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Irregular heart beat


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One of my Trans Baviaans/DC team mates has a big scare this weekend.  He had a bad case of flu recently and waited a week before training.  He went out and suddenly felt his heart rate shoot up and remain high, then drop.  It happened again and he felt so bad that he flagged down a motorist and went to hospital.  Did loads of tests (ECG, blood etc.) and it all came back clean, but doc advised 1 month of rest/easy riding later.

 

Has anyone else had a similar experience and how did you recover?  My mate is scared he suffered permanent damage or that it will return, so he has been trawling the Web for info.

 

Not looking for medical advice, so don't worry, but any experience or tales of recovery, or not will be helpful!  Most websites don't really adress training in a way we need it to.  Just for info; my mate is a decent bike rider who has has been training for years (rode a good Argus in the subvets group).
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hmmm... scary! Ive been lucky and haven't had a bad flu in training. But ya, have to be carefull after those. Did he go out hard?

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Willehond, let him go and see a cardiologist ASAP.  A neighbour had the same story (only while preparing for the Comrades) and he now has permanent damage.  Same story, all the ECG, etc, etc was done, but nothing found.  When he EVENTUALLY went to visit a cardiologist they found the problem. 

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A mate of mine also had the same scare some time ago and also had tests show up clean but after the second time he went for a second oppinion and found that he had a blocked artery and they put a balloon in, now he is much better....... and did a excellent ArgusThumbs%20Up

 

I have the same experience (extremely high HR and pulputations and irregular heart beat) every now and then... and after a lot of tests they found that I have a leakage in my heart from the right to the left, where the current "leaks through" to the other side and then causing the heart to beat out of rythm (basically the chamber son the left start working against the ones on the right), not tooooo dangerous for now, but if it starts to happen more frequently then I need an op so they can close the hole....Dead

 

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I have to agree with Ewep. I suggest go to a cardiologist and find out the full truth rather than just leave it and hope in a month all is fine...

 

I had the coxsackie flu and the first thing the sports physician did was send me to a cardiologist as it can damage the heart if you train with flu.

 

 
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Thanks Psycho and ewep, my mate has been wondering about seeing a cardiologist and will go now.

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I support the view of Ewep- don't wait any longer go and see a specialist. My dad (62) had a similar problem (the one minute his heart rate was normal and suddenly it shot up to over his max)- he referred to it in a jokish way as a racing heart, but after a lot of tests it was found that in one of his heart chambers there was a short circuit.

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Willehond, just got some more info (please note, this is a "might be" scenario AND NOT MEDICAL ADVICE!!!!).  Because of training with the flu and pushing himself he might've hurt the heart muscle.  Not enough oxygen is getting to a part of the heart muscle itself. This can only be picked up by a cardiologist doing a stress ECG (much like a Max HR test).  Get him to go NOW!!

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I have to agree with Ewep. I suggest go to a cardiologist and find out the full truth rather than just leave it and hope in a month all is fine...

 

I had the coxsackie flu and the first thing the sports physician did was send me to a cardiologist as it can damage the heart if you train with flu.

 

 

 

*astonished face*
*rubs eyes*
*looks at words again*
Oh, coxsackie
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I have the same experience (extremely high HR and pulputations and irregular heart beat) every now and then... and after a lot of tests they found that I have a leakage in my heart from the right to the left' date=' where the current "leaks through" to the other side and then causing the heart to beat out of rythm (basically the chamber son the left start working against the ones on the right), not tooooo dangerous for now, but if it starts to happen more frequently then I need an op so they can close the hole....Dead
[/quote']

 

Is jou hart seer?
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Willehond' date=' just got some more info (please note, this is a "might be" scenario AND NOT MEDICAL ADVICE!!!!).  Because of training with the flu and pushing himself he might've hurt the heart muscle.  Not enough oxygen is getting to a part of the heart muscle itself. This can only be picked up by a cardiologist doing a stress ECG (much like a Max HR test).  Get him to go NOW!! [/quote']

 

ewep, he wanted to go to cardiologist, but the doctor he saw at the hospital told him not to bother as they would just do the ECG and it would not add any value.  He feels though that a visit might not be such a bad idea after all.  I also agree that a second, expert, opinion cannot hurt, but not doing it might be something you regret later on. 

