There are a multitude of causes of rapid heart rate but if I had to pick from your short list, I'd take the hyperthyroidism. I was diagosed with Thyrotoxicosis, namely Grave's Disease several years ago. I began to notice a rapid pulse. Then came the stranger symptoms: eating like a pig but loosing weight, fine tremors in my hands, aggitation & hyperactivity, flushing (like hot flashes if you're old enough to feel me on that one) in my upper body, neck and face. It was like all my systems were on super-GO all the time. I had a couple of simple blood tests to measure my thyroid levels (Ft4 & TSH). When they came back abnormal, I had a thyroid scan (easy as pie) and was diagnosed with Grave's. I then had three options: medication daily for a year, iodine treatments in my thyroid or total ablation (removal of the thyroid entirely and synthetic med replacement for life). I chose to try the medication. Duh! It worked and after a year I was "normal" again. Grave's is another in the long list of autoimmune diseases.
I've also had Holter Monitor placement for 24 & 48 hours and a couple times for an entire month so I know a little about that. My biggest problem was rash & itching from the gel on the lead patches. When you are "Holterized" (ha) for a month, you have to move the leads around a little to avoid irritating your skin. I remember having very little assigned space left to move them into after a while. Holter can be a useful tool in diagnosing cardiac rythm abnormalities.
I'm surprised they didn't ask you right off the bat if you're using coke, meth or Ritalin.
K.
Well... mine is missing it holter! They gave so many of them out today, that I got the one that was missing the strap. The monitor is in my pants pocket. And guess what? I am out of pants with pockets LOL! I am still trying to figure out how I am going to carry it around tomorrow. Might be too hot for sweat pants with pockets temp today was 77!
My thyroid was checked way back at the end of August '07. Came back normal. I have been having palpatations way before that thyroid test was done. I just figured it was from me being in pain or me over working my body. I know I should have gotten it seen about way back when it started, but I was more worried about getting RA straightened out, because the palpatations went away and came back and then went away. Just figured it was caused by the pain & inflammation.
But the high pulse is a new thing. Probably what was making me feel my heart beating when I laid down at night is probably what is causing the high pulse now. Some times I can lay down and I can feel my heart beating, like it is moving my whole body. And then like it slows down and then skips a beat and then that is when I can feel my heart and it feel like it is moving my body.
My MIL, who is a PN, checked my pulse the night I came back from my Remicade infusion, and she said it felt like I was skipping a beat. I done felt my pulse too, and it would go fast and then start to slow and then no beat and then back to beating again. It was like every 3rd beat she said is when it would skip a beat.
Like I said I just thought it was all from the pain, because that is about the same time I started having the palpatations.
I am a bad girl, I know. Hi Joonie, there is a lot going on for sure. I am so pleased you seem to have a thorough GP, we definitely need one of those with our problems. I felt like a suicide bomber when I had to wear a thing one day for a camera that you swallow and it takes 8 hours to finish, all the while it is taking pictures, this really thick waistcoat is flashing, what a hoot!! I am sure you are on the right track - all the best and we are all here for you always. Hugs Janie.
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