Heart races - fast heart beat

[Pattie726]

Since onset of menopause, my heart has started racing.  I feel an adrenalin rush that stays constant for up to two hours at a time.  This has been going on for over a year.  I went on low dose hormone and the pulse slowed and the periodic racing stopped but the heavy leg feeling began.  I also started treatment for high blood pressure.  I have since gone off the hormone and the racing has come back.  I was able to get to an emergency room during one of these events and my resting pulse was (when I arrived at the ER) over 150.  It stayed at 120 while laying on my back receiving IV fluids.  They had a very hard time taking blood and putting in the IV because my vessels kept collapsing due to the fast pulse.  Blood work came back fine, Xray fine, wore a holter monitor for 24 hours and it was fine (no event occured).  They changed my blood pressure medicine to Bystolic 5mg and have not had another event however now my legs cramp constantly.  What causes this fast resting pulse? and how concerned should I be about it and the leg cramping?  There is significant arterial and heart disease in my immediate family (father and everyone on his side of the family).

[Pattie726]

Thank you for your comments. I will pass the cramping onto the doc.   I see him in another week or two for follow up.  I have not had an echocardiogram yet, but have had the other screening done within the past 3 years.  I appreciate any and all suggestions.  Pattie

[Momto3]

It's hard to say what causes the fast heart rate.  For some reason, many of us have incidents that come and go for no apparent reason.  Hormones do seems to play a role for many women, not sure why (but not surprising...lol).

Were you referred for any followup?  

As for the leg cramping, that could be from the medication....is your doctor aware of the cramping?  If you have not had an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart), it might not be a bad idea.  The test does NOT assess the arteries, but it does provide results relative to the heart's chambers, walls, valves and function.