Better safe than sorry when it comes to you heart.
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I have the same experience (extremely high HR and pulputations and irregular heart beat) every now and then... and after a lot of tests they found that I have a leakage in my heart from the right to the left' date=' where the current "leaks through" to the other side and then causing the heart to beat out of rythm (basically the chamber son the left start working against the ones on the right), not tooooo dangerous for now, but if it starts to happen more frequently then I need an op so they can close the hole....Dead

[/quote']

 

Is jou hart seer?

 

Gaan speel met jou........ kat!!!!!!!! Ek het n shortcircuit, omdat ek nou Bulle Rugby moet kykWink

 

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If his heart rate  was truelly irregular and fast it is most likely that he developed atrial fibrillation - a problem with generating the sinus beat in the right atrium of the heart.

 

This is a not uncommon probelm in athletes (for e.g. Mario Cipollini developed it training from Gordon's Bay and had to be cardioverted (heart rhythm restored to normal chemically or with a shock) by a Somerset West cardiologist. It may occur even with a totally normal heart, but can be quite bothersome if it recurs frequently.

 

It may be that the flu had predipsosed him to such a rhythm.

 

I agree that he needs to see a cardiologist for an expert opinion on his ECG and an ECHO test to look at the heart valves and chambers - at the very least. It will also give him a point of contact should it recur. He may well not get a definite diagnosis now, but normal tests are good news.

There are more serious heart conditions that can cause more serious arrhythmias - it would be wise not to cycle hard till the check-up.

 

Hopefully it was just a once off.

 

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If his heart rate  was truelly irregular and fast it is most likely that he developed atrial fibrillation - a problem with generating the sinus beat in the right atrium of the heart.

This is a not uncommon probelm in athletes (for e.g. Mario Cipollini developed it training from Gordon's Bay and had to be cardioverted (heart rhythm restored to normal chemically or with a shock) by a Somerset West cardiologist. It may occur even with a totally normal heart' date=' but can be quite bothersome if it recurs frequently.

It may be that the flu had predipsosed him to such a rhythm.

I agree that he needs to see a cardiologist for an expert opinion on his ECG and an ECHO test to look at the heart valves and chambers - at the very least. It will also give him a point of contact should it recur. He may well not get a definite diagnosis now, but normal tests are good news.
There are more serious heart conditions that can cause more serious arrhythmias - it would be wise not to cycle hard till the check-up.

Hopefully it was just a once off.
[/quote']

 

Thanks for the advice Pete, the only problem is that he could only get an appointment with a cardiologist in two months time!

 

Being unable to sit still my mate managed to convince himself that it was due to a Vit B supplement he was taking.  He took it easy for a couple of days and despite all the advice went for a run(!).  He got the palpitations again and that finally frightened him enough to stop.  He then spoke to a cardiologist who told him to take it easy until the tests can be done.  Hopefully no lasting damage has been done.
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Hond this weekend I rode with a mild case of flu and the following happened. Mt max heart rate is 184 but have under normal circumstance been up to 188.

 

Started my ride on Saturday with a heart rate of 92, very high and this tells me I have the Flu when my normal resting rate is 52.

 

Completely blew up on Saturday and it felt like my lungs wanted to explode out my back, heart rate shot up to 204 and I averaged 178 for the ride.

 

Sunday started my ride with a heart rate of 88, still high. Rode easy at the back of the bunch and maxed out at 194, with an average of 165 for the ride.

 

I am not too concerned about this as I know I have the flu but if this happens when I am healthy I will start to get concerned.
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