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What Causes Fast Heart Beat When At Rest?
Question: I HAVE HAD SHORTNESS OF BREATH FOR 3 MONTHS, HAVE HAD A CAT SCAN OF MY LUNGS, CHEMICAL STRESS TEST, CAT SCAN OF MY ABDOMEN, HEART XXXXXXX EKG, BLOOD WORK AND BARIUM SWALLOW (I HAVE A HIATAL HERNIA 2 INCHES IN SIZE) ALL THESE TEST WERE NEGATIVE. I HAVE BEEN ON ANTIBIOTICS, STERIODS, AND 2 DIFFERENT INHALERS, THE INHALERS DID NOT CHANGE MY BREATHING. I HAVE PUT ON ABOUT 5 POUNDS IN THE PAST MONTH, HAVE TRIED TO LOOSE WEIGHT BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO COME OFF. I DO EAT HEALTHY. I FEEL VERY BELOATED AFTER EATING. I DO WATER AEROBICS 5 DAYS A WEEK FOR 30 MINUTES FOR MY BACK PAIN AND JUST EXCERISE. IF I AM SETTING OR LAYING DOWN MY BREATHING SLOWS DOWN BUT I FEEL MY RESTING BREATHING IS FASTER THAN NORMAL. NEXT WEEK I AM HAVING A STRESS LUNG TEST. THIS WEARS ME OUT AND UNABLE TO DO MY DAILY CHORES.
Brief Answer:
You present with symptoms of heart failure.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome to HCM. Sorry to hear about your progressive fatigue. you are explaining what I believe is heart failure. Are your feet swollen. Do you wake up short of breath? Your 5 pound weight gain also speaks to heart failure. You will need and echocardiogram to evaluate how efficient your heart is pumping and furosemide will help you breath better. Please in the meantime avoid salty foods as this worsens your breathing and retains fluid in your body.
You need a good evaluation from a primary doctor or Cardiologist.
I hope this helps, good luck and thanks.
You present with symptoms of heart failure.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome to HCM. Sorry to hear about your progressive fatigue. you are explaining what I believe is heart failure. Are your feet swollen. Do you wake up short of breath? Your 5 pound weight gain also speaks to heart failure. You will need and echocardiogram to evaluate how efficient your heart is pumping and furosemide will help you breath better. Please in the meantime avoid salty foods as this worsens your breathing and retains fluid in your body.
You need a good evaluation from a primary doctor or Cardiologist.
I hope this helps, good luck and thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
My last echocardiogram was in January of 2014, the cardiologist seemed to me to say thee would be no change since then, but that didn't set right with me. The cardiologist has "checked me out" and he said he sees no reason that the heart could be causing my problem. I do not wake up short of breath, but moving around starts it. I have also been having acid reflux at night. I was on Nexium for years with no problem. I had 2 nurses in different hospitals tell me they had the same problem as I have and the doctor changed their acid reflux medication and the shortness of breath stop in about a month and half, I have been on a new acid reflux medicine for that amount of time, no change. I don't see the relationship, but they both told me the same story, so I thought it was worth a try, but hasn't worked for me. I am on Protonix now but don't feel it is working as good as the Nexium. Do you think another echocardiogram should be done, would it show something that the heart XXXXXXX didn't? My feet and legs swell sometimes but not all the time, I use very little salt if any. I am a nurse. Thank you
Brief Answer:
Another Echocardiogram would not be unreasonable.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you foe providing more information. I will address your questions and hopefully get to a good conclusion.
1. I do not see either how the Acid reflux will cause shortness of breath when you do activities. unless you have asthma and Acid reflux has been known to exacerbate asthma symptoms, causing shortness of breath.
2. Not all proton inhibitors work the same. Different people get varying results depending on what they take. If the nexium works for you, then that is what I would use.
3. An echocardiogram is indicated if your have possible changes to your heart function and the last echocardiogram was 6 months or later. So yes an echocardiogram may show some new changes.
4. A heart XXXXXXX shows us how the vasculature of your heart is, that is if there are any blockages, the echocardiogram shows us how efficient the heart is pumping ans also evaluates the valves and examines the heart chamber size.
5. Dyspnea on exertion really point to a heart problem or cardiovascular problem and that has to be worked up. The swelling occasionally that you get in your feet could be simply dependent edema or associated with heart failure.
I hope this provides you with more information, you are welcome to continue with more questions and discussions with me. Thanks
Another Echocardiogram would not be unreasonable.
Detailed Answer:
Thank you foe providing more information. I will address your questions and hopefully get to a good conclusion.
1. I do not see either how the Acid reflux will cause shortness of breath when you do activities. unless you have asthma and Acid reflux has been known to exacerbate asthma symptoms, causing shortness of breath.
2. Not all proton inhibitors work the same. Different people get varying results depending on what they take. If the nexium works for you, then that is what I would use.
3. An echocardiogram is indicated if your have possible changes to your heart function and the last echocardiogram was 6 months or later. So yes an echocardiogram may show some new changes.
4. A heart XXXXXXX shows us how the vasculature of your heart is, that is if there are any blockages, the echocardiogram shows us how efficient the heart is pumping ans also evaluates the valves and examines the heart chamber size.
5. Dyspnea on exertion really point to a heart problem or cardiovascular problem and that has to be worked up. The swelling occasionally that you get in your feet could be simply dependent edema or associated with heart failure.
I hope this provides you with more information, you are welcome to continue with more questions and discussions with me. Thanks
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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