When you just don't feel right...go to the Dr.

Hmm yeah, that's true--just thought I'd throw it out there to see if anyone yelled "Oh No don't do that!" or "no that's a good idea" Hubby was on BP meds for a short while until he lost a bit of weight, but it was a totally different med, so I wasn't sure. Also he didn't have any tests to get off them for. Just wishing there was something I could DO!

 

The Toprol would start working immediately as far as slowing the heart rate and lowering the blood pressure, however since it is also an antidysrhythmic you wouldn't want to start and stop it. You have to be careful doing that with any BP med as well because there is a risk of rebound hypertension.

Coarctation would explain some of your BP differences, also the fatigue. The echo could definitely accurately diagnose this. But being that it is a birth defect, I would have thought that you would have developed symptoms long before now. Given the fact that they haven't scheduled your appointment until March, I would start the Toprol now, to start controlling the symptoms and feeling better. It won't change the result of the echo at all, and the only difference it will make on the holter is a slower heart rate.

 

foxy, stay positive, do what the doctor says, our thoughts and prayers are with you!

 

So my GF went in Monday and she said the doc didn't seem to concerned about the whole thing. They did some blood work and a thyroid test. Said it would be a few weeks before those results came back. He gave her a prescription for something but not sure what it was, I'll check and let you know. She's not taking it until she finds out how these new test results come back. She said he didn't say much about the whole 24hr monitor that she wore and that it all seemed normal? Didn't sound normal to me but then again I've never worn a monitor for anything like that.???

Keep us updated on how everything is going with you.

 

I second that Adam.

 

I'll start messing around on that site tonight and see if I can find anything else. Thanks.


Thanks to everyone for the thoughts .

 

Well honestly I didn't have the greatest health care as a child, but I was rarely ever sick so that was good for me cause my mom wouldn't have taken me to a doc till I was just about dead. So anyway my medical history doesn't really start till I was 18. It was between the ages of 18-20 that I had complete physicals and routine medical care. Since then my BP has most always been in the prehypertensive range, just under the high range, but the doc were never concerned because I was healthy and active and never complained of any problem other than migraines (which are now gone) and I had a fasciotomy on both lower legs due to exertion compartment syndrome, I suffered severe lower leg pain during exercise for many years and had complications after surgery due blood flow to the area. I was never concerned with any abnormal findings because the docs weren't concerned. I read that coarctation can cause no symptoms in some people till they get older. I'm hoping I don't have it, but it's the closest of anything I have come across.
(copied)Coarctation of the aorta usually doesn't have symptoms. However, if the obstruction becomes severe, you may not tolerate exercise well. You could have a headache, trouble breathing, leg pains/cramps after exertion. You also might have chest pain or palpitations. It is most commonly discovered in adults between the ages of 15 and 40, often because the doctor notices a heart murmur in a patient with high blood pressure.

I was aware that the meds won't affect the Echo, my concern was the affect on the Holter monitor since my complaint is rapid heart rate. I have been feeling this way for about 3 months now, since it takes 6-8 weeks to get into the docs office and I wasn't concerned right away until it didn't go away. I'm comfortable with avoiding the meds for another 6 weeks and I can go about my normal day without problems. I'm more uncomfortable taking them and not knowing if I should really be on them, they can cause fatigue which I'd be concerned with at work and the affect on the Holter test concerns me.
I much appreciate all the help you have provided, it would be nice if the docs would sit down and have a conversation like this with the patients. You are very helpful and knowledgable.

 

I'm glad she is getting checked and treated, hope everything does turn out well for her. My test results were available after a week online, but the doc said it would be closer to 2 weeks for results in the mail, hope she is feeling better soon. Thanks for keeping me posted.

 

Just keeping tabs on your progress. Lots of great advice coming to ya, I'm learning alot myself actually......

Still shootin' prayers your way....keep truckin' girl, and oh yeah, seen your pic on the other thread....and...uhhhemmm...wow...your title fits you very well Foxy!!

 

Due for a minor update.....
1st I have been feeling better recently and I didn't really change anything so , but it is a good thing either way. I never did take the meds.

I had an Echocardiogram done on Wednesday, so I'm just waiting for those results.

I am currently hooked up to a Holter 24hr heart rate monitor, I get to take it off in 7 hours then of course the wait for those results.

So I got all set up yesterday morning after I got off work and I went home to bed, I woke up this afternoon with a reaction to the tape they use on the electrodes . So I removed all the tape and replaced it with some 1st aid tape, but I still have rashes from the original tape and it hurts .

So I have a follow up on the 25th and should receive the results before then.
Thanks again for all the thoughts and encouraging words .

 

Clueless to the situation mofo sending 3rd coast well wishes to sorting this all out & keepin it under control............

 

Thanks...

yeah long post, but there are many on here who understand and have been waiting an update.

 

Ugh. Sorry about the tape--I'm allergic to 3M adhesive and also found out the hard way! I hope you get the results sooner than almost 3 weeks! But like I mentioned in the other thread, I guess 3 weeks is relative. Has anything like before happened since you've been on the monitor that you've noticed? I'm really glad that you've been feeling better!

 

Well I do understand the testing and waiting, which is the hardest part. Doctors I don't think understand the mental games that one goes through when they are having issues. And when you have to wait it just makes it worse.
I am sure everything will turn out fine, and on a bright side you will now have a base line that the DR's can follow.
I am sorry you must do all of this, but you have many hear that have you in their thoughts and prayers..........

 

It's been 12 hours since I took the tape off and it still hurts , now I know I'm allergic to medical tape!
All my other results were back in about a week, so I'm hoping these are the same, but the Cardio office was booked 3 months out and are really busy, so I'm hoping that is not a sign of how long it takes for them to read the tests! I keep checking my online medical record since the results post there before I'm notified.
Nothing half as bad as I was feeling 2 months ago, so I guess that is good. But I was nauseous and a little dizzy this evening when I was working in the garage, then a little chest pain on the way to work. The rapid heart rate feelings have pretty much gone away.

 

Well, the heart rate being better is good, but the dizzy and nauseous are not! You are still, and have been, in my prayers.

 

You all are the greatest..not only on my tread, but on all the others similar to this. It is such a pleasure seeing how caring people are on here for people they don't even know and will never even meet.

 

I'll update here for those still following ...

All of the tests, blood, urine, echocardiogram, 24hr holter have come back normal.
They said the 24hr heart rate monitor was normal, but my heart rate climbed to 143 at the highest and I checked what I was doing at the time and I was just driving to work I had noted chest pain at that time. It also climbed to over 120 while I was sleeping. They said I had no irregular rhythms, so it was normal. I questioned the doc about it being double a normal rate while I was sleeping and climing to 143 which would be a cardio training rate while I was sitting still, he said he didn't know. I told him that concerns me, so he gave me a referral for a consultation with a cardiologist and a beta-Blocker (toprol) for 6 months with blood pressure monitoring (my bp was 148/102). He did another EKG in the office which they noted as no significant changes from January (normal w/tachycardia-high heart rate), but now it says borderline with non-specific t wave changes which they say is common and nothing to be concerned with .

So I'll be making an appointment with the cardiologist. At least I'm feeling better than back in October when this all started .


Does anyone know anything about vitamin/mineral/electrolyte defencies?
I'll be asking the cardiologist about it when I get there, but can't think of anything else at the moment.

Thanks for all the thoughts and kind messages.