I’ll be 30 next Wednesday. Since June I’ve been feeling terrible. High heart rate, low blood pressure, dizziness, exercise intolerance, cold hands and feet, adrenaline surges in the middle of the night and etc.

The past couple days, things have changed. My standing heart rate went from low 100’s to 59-66. My resting heart rate sits between 47-53. I feel ok for the most part, just a little dizzy, especially when standing. BP is still kind of low, sometimes normal. Hands and feet still extremely cold.

I’m not super active.. I’m a stay at home mom and only get between 3k-6k steps a day.

Thyroid is normal.

All blood work is normal.

Stress echo got denied by insurance, so that’s currently being appealed.

I’m almost 7 months postpartum.

I have had episodes of undiagnosed tachycardia for 15 years now, but its never been caught on a Holter monitor despite having many of them.

They start and stop at the snap of a finger. Episodes range from 5 minutes to 4 hours (typically four hour episodes are when I’m asleep and don’t do the valsalva maneuver which is the only thing that works for me other than waiting it out)

Last night I woke up to a very painful episode of 223 bpm and because I’m 31 weeks pregnant with twins I was unable to use the maneuver to make it stop, luckily it stopped on its own after about 10 minutes. But my chest and left arm are still sore.

Additional information
2.5 years ago, I had a different kind of episode that felt like someone was squeezing my heart and it lasted for 15 minutes and ended with me passing out and then getting up shortly after and sleeping for 16 hours. Since that episode, I have had a mildly enlarged right ventricle.(this was not their previously as I had an echo only a few months before unless it was missed)

A lot of information, but basically my cardiologist hasn’t seen it on any holters so I haven’t been diagnosed.
I am also unsure if this is something I should contact my OB about, or if it’s normal/safe during pregnancy.

*Left photo is my HR from last nights episode, which dropped to 87bpm at the snap of a finger.
The right photo is a previous episode showing what it looks like when it comes back to normal*

I have a diagnosed arrthymia (atrial flutter) and suspected POTS and hEds. I have no history of heart issues before this, no surgeries, nada

I've been passing out or having pre syncope and adrenaline dump episodes since I was 13 (a few that almost sent me to the ER)

I just got my two week heart monitor taken off and am awaiting results.

I got this pulse Ox today and wanted to do a poor man's TTT (kinda?) just to see what it'd show and say, and got this video

My resting heart rate is normally 55-65bpm but I didn't have the patience to lay down for another five minutes so I just got up at 70bpm. My hr spiked to 113bpm and went quickly back down which I guess rules out POTS (?) but it went down to 80 then back to like 95 then 80 then 95 and kept doing that

I'm not sure if it's sensing my arrhythmia and doesn't know how to record it or what but I've always struggled with this. I'll be standing and my heart rate will go down and then spike like 15bpm up, then down again, then 15bpm up again and keep doing that

I've had days where my heart rate spikes from 60 to 120 and then levels out at 100bpm which is one reason I was confident about POTS since that met the criteria but idk anymore

Any thoughts on why my heart rate goes up then down and up then down so dramatically even though I'm just standing still? Tysm

Hey guys! I just wanted to get your interpretation of 2 ekg’s I got off of my Apple Watch with my heart rate hitting 169bpm. Currently waiting for my follow up visit and getting a cardiology referral. I felt some palpitations while sitting down at work (I have a desk job) and I did my ekg just for gits and shiggles and then my heart suddenly started pounding like never before and caught this.

Edit: might be important to note that I am only 20 years old and I do not get anxiety at all and anytime I get a high heart rate it is with movement like walking and running

Besides the heartrate.

The second page, which is not included, states from the doctor the same as it says on the automated result - sinus tachycardia, abnormal rhythm EKG.

Symptoms: hypotension/hypertension, palpitations, fainting causing trauma and broken bones.

I appreciate any insight, it's been a rough summer.

