Cardiomyopathy

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

I'm very very concerned that I have this. I want to go to the ER right now but I can't take the kids. I'm very certain that I'm going to die during this pregnancy. I can't believe they can't get me in any sooner than next week!

[ServerError]

If there was any sign of a risk of you dropping dead before next week, you'd have been seen by now.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

I'm worried because I have a family history of heart failure, and now I'm having these horrible symptoms. My heart rate is way too high for normal, every day activities. It races so fast that I can't even time it.

[Charlie1108]

I'm exactly the same. This is my fear too. Don't know if you've seen my thread x

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

I'm exactly the same. This is my fear too. Don't know if you've seen my thread x

I will check out your thread. Sorry you're dealing with these crazy symptoms too.

[ServerError]

Sounds to me like the family history has gotten inside your head, which I can very much understand. But a family history doesn't mean there has to be anything wrong with your heart. I'd certainly throw away your heart monitor unless you've been instructed by a medical professional that you need to be monitoring your heart rate.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

Sounds to me like the family history has gotten inside your head, which I can very much understand. But a family history doesn't mean there has to be anything wrong with your heart. I'd certainly throw away your heart monitor unless you've been instructed by a medical professional that you need to be monitoring your heart rate.

I understand. The only reason that I bought it was because I felt hat I wasn't being listened to by my old doctors. Sure enough, my heart rate hit the 200s before. I like to have it for reference in case I need to go to the ER again.

[bin tenn]

Have you manually checked pulse during one of those runs to make sure the monitor is accurate?

[Eventhesparrows]

Let me put this into perspective for you:

I've had three kiddos. With my middle child, after her delivery I had heart palpitations for about two weeks, shortness of breath, the whole shebang. My midwife told me to go the ER, but I had family in town and didn't think it was that big of a deal, so I didn't go (gee, what happened to THAT girl?!?!). They went away within about two weeks.

Fast forward three years. I'm pregnant with my third child, about 7 months into the pregnancy, and my mom suddenly died, at the age of 57, of svt - a fatal heart arrythmia. She woke up one morning to use the bathroom, on her way back to bed she felt dizzy, my step dad went to get her a drink of water and she passed out, died right there. CPR and paramedics were no use, she was in ICU on machines for a few hours until we decided to "pull the plug" as they say. I was on the other side of the country (USA), 7 months pregnant, and went back to plan the funeral and such.

Fast forward another two months - about two weeks before I delivered, I began to have the heart palpitations again. My OB said it's not a big deal, extremely common in pregnancy, and gave me things to look out for. I delivered a healthy baby girl, and was tachicardic the entire time I was in labor. After delivery the palps didn't stop. My OB told me to go see my primary care physician. I did. They wouldn't touch me. With my family history they sent me straight to a cardiologist who did multiple EKGs, a 30 day holter monitor, and an echocardiogram. Was I scared? You better believe it. But guess what?

I was 100% fine and healthy. My heart gets "a little angry" every now and then (thats the technical term my cardiologist told me), but there's nothing wrong. Because of my family history I will have to have an echo done once every three years, but that's ok with me.

If I'm OK, with ALL of that, you'll be OK too.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

Have you manually checked pulse during one of those runs to make sure the monitor is accurate?

I have tried to do it manually during hose times, but it's beating so fast that I can't catch up. I'm also trying to catch my breath during the whole thing because I get short of breath during those times.

---------- Post added at 18:45 ---------- Previous post was at 18:38 ----------


Let me put this into perspective for you:

I've had three kiddos. With my middle child, after her delivery I had heart palpitations for about two weeks, shortness of breath, the whole shebang. My midwife told me to go the ER, but I had family in town and didn't think it was that big of a deal, so I didn't go (gee, what happened to THAT girl?!?!). They went away within about two weeks.

