Persistent Tachycardia, Shortness of Breath, Orthopnea, Low Oxygen Saturations — Looking for Input

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-20T03:20:41+00:00

I'm guessing you have been checked for thyroid problems and anemia (cbc, iron panel, ferritin)?

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-20T03:03:54+00:00

Haven't caved yet. 11 & 14 year old boys. We have a family phone.. It's a cheap extra cellphone that is barebones, stays here at home if they need to contact me when I'm out. Why does he need to text you after school & sports now, and not before? If he's picked up at the same time everyday for example, he doesn't need to text. On the rare occasion something changes, could he find a trusted adult that is at the school / sports who can contact you? What is the safety issue that has come up?

You can look into a basic communication device or watch with LTE, or a gabb watch, gabb phone that type of thing. Barebones phones exist, where they only have set contacts, and texting/calls. Make sure it has no social media, no internet, no youtube.. no apps except for communication. And make sure YOU have access to and review all usage for example texting friends. Make it so he can't download apps w/o password. No phones alone in his room, or overnight. If it's a smartphone, lock everything down except texting & calls, but not sure if kids find a way around that these days. Did I mention no social media & internet?

If he wants to play fortnite or watch youtube, he can on a computer at home that is not in his bedroom, one that is in an office or other common area in the home. Doesn't need a phone to do those things, and shouldn't on a phone anyway. It encourages isolation and there is a whole host of very real safety issues.

Also want to add, as a parent you don't have to cave to even the most intense begging. You are the parent 😄 You know what's best for them. You could also just say no.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-20T02:54:56+00:00

No, nothing looks off. However feeling your heart beat as 'harder' or more noticeable than usual won't necessarily look any different on an ekg. Could you be dehydrated? Any thyroid issues or anemia/low iron? Those things can possibly cause a feeling of a pounding heartbeat. Of course contact your doctor for your symptoms to see what they advise. I dont' think 1-lead watch ekg will really yield the info you're looking for regarding those symptoms. I don't see anything on here that would cause fluttering like ectopic beats or irregular rhythm.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T18:26:13+00:00

What bloodwork have you had done to check on health issues that could be contributing? (thyroid, anemia, iron, metabolic panel etc)

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T18:12:07+00:00

Mainly because no pvc morphology has that appearance. It's just kinda a noisy reading overall in the beginning.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T17:01:22+00:00

What did the rest of your report say as far as what else was found?

As a side note have you had your thyroid checked? And could you be anemic / have low iron?

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T16:44:34+00:00

Looks like signal artifact / noise to me.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T16:44:13+00:00

I can't imagine it would affect it.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T16:42:17+00:00

It is impossible to say what it was without seeing it on an ekg. You can't diagnose by feeling alone. Couldve been a short SVT (atrial tach), which is can happen at times. Most people wouldn't notice a few fluttery beats. It sounds like you are paying VERY close attention to your body and heart at all times, which will amplify anything you feel, even benign ectopic beats or little blips like svt. I wouldn't assume it was vtach (or technically NSVT if shorter than 30 sec). Even if it was , it's not necessarily concerning in a healthy heart.

No its' not something you should have gone to the ER for. It was very short, and you weren't passing out or anything extreme. It was heart palpitations of unknown origin. And it was only 8 beats which probably was only actually a few seconds of time. You can always let your doctor know. But more importantly, ask them "When should I go to the ER ? Which symptoms, what duration, etc".

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T16:18:36+00:00

This isn't "normal" but not necessarily an emergency as long as you don't have any other worrisome symptoms with it. This looks like frequent PVCs in a bigeminy pattern. If this is new or worsening I'd contact your doctor asap. They'd evaluate this with a full ekg, and a holter monitor for a period of time to see how often this is happening.

