Tachycardia and lowcarb

[lisanurse81]

Okay, had some bouts with tachycardia (fast heart beat) when prego with #2 - tested and tested, but they never found anything "wrong" with me. It is almost non-existent when I low-carb, when I eat too many carbs that seems to trigger it.

Anyhow, it used to just feel like my heart was taking off in my chest. HR anywhere from 130's to over 200. It would start suddenly, and stop within a minute or two if I sat down and relaxed. No big deal.

Yesterday evening I had a different episode (and possible one earlier in the day as well) . I felt funny, like something wasn't right, and after several minutes realized my hr was rather high. I was not out of breath, or excited. I tried to get it to stop by totally relaxing and breathing slowly, but still racing. Finally took my pulse, was at 120. Which is not nearly as high as the other episodes are usually. I even tried coughing hard, as I've heard that this can effect it as well, but it didn't work.

I thought I might be dehydrated, so drank 16 oz of water. Didn't make an immediate difference, but in 10 min HR was down to 80 BPM, which is is normal range. I don't know if this is what helped, or if it just stopped on its own. It is the 1st day of MC for me, maybe the hormones are effecting this?

So yes, I should go to the doctor, but last time this happened I paid several thousand in bills, but no diagnosis. I am NOT doing that again.

So one of my theory's is that with the fat loss it is releasing things that were stored in the adipose tissue. Like the ephedra I took years ago in college. It did cause my heart rate to increase at the time. But didn't lose much weight.... actually may have gained at the time.

Has anyone else experienced these kind of weird symptoms with their fat loss?

[Mitra]

I had that experience during the weight loss time. It doesn't happen if I keep my carbs just a little bit higher - 50 or 60g, say. I think BC (Belfry Bat) has had it too. And I also get it if I take pseudoephedrine - which I found out once when I had a sinus infection :eek:.

Yes, you should get it checked out to make sure there's nothing else going on, but if there isn't, then just make sure you eat the carbs you are allowed, and maybe go up just a bit higher to transition levels (55ish) if you need to.

[lisanurse81]

Only problem with that is my weight loss grinds to a complete halt at those levels.... but then again, I've never kept the cals at bay when I ate at higher carb levels.

[Mitra]

If it's only happening for a day or two in each menstrual cycle, then increasing your carbs just a little bit for those days might work. The other thing to look at is making sure your electrolytes are OK - and supplement with Ca/Mg/K as needed. I don't know about you, but I tend to retain fluid for a few days before each period, then lose it all fairly rapidly once it arrives. It might be that something like that is happening to you, and you're losing too many minerals along with the fluid.

[lisanurse81]

I forgot about electorlytes... hmmm.. this may be where the problem lies... with the high diruetic effect of the diet... Will go take my minerals right now!

[lisanurse81]

Okay, took the Potassium and magnesium earlier, was out of cal.. so took my multi and bought some more this afternoon. I have felt MUCH better, and even had a lot of energy... as you can see it's nearly 1 AM, and I am still up... :O)

So glad for the help.. I believe the electrolytes were the solution! (I will keep you posted though.)

[Belfrybat]

As Janet mentioned, tachycardia is a problem for me if I let my carbs go much below 50 for any length of time. I have been diagnosed with SVT, and have noticed if I let my electrolytes get out of kilter, the episodes increase. In order to lose weight, I had to cut calories as I kept carbs between 50-55. I also supplement with 600 grams magnesium and 625 potassium (the amount in 1/4 tsp. of No Salt). That seems to help keep the beast at bay.

If you have an episode you might want to try the valsalva movement: hold your breath and bear down as if straining to have a BM. It sometimes takes me 3 or 4 times, but I can usually stop the tachy spell in it's tracks that way. As you noted coughing several times also might work, but it never has for me.

Good luck!

[lisanurse81]

Thanks BC, I forgot about the VS manuver... will try that next time.. but hopefully there won't be a next time. So you actually have more problems if the carbs are too low? Do you think it's the diuretic effect?

My previous problems completely disappeared with low-carb, under 30-40ecc. If I ate too many, then I had symptoms. But this "felt" different...so I think it was electrolytes... I felt slightly strange most of yesterday, but took the ca when I got home, and got a ton of energy after that. I only got 7 hrs of sleep.. I am a -no-less-than-8-hrs type of person... but I feel fine, and energetic this am. (which would also explain the fatigue I've felt lately)

I am going to add K/Ca/Mag to my daily supplements.

[Roadstr]

Tachycardia can be caused by a short circuit of the hearts wiring so to speak. I'll explain, the lower heart sends a signal to the upper ventricles to pump and then they upper send a signal and around it goes. There can be signal paths that cross and send multiple signals and the heart starts to race.

I had a friend that had this condition which would cause 180 bpm heart rates. This occurred infrequently to my friend and seemed to be caused by stress, but sometimes not... it happened 5 times over a 6 month period and could last for hours causing recovery to take a couple of days. The episodes were more frequent and when taken into the emergency room, the condition was diagnosed and later corrected by Dr. Green, UMASS Medical, 135 Gold Star Boulevard, Worcester, MA 01606. Dr. Green explained the operation to me as I outlined above and corrected the signal path using Radiology to eliminate the "short circuit". It was an outpatient operation that took place 6 years ago.