Fast forward three years. I'm pregnant with my third child, about 7 months into the pregnancy, and my mom suddenly died, at the age of 57, of svt - a fatal heart arrythmia. She woke up one morning to use the bathroom, on her way back to bed she felt dizzy, my step dad went to get her a drink of water and she passed out, died right there. CPR and paramedics were no use, she was in ICU on machines for a few hours until we decided to "pull the plug" as they say. I was on the other side of the country (USA), 7 months pregnant, and went back to plan the funeral and such.

Fast forward another two months - about two weeks before I delivered, I began to have the heart palpitations again. My OB said it's not a big deal, extremely common in pregnancy, and gave me things to look out for. I delivered a healthy baby girl, and was tachicardic the entire time I was in labor. After delivery the palps didn't stop. My OB told me to go see my primary care physician. I did. They wouldn't touch me. With my family history they sent me straight to a cardiologist who did multiple EKGs, a 30 day holter monitor, and an echocardiogram. Was I scared? You better believe it. But guess what?

I was 100% fine and healthy. My heart gets "a little angry" every now and then (thats the technical term my cardiologist told me), but there's nothing wrong. Because of my family history I will have to have an echo done once every three years, but that's ok with me.

If I'm OK, with ALL of that, you'll be OK too.

I'm glad you're doing well now and that the doctors took good care of you. That's very promising. My OB is concerned because this is every day for me. I have to limit a lot of what I do so that I can breathe through these episodes. Sometimes just walking my heart rate will be 140, and I'll need to take breaks because too much walking causes me to feel faint or faint. Luckily, I haven't fainted this pregnancy, but it freaks me out pretty badly knowing that it might happen if I push myself too hard.

I'm just happy we are doing the tests, and that I'll have extra eyes on the baby and I throughout the pregnancy. I just hate waiting because what if it's too late?

[swajj]

I haven't read any of your previous threads but if you are pregnant and your heart rate is consistently high then that needs further investigation. It could very well be anxiety but 200 bpm shouldn't just be ignored and put down to anxiety. It sounds like you are waiting for further tests to be done. I would have thought with you being pregnant your GP would be monitoring your heart rate at the very least.

---------- Post added at 07:56 ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 ----------

Have you been to the ER with this before?

I ask because Zi have been to the ER with a very high heart rate a couple of times and I was immediately admitted for observation. My heart rate was nothing like 200 bpm and I wasn't pregnant. Not trying to scare you but you are pregnant so maybe you are justified going to ER.

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

I went before but the episode stopped. I had tests done in my last pregnancy, but my current OB doesn't think that I had enough eyes on me because the weird heart stuff kept happening. She just wants me to see the cardiologist and redo the tests while having him meet regularly with me throughout the pregnancy.

In my other pregnancies, I was able to rest more than I can now. It's definitely making things more noticeable, but she feels best that I also see a high risk OB as well. All of this is terrifying to me. I haven't had any checks this pregnancy so I do have that worry that I may have developed cardiomyopathy this time. I'm very, very concerned, so I hope that I make it to the end of next week.

---------- Post added at 22:49 ---------- Previous post was at 22:49 ----------

By episode stopped, I mean that my heart rate went down by the time I got to the hospital.

[Charlie1108]

How far along are you? The pregnancy related cardiomyopathy doesn't usually present until last month of pregnancy/after birth x

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

How far along are you? The pregnancy related cardiomyopathy doesn't usually present until last month of pregnancy/after birth x

I'm 16 weeks but I got pregnant very soon after my last baby. Within the 5 months that it can still develop. My concern is that I started developing it and it's now showing symptoms.

[Charlie1108]

Have you had echo or ekg?

[Ihavelostmymarbles]

Not during this pregnancy. I should be getting at least an ekg next week at the cardiologist. My fear is that they will admit me to the hospital. I hate being in the hospital because now I can't get anything to calm me down besides Benadryl and that gives me adrenaline.

[ServerError]

If anything is seriously wrong, you'd be a damn sight better off in hospital than anywhere else.

[Charlie1108]

I'm in a state right now too if it's any consolation. My heart is going crazy after a shower