stress test and Heart monitor....I'm scared

[airhead]

I had a real scare 2 nites ago with a very rapid and irregular heartbeat that last about 14 hours. It was so fast,I couldn't count it. I was on the road with my dog on the way to training and I just wanted it to stop beating so fast!!
My friend convinced me to see a Dr. (I was just going to wait and see if it would go back to normal,which it finally did).
Anyway,I saw my Doctor,and had an EKG(?),everything appeared to be normal. She wants me to have a stress test and wear a monitor for a month!! She says my body compensated for whatever was happening to my heart,but what happened was not normal. I'm wicked scared. Has anyone here had the stress test,and had to wear a monitor? I'm too young for this!

airhead

 

[Chattyaholic]

My thoughts and prayers are with you, I hope everything turns out all right for you. That said, I had to wear a heart monitor once as I was having irregular heartbeats too. Like "fluttering", sometimes several times per minute. I got very scared too, went to the doctor and wore a monitor for 24 hours, he thought it might be due to caffeine, making my heart go into premature ventricular contractions. He told me to get off caffeine and see what happened. Got off caffeine and they went almost completely away. Stress can cause them too so I do occasionally have one or two here and there, but nothing like I used to!!!
And my mom had problems for a couple months feeling like she was almost blacking out, after tests it was determined she needed a pacemaker and she's been doing fine ever since!!
Try not to worry, but I know....it's easier said than done.

 

[December99]

One of my secretaries just had to wear a monitor for 24 hours. She was having fluttering also and they were trying to determine if it was due to a change in medication or other things. Today she is going to have an echocardiogram done. They are being precautious and checking all things before making a determination which I think is a good move!!!

 

[JAP]

My father has the stress test and monitoring done on a regular basis. I think as long as you excersise, eat right and follow Dr. orders you will be ok.

Good Luck and {{HUGS}}. I am sure all will go well.

Jen

 

[helenabear]

Try not to worry about it. My dad has had stress tests several times and has worn a heart monitor for a while once or twice now (I clearly remember when he had this done a year ago). He has irregular heart beats and they were trying to determine if it was caused by stress or not. For him, they don't seem to be (most occured while he was resting/sleeping) and fortunately his irregularities aren't anything he needs to worry about. It seems a lot of his family members have had irregular heart beats and nothing bad has ever come of them for my family (just lets me know I probably have to look out for it later). I wouldn't worry about it much if I were you. While my dad isn't a "spring chicken" I know he's known of his irregular heart beats for quite some time. So do your best not to worry {{hugs}}

 

[airhead]

...I've never had any serious health problems,EVER!!! Now this!
I asked my Doctor why I had to wear a monitor for a month and she said 24 hours would probably not reveal anything. She thinks a month is really the only chance of "capturing" an incident. I'm afraid to do anything!!! What if I'm walking my dog and it happens to me again? Or if I'm driving? I'm so freaked about it I feel like I can't take a deep breath. And,forget about work!! I keep trying to airbrush but I'm so distracted.

Airhead

 

[helenabear]

Just try to tell yourself that it may not be a real serious health problem. As I said with my dad, he has lived with his irregular heart beat for many many years now and doesn't need to do anything for treatment. They just monitor him every once in a while just in case. Try to relax and don't let this stop you from doing what you normally do. I am sure it will be tough but remember, it may not be anything serious at all {{hugs}}

 

[poohandwendy]

Air head,
Calm down and breathe! I have a heart arrhythmia and have been through the monitors and ekg's and echocardiograms..etc. You will be fine. I'm not sure how old you are but I am 36 and felt the same way (I was dx at 33). When I had my echo, the tech asked who my cardiologist was...I just about died because people my age don't have cardiologists, they have ob/gyns, pcps and dentists! There are many irregular heart rhythms that are not life-threatening. With the monitor, you may be asked to keep a diary (of sorts) to record what you are doing when such an event happens. Doesn't hurt and is more of a nusance than anything. Pm me anytime if you have any more questions...
take care,
wendy

 

[doxdogy]

I had a stress test last year. The only reason I had one done, is that heart disease runs in my family and I hit that magic age of 40. The stress test was no problem. Lasted 18 minutes on the treadmill. Doctor was amazed, said they had never had anyone go that long before. Thankfully, everything was normal. So, I wouldn't worry, doctor is just be cautious.

