Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Cardio (and I don't mean exercise)

So that was fun. NOT.

I've noticed over the last couple of weeks that my Bigeminy PVCs have been happening more frequently and my resting heart rate is about 20 bpm higher than normal. I've also been getting really out of breath when going up the stairs at home. Coupled with my slightly elevated blood pressure, the midwife and I decided it would be best to check in with a cardiologist.

My appointment was today and I won myself 24 hours in a harness monitor and an echo-cardiogram next week. While the harness monitor does suck, the worst part is that I have to have my appointments at the actual hospital. Which is under construction. And (obviously) overflowing with sick people. My anxiety was through the roof. And I think they had the heat turned up to about 85F.

Diagnosis? Meh. Probably nothing unusual, but we're doing the tests anyways. EKG looked fine if a little fast. Will have more data next week.

5 comments:

  1. I detest that tape they used to hold the sticky pads in place on the holter monitor. Makes me itch like crazy.

    Hope it turns out to be nothing.

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  2. Hoping that it is nothing and this test will put your mind at ease!

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  3. Hoping you get good news from the monitor. And rest up! Stay healthy...and know I'm thinking only good thoughts for you!

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  4. ay. Knowing nothing about arrythmia or how unusual that is (for you) I can only say about myself that I noticed my resting heart rate go up as well. Can't remember when I first noticed, but I think it was early second trimester when I bought a bpm-monitor for doing sports, and was quite surprised by the high numbers. (And secretly happy I didn't have to do all that sprinting to get my heart rate up)
    Out of breath when going up stairs started around 20-something weeks and as long as that baby will keep growing there will be less space for your lungs, so less air for stairs...
    Of course your midwife and cardiologist know better than I do, but if my experience can do just that tiny bit to ease your anxiety in the mean time...
    Hoping for nothing unusual for you.

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  5. Oh no, I know first hand how scary that must be, it makes one so anxious, especially a knowing infertile. Try NOT to worry, easier said than done, right?
    I had very similar symptoms when I was pregnant, not many PVCs that I can remember but I had a lot of difficult walking up my stairs and at times it was a challenge to walk from the parking lot of my office to the building, it was totally unnerving! I had an EKG and an echocardiogram, it was really, really scary to have the echo, I was terrified something would turn up, it didn't, fortunately. It was so odd, I was in okay shape before getting pregnant and gained a normal amount of weight, eventually my MFM chalked it up as my "normal" pg, symptoms. I had really low bp and almost fainted on numerous occasions, not fun.
    Good luck, I hope, hop, hope it is nothing and that you and the bubs will be perfectly fine.

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