[Cake]

Hey guys!

I thought I'd let you know how I'm going with my heart symptoms. Today I finally saw my GP (my regular doctor, you US RSDers call them PCPs) for the first time since wearing the holter monitor a few weeks ago.

She had a look at all the results and told me that within that 24 hour period, my heart rate went from 50 bpm pretty much straight up to 160 bpm numerous times for no apparent reason, such as in the middle of the night when I was asleep. That’s a fair range when you’re snoozing!

When I had the holter monitor on I’d had to keep track of when I noticed any palpatations etc but my GP looked at all that info and said there was no obvious pattern that linked my activities to what my heart was doing. So it doesn’t make much sense. But the good thing is there’s no arrythmia- even though the speed varies so much, the beats themselves are regular and I’m not missing any.

So the next step is to go on beta blockers. This’ll help even out my heart rate so it doesn’t go from one extreme to the other. I’ll start on 1/2 a tablet for a while and see if that helps.

I’m still waiting to see my pain specialist and we’re hoping he may be able to shed a bit more light on why this is going on and how it may be linked to my RSD or my medications. If he can’t, then my PCP will do more tests or send me on to a specialist who can work me out!

Feeling like I suddenly can’t get a breath in, or feeling my heart thumping so fast it’s going to come out of my chest, is a daily issue at the moment and I hate to admit it, but it does worry me. I’m a tad over it already! I’m still dealing with the itching issue every night and it may be that the two problems are linked. But my doctor said it’s ok for me to keep taking the phenergan (antihistimine) for the itching until my pain specialist can take a look at me.

If all this (the itching and heart rate issues) is my body saying it doesn’t like the oxycontin anymore, I won’t be happy, as that’s the only medication I get any decent pain relief from, but I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. We’ll just take it one step at a time and hope these beta blockers do their job.

Thanks to everyone for their support and feedback so far. I'll let you know how this progresses.

x Kate

[Dew58]

[allentgamer]

Hi Kate!

Nice to hear from ya, but sorry to hear about all the problems. Seems like this RSD stuff just morphs along as it goes LOL.

I was wondering if it might be affecting that fight or flight response in your system? It could cause your heart rate to go up, and also cause the blood pressure to rise and fall as well. It would affect a host of things all at one time, or just one, or any combination of them.

I am having the same troubles, kinda like having a panic attack but cool as cucumber. Emotionally im stable as a rock, and there is no reason for me to feel like im about to panic, or my body should not feel like it is all excited for no reason.

I sure hope they can find something to at least calm it down

[Cake]

Yeah, I'm thinking it might be something along the lines of what you said. Hopefully my RSD specialist can shed more light onto this, I'm hoping I don't have to wait too long to see him. That darn man is so good at his job everyone wants his time!

I hope yours settles down too, Allen. It's not nice having these heart problems thrown into the mix. Yesterday we saw the cardiologist for my daughters' holes in her heart, today it was my turn! Thankfully she's doing ok and won't need more tests done for at least two years.

take care mate
x Kate

[allentgamer]

It is sure is scary I know that, and when you throw in the part where it feels like you arent breathing right it even feels like it might be so serious we dont want to go there if you know what I mean lol.

They gave me some Ativan, and it helped a lot. That was few years ago, and a few doctors ago. I now have to convince this doctor that is what I need now. It never ceases to amaze me that every time I see a new doctor they think they will cure me.

Wow!! I am soo glad she is doing ok!! You both are in my prayers

[loretta]

Originally Posted by allentgamer

It is sure is scary I know that, and when you throw in the part where it feels like you arent breathing right it even feels like it might be so serious we dont want to go there if you know what I mean lol.

They gave me some Ativan, and it helped a lot. That was few years ago, and a few doctors ago. I now have to convince this doctor that is what I need now. It never ceases to amaze me that every time I see a new doctor they think they will cure me.

Wow!! I am soo glad she is doing ok!! You both are in my prayers

Hi Allen,
My Dr. has me on Lorazepam-basically same as ativan. He said it's a huge part in keeping the sympathetic nervous system calm, which in turn keeps our pain levels down. Because RSD brings on anxiety, panic attacks, taking an anti-anxiety if very very important in the general care of RSD. Of all the Drs. I've seen, he understands RSD the best. Been seeing him 5 years out of the last 14 yrs.
Always enjoy your posts, Take care,loretta

[SBOWLING]

Hello,

A side affect of RSD is an irregular heart beat. The first time it happened to me I went to the ER. My husband is a paramedic my heart rate was 300 and we were sure I was having a heart attack. I see my cardiologit every 6 months and my heart is fine. He told me that a very small percentage of open heart patients develope RSD. I have been taking Atenenol for the last 4 years it keeps my heart rate in check. I also take Ativan for anxiety.
Take care
Sherrie

[Sandel]

hi folks,
I too take atavan, both sublingual and the longer term lorazapam depending on the need at the time, (sublingual acts quicker) I have a lot of daily heart irregularitys and feel the rsd has total controll at times. One doctor told me that the heart as an organ actualy has the most amount of sympathetic nerves surrounding it.

Curious about something though being vascular, those with heart problems do you also get or did you get migranes? it is important.
Sandra

[Dubious]

Originally Posted by Sandel

hi folks,
I too take atavan, both sublingual and the longer term lorazapam depending on the need at the time, (sublingual acts quicker) I have a lot of daily heart irregularitys and feel the rsd has total controll at times. One doctor told me that the heart as an organ actualy has the most amount of sympathetic nerves surrounding it.

Curious about something though being vascular, those with heart problems do you also get or did you get migranes? it is important.
Sandra

Funny you should bring these up. Never had any of these symptoms prior to CRPS. Since then, I have had one or two scintillating scotomas where I lost 2/3 of my vision for 1/2 hour, neurologist calls them ocular migraines or migraine without a headache. Also had a couple incidence where my heart rate, normally 58-60 b/min will take off and wake me at night at 130-140, or so.

I now take lorazapam but not for anxiety. That is not much of an issue, really. Just pain and fatigue. I take 1/2 mg at bedtime to sleep as my shoulder pain and/or CRPS will usually wake my around 1 or 2 am. Lorazapam seems to extend that until 4 or 5 am. I am trying to cut down from 1 mg as I just wonder if that is not part of feeling tired all of the time. Internist recommended Ambien, tried it once and forgot my name. Neat. Amnesia is so embarrasing and unbecoming. Lorazapam works fine, thank you!

[angelrsd]

kate
sorry to hear about this issue i also suffer from this same issue
i have ventricular tachycardia induced by rsd. my normal resting on meds is anywhere from 120-210 bpm. i have to have reg echos every 6mths to check the heart muscle so it doesnt get worn out .. also my cardiologist believes that mine is alot worse due to my rsd being internal. as my heart was one of the first organs to go. YEA me LOL .. i am sorry that you are having this problem.. question do you also get the chest pain with the racing heart?

carrie