for my nclex test.

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 4, 2003

Originally posted by ayemmeff
Deb!!! Empty your mailbox! (you're just showing off what a popular gal you are,aren't you!?):wink2:

YOU TALKING TO ME???? MY box is full? I rarely get PM's! rofl.:)