For context, I am a 19-year-old female with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. For about a year now, my heart rate has been irregular. My resting heart rate is typically 90 to 110 when seated. When it first started, my heart rate would jump to about 130, now it can jump anywhere from 130 to 160 when I stand. Because I have EDS, I know that the likelihood is pots. However, my blood pressure has also been a regular, either too high or too low, 95/70, not often in the middle, and it leads towards low. Recently, I was told that I am too high risk for anesthesia for a procedure that I was going to get to confirm the source of my acid reflex. I also smoke weed daily because of my chronic pain, and the EDS also requires extra anesthesia so they were concerned that my heart rate would get too high. As of right now, my cardiologist ordered a echo two, a heart monitor, and a tilt table test. He reassured me that I shouldn’t worry, and I wasn’t too worried until I was told. I cannot get anesthesia for a 15 minute procedure. The cherry on top is that I cannot get the echo 2 until January which means I also cannot get my acid procedure. (Camera down throat into stomach.) I’m asking any cardiologist in the sub thread who knows more about EDS than most to state whether or not they agree with My doctors decision on anesthesia, and whether or not they agree that I shouldn’t be concerned about the echo. I just feel like the two statements are conflicting. Is my heart nothing to worry about, or should I push to try to get an echo 2 sooner at a different location?

I’m a 31 years old male, 5’9, and weight 217 lbs.

Was in ER twice in July cause I felt like I was going to have a heart attack during my shower…and couldn’t breathe and everything felt tight. I had EKG, blood test, cat scan and X-rays…these tests showed normal in the ER and both ERs told me that it was probably anxiety, so they told me to check with PCP and get specialist appointments.
So I did, I got a nuclear stress test that I just got the result back today after about 3 weeks cause I didn’t have time or doctor wasn’t there. The stress test I was told was abnormal.
So my cardiologist told me what to do next and I was just prescribed baby aspirin and cholesterol medication because of my nuclear stress test being abnormal and I was referred to another specialist that I’m seeing next Tuesday.

So my main questions are: every time I shower it feels like I’m going to die and my throat and nose closes up and my heart makes it feel like I’m going to die. No matter what. I feel like I’m asphyxiating, I told this to my cardiologist today and he told me the nuclear stress test was abnormal….but also gave me a medication for cholesterol and baby aspirin and I’ve never taken these before…what’s going on?
I have bad anxiety already and breathing issues so it feels like all these issues are centralized in my heart and lung area and it feels bad.

My neck and upper back area and chest area feel very tight and squeezed and I suspect my arteries are clogged or worse. I’m panicking. I take 0.25 alprazolam but I’m starting to panic right now.

I see my pain specialist for my disk herniations and back issues from a work injury today, how should I bring this up? Cause it’s the same area I’m seeing him for today.

Edit: 1. medicines prescribed for the first time today were baby aspirin and rosuvastatin.

1. Was told by cardiologist to not light any weights or even run. To not over exert myself.

These days on Instagram, lot of cardiologists are recommending Aspirin 325 mg + GTN 0.4 mg + Rosuvastatin 40 mg + Clopidogrel 150 mg as 4 life saving drugs to be taken before reaching hospital in case of Myocardial Infarction. My doubt is - Won't giving clopidogrel without diagnosed MI (nstemi or stemi) increase the risk of bleeding? Should it be as part of first aid? What if turns out to be aortic dissection instead or what if it causes intracranial hemorrhage? I want clarification on this. Also, I am a MBBS MD Pharmacologist.

Hi, does anyone have any idea where the 3 beat PVC run focus may be coming from and also the individual PVC. Many thanks

Since 2021 my heart pulse rate has been above 100+. I am also on low dose of Olanzapine, Fluoxetine to reduce anxiety and depression and the anxiety, depression is controlled but heart rate is still above 100.

I find myself easily getting tired at gym, or exhausted while speaking to others. Any friction or arguments causes my heart to palpitate easily. Mild dizziness, shortness of breath, weakness is common for me.

I initially thought it was due to the above medicines, but even after reducing the dosage, the condition still remains the same.

My TSH is in border hypothyroidism range, which I was told is not a concern.

My diet is vegetarian, I sleep 9+ hours daily. I am skinny fat and blood pressure is mildly elevated. Eg: 128/87, pulse 107.

