Pacemaker Club: irregular heartbeat

irregular heartbeat

by LisB
2014-09-25 11:09:27
General Posting
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1 comments

I will try to make this post as coherent as possible, but I'm afraid I don't have all of the details. I have a pacemaker for total heart block, but this post is not about me. I took my friend to her appointment for a colonoscopy, but before the procedure, they noticed her heart rate was over 150 and going up and down rapidly. They kept her in the hospital. This is day 2 and she had an echo test that looks at the heart and nothing was conclusive. We heard anecdotal stories that very many people have trouble with their hearts while prepping for a colonoscopy. Tomorrow they want to give her a stress test and perhaps shock the heart back into a regular sinus rhythm. Does anyone have any info about these things and what she can expect and just how dangerous these tests are? I'd love to have something to tell her. Thanks so much.

1 Comments

Me too!

by Jackw - 2014-09-28 12:09:34

Had exactly the same problem. Prepped for colonoscopy and went in to have it. The nurses prepping me were alarmed that my hr was 130+. I was wheeled 100 feet to the ER. Hr went up to 150 by the time I got there. ER got my rate back below 130 and admitted me. The diagnosis was "classic 2x atrial flutter". Also had an echocardiogram. No problems. Got my rate down to 80s with beta blockers. Had a cardioversion a month later which got rid of the flutter but it came back in a month or so. It is now controlled by beta blockers. I am going in for an ablation next week. It is 95+% effective in stopping flutter. I am doing this so I can get off the beta blockers and blood thinner. One other possible cause is a thyroid problem but negative in my case. You friend has had these tests by now and they are no big deal.

You are right that a number of people have heart problems emerging when they prep for colonoscopy. I am bummed that I did the prep (no fun) but never had the procedure.