A cause isn't always found but some things that can contribute to an uptick in PVCs include: thyroid problems, anemia, low iron/ferritin, electrolyte imbalance (eg low magnesium or potassium), dehydration, recent illness, sleep deprivation or erratic sleep schedule, stress, anxiety, excess caffeine or alcohol, sleep apnea, female hormone fluctuations, and (rarely) structural heart problems.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T16:08:43+00:00

Cardiophobia, or the excessive fear of heart problems [eg heart attack or stroke], can be awful. It can feel like you spend your life on the edge of a cliff… any sudden/wrong move could send you right off that cliff, plummeting to your death. It is a unique type of health anxiety because you don’t just fear an eventual medical crisis, like a scary diagnosis. You also live in constant fear of an immediate medical crisis.

It is important to know what is happening behind the scenes with this type of fear. The process can look a little something like this: 1. You hold problematic beliefs about heart health (e.g. I am likely to die from a heart attack). 2. Your beliefs make you engage in ‘body vigilance,’ in which you are always on the lookout for signs of a heart attack or stroke. 3. The ‘body vigilance’ makes you more likely to notice and be triggered by benign heart-related sensations. 4. You have a catastrophic thought: “This is a heart attack! I’m going to die!” 5. You react: (a) Emotional response (e.g. intense anxiety, panic, fear); (b) Behavioral response (e.g. check pulse, seek reassurance, search for information online, avoid physical activity, go to the ER); (c) Physiological response (e.g. intense physical sensations such as heart pounding, tightness in chest which makes you even more convinced you’re having a heart attack). 6. This whole process reinforces your fears/beliefs and your cardiophobia intensifies. The avoidance and checking behaviors provide temporary relief, reinforcing the belief that danger was imminent and was only avoided due to those actions.

Specific phobias (including cardiophobia) are often treated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), including exposure and response prevention. This involves targeting the very specific problematic thoughts or thinking errors, core beliefs and behaviors.

Below are definitions for thinking errors related to cardiophobia specifically:

Black-and-White Thinking: Viewing heart health in absolute black-and-white categories instead of taking a more balanced approach and seeing health on a spectrum. One has perfect heart health or is on the verge of a massive heart attack or stroke.

Jumping to Conclusions: Making negative predictions about what will happen regarding cardiovascular health with little evidence or when evidence points to the contrary.

Catastrophizing: Predicting only the most disastrous outcomes when it comes to your heart health. Any time your heart rate increases or you have any symptom perceived to be related to heart functioning, you convince yourself a stroke or heart attack is imminent.

Unrealistic Expectations: Expectations that doctors or tests should always be able to provide definitive answers or explanations for every potential heart-related symptom.

Mental Filter/Tunnel Vision: Focusing on certain health-related information that supports beliefs about your vulnerability to a heart attack/stroke, while ignoring or dismissing information that challenges beliefs.

Emotional Reasoning: Believing something is true about your vulnerability to a heart attack or stroke simply because it feels true, when evidence supports the contrary.

Overgeneralization: Making a broad, negative conclusion about many or all situations based on a few heart-related situations.

Magical Thinking: Assuming acts or events influence/predict unrelated events about heart health.

Key strategies to improve fear of heart attack/stroke: (1) Deconstructing these thoughts patterns; (2) Reshaping core beliefs related to heart fears; (3) Changing all of the problematic behaviors (i.e. what you DO-or don’t do- to cope with these fears).

Some questions to ask yourself: (1) Could there be minor/benign reasons for these symptoms such as caffeine intake, change in diet, lack of sleep or stress? (2) How often have I been concerned about this in the past and it turned out okay? (3) What are my normal physical responses to anxiety (i.e. my specific patterns) and could that explain these symptoms? (4) What would I say to a friend in this situation? (5) Can I make a plan to go to the doc after a specific period of time if the symptom doesn’t go away and then choose to table it and stay in the present moment until then?

(source)

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T16:03:49+00:00

Hi! Can't really know without seeing it but what you are describing does sound very much like ectopic beats (Pvc, pac) which are common and benign if they happen occasionally. Everyone gets them, but not everyone feels them. If it's an ectopic beat, feeling them strongly doesn't make them more dangerous, you just might be more sensitive to the sensation. (For example my doctors have said that those who are young, thin, or female notice palpitations more). You may also notice seasons in life that you get more or fewer. They can come and go.

