heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

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graciegram
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heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by graciegram » Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:48 am

Longtime cpap user. First on Sullivan 5, now on Respironics ResMed. Prefer no ramping, constant pressure, high pressure and nasal pillows. Must use a firm chin strap to keep mouth closed. Was sent to the cardio doc this week after breaking out in a heavy head sweat and tachycardia [/b ]while walking around the store. Put my arm in a blood pressure monitor (grocery store sit-down variety) and my pulse was 132. Have had 5 tachycardia events between 1968 to now. Never can get to an ER or EKG before it disappears. This was my first "solid evidence." Cardio doc said it's my OSA giving me atrial fibrillation. Wore a Halter monitor for 24 hours and returned it today. He is also referring me back to my pulmonary sleep doc. I wore an oximeter once and it didn't show anything dramatic. But I think of myself as not having great oqygen absorption. Will my sleep doc send me home with some kind of home monitoring device? It seems there's more home monitoring than in-the hospital sleep study nowdays. Cardio doc pescribed a med to slow my heart rate down (in a future event) and said I was risking a stroke. I really do not want a stroke. Had lap-band surgery a couple years ago, lost 60 lbs. Could stand to lose another 150. Is it safe to walk, get exercise? I always use my machine for night sleep or naps. Very rare that I am so tired that I fall asleep in a recliner. I have had a few of these heavy head sweat incidents lately. It makes me think I may have had tachycardia and not know it. Cardio doc also wants me to take one full sized aspirin a day. Any suggestions on what I can look forward to? PJ in Oly, WA
This is sweet baby Gracie born 9-12-2009.

JDS74
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by JDS74 » Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:29 am

Wait until you get the results from the Holter Monitor. Then you can decide if a moderate walking exercise program will be safe for you.

Unless your cardio doc did a stress EKG or echo cardiogram, the diagnosis of atrial fibrulation seems a little premature.
OSA does cause atrial fibrulation so it's not something to ignore. Make sure to get the full Holter report for your own records.

If you are still 150 lbs. over weight, then you should figure out a means to lose the weight. There is a really nice weight control program available called "Calorie King" that allows you to track all food and water intake as well as exercise.

http://www.calorieking.com/

Weight loss for anyone is a matter of taking in fewer calories than you burn. This program will let you track everything so you can see on a day-to-day basis, exactly what's going on. BUT you have to record everything.

Do you have the software to get your own reports from your CPAP? If you post your equipment profile, others on this board may be able to offer better suggestions. Its helpful, when doing the profile, to select the TEXT option as many machines look just alike in their pictures.

BTW, I get 20-24 of those episodes every day and I don't have atrial fibrulation or any other cardiac problems. After very extensive testing both here at home and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, the docs are at a total loss as to the cause. For me, it's annoying, but not life-threatening. Mine started 9 years ago with just a few each day and has progressed to this huge number.

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mgrunk
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by mgrunk » Thu Sep 15, 2011 11:06 am

I was having nasty periods of tachycardia - I ended up having periodic Ventricular tachycardia and was on a beta blocker for a while. It was found while wearing a monitor for a month. It resolved, came off the beta blocker but still had periodic palpitations / tachycardia.

Found out my b12 was super low, I was very anemic, and hypothyroid. It turns out metformin can with long term use deplete b12 and cause anemia. I've taken my 8th weekly b12 shot and realized I'm not having any heart issues now. Also, I've been on synthroid for a month - both can cause tachycardia. Anyway, it seems like some blood work draws may be in order.

Hope you find an answer.
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Janknitz
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by Janknitz » Thu Sep 15, 2011 12:19 pm

Does your machine have efficacy data? It's possible that your machine is not treating your apneas adequately, and untreated or poorly treated apnea can cause atrial fibrillation.

You list your machine as a "Respironics ResMed"--but there really is no such thing. Respironics and ResMed are two different companies. Please take a close look at your machine to see if it's a Respironics OR a ResMed and then what model it is (Respironics are either autos, Pros or Plus, and ResMeds may be autosets, Elites, or Escapes) and what generation (Respironics series M or System One, ResMed S7, S8, or S9). IF you can tell us that much, we can tell you if it's data capable and how to access the data to see if you are really getting adequate therapy or not.
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beanfruit
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by beanfruit » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:40 pm

I don't know if your sleep doc will do this, but a cardio could very well set you up with an event monitor. It is much like a holter monitor, but you wear it all the time. I wore one for 30 days and was to press a button to record any "events" I was having. The data would transmit via cellular signal. I also found out one time that the event monitor was also programmed to automatically "phone home" if I had certain kinds of events. I apparently had a 10 beat run of tachy and got a call from the monitoring office. Doc wasn't concerned. So that might be something they can do to keep an eye on things.

Best wishes on the weight loss - I'm in the same boat...down 30 with a lot left to go, but we'll get there!

