what can slow down an extremely fast heart beat?

[Ivana]

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone knows of anything (meds/supplements/foods.. anything) which can slow down a super fast heart beat.. mine is about 130bpm and its consuming a lot of the energy i dont have. I was previously on Inderel (a beta blocker) which helped to slow it down a fair bit, but i had a bad reaction to all my meds so I've discontinued it.

Best wishes
Ivana

 

[jeffrez]

Depends on what's causing it. Anything regarding the heart or tachycardia it's probably a good idea to get checked out by a doctor, but in general benzodiazepine can sometimes calm things down if it's related to excessive sympathetic activity, fish oil I believe can lower heart rate, magnesium might help in some situations, anti-psychotic might also help, again depending on the circumstance. Deep (abdominal)/yogic breathing and meditation can also lower heart rate.

But again, for cardiac-related matters, I would definitely recommend seeking a medical evaluation and advice. It's not really something you want to mess around with or self-medicate.

 

[Sushi]

Hi All

Just wondering if anyone knows of anything (meds/supplements/foods.. anything) which can slow down a super fast heart beat.. mine is about 130bpm and its consuming a lot of the energy i dont have. I was previously on Inderel (a beta blocker) which helped to slow it down a fair bit, but i had a bad reaction to all my meds so I've discontinued it.

Best wishes
Ivana

KDM is a cardiologist (among other specialties) so perhaps he could recommend a different beta blocker that works in a different way--or some other medication now that he know what you have reacted to.

Best wishes,
Sushi

 

[Ivana]

Thanks, Sushi, I totally forgot he was a cardiologist. I'll email today.

Best wishes
Ivana

 

[jeffrez]

Who's KDM? Someone here on the forum?

 

[Ivana]

That's Kenny De Meirleir, our doctor.He is an ME/CFS specialist.

Best,
Ivana

 

[jeffrez]

IC, thank you.

 

[Emootje]

I have noticed that GABA or soluble fiber supplements lowers my heart rate dramatically. I guess that the soluble fibers works by increasing the short chain fatty acids in the gut which also

act like a calming GABA substance.​

http://www.drbryanwarner.com/2012/04/09/the-brain-gut-connection-anxiety/

 

[adreno]

Potassium works for me.

 

[xchocoholic]

Take a look at your diet. Excitotoxins can cause this. As well as tyramines. Tc .. X

 

[heapsreal]

i would get an ecg first to see what it is, different fast arrythmia's can require specialised treatments, self treating this without knowing what it is could be dangerous. A common fast arrythmia is supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), some basic things can help like holding your breath and nose and blow hard for 30sec could help revert a SVT, its called a valsalva maneuver, but this doesnt work all the time and still needs to be followed up by a cardiologist.

Physical maneuver
A number of physical maneuvers cause increased AV nodal block, principally through activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, conducted to the heart by the vagus nerve. These manipulations are therefore collectively referred to as vagal maneuvers.
The Valsalva maneuver should be the first vagal maneuver tried.[3] It works by increasing intra-thoracic pressure and affecting baro-receptors (pressure sensors) within the arch of the aorta. It is carried out by asking the patient to hold their breath and try to exhale forcibly as if straining during a bowel movement, or by getting them to hold their nose and blow out against it.[4]
There are many other vagal maneuvers including: holding ones breath for a few seconds, coughing, plunging the face into cold water,[4] (via the diving reflex[5]), drinking a glass of ice cold water, and standing on one's head. Carotid sinus massage, carried out by firmly pressing the bulb at the top of one of the carotid arteries in the neck, is effective but is often not recommended due to risks of stroke in those with plaque in the carotid arteries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supraventricular_tachycardia

DO u know what your heart rate is avaeraging at??

cheers!!!

 

[taniaaust1]

If its due to POTS (which in bad cases may be happening not just when standing) and you suspect your blood volume may be low, increasing fluid intake may help. My faster heart beat doesnt always show up on a poor mans test if Ive drank a heap.

 

[Ivana]

Yeah ive got POTS.. but its fast even whilst lying down.. just gets faster when i stand.. I really need something as it beats so fast, I can barely breathe at times.

heapsreal- my average is 130bpm.. pretty high :s

 

[xks201]

Start with something gaba related...gaba, gabapentin, klonopin, and then go from there to 5-htp or fluid volume.

 

[BEG]

Ditto for all who have posted so far. Ivana, if you take a little klonopin, lie flat on the bed, and practice a relaxation technique and your heartrate still doesn't budge, I would see a doctor sooner than later.

This is neither here nor there, but I asked the doctor prior to my cardio/pulmonary exercise test, "what if my anerobic threshhold is the same as my resting heart rate?" The answer was, you don't get out of bed. I really hope you don't have something like this going on.

Take care.

 

[taniaaust1]

Yeah ive got POTS.. but its fast even whilst lying down.. just gets faster when i stand.. I really need something as it beats so fast, I can barely breathe at times.

heapsreal- my average is 130bpm.. pretty high :s

Some POTS patients do have fast heart even when laying down. Do you wear medical support stockings of the right kind of pressure for the POTS? (Im thinking if you get your POTS more managed, maybe your heart rate will go down).

I hope you didnt stop all your meds without your doctors support for it.

 

[Ivana]

hi tania,

yep, i consulted with my doc. What stockings are there for pots? I didnt even know such things existed. Where can they be purchased from?

Ivana

 

[Ema]

I would try 1 teaspoon of unrefined sea salt in a glass of water. Low sodium can often cause a fast heart beat and this will bring it down quickly if that is the cause. Then you can follow up with your doctor as low sodium is also common in POTS and may be a sign that Florinef can help.

 

[Sushi]

hi tania,

yep, i consulted with my doc. What stockings are there for pots? I didnt even know such things existed. Where can they be purchased from?

Ivana

This is the US but they carry most brands: http://www.brightlifedirect.com/ Maybe if you email them they could direct you to something in Australia. I'm not sure what the effect of compression stockings would be with POTS--maybe the potsies here could tell you. I use them for OI but I don't have POTS.

Sushi

 

[taniaaust1]

A dysautonomia org thou on what pressure to have for POTS recommends stockings to have the pressure of "at least" 30-40, thou one of the big American CFS orgs has a recommendation out which is less then that.

Medical support stockings with POTS helps stop blood pooling in the legs (with full length ones also help if blood is pooling in the abdomen) and they also help push blood back up the body (the stockings are of gradiented pressures on different parts of the legs) .. this all helps with low blood volume stuff.

You can find medical support stockings in chemists (ask there) or can go to a medical supply place and have a proper fitting for them done (that often needs a doctors referal.. the medical supply place has told me they are claimable some on health insurance but I havent put in my claim yet). Medical supply place I went to not only fitted for them but also gave me a lesson on how to put them on (they are not put on like normal stockings as it ruins them doing it like that).

Medical support stockings are a first line POTS treatment and something which should be tried before one starts trialing meds for POTS. (they often are needed in combo with meds).