ack! thanks Bizi.

you know, it could be the Zoloft.

i can't help thinking this is the 2nd time something odd has happened, shortly after a dosage change. (when i increased to 50mg is when i had the chest pain/shortness of breath). i've not had these exact effects before with Zoloft, so my first inclination was to think it wasn't it, but i have to revisit that now. also....

the only other time i am aware of having had an "unexplained" racing pulse, was the LAST time i started taking Zoloft, this January. i was only on it for a month between titration and taper. that time the rapid pulse did not last as long as this time though.

variance... it seemed uneven but could not have been terribly uneven, because i measured a full minute, but noticedthe count at 15 second intervals, and the counts were very similar, even if the pace did vary. i've taken my pulse a lot when it is normal, but not often when it is fast ... i'm inclined to think it is natural variance and that i just notice the variance more with fast pulse.

i'll keep an eye on things over the next few days and if nothing else odd happens and i feel ok, i'm still going to try to run on Sunday. at the moment, i'm so out of shape i can only run for maybe 100 yards, then have to walk a bit, run a bit more... etc. i will check my pulse periodically during the walking parts, and periodically after i come back too and see.

obviously i won't increase the Zoloft any more for a bit.

~ waves ~

I'm sorry you're feeling so dreadful.

Lack of sleep, dehydration, and/or too much caffeine may have had an effect on your heart rate; but I agree it's a good idea to get checked out.

-Kay

p.s. I worked as a CNA in hospitals for years, and also did home health care. I went to nursing school, but wasn't able to finish the RN program because I couldn't cut it physically anymore.

thanks Kay... your observations are helpful.

i don't think it was caffeine or sleep because i had slept well, awoken spontaneously, felt rested, and only had 1 cup of caffeinated coffee yesterday. now the dehydration well that is possible, esp. as i did have beer after i came home... anyway, so yes, i will pay attention to that.

i will have to go to the hospital and check the board and see if another GP has come available. because mine is pathetic. when i went to him about the chest pain and shortness of breath he didn't ask any questions, didn't examine me (no pulse, no pressure, stethoscope? what's that! :rolleyes:) and told me he didn't "see" heart problems in my case. i honestly don't know what to do as long as i have him. i see pdoc on wednesday, maybe he can suggest something... help me work with or around this guy.

took my Zoloft just now.

~ waves ~

I am glad that you are going to get another mdoc!

Bizi... i don't know if i am... i will try... i have looked before. every time i have checked, since moving back with my folks, all the other docs have been "full" - only this one available. :o:(

~ waves ~

running is too much
 

i ran today because tomorrow i have to cook lunch and then diinner. stretched, walked to warm up, ran/jogged 3 stints with walking/standing in between, walked back. made friends with dog, came back upstairs.

after 1st stint - 160 bpm
after walk 2 mins - 136 bpm (already high enough)
after 2nd stint - 192 bpm
after standing 2 mins -160 bpm
after 3rd stint - didn't measure

after 2 mins walking, + 7 mins talking to dog and owner - 188 bpm :confused:

after sitting still 10 mins - 96 bpm.

i'm very out of shape, and i'm clearly overworking. i guess it would be sensible to "invest" in doing regular brisk walking as the means-to-an-end, to recondition, before i resume running. sigh.

~ waves ~

Yeah, I think it's a very good idea to stick to brisk walking for now.... 192 bpm, wow. Did you happen to check your bp after any of this? Have you checked a resting pulse and bp before, or a few hours after exercising? Is your pulse regular?

Can you go to a walk in clinic or ER? I really don't know what's available for you over there. It sounds like your PCP is for the birds. Perhaps you'll get a better work up in a clinic or ER.

I'm very fortunate that I've finally found an excellent team of docs, but the jury is still out on the new MHRN. I see her on Tuesday.

In the meantime, push the fluids (water, water, water....).

I hope you feel better soon!

-Kay

blood pressure / resting pulse
 

my pulse has now settled to 90, whew.

yes i did take my blood pressure ... about 20 mins after shower, i.e. about an hour after i stopped exercising. it was 114/80.

pulse - have taken resting pulse before lots of times, and also after doing non-intense, household activities. typical resting pulse for me is 72 bpm. lying down it can be in the 60's though. activities like cooking, dusting it is in the 80's. not over 90 if just moving around normally. unfortunately i have not, in the past, taken pulse during or after exercise... so i don't have any data for comparison, in that regard.

blood pressure -

for most of my life my bp was very good ... ranging from 100/60 to 125/80. this spring i started measuring it it was quite a bit higher... esp. the diastolic... range 125/80 135/90, definite change from before, and hitting the pre-hypertensive range.

friday, several hours after exercise my bp was 114/72. the next morning (when pulse was back to normal, i.e. 70's) bp was 122/72.

later yesterday i took it another couple times and both times it was 135ish/upper 80ish. (i was cooking all day... the bp reading was taken sitting, but i had been standing, chopping, walking about etc and did not rest before taking it.)

my mother has high blood pressure.

the only thing there is is ER ... no clinics unless i go private. can't go to ER i don't have any "emergency" symptoms. if i tell them my pulse goes up kinda high when i exercise they will laugh and send me home. :o

~ waves ~

Waves

I would work this through. Because I'm not sure you don't have Emergency
symptoms.

If you put everything together.

1. WIth the high blood pressure, pulse and other things.
2. You were having problems with your chest and other things just recently
also.
3. I am not sure if when your blood pressure and other things go high
or things. If you get light headed and things.

But to me these would be things that could be emergencies.

Donna:grouphug:

Hi Donna,

i don't get dizzy or feel weak or light-headed or anything.

the only symptoms i have "experienced" so far, is back a month ago now, when i had recurrent shortness of breath and chest pain that lasted 2 days. i did occasionally get weak and light-headed in the worst spells. then i got gradually better over the subsequent 2 days. but now, i don't experience anything at all. i told pdoc about that, and he did not seem concerned about it.

my blood pressure is only borderline - in the upper part of the normal range where you are supposed to "watch" it. i have no symptoms other than perhaps mild orthostatic hypotension, but i've always had that. i just have to get up "gently". :p

Zoloft can cause tachycardia. it never did it to me before, but i may be reacting differently to it now. will see what pdoc makes of all this... i see him wednesday. if i have to be seen, maybe he can help me figure out how to go about it in this system and with a paper-pusher for a PCP.

i won't run again though, for the moment. i will walk, and i will be taking my pulse. ;) i am far too out of shape to be running - it was probably idiotic of me to even attempt it given my current level of (in)activity. :rolleyes::o

~ waves ~