I have exactly what your describe…it’s called SVT

Or it could be any one of many arrhythmias

Thanks Selled! I’ll get in touch tomorrow!

OP it took 6 years for my AF to be captured on a monitor. I had several ecgs and a stress test as well as echocardiogram but nothing was caught. They also wouldn’t use history from my Garmin as evidence of the high hr. I am otherwise healthy so they told me to ignore it (3 seperate referrals), it was getting me down and I felt it was getting more frequent so I pushed again and they but a implanted monitor in my chest. I upload data remotely after symptoms and after a few months in caught a few episodes and AF was confirmed. They then took me seriously and I’m now on a cocktail of drugs whilst on a 8 month wait for assessment for Ablation.

In my road club, 2 other people has been diagnosed with it, it’s not uncommon but can greatly increase stroke risk.
Email is in my profile if you want to ask any queations

Implantable loop recorders (ILR, also called a Reveal device, as mentioned in the above post) are really useful in this situation where the arrhythmia is relatively infrequent but when you have a high suspicion that something is going on. It is the size of a USB stick and sits under the skin under the left collarbone (inserted under local anaesthetic) and can stay in for several years until you record an event. Might be worth chatting to the next doctor you see about this option.

Alex, have you considered borrowing a different brand HRM off someone else and wearing two at once? 1 giving dodgy readings is fairly likely (Im guessing), 2 at the same time…. might as well buy a lottery ticket. At least that way you’d know with confidence.

FWIW my wife suffers from arhythmia (the slow kind) and no tests have ever proved it… but I’ve been there when shes collapsed from it so I know it happens.

Blimey. IT’S DEFINITELY NOT HIS HRM!

Good luck, Alex!

Although they are not as accurate have you thought of getting a 24/7 monitor like the garmin watches. The accuracy depends on a few things and they work a bit more passivly by dropping the sample interval the longer you are static but you could set it to record activity and charge it everyday/at night. Could give you a better chance of catching something. (there is a massive disclaimer that they are no substitute for a medical monitor!!)

The doctors said that seeing the HR on it’s own wouldn’t be very useful as a diagnostic tool, ECG is needed as a minimum.

legolam – I didn’t know about that (and it sounds a bit invasive), but I’ll ask when I get chance.

A mate of mine had some irregularities and was given something to wear for a week to capture what was going on.

I’m guessing this wasn’t just a normal HRM, as she had one of them already. I’ll ask her where she got it, as I’m pretty sure she didn’t pony up £2K herself for it.

Have you discussed with the specialist whether it would be reasonable to use a caffeine gel when you have the device and are trying to trigger the effect?

Alex,

I too suffer from an arrythmia, and have lived with it for 30+ years now. I’ve also borrowed ECG devices and have never been able to capture it due to the random nature of it.

I think mine is the same as Selled’s – SVT (super ventricular tachicardia), but I’ve not been diagnosed properly (ie recorded an event). Over the years I’ve noted that mine is linked to:
– body temperture,
– lack of sleep
– life stress
… and usually occurs just afer I’ve reduced my energy output – e.g. taking a rest after a steep climb, backing off after a sprint etc.
To stop it, I usually need to get my body temperature to normal, and rest quietly in a corner somewhere.
Like you point out in your OP, once it happens, I’m clear for the rest of that day which is great once I get it out of the way!

Here’s a Strava ride with an event occurring (>250) as I was riding if you want to compare https://www.strava.com/activities/240926375/analysis
You’ll see that for me, it is a step change, and although the ‘stopping’ isn’t caught as I’m usually ‘paused’, it is a step change there for me too. THe chart show the rhythm settlign down, but that’s due to my effort, and will sit high 160-170 when resting until the step change back to below normal, and recovering to normal within 20-30 seconds.

mikewsmith mentioned a HRM watch – I’ve the vivoactiveHR, and it struggles to capture the high HR’s. Not sure why – maybe they don’t have that range built in.

The weirdest thing for me isn’t that it happens, but more that people treat me very differently after they learn about my condition… some even stop riding with me but that might have more to do with my riding 8)

You seem to be taking good advice and making the right steps forward. Like many of the others on here, if you decide you’d like to discuss, feel free to message me.

Good luck with it Alex!

cheers_drive that’s cool that you caught yours on camera so to speak. I’ve been tempted to walk into a hospital when it’s happening to see if they would be able to capture it, but figured they’ve got enough on their plate already.

Twodogs : I’d be interested to hear about the ablation if you have time. I’ve often considered it, as it’s very inconvenient to have these events, but the 1 in 100 chance of requiring a pace maker puts me off.

Legolam, thanks for all the input you’re providing, it’s useful for me too, and I may push for one of the ILR devices.

Greybeard – Member
Have you discussed with the specialist whether it would be reasonable to use a caffeine gel when you have the device and are trying to trigger the effect?

Yes, they specifically asked me to do anything which might help trigger it so I took one on both rides – at a time that I could remember having it on previous arrhythmia occasions.

The cardiologist had already given me the go-ahead to have ‘normal’ amounts of caffeine anyway, but not gels, or double espresso.

Thank you everyone for your concern and advise.
Very interesting that we have a handful of people with very similar-sounding symptoms.
I’ll try and get in touch with you all as soon as I get chance.

To be honest, I’m not too concerned at this point. The cardiologist didn’t give me much reason to increase my concern either, but it would be nice to get everything confirmed.

Cheers all!
Alex

Littlenose…happy for you to contact me…email in profile

AlexSimon..you too

Just catching up – have emailed a couple of you.
Cheers
Alex