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ThirdOutOfFive
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by ThirdOutOfFive » Thu Sep 15, 2011 6:43 pm

I was dxed with ventricular tachycardia some 15 years ago. Have continuously been on a beta blocker and a calcium channel blocker since. No new occurances. And, as a bonus, no more migraine pain! I have the auras, but no pain -- a side effect of the beta blocker.

I hope you and your doc can get your situation under control. Please keep us posted (pun intended) on your progress.

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graciegram
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by graciegram » Fri Sep 16, 2011 2:10 pm

Sorry got the machine wrong. It is a Respironics RemStar Plus M Series and the bottom of the machine shows 200M and that it is a BiPap. There is a "smart card" in it - does that record data? I had an echocardiogram that same day (this week) at the cardio doc's. He has done two echo's previously on me: in 1994, when my PCP thought I had a heart murmur (I didn't - cardio said "stone cold normal"), and in 2006 when the pulmonary doc referred me after a bout of pneumonia. I have taken Metformin for a long time, as another person posted that they had B12 deficiencies and anemia afterwards. I have been treated for anemia since 2006, many iron infusions and B-12 shots every month. I am not on any thyroid meds. My mom is. I use the really old style Adam Circuit headgear (from back when I had a Sullivan V) and add a Ruby chinstrap as I try really heard to breathe through my nose. I am on a new med from the cardio: Digoxin .25mg once daily. Thanks everyone for the input. I will keep posting. Pat in Oly WA
This is sweet baby Gracie born 9-12-2009.

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6PtStar
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by 6PtStar » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:11 pm

All the Plus machines are bottom of the line leafblowers. They have a card that only records the number of hours it blows air at you. The card is for insurance compliance and the Doc or DME can change your settings without having to bring the machine in to them. Plus machines generate no real data to help determine whether you are doing alright. You have to have the Pro or Auto to be able to generate useful data.

Jerry

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graciegram
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by graciegram » Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:07 am

Okay. I have been on my digoxin for a bit now. One day I had two incidents of bad nausea and dry heaving in one day. Was worried I was having a cardiac something (women's different symptoms and all). The cardiac doc's nurse said no, it's just side effects. Great. She did say I may need to have the dose reduced. .25 mg. See cardiac doc October first week. Went walking/shopping at Walmart toay. Hour and a half into it I was in heavy sweating mode. Stopped at the pharmacy's blood pressure machine. BP: 126/70. Pulse 125. Will I have to give up on walking around WalMart superstores and use one of the riding carts? I was thinking of walking around these big stores as a plus for exercise. I seem to have these heavy sweating events every time now. My DME said he could get me the System One or the S9, but had none in for a rental to record data now. Must wait for sleep doc/pulmonary appointment on Oct 24th (are these guys always so booked up or is this just the lots of patients/not enough docs thing?). Ordered some of the high protein (not very high, just higher than many things are, or called "bariatric") drinks today. Really want to work on losing weight. Sent off my old machine to someone who could not buy one last week, with filters, new hose. He said he had a mask from his study. If I succeed in getting a new study and/or a new Rx for a machine I will also send him my newer RemStar Plus M series bipap. Was contemplating buying a cpap from Craigslist seller. There are a million out there virtually unused for sale. Are these a bad idea? I assume you would get no support from the manufacturer with a second hand one. Then there's "SecondWind" site. I was just wanting to record some usable data on something. The sleep doc's nurse called and told me I could bring in my RemStar SmartCard (which as I understand isn't very smart!) and they could get compliance and one reading off it. I am a computer person so this is not very reassuring to me. I have a co-worker who is totally non-compliant - sleeps in a recliner, is claustrophobic about the mask. He's getting to where he needs a stent in his heart. I have tried to encourage him to revisit some sleep doc but he isn't interested in my ideas. At my work before I got in one day last week a man was taken by ambulance to ER with tachycardia/atrial fibrillation or a rapid heartbeat. Ironically I work in the state department of health. I think I read some folks on here talk about using the little wrist BP monitors. It seems those are pretty reasonable in price nowdays. Do they do pulse readings as well? Maybe I should get one of those for now. Didn't get to see granddaughter this weekend. She's a delight. I made her a necklace from beads. My mom thinks she's going to turn out to be a tough roller derby girl. Her mom prefers to see her in the Disney Princess mode. I've noticed that the two year old perks up more at the sight of Dora the Explorer. Maybe she will be a little explorer. How do you upload a photo to use as an avatar for here? I'd like to put one of her recent pics on. Thanks guys. Pat in OlyWA
This is sweet baby Gracie born 9-12-2009.

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Slinky
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by Slinky » Mon Sep 26, 2011 7:33 am

I was Dx'd w/A fib just late last summer. I had only occasional symptoms that I was aware of. Actually one episode a month, never lasting more than 10 minutes at most. Until a episode that lasted about 4 1/2 hours and was accompanied by quite a bit of chest pain which I hadn't encountered before. Ended up going to ER and being Dx'd w/A fib. Referred to a cardiologist for a 30 day event monitor. Surprisingly, given my prior history, I had two events I was aware of whilst wearing the monitor. One event was a "critical" event: they called my cardiologist who called me and told me to go to ER but by then the event was already passing and I passed. I had one other event" a "serious" event, where in my cardiologist again called me to go to ER and again the event was just about over when he called so I passed. When we got the full event monitor report I had had quite a few other events that I was totally unaware of and that were of importance for my cardio to be aware of but not of any great or immediate worry.