I hope this gives you another way of understanding what can happen and I don't mean to imply it has anything to do with your condition.

[lisanurse81]

Tachycardia can be caused by a short circuit of the hearts wiring so to speak. I'll explain, the lower heart sends a signal to the upper ventricles to pump and then they upper send a signal and around it goes. There can be signal paths that cross and send multiple signals and the heart starts to race.

I had a friend that had this condition which would cause 180 bpm heart rates. This occurred infrequently to my friend and seemed to be caused by stress, but sometimes not... it happened 5 times over a 6 month period and could last for hours causing recovery to take a couple of days. The episodes were more frequent and when taken into the emergency room, the condition was diagnosed and later corrected by Dr. Green, UMASS Medical, 135 Gold Star Boulevard, Worcester, MA 01606. Dr. Green explained the operation to me as I outlined above and corrected the signal path using Radiology to eliminate the "short circuit". It was an outpatient operation that took place 6 years ago.

I hope this gives you another way of understanding what can happen and I don't mean to imply it has anything to do with your condition.


I guess I forgot to mention I'm a nurse.. so I understand for the most part the what's and how's of the problem.... I personally don't have much use for most docs... it's not their fault, its the education and healthcare system that is built on profitability and drug pushing, vs actual HEALTHcare.

So that's the reason I turn to my friends and acquaintances and all you wonderful people out there in the www. Because if you can be your own healthcare advocate, you are MUCH more likely to get correct diagnosis if and when you do go to the doc.

So here's my update.. I've been taking my supplements, keeping the carbs low, and not having more than 2 cups of reg coffee in the am. No problems so far, seems as though that the electrolyte imbalance was the problem. I think it was compounded by the increase in fluids due to being on my period. And all of us women know that you have retained fluids during this time. SO, with my electrolytes being low, and then with the increased fluid volume, they were "diluted", and less was available to do the job they are intended to do, regulate the electrical impulses of the body including the heart.

[Roadstr]

Glad you have it under control. This extra pathway is only in a a couple percentage of the population. I don't have much use for nurses, except the good ones and the same goes for doctors. That's why I mentioned Dr. Green and when nurses speak highly of a doc you know he's good... your sentiments back that up.
Good luck, I'm happy about your progress.

[DebJ14]

Lisa,
My husband had atrial fibrillataion and took quinidine and digoxin for 20 years. His worse episodes always followed a spaghetti dinner. His cardiologist took him off the drugs and put him on 4 fish oil capsules and 3 grams of Vitamin C per day after reading about improvements with those supplements. He did better, but the attacks stopped when he was diagnosed as gluten intolerant. He can load up on a rice pasta dinner with no problem - just no wheat pasta.
Debbie

[Belfrybat]

Thanks BC, I forgot about the VS manuver... will try that next time.. but hopefully there won't be a next time. So you actually have more problems if the carbs are too low? Do you think it's the diuretic effect?

It doesn't seem to be the diurectic effect as after a couple of weeks of low carbing, that would be consistent. I actually have no idea what it is. The Electrophysiologist I see thinks it might be a lack of sugar and suggested when I cut my carbs below 100 to make sure I have 2-3 tsp. of sugar in a day. I haven't actually tried that as I just decided to keep the carbs a bit on the high side (as compared to the standard corrective levels).

My previous problems completely disappeared with low-carb, under 30-40ecc. If I ate too many, then I had symptoms. But this "felt" different...so I think it was electrolytes... I felt slightly strange most of yesterday, but took the ca when I got home, and got a ton of energy after that.
I am going to add K/Ca/Mag to my daily supplements.

Yeah, when my electrolytes get out of balance I feel pretty wonky (a good scientific term :D). And I agree it is a different feeling than normal tachy spells. I hope your new supplement routine will do the trick for you.

[deb79fl]

Very interesting thread!! I am and have been without insurance for more than 3 years and it really sucks!! I've been unemployed for a few months now, as well. So.... money is limited to groceries and paying the bills. The reason I mention all this is because with our money being so tight, we've been eating a lot more grains, rice, etc. and a lot less protein compared to the last year or so as I was dieting. I noticed that every time I tried to add more than the occasional slice of bread, almost all other grains and pastas had my heart racing for hours. I felt like it was going to burst out of my chest along with the "rushing" sound in my ears. So, I had assumed it was a gluten intolerance and just decided (yesterday) that I was going to eliminate the grains fully, the pasta, etc. and see how I felt. I know I can eat fruit and potatoes (Yukon Gold and Yams) without problem, so I am gaining a grip on my health again. Thank God for all the information on the web!!

[lisanurse81]

I have been feeling much better BC, thanks for asking... no problems so far, and it doesn't seem as though I have to take the supps every single day.. just every 2-3 days or so. I don't want to overload on Ca, and I can only handle so much magnesium if you know what I mean..... ;O)

Deb, I do notice a huge difference with eating or not-eating wheat in how I react after eating it.. Much less reaction with rice or potatoes it seems... I don't know what I would do with out the web either!!!