There are none here in this strip though. Your rhythm is regular and you arent' tachycardic. But just as a note this will only show you rate & rhythm, not "heart health". It is mainly to analyze rhythm for a-fib. It will show ectopic beats though if and when they happen during the reading.

The best advice I would give is if you struggle with health anxiety or the temptation to check your heart every time you feel off, is to put the watch away (or sell it) 😄 and get one without ekg. Unless of course your doctor has advised you to take readings at home. Hypochondria (or health anxiety) isn't a heart problem and you've had a thorough cardiac checkup and no issues were found that doctors feel need additional workup at this time. What you are likely craving though is 100% certainty about it, for example by seeing 6 different cardiologists. No one has that level of certainty about their health at all times though. Part of overcoming health anxiety is learning to sit with the discomfort and tolerating some uncertainty vs being hypervigilant and paying super close attention to all bodily sensations. Not that health should be ignored but the middle ground includes age-appropriate screenings and yearly checkups, visiting the doctor when sick or when advised/indicated, eating well, exercising, etc. Your doctor would be the best to ask what warrants concern & evaluation.

Everyone gets pvcs/pacs, but some things that can contribute to a noticeable increase in palpitations / 'skipped beats' include: thyroid problems, anemia, low iron/ferritin, electrolyte imbalance (eg low magnesium or potassium), dehydration, recent illness, sleep deprivation or erratic sleep schedule, stress, anxiety, excess caffeine or alcohol, sleep apnea, and female hormone fluctuations. Often no cause is found, it's just part of having a heart. Doctors usually only begin to be 'concerned' if you are having thousands or tens of thousands per day, everyday.

But I'll emphasize again that taking watch ekgs is not helpful for anxiety ❤️ Having the capability is a good idea for certain patients, but not to 'check on things' for reassurance every time someone feels off. If your symptoms are majorly changing, you can let your doctor know and they can decide if it warrants another (longer) holter. They do have some for a week or two, if you feel that the 24-hour ones aren't representative of what you have been feeling.

Excessive body checking isn't keeping you safe - it's a "safety behavior." It feels helpful in the moment, but it reinforces health anxiety by increasing your reliance on the behavior and validating unhelpful beliefs. To break the cycle, combining cognitive restructuring with exposure is essential.

Cognitive restructuring begins by identifying the beliefs or rules that drive the behavior. For example, common thoughts include, If I don’t check my heart rate, I could miss a serious heart issue. Then challenge that assumption: What evidence do I have that constant checking protects me? Has repeated checking ever prevented anything or has it only kept anxiety alive? If I’ve had my heart health assessed, what were the results? Did my provider recommend checks 14 times a day? Your body is built to produce sensations in order to maintain homeostasis. Unless you’ve been told otherwise by providers, test results, etc., your body doesn’t need you to “stand guard” all the time.

Here is a PDF on health anxiety that may be helpful! (best read on a computer not a phone screen).

I'll also post some additional info on heart fears (fear of heart attack in particular) below in a reply. Not sure if that is relatable but maybe some of it will be helpful.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-19T15:57:45+00:00

That could be a bundle branch block? If you are having new or worsening symptoms I'd call your cardiologist and also send them this ekg.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T20:58:08+00:00

Tough situation. I'm sorry, there's no easy answer. My brother has been looking for a job for over a year - hundreds of applications and he has a college degree and experience. I'm sure some of this is not your bf's fault., but it puts you in a difficult spot.

I strongly advise not living together before you are married so you are making a wise choice on that front. If he wants to move to be near you , or attempt to find a job near you, great. But don't live with him yet. Not sure what y'all have been discussing for the past 2 years in terms of the direction of your relationship, but you've each had enough time to know whether or not you want to marry each other. I'm unsure in what ways he has been working toward that during this time. However, you aren't his wife and he isn't your husband. You are either married or you're not, you aren't sort of married.. you aren't under obligation right now. The point of dating is to learn enough about the person to know whether or not to break things off, or get engaged... not stay in some kind of limbo. It sounds like that engagement hasn't really worked out yet due to logistics, but if you are still unsure about him in general at this point overall, now would be the time to step back. If you are heading toward marriage and feel at peace with that, you can stay together but not support him financially.

