What does this mean?

Hi all. Latest from me & my dizziness! I had my 3 month post ablation exercise/treadmill test today & the results are NOT normal! My 4 week post op one was normal so I'm very shocked & upset.

Basically my BP was 123/85 at the start. During the test the top no, should increase but the bottom one should stay the same. At 2 mins my top no. was 153. After 4 mins it suddenly dropped to 126 & the technicians were quite concerned. After 6 mins it was back to 156 but the 4 minute reading WAS correct as the bottom no. stayed about the same throughout (as it should in the test). At 8 mins they had to stop the test as I was breathless & dizzy & felt quite unwell.

Also, my heart rate was 84 to start. It got up to 147 before they had to stop the test. Then in the "recovery phase" it would not go below 114 & in fact it was still 114 when I left the dept. That happened to me last year & it turned out I'd had an atrial tachycardia episode for 10 mins in the recovery phase & that's how they eventually found my focal atrial tachycardia arrhythmia.

For the last week I've been getting breathless walking to the bus stop & climbing stairs. The breathlessness was a major symptom of my arrhythmia but since the ablation it had all gone. Now it is creeping back & they stopped the test today partly through being breathless.

All a bit confusing.

I asked what the results mean & they said they are concerned about the BP dropping in the middle of the test (genuine reading). They said the top no. is the pressure the heart pumps blood out into the aorta & round the body.

If my pressure dropped (top no.) does this mean my dizziness might be due to a problem with my heart pumping blood out?

They are sending the results to my EP but I'm not seeing him until Nov 15th. I've e-mailed the registrar who also looks after me this afternoon, hoping he might explain results.

While I'm upset they are not normal, maybe it might help diagnose my dizziness problem.

My GP has ruled out any ear problems causing the dizziness.

Does anyone know what all this means? Please let me know..

Thanks
Janey

2 Comments

No pacemaker

by Janey L - 2010-10-28 12:10:49

Hi....in reply, I don't have a pacemaker (yet). My EP thought I might need one as he was going to do a sinus node modification in July (for IST) but found I didn't have IST after all, but focal atrial tachycardia which he ablated & my pacemaker risk is now low. I don't have one at the moment.
Thanks
Janey

Questions

by Heidiglassmeyer - 2010-10-28 12:10:50

Hi Janey,
Sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Did you have any adjustments to your settings between your 1 mo. checkup and your 3 mo. treadmill test? I am sure your EP will be able to tell you what’s going on. I can share two experience I had that are similar with yours:
- My settings. My upper limit was set too low for my needs during exercise. Basically once I reached my upper HR setting in would push my HR down mid exercise and my BP would go sky high 180/110. After my upper limit was increased I was fine and felt 100% better.
- The second thing that occured several months after my AV node ablation and PM implant is I developed Sinus Tachycardia which frequently makes me feel unwell and lightheaded, overall tired and SOB. It occurs every day some days are worse than others.

So, for what it’s worth, those are a few things that happened to me that are similar to what you are experiencing.

I hope you get some answers soon and start feeling better. Also, one thing I did was a treadmill test with my EP and Medtronics rep there so they could see what was happening and change my settings until my symptoms went away.

Best of luck to you,
Hedi

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