Fast heartbeat for nearly 6 hours...how can I slow it down? Should I be worried?

[IHeartKingThistle]

This happens sometimes, it usually goes within half an hour.

I have generally low blood pressure and a low resting heart rate of about 60. Today at the end of DDs swimming lesson I stood up and suddenly felt it speed up. It's been at around 100 since then. Feels a bit weird.

It was very hot in there, I had been rushing around and the kids were being a bit annoying, but I wouldn't say I was overly stressed. Certainly I have been at that stress level many times without this happening! I had eaten fairly recently so not low blood sugar. Haven't had enough sleep this week though (staying up late mainly, not insomnia).

I've been sitting on the sofa

[IHeartKingThistle]

sorry, pressed send!

I've been on the sofa for 3 hours doing nothing and my heart rate is still 100. How can I get it down? Why is it still fast? Anyone had this?

[MerryMingeWhingesAgain]

Have you got palpitations? Any shortness of breath or discomfort in chest or upper abdomen?

100 not madly fast but obviously not usual for you. I would be tempted to get it checked out TBH. But then mine is always rather fast

[MerryMingeWhingesAgain]

loads of possible causes really. squillions. An infection, stress, thyroid/hormone stuff, one of those things

[narmada]

Yes get it checked. Prob fine but given you mentioed had happened before.... you didn't have any stimulants immediately prior did you?- coffee/pseudoephedrine/red bull etc.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Nope I had honey on toast and peppermint tea!

I have discomfort in upper abdomen all the time anyway due to gastritis and a gallstone. Had pretty bad gallstones painyesterday and some reflux type pain. Didn't think it was linked but could it be?

Feel a bit breathy. Just want it to slow down!

[HazeltheMcWitch]

Right, unless you're some kind of Zen MAster, and skilled at bringing your heartr ate down, I'd stop thinking about it. As thinking about it turns it into 'an issue' and it'll stay high.

CAn you do something thoroughly absorbing, but totally restful for a bit? Like an online jigsaw, that level of excitement. Eg do that for an hour (but set the alarm, hide the clock and mobile, and take the clock off your computer screen also). Then check back on heart rate and see how you are?

[MerryMingeWhingesAgain]

Ok discomfort plus bit breathy plus fast rate, get it checked

As a minimum speak to the OOH to see what they say.

[sashh]

OK it might be SVT, and this might be a one off or indicate something else so you do need it checked.

If it is still going on this morning then GO TO A AND E.

If it has stopped, I mean gone back to baseline, not your heart stopping it is probably a one off.

If it is SVT it does need checking but if it happens again there are a few things that can stop it. Most I would not advise outside of a hospital setting. One you can try is icecream.

Yes you read that right. Swallow the biggest piece of icecream you can all in one go and as fast as you can.

If that doesn't work you can also try an ice cube rubbed on your nose.

Final one, lie on the floor with your feet raised, a sofa is a good height. Stay like that for 10 mins.

Otherwise you need to go to A and E.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

I've had this recently. Horrible and scary!

I have found lying on the sofa hopeless in making it go away. Doing stuff, eg going for a walk or climbing stairs helps me. And doing the ironing while watching tv. Just something to distract me, then it settles better.

But if you have pain, faintness or breathlessness then maybe 999. Hope it's nothing, but do get it checked out.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Thanks for the tips, I really appreciate it. It's gone down this morning, not quite back to normal but the morning's always a bit hectic! Still feel sort of tight in the chest/upper abdomen but I really can't tell if that's the gastritis or not.

I think it wouldn't do any harm to mention it to the GP again. I have mentioned it to doctors once or twice, they usually think it's thyroid related and send me for blood tests, which are always fine. For it to go on for ages like that though was unusual, so I think I will go back. Thankyou.

[WorkingItOutAsIGo]

Just to say...many people mistake early heart problems for indigestion. Am not saying you have a heart problem, but am saying don't ignore potential symptoms, just because you think they are caused by another known medical problem. So please do get checked out.

[purplewithred]

I was just going to say SVT too sashh - supraventricular tachycardia. "Most SVT is unpleasant rather than life threatening" says wikipedia. If you are getting this fairly often I would say it's worth getting it checked out.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Thanks for the advice. How weird - why would I get this as an adult?

[CPtart]

I would be seeing my GP and asking for an ECG.

[sashh]

I have mentioned it to doctors once or twice, they usually think it's thyroid related and send me for blood tests

It's usually associated with an overactive thyroid, but I only get them when my thyroxine needs upping.

There are lots of other causes though.

"Most SVT is unpleasant rather than life threatening" says wikipedia

You should have seen he junior Dr's face when I put defib electrodes on my wrists, printed out a rhythm strip and it was SVT.

[digerd]

Mine has been around 90 at rest, but races when I am in company . It was 113 at Xmas and everyone else was 60.

When I am at home and get a racing pulse due to stress, I sit and take deep slow breaths. I lift my arms up when breathing in and and down when breathing out, like a light feather in the breeze especially when lowering them, which gives me a feeling of peace. It works for me.

[Baffledandbewildered]

Sounds like svt i had this for 20 years . My heart was recorded at 210 beats a minute !! They used to give me injections to stop my heart and then restart it ...very odd sensation. Eventually they did an ablation and burnt several pathways to my heart. This worked well and now i only have minimal palpatations. Go to the hospital as it is important they have a heart reading that can be looked at. Good luck :)

[digerd]

210!!
When I was put on the bicycle test, when it reached 200, dr, shouted stop, reached my limit after a few minutes. He said I was very unfit - that was nearly 30 years ago.

[Charlie01234]

I have svt and it is just like you have described. Very scary, my heart rate was 220 when I went to the doc's thinking I was having a heart attack!! She told me I wasn't having a heart attack but needed an ambulance to get them to shock my heart back into its normal rhythm. It's a horrible feeling- feels like your heart is wobbling out of your chest. I had a 24 hour heart trace and they diagnosed svt. I now take beta blockers and am totally fine, not had an episode for about four years now. I would go get checked out cos whilst it's not life threatening, it is very scary and can be controlled.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Charlie and anyone else on betablockers - what are they like to be on? It's a possibility for me and I'm rather afraid of them slowing my down and making me more tired - but would obviously like not to have the racing heart thing.

[fakeblondie]

That's exactly how I started with hyperthyroidism when ds was about 2 . started to wake up in the night with a fast heart and gt really breathy . Dc gave me inhalers but made no difference. Then instartedco get like indegestion but eating biscuits or anything made it go so I bean o realise they were HUNGER pains. to like I haft eat even in the night . I became quite jumpy and anxious too . TBH was a massive relief when I Lund out was hyperthyroid as it frightened me when my heart rate went up sometimes for 3 hours . Def ask for a thyroid function test . it's very common postnatally for up to a couple of years x take care x

[Baffledandbewildered]

No beta blockers here as I have brittle asthma . But the ablation was a great help