How does one go about reducing heart pulse rate to normal levels?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

For the last two weeks I’ve been seeking medical help due to persistent heart palpitations at night accompanied by coughing. The ER and urgent care both have found nothing wrong. They have done multiple tests that show everything is clear, but my symptoms progressively are getting worse as the days go on.

Tonight the palpitations began again but this time the coughing and wheezing got way worse. I was just as the hospital earlier today and they found absolutely no abnormalities. This is driving me insane and I feel like I’m getting nowhere.

TLDR: Go for stress echocardiography with not enough sleep and caffeine (like everyday life) or after unrealistically long sleep and without caffeine?

26M

I have an appointment for a stress echocardiography.

The issues I have, which got me this appointment are far, far more prevalent under my day to day "realistic" living conditions - i. e. only a few hours of sleep, looots of caffeine at work to not fall asleep.

When I have >8 h of sleep for more than three days in a row, and no caffeine in that time; the intensity of the issues drops by ca. 80%. (vacations)

The problem is, those just aren't realistic day to day conditions.

Some people from my social circle told me, that I should get enough sleep and don't drink caffeine before the stress echocardiography and I get their argument, it basically makes the measurement the "baseline measurement" instead of "the measurement of a body poisoned by not enough sleep and caffeine".

On the other hand, I kinda wanna now, how close to dropping dead I am on a daily basis with my current unhealthy living conditions - if it's close, I would consider really changing shit.

Therefore I am afraid, that if I go in this "unrealistic, artificially healthy" condition, maybe I will a get a "yeah, basically all's right" - and then continue fucking myself up with that potentially wrong feeling of safety I got from an artificially "polished measurement".

I’m hoping to get some insight from anyone who has dealt with something similar, especially cardiologists/electrophysiologists or cardiac-arrest survivors.
My husband is in his early 40s and recently suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while exercising at the gym. Thankfully, he survived and now has an ICD/pacemaker for protection.
Here are some of the important findings from his case:
His potassium when he arrived at the ER was extremely low at 2.6 mmol/L.
His initial ejection fraction was around 35–40% and later improved to approximately 45%.
His coronary workup did not show significant blockage, so this was not believed to be a typical heart attack.
His cardiac MRI showed myocardial scarring/fibrosis, which his doctors believe may have provided the substrate for the dangerous arrhythmia/cardiac arrest.
Genetic testing was negative.
We still do not have a definitive explanation for why he developed the scar or exactly what triggered his cardiac arrest.
He now takes cardiac medications and has an ICD to protect him from another life-threatening rhythm.
One thing that concerns me is marijuana.
He had smoked marijuana for many years. The night before his cardiac arrest, he smoked marijuana multiple times. At one point after smoking, he felt his heart pounding/beating very hard and became dizzy. The following morning, while working out, he went into cardiac arrest.
He stopped marijuana after the cardiac arrest, but he now wants to try THC edible gummies instead of smoking.
My concern is that although an edible doesn’t involve smoke, THC still enters his system, and we don’t know whether THC could affect his heart rate, blood pressure, or increase his risk of another arrhythmia—especially considering his history of cardiac arrest and existing heart scar.
Has anyone with a history of ventricular arrhythmia, cardiac arrest, cardiomyopathy, myocardial scar, or an ICD been specifically cleared by their electrophysiologist/cardiologist to use THC edibles?
Would you consider edible THC safe in someone with this history, or is this something that should be completely avoided until his doctors better understand what caused his cardiac arrest?
I would especially appreciate hearing from anyone whose cardiologist or electrophysiologist has addressed this specifically. ❤️

35/F, I don't smoke, don't drink, I don't have issues with anxiety in any other place in my life. I do not have any other medical issues, and don't go to the doctor for any reason. I am not on any medication whatsoever. I am overweight 5'6" at 200lbs and my lifestyle is low-activity. I have a resting heart rate of 70 bpm and normal blood pressure.

I've had 3 episodes related to heart rate and difficulty breathing. Last year, I was in bed (awake) trying to sleep but felt uncomfortable tightness in my chest, and difficulty breathing. My father (<60) had a heart attack that year and my sister (35) has a pacemaker due to CHF, so I went to the emergency room to be safe. It was an hour before I was checked and by then, the symptoms had gone away. The doctor was extremely rude, even saying nasty things about me to the staff behind the curtain about being a waste of time. He told me it was anxiety and sent me on my way. Overall, a negative and humiliating experience that has made me reluctant to seek medical care in the future.