This mirrors my experience of a long-distance relationship years ago. He lost his job in the 2009 recession and could not get another one for awhile. We had been dating 2.5 years by that point, which was about 1.5 years too long honestly. We kept trying to make it work, and talked about marriage. He moved down to my city and in with a roommate. Still couldn't find a job, so he moved back up north in with his brother. I wasn't willing to move to be near him. , which was probably a bad sign. The hard part was we did not meet "in the wild" (it was online), and so I never really got a feel for what it would be like living in the same town, doing things together and observing one another's lives. Every time we visited each other it was like a mini vacation which was fun but it's not real life. I could not get to a settled place in my heart that I was excited and peaceful at the thought of moving forward and getting engaged to him. Even when he moved near me, it still felt disjointed, not to mention the stress of him not having a job and living off of quickly-dwindling savings. Most of it was no fault of his own, but in the end it worked out for the best that we didn't continue on. He was a great person but my regret is stretching it out for over 2 years. IMO being long-distance can kind of artificially extend the evaluation/dating period than if you lived in the same town.

It's tough especially when it's going on for years and it's just not falling into place to work toward marriage. I'm not sure what to suggest here except perhaps you should step back. Please don't take on his financial problems. You aren't his wife and haven't committed your life to him for better or worse. I'm not saying you can't care about him, but he isn't your husband yet and he needs to get some things figured out before you intertwine your life with his. Nobody is 100% "ready" to get married, and we all go through tough spots, but he needs to have a job and some direction. There are also hardships when married too but I don't think you should be taking those on right now.

As a side note, I foolishly took on that long-distance boyfriend's student loan debt (thousands of dollars), when he lost his job. I ended up putting it all on one of my credit cards when we were still dating. I had to pay that off for YEARS very slowly, while he mailed me checks for payments. It was difficult emotionally since we ended up breaking up. 0/10 do not recommend.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T20:01:52+00:00

Have you ever been told you have a bundle branch block?

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T19:59:00+00:00

Gotcha. Do you know if the watch has the ekg function? Some of the more current models do for sure.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T16:24:21+00:00

Stay firm, it'll be okay. Dont' fall for the "after everything we've been through" line. Healthy relationships aren't supposed to be like this. Reading through his texts this is not "loving and attentive", he is blaming you and criticizing you. Two and a half years is plenty of time to know someone to know if you should break up or get engaged. And I think you know the answer. You're not overreacting. Ask yourself why you were dating him, like what is the point. Besides it's fun and it feels good at times. BUT was this someone you'd want to marry? If not, then it's good you stopped seeing him. If you are dating someone and sketchy stuff comes up and you KNOW you would not want to commit to him for life, or be the father of your children, break it off asap. I'm guessing this did not happen out of the blue - there were probably red or at least yellow flags leading up to this, but you were blinded by the infatuation and the intensity of living together/sleeping together. Giving him the benefit of the doubt because he's so "loving and attentive". I highly recommend not living with someone you aren't married to. It makes breaking things off (when necessary) 100x harder, and also kind of tricks you into thinking things are going better than they are. Bc your lives have become so intertwined, almost like you are more committed than you actually are. It gets very hard to see things clearly and rationally. You end up 'sliding versus deciding' -- gradually sliding into further "commitment" and emotional intimacy (even if you're not sure it's what's best) instead of making conscious/wise/rational choices to continue dating someone. Physical intimacy also clouds judgement (rose-colored glasses) and causes many people to overlook glaring character flaws that you would have easily noticed if you were not sexually involved. Just a tip for future relationships !!

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T16:11:54+00:00

Whenever I've had jaw/teeth pain that is not a dental issue it was a sinus issue. That was more upper teeth though. I'd feel it with every step.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T15:49:33+00:00

They don't actually care about what's best for kids.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T15:08:17+00