Diagnosing an arrhythmia

[AngieRH]

I am 32 year old female 105 lbs.  On Feb. 19th I was taking a shower and almost fainted.  I got out of the shower and ten minutes later bent over to pick something off of the floor and when I did my heart started racing.  It was a sustained extremely fast regular heart rate for about 15 minutes.  While it was occuring I almost fainted and was barely conscious.  I held my breath and it stopped suddenly.  I remained very weak for hours afterward.  I went to my GP who did an echo which showed a small amount of fluid around my heart (not enough to cause arrythmia he said).  I saw a cardiologist twice who acted like it was nothing.  He did a stress test which was fine and another echo which I am awaiting the results.  Unfortunately, it occured again on March 26 and March 30.  I was able to stop them by coughing as hard as I could.  During the episodes I felt faint and very weak.  I finally got an even monitor.  My doctor seems unconcerned about my episodes and won't tell me anything until he can catch one on the monitor.  Maybe they are not life-threatening but they are definitely life-alterting.  I am afraid to drive or be alone.  If the monitor doesn't "catch" the arrhythmia shouldn't my doctor order an EP study?  From the research I have done on the internet it sounds like I have some type of SVT.  I feel this is urgent and maybe waiting for the montior to catch my episode may be risky.  Should I forgo the monitor since with my episodes I have severe symptoms and go immediately to an electrophysiologist and get an EP study?  Also, these are some of my EKG readings: poor R-wave progression, non-specific ST T-changes, borderline prolonged QTC at 448.  Should I be concerned about these readings?  THANK YOU
Angie

[Jerry_NJ]

I agree, see an EP, but it is premature to assume an EP study is needed.  For example, I've been through being referred, by my cardiologist, to an EP.  He put me on a even monitor, I think I wore it 24/7 for about three week, could have been longer (don't remember).  The monitor showed I definitely have full-time Atrial Fibrillation...nothing else.  I have of course had all the other stuff, including nuclear stress tests, echo cardios, and cardio characterization - and even heart surgery (but that's way beyond anything your symptoms suggest).  Hope I didn't provide too much unrelated information.  My point, you should be just fine, there appears to be nothing in what your doctors have seen that says you are in any immediate risk of  serious problems, still be careful if there's a chance of passing out...try to be careful without focusing on it too much.  

[twinbee]

I think you should go to an EP. However I am pretty sure the EP will want to see the results of an event monitor before they do an EP study.