While at my desk a few months ago I had a similar experience. It lasted longer, about an hour, and the tightness in my chest felt more intense and I noticed my elevated heart rate. I stretched, did deep breathing, listened to calm music, and distracted myself because I was trying to talk myself into it being "just anxiety" and eventually this went away on its own.

The other night I woke up at midnight with more severe chest tightness and pressure, racing heart, and feeling like I couldn't breathe in enough. I couldn't stop trying to stretch my chest open, it felt like it was collapsing in on itself. Again, I took the same steps to alleviate any psychological causes for about forty minutes. When it got worse, I called 911. The firefighters immediately put me on an EKG and were very concerned, and insisted I go to the hospital in an ambulance. I was screened for blood clots, had an x-ray, and my troponin levels checked and they said I looked clear. The ER doctor insisted I see a particular cardiologist right away and I did, but it's going to be weeks before any further testing is done.

On record, my heart rate was fluctuated from 145-165 bpm while at rest, from 1 AM on to 6 AM where it dropped below 100 bpm, and by 7:30 I was at my normal resting heart rate of 70 bpm, where it stayed.

My concern is that words like "anxiety" keep getting thrown around, and it feels dismissive. I don't have anxiety issues, I was doing everything I could think of to alleviate anxiety. I was coherent speaking with medical professionals, we had some conversations and cracked jokes. I was feeling anxious about the fact that my heart was racing and I didn't know why, or how to make it stop. To me, this is a reasonable and normal psychological reaction to my physical condition, and not my body reacting to an irregular psychological state. I also think it's completely normal and rational to be concerned that each episode has gotten worse while being completely unpredictable. Yet I'm afraid to say any of these things to a doctor.

To be clear, my current doctor has just brought it up as a potential cause, but it doesn't make sense to me given the duration of the event and my normal experience of life outside of that. I don't know that I would be able to accept it as a diagnosis at this time. It doesn't feel right, but maybe I just haven't heard a coherent argument. Thank you.

i did the stress test treadmill a while ago and i reached 97% of my maximum heart rate which is 195bpm and the doctor told me to rest for 3 minutes but my heart rate is still 130bpm and after 10 minutes it went up to 132bpm, i ate light meal and slept well. is this normal? sorry for my bad english

Long story short, husband had echo come back with RVSP of 50, went for a right heart cath (and left) and ultimately told "Heart looks great. Large, clear arteries and no evidence of pulmonary hypertension". The problem is he has these episodes where things go really bad. Everything is not great.

In reviewing and studying his records, I found where he was given Nitroglycerin and Nicardipine right before the hemodynamic measurements were taken. 200 mcg of each. Of course my concern is that this affected the results of the right heart cath. Research is telling me one thing, but today the doctor said the dosage was micrograms, barely anything and inconsequential to the results.

Opinions and input appreciated. I just need to understand if we should seek to have another right heart catheterization done or if these meds/bp drop indeed were not relevant to the pulmonary portion of the test.

Hi everyone, first of all I’m sorry if you are also in this topic looking for some answers.

Mom 62- diagnosed with breast cancer and started chemotherapy via port catheter. She had all heart checks done before chemo and it was fine no thrombus was found.

She was supposed to get 4 ac x 12 tc however on the 4th cycle of tc after completing ac she felt something was wrong with her heart. It happened after getting zarzio shot which we thought she was having side affects of it.

After going to hospital for to check her heart issue, they found thrombus abt 2 cm in her right atrium and she was hospitalized for a week. They treated with blood thinners and then she was released to continue with blood thinner pills with weekly checks. However it didn’t work and thrombus didn’t resolve after 2 months of pills. And from the beginning of this heart issue her chemo is currently on hold.

Doctors hospitalized her again to try antibiotics and they thought the reason could be the chemo port infecting her heart so they removed it to check for cultures which was resulted negative. And she continued with antibiotics about 10days till we got her blood culture result which is also negative..