So now I am on coumadin (warfarin) to prevent blood clots (when the heart beats irregularly as in A fib, blood tends to pool in the heart, clots can form, can be passed out of the heart and into the brain causing a stroke). I'm also on Rythmol which is an anti-rhythmic to keep the heart in rhythm and Toprol a beta-blocker to keep the heart rate slowed. We tried Dilitazem, a calcium-channel blocker first in place of the beta-blocker but I developed some edema w/it so the switch to the Toprol instead. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, I've not had an "event" since the first day of starting Rythmol. (I had another event monitor for 21 days during initial treatment until we found what seemed to be working). I will be having another 30 day event monitor in January to confirm things are still hunky-dory.

A 24 hour holter monitor would have been a waste of time and money given the irregularity and undetectable events I was having. Nothing ever showed up on echos, stress tests, nuclear stress tests, etc., etc. Only w/that 30 day event monitor (which is just a glorified holter monitor).

Moral of the story: don't ignore mild flutters' rapid, erratic heartbeats, etc. If they don't occur often enough to warrant a 24 hour holter monitor consider discussing a 30 day event monitor w/your doctors.

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M.D.Hosehead
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by M.D.Hosehead » Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:59 am

As others have said, you may have paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, but other possibilities should be investigated.

Heavy sweating at the same time as tachycardia is not typical of AF. Hypoglycemia, hyperthyroid, mitral valve prolapse, and panic attacks can cause that combination, for example.

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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by Pugsy » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:41 am

Regarding Craigslist purchase. I have bought 2 of my 3 machines from Craigslist seller and the 3rd from a forum member here. First 2 were M Series APAPs..last was my PR S1 APAP that I currently use. The M series machines are still going strong. First one is out on loan and working fine. Second one is my travel machine and backup.

Sometimes some good deals on Craigslist. Of course never there when you want one tomorrow.
My machine that I show in my signature line is of course full data using the SD card. It costs brand new from cpap.com $635 and that includes humidifier and it does requite the newer humidifier. This can give you an idea new vs used.
And yes, warranty issues can come up.

I have seen many more M series machines on craigslist now. Even if it is a full data machine you need the card reader to use the software. Around $50.

You will need to study up on which machines offer the full data.
One of the members has put together a good list. http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

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graciegram
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by graciegram » Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:15 pm

Got into to see the cardio doc today. Readouts on my holter use and the echocardiogram: couple of a-fibs on the holter. Nothing in particular on the echo. Staying on the digoxin. Had lab blood draw today to check on the digoxin. Starting new med tomorrow: metroprolol succ er 50mg. Doc is removing amlodipine from meds mix. Missed an opportunity to get in to sleep/pulmonary doc while I was in to see the cardio. (I asked to be wait-listed for cancellations). On for 10/24 with sleep doc. Apparently I am not aware of having the a-fibs other than having my head sweat profusely. I have had "racing heartbeat" occurrences before but could never make it to an EKG in time for it to be captured. I was calling those "tachycardia." This was where I got diagnosed as "panic attack" and given a med for that. I didn't believe I was having a panic attack. The new med is a beta blocker. Will see how this goes. Apparently it is a wait to get an event monitor as they are in use for so long. Thanks all. Pat in OlyWA
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Slinky
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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by Slinky » Wed Sep 28, 2011 1:39 pm

Ahhh, A fib and metropolol Succ. I was started on that just about a year ago. No problems w/it, thank goodness.

The A fib was detected and confirmed w/a 30 day event monitor. I was also started on Rythmol (an anti-rhythmic). I spent another 21 days on an event monitor whilst starting these two meds to verify their effectiveness.

I haven't had a detectable "event" since the third day of Rythmol. We'll prove or disprove that in January when I'll "do" another 30 day event monitor.

Our cardiology department no longer does their own event monitors. They utilize e-Cardio out of TX, up-to-date monitors, great service, FAST turn around time. Immediate notification if a serious event is occurring.

My cardiologist's office called me in the morning to tell me I would be getting a call w/in the next day or two to arrange for the event monitor. I got a call the same afternoon from e-Cardio and received the event monitor the next morning via FedExpress!! The second time around I got the call from e-Cardio BEFORE I got the call from my cardiologist's office! And the event monitor the next morning via FedExpress.

Were you also started on coumadin (warfarin)? I was.

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Re: heavy head sweats and tachycardia now...

Post by Paper_Nanny » Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:49 pm

I had an implantable loop recorder when my cardiac problems were diagnosed. The event monitors people are talking about, do those have the wires that connect to you, like on an EKG or how do they work? Just curious...

Deborah

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