Tachycardia.
"Tachycardia: A rapid heart rate, usually defined as greater than 100 beats per minute. The tachycardias include sinus tachycardia, paroxysmal atrial tachycardia (PAT), and ventricular tachycardia.
Sinus tachycardia is due to rapid firing of a normal structure called the sinoatrial (sinus) node which is the natural pacemaker of the heart. Sinus tachycardia occurs in response to exercise, exertion, excitement, pain, fever, excessive thyroid hormone, low blood oxygen (hypoxia), stimulant drugs (such as caffeine and amphetamines), etc." (From medterms.com)
Six months ago I was admitted to hospital after a collapse. Throughout my teenage years I had been suffering with these faints/episodes/blackouts/syncope/whatever my current healthcare provider wanted to title it! I had a CT scan which showed some swelling of my fourth ventricle (I think...I wasn't really that focussed on the details at the time!) in my brain. This was then followed up with a lumbar puncture and MRI before being sent to a specialist neurological centre 20 miles away. Spent ~10 days there and had numerous further tests which led to very little conclusion aside from - these episodes aren't of neurological cause, the swelling was most likely due to banging my head and had returned to normal.
I was then readmitted a few weeks later to my local hospital where they decided that actually my heart is the problem. My high pulse rate had been noted whilst I was at the neuro centre but that was it, noted but not thought about. So, after another load of tests it has been discovered that I have...wait for it...
...a high heart rate. Otherwise known as a tachycardia. There are a few possible diagnoses being tossed about and hopefully one will be settled on at the end of the month but for the time being (and for the past few months) I've just been plodding along with my pulse running anywhere between 100 and 130. Higher on a bad day. Medication has got some more control of it and generally I'm back to "normal" but it has lead to me having to take a year out of Uni. and has impactted my ability to exercise resulting in a fair amount of weight gain. Both of which I find highly distressing. It's possible I've had it underlying for years and that a virus caused it to kick off big-stylee last September and now I might be stuck with it.
Anyway, I realise this is a bit of a whinge but I'm currently lying awake at silly o'clock in the morning because I've maxed out the amount of medication I can give myself and still have a pulse of 120, am clammy and gross and it's bugging me. Called NHS direct to see whether I can have more medication - I know I can, but I'm not *supposed* to unless I'm told to by a HCP - only to be told to call an ambulance despite my reiterations that I am most definitely not having a heart attack. I am not calling an ambulance when all that'd achieve is them establishing I have a high heart rate, recommending I go to hospital because there's not much else they can do and then 4 hours down the line have a doctor tell me I can take an extra dose of medication. So instead, I'll whinge to you lovely lot and then curl up with Dancing on Ice.
On a lighter note, I have a job interview this week. Would appreciate thoughts and prayers as I really really need to sort my financial situation. Up until now I've been keeping afloat but now I'm a bit stuck. I don't know where next month's rent is coming from and the government are being crappy when it comes to benefits. The job is doing customer service surveys. I have a friend who already works for the company and she says it's a great job. It's part-time and temporary so fits my situation really well.
I'm also awake because I'm quite excited that Pippa gets home tomorrow, and slightly scared of her as I still haven't tidied my room. She's such a mummy :)
Sinus tachycardia is due to rapid firing of a normal structure called the sinoatrial (sinus) node which is the natural pacemaker of the heart. Sinus tachycardia occurs in response to exercise, exertion, excitement, pain, fever, excessive thyroid hormone, low blood oxygen (hypoxia), stimulant drugs (such as caffeine and amphetamines), etc." (From medterms.com)
Six months ago I was admitted to hospital after a collapse. Throughout my teenage years I had been suffering with these faints/episodes/blackouts/syncope/whatever my current healthcare provider wanted to title it! I had a CT scan which showed some swelling of my fourth ventricle (I think...I wasn't really that focussed on the details at the time!) in my brain. This was then followed up with a lumbar puncture and MRI before being sent to a specialist neurological centre 20 miles away. Spent ~10 days there and had numerous further tests which led to very little conclusion aside from - these episodes aren't of neurological cause, the swelling was most likely due to banging my head and had returned to normal.
I was then readmitted a few weeks later to my local hospital where they decided that actually my heart is the problem. My high pulse rate had been noted whilst I was at the neuro centre but that was it, noted but not thought about. So, after another load of tests it has been discovered that I have...wait for it...
...a high heart rate. Otherwise known as a tachycardia. There are a few possible diagnoses being tossed about and hopefully one will be settled on at the end of the month but for the time being (and for the past few months) I've just been plodding along with my pulse running anywhere between 100 and 130. Higher on a bad day. Medication has got some more control of it and generally I'm back to "normal" but it has lead to me having to take a year out of Uni. and has impactted my ability to exercise resulting in a fair amount of weight gain. Both of which I find highly distressing. It's possible I've had it underlying for years and that a virus caused it to kick off big-stylee last September and now I might be stuck with it.
Anyway, I realise this is a bit of a whinge but I'm currently lying awake at silly o'clock in the morning because I've maxed out the amount of medication I can give myself and still have a pulse of 120, am clammy and gross and it's bugging me. Called NHS direct to see whether I can have more medication - I know I can, but I'm not *supposed* to unless I'm told to by a HCP - only to be told to call an ambulance despite my reiterations that I am most definitely not having a heart attack. I am not calling an ambulance when all that'd achieve is them establishing I have a high heart rate, recommending I go to hospital because there's not much else they can do and then 4 hours down the line have a doctor tell me I can take an extra dose of medication. So instead, I'll whinge to you lovely lot and then curl up with Dancing on Ice.
On a lighter note, I have a job interview this week. Would appreciate thoughts and prayers as I really really need to sort my financial situation. Up until now I've been keeping afloat but now I'm a bit stuck. I don't know where next month's rent is coming from and the government are being crappy when it comes to benefits. The job is doing customer service surveys. I have a friend who already works for the company and she says it's a great job. It's part-time and temporary so fits my situation really well.
I'm also awake because I'm quite excited that Pippa gets home tomorrow, and slightly scared of her as I still haven't tidied my room. She's such a mummy :)
Yay for the job interview. Whether this job happens or not (and I'm really praying it does), God will provide xxx
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