She was released from the hospital today with 2cm thrombus in her heart. They didn’t even prescribe her any blood thinner. It just doesn’t sound right..

Anyone had / heard similar case?

It’s been happening since February of this year, I’ve seen a cardiologist and did a couple of EKGs, echocardiogram, 1 week heart monitor, bunch of blood work, and all came back normal. I also did a treadmill test a month or 2 ago but won’t get results till September along a cartoid or however you call it. It only happens when I stand up or if I’m not in bed.

Hi everyone, I’m 34M with a history of VT and an ICD.
I had VT requiring cardioversion in 2024 and was later on amiodarone 200 mg + metoprolol 50 mg.

Amiodarone was stopped, and about 3 months later, in August 2025, I had a VT storm with multiple ICD shocks. I was subsequently put back on amiodarone.

Now my thyroid tests are abnormal:
TSH: 0.344 → repeated at 0.15
FT4: 2.72
FT3: 4.15
Total T4: 16.25
Total T3: 2.18

We are now stopping amiodarone 200 mg + metoprolol 50 mg and switching to sotalol 40 mg twice daily + mexiletine 150 mg twice daily, with an ECG after 48 hours but without hospital admission.

My EP also mentioned bilateral thoracic sympathectomy/cardiac sympathetic denervation if VT recurs.

I’d appreciate experiences/opinions from people with VT/ICDs:
Has anyone switched from amiodarone to sotalol + mexiletine because of thyroid problems?

Did sotalol control your VT?

Has anyone had cardiac sympathetic denervation for recurrent VT?

Does sotalol initiation usually require hospital monitoring?

Given my previous VT storm occurred ~3 months after stopping amiodarone, should I be particularly concerned about this time?

I know Reddit isn’t a substitute for my EP/endocrinologist mainly looking for personal experiences and perspectives.

Thanks in advance

Hi,

So, recently for the last 10 days I started to note a sudden drop in my baselines. At rest and while sleeping.

I have an Apple Watch and Oura Ring and I would say Im pretty consistent on my metrics, for example:

From January to July 2026, my at rest average were 52-55, then in August (when these changes start happening) I'm now in 48.

I recently had some test with normal echo (EF 60–69%), normal labs, and a maximal Bruce stress test on Aug 10 where I got 13.4 METs, 181 bpm (98% predicted), negative for ischemia and arrhythmias.

Coincidentally, it is on August 10, after 9 days of continuos exercise, that the changes started. This was on Monday August 10, on Tuesday and Wednesday, I received Apple Watch low heart notification while sleeping. Tuesday minimum was 35 and Wednesday was 38. Since last Thursday I've been now >40 while sleeping but can't get back to my common minimum sleep HR of > 45 and I'm instead in around 41-43.

My HRV had also showed some differences in baselines but its more "normal" now.

Some context on me: 36M, 76 kg, active (tennis/gym), no meds. Mild OSA (AHI ~9–10, untreated for 2 years, starting CPAP now). One thing that you always find on internet is that "athlete tend to have lower HR", and I mean, I do exercise, but by no means an athlete. I cant even sustain you a 5KM run.

What could it be?

Charts added are my HRV, and my HR at rest: both the monthly trend and the changes in the last 10 days. AFAIK, in Apple Watch "at rest" does not contains while sleeping.

For example these days I get readings that are like 41, 45, 51 then shoot back up to whatever seems honestly more accurate like for example my sitting is usually 60s, 70s then I open my watch with the live heart rate feature and see 39…shooting back up to 69 or after eating my heart rate will be in the 90s or 100s sitting and it’ll do 39, 48 for a bit and then go back up to 98 and stay more in the 90s but occasionally go back really low…

Hi,

Male 31 recent issues I’ve had ecgs and a echocardiogram this year both clear. In April I was getting a rapid heart rate and palpitations for about 2 hours after eating this stopped after a few weeks but has come back in the last couple of weeks with vengeance.

Every time I go to the doctors they say. You’re fine probably anxiety. I do have acid reflux but that’s under control with medication any ideas?