event monitor question

[justlookingforanswers]

I am in the middle of a 30 day even monitor.  Although the first couple weeks were hit or miss, today has been particullary concerning.  I walked to pick up my kids from school and had not so much a chest "pain" as a chest pressure and fullness feeling.  I pushed the button on the monitor.  Later this afternoon I started getting a REALLY painful burning right in the middle of my chest.  Again, pushed the button.  I sent these two recordings in over the phone along with a couple more from my
"crappy" feeling day.  When I was talking on the phone with the guy about them he told me that they came over good and he didn't see anything that he needed to call my doctor about although they would fax over the results (which is usual).

My question is:  If the cause was CARDIAC in nature, would something have recorded RIGHT THEN when I pressed the button during the feeling?  I mean, would there have been some kind of irregularity on the monitor during these feelings or could they be precursor feelings with nothing abnormal showing up..yet?  

I am trying really hard to stay relaxed and not let these feelings bother me.  By the way, I have had a full year of tests and so far nothing has showed up abnormal.  Everyone is trying to tell me anxiety is my cause so I did take antianxiety stuff for about 8 months which may have helped with the craziness over these symptoms but not the actual chest pain.

[Quilting4ever]

Yes if you push the button it would record right then.  Some monitorsay even record on their own.

[justlookingforanswers]

Thanks for that.  I never have felt the acid either but haven't tried nexium but I did try a few over the counter things.  My GI has ordered an esophagram to see if it is spasms.  Did you do that?  Is it accurate?

Thanks for the reply--to everyone!!!

[anacyde]

I never had heartburn, but I got the symptoms you describe, as well as tightness, squeezing, aching that went through to my back and sometimes pain that went to my jaw and arms.

Turns out I was having esophageal spasms.  I just never felt the acid!  Still don't.  My GP said, "Just give Nexium a TRY and see if something happens."  It worked!

If your pain was cardiac, something would have shown up on your recording.  If it looked good, that is awesome news!!!

[heartofgld]

Sure....I felt my heart beat at 300+. It felt like a sewing machine at top speed;/ Thanks for your well wishes!

[justlookingforanswers]

Thank you.  I guess more specifically--if the burning or fullness were cardiac related would something show up?   Are they significant enough to show up as abnormal?  Does that make any sense??

[CollegeGirl143]

yep... If the burning and fullness was a symptom of an actual cardiac episode, the event monitor would have caught it..

If it was even a residual effect of a cardiac episode ( like if you had a run of an arrhythmia that stopped and then you felt the fullness) the event monitor still would have caught it since its looping and records a fair amount of time before you hit the record button.

[CollegeGirl143]

event monitors are looping, so they are constantly monitoring you like a holter, and save the recordings from 30 seconds before you hit record, to thirty seconds after.. So if you hit the buttom towards the end of your symptoms, or even after, it would still record the event.. This is why they are so helpful. Does that answer your question?

[justlookingforanswers]

Thank you both again for your replies.

I guess I should stop lurking in the heart forum trying to self diagnose and start stalking the anxiety forum more!!  I'm only half serious but I really do appreciate you both replying.  It absolutely has helped me, I was out of my skin.

[Momto3]

Hi,

Hope you are feeling a bit more relaxed about the event monitor and your concerns.  Did the doctor explain to you that the monitor generally records on a continuous loop?  When you press the "record" button, the monitor will take a recording beginning with 15-30 seconds of activity prior to your pressing the button.  It will also record for a period of time after you press the button.  I think they record a total of about 60 seconds each time you press the button (15-30 of which are prior to you pressing the button).

As to whether it can predict a future event, it cannot.  I believe there is a test called signal averaging that can "predict" future outcomes based on current readings.

Take care

[justlookingforanswers]

Thank you so much for replying.  It has eased my mind some, I have worked myself up over this--which of course, doesn't help.

Could you feel your heart rate at 300???   I wish you the best!!

Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

[heartofgld]

My question is: If the cause was CARDIAC in nature, would something have recorded RIGHT THEN when I pressed the button during the feeling? I mean, would there have been some kind of irregularity on the monitor during these feelings or could they be precursor feelings with nothing abnormal showing up..yet?


To answer the first part of your question...If there was an irregularity it would have shown up when you sent the tracing. If they were concerned about the tracing they would have asked you to call back with another tracing or they would have immediately sent it to your cardiologist. I sent a tracing 3 weeks ago that showed atrial flutter with a heart rate of over 300 and was told to go to the ER right away.

As far as it being a precursor to things to come...that is really hard to tell. If they wern't concerned and you haven't heard from the Dr I would breathe a sigh of relief. And you mentioned, anxiety...Chest pains, with no underlying heart disease and having had a complete cardiac workup that was normal, can definitely be triggered by anxiety. I hope this helps. If you are very concerend I would call your cardiologist and have him reassure you.

[justlookingforanswers]

Forgot to add that I have been checked for acid reflux.  My GI doc says there is no sign of it after endoscopy and it isn't something I have normally.  

I am concerned that my body is trying to tell me something.  I have been checked by three cardios (2 thoroughly) and even had an CT angiogram.  When I don't have any harsh chest pain, I TRULY believe it is NOT my heart.  Today, however, is scaring the buggers out of me.