Resting heart rate 140. Doctor seemed very concerned. HELP!

[WyattsMomma]

So I went for my bi monthly well check/med check at my GP today. She always checks my vitals for me, my lymph nodes and my fingernails (hypo thing that she indulges me in). Well today, my heartrate was 142 when she checked it. She actually said hang on, and had another doctor come in, had me lay back and rest while listening to my heart through my chest and wrist. They said it was loud, pounding and very fast. It never dropped under 130. over an hour they monitered it.  She said that I need to get an EKG tomorrow. Can this be normal? What could cause such a high heart rate? Way too scared to Google, I just need some reassurance. I am only 29. Thanks!

[v12alp]

First time it happened? I don't want to state cliches, but maybe anxiety/stress?

[WyattsMomma]

First time. They asked if I ever checked my HR at home and I said no, I don't. They both said it was kinda high even for anxiety (I didn't feel anxious but we both know sometimes it is subconscious). I just don't know what to think, all I know is they seemed worried, and said "get your EKG, tomorrow"..

[sixpack]

think about it----


anxious peeps--feeling anxious in the moment or not but is often living anxiously day to day---goes to doc generally expecting the doc could find any manner of problem cuz that is how we think.  JUST this wll cause the heartrate to go up especially for some peeps.  NOW think about the doc being a bit concerned and asking another doc to come in for a listen...... hummmm wonder if that could get a hypo going?  then they have said peep stay in the office for an hour while they monitor it......   how does an anxious peep take that bit of info?  then you have doc/s say that it is unusual for an anxious person to have a pulse go up that high.(which I don't necessarily agree with  ).....    how do you think an anxious peep would take that news??????


so "get your EKG tomorrow"....    but think about the scenario I just described above being played out for anybody but you.....  what would you think could be happening?

[WyattsMomma]

Oh, sixpack, how I do love you! I was trying to stay calm, but you know how that is when you can see that "oh 0103" look on your docs face, LOL. Not what you want to see :/ and ready for the kicker? I went straight to Dr.Google to see if it was a symptom of Lung Cancer *headdesk and repeat*  I didn't get a clear answer on that one, but EKG here I come.

[sixpack]

Oh, sixpack, how I do love you! I was trying to stay calm, but you know how that is when you can see that "oh 0103" look on your docs face, LOL. Not what you want to see :/ and ready for the kicker? I went straight to Dr.Google to see if it was a symptom of Lung Cancer *headdesk and repeat*  I didn't get a clear answer on that one, but EKG here I come.

 

my guess and assumption and bet would be your EKG will come out perfectly normal.  I personally don't think your pulse was all that high even or especially for an anxious peep.


and girlie, cut the darned googling out.  you know you'll get what you ask for..............trouble, panic, freaking out, frustration with self........... by doing that.

[WyattsMomma]

My mom is coming over to check my heart rate while I am home, relaxed and chilling out. She knows how to do it accurately so she wants to. I am sure my heart is fine, I really do not think it is pooping out on me just yet! Just needed to "hear" anxiety can cause it. I actually look forward to my EKG tomorrow, then I will "know" my heart is ok, even though I never worried much before about it, now I won't have too ;) And no more Google re:lung cancer. I really need to stop doing that!

[ejmommy]

Been there! My resting heart rate is high as well. It recently bought me an EKG, stress test, chest xray and echocardiogram. They were being extra cautious since I've also been fatigued and had a few other issues. Regardless, everything came back just fine. I purposely did not google ahead of time and now so glad I didn't. Stay away from that!

Just keep that positive mindset that your EKG will just eliminate that worry. Good luck tomorrow.

[WyattsMomma]

Ok, while at home watching tv and hanging out, she did it 4 times. First was 101, 92, 96, and then 90 last. Within normal range, correct? All I know is WAYYYYY lower than at the docs :)

[kmwondering]

I hit 130 easily when anxious. if you had an issue, going home wouldn't fix it, you know? enjoy your perfect ekg tomorrow.

[sassparella]

My first panic attack a year and a half ago my heartrate was 170 when I went to ER. They put me on a monitor and it stayed at 140-150 for several hours before eventually going down to about 100 when they let me home with the diagnosis of anxiety. If a doctor took my pulse and it was high and he went to get another doctor to check it mine would stay high especially as they were monitoring you for an hour. It went down at home so my guess is you were anxious when the doctor first took it and it was kept high by anxiety because the doctor panicked about it and went to get another doctor.

Good luck with the ECG tomorrow I'm sure it'll be perfectly normal :) Let us know how you go.

[dancer67]

I had the same issue. Did you eat before you went in by any chance? When we eat AND we are already anxious our heart rate can really soar. I had all the heart tests and everything was fine. Dr. put me on a beta blocker.(I have high blood pressure anyways) and that took care of the racing heart. I am sure everything is fine.

[beth0277]

I have a lot of experience checking my heart rate, because I have been a BP fanatic so I know it "typically" stays between 70-80. That being said...

2 years ago my son was in the hospital. He was 3 months old. They did a spinal tap and a few other things and I was a wreck, emotionally. During the same time I came down with a flu/sinus/something or other and had to go to Urgent Care. I didn't feel especially anxious or anything, just had some stuff going on in my mind. But being there, in the actual doctors office, I did not feel anxious or panicky. They took my heart rate, it was 135. They said "Are you okay? Is this normal for you?" I said, no it's not, but I feel okay. So they made me wait and did it like 30 minutes later, still high. At that time I was so focused on my son that I didn't care what was going on with me, so I wasn't panicking or anything. Still high at next check. They told me to see my PCP as soon as possible. Well, I decided to give it a few days and try at home, once my son was home, and it was back to normal.

So that just sort of goes to show that even if you don't feel anxious, even if you don't feel "panicky", your body can still be pumping adrenaline and making your heart rate increase.

[Hohum]

I get white coat hypertension every single time in a clinical setting. Blood pressure and pulse rate are literally off the charts, to the point where my Doctor doesn't even bother to check during my annual physical any more! I can even be feeling quite calm from a mental perspective, but my left and right ventricles are busy doing the Rumba as I sit in the Doc's surgery 

At home my resting rate is around 60 BPM, and at my Doctor's office it's around 130 BPM lying down. So...yeah. I really wouldn't worry!