 

[kylara]

I have done the stress test, the monitor, EKG and the echocardiagram..they sound scarier than they actually are. Mine was the results of a highly irregular heartbeat that showed up on my sleep study. However, none of the heart tests showed a problem. The cardiologist noted that my mother has an arhythmia also and it hasn't caused her any problems. At first I was scared and worried, but now I don't worry about it. I figure, if the doctors aren't worried, I won't be.

And I agree...at 37 I really shouldn't need to have a cardiologist, but I will keep seeing him once a year (as my primary md wants me to) just to be on the safe side. And I get to have a pulmonologist too (for my narcolepsy)...sometimes I get the feeling my insurance company would rather I go somewhere else.

 

[DocRafiki]

Well I hope all this evidence of insignificant heart "problems" makes you relax. Stress is only going to make your problem worse and may be the sole cause. I had those tests a few months ago when I was 28 after putting it off for over a year when the arrhythmias started getting bad. I was too scared to exercise all that time. By the time I got the tests, the arrhythmias were out of control and I was always out of breath, even though I had stopped the caffeine. Well dx was stress. I was especially worried since I have mitral valve prolapse and first saw a cardiologist for that at 17. The cardiologist thinks I might also have asthma, but I feel so much better now that she gave me the OK to start exercising again.

What you experienced sounds more like what happened to a friend of mine... she was 26 or so. She had to wear the monitor for a week (I only wore it for 24 hrs). It was atrial tachycardia, if that means anything to you. She had to take medication for a while, but I think the plan was to wean off of them. No biggie.

Oh, I do have to say my stress test was horrible only because I was so out of shape and couldn't breathe. I didn't even make it up to a slow jog.

 

[disfanatiks]

Stress tests and heart monitors are done all the time to rule out a potential problem....Lots of prayers and PD that yours will come out just fine!!!!

Better to check everything out just to be sure!!!

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I was diagnosed about 20 some years ago with mitral valve prolapse, a very common benign heart defect. It presented as extremely rapid heartbeat. I wore the heart monitor for a month, what a nuisance. The tape was bothersome but is wasn't painful or anything. I have led a "normal" (some may question this) life since then and had 2 pregnancies without problem. I have had a stress test and all the other tests too. Please feel free to PM me with any questions.

 

[Serena]

I wish I had some advice for you, I'm sorry. I'm glad they are going to find out what's happening. Hopefully it'll be something very simple and easily taken care of.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hi Airhead. I missed this and just came across this after your post today. I have had two stress tests, about 5 years apart and one echocardigram, which found a mitral valve prolapse. My first stress was just because thought it good preventative medical practice, the second after having an experiece like you, though not for as long. The subsequent echo discovered the mvp and they had no real reason for the super rapid hearbeat. They basically said my heart was in good shape, wish I could say the same for me overall Also, my daughter had a monitor for about 2 weeks back when she was in her mid teens. It just recorded her heart conditions and transmitted it periodically. Again, for her, nothing conclusive back then.

One thing that may make you more comfortable if you are out on walks, etc, is to keep a cell phone with you. I am NEVER without mine and do find it a comfort to know I am in contact with assistance if I need it.

My best for you, Airhead, along with a prayer.

Dan

 

[Pin Wizard]

(((((((((((((Hugs)))))))))))))

It is frightening, but you'll feel better after all the testing is done. I had worn a monitor for 24 hours back in my 30's. And I kept a diary of what happened when. My phone rang in the middle of the night and scared me half to death! I noted that!! I've had an echo, stress, and doppler. And I've even been in that terrifying machine in nuclear medicine that shows what's going on inside your arteries and veins. Frightening stuff! But they didn't come up with anything. Could be the caffeine and stress combo with me.

 

[airhead]

It has helped me tremendously to calm down. I even took one
of my dogs to a rally practice and then a hike yesterday , and nothing happened!! I was with about 10 other people and their dogs.
I'm not ready to go walking by myself yet. I'm not even going for my stress test until 10/9 so I have to tough it out for another 17 days...

airhead(...and the beat goes on)

 

[Boots]

{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}} I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. My son in law had to wear the monitor for about a month a year ago. He is now 26. He had to have a procedure done called radio frequency ablation. He had an inherited problem and this was done as outpatient surgery. He also had the stress test done. He said it was no problem at all.

 

[Serena]

{{hugs}} airhead.

 

[tnkrbell]

{{HUGS}} I was wondering if maybe it was anxiety??
Good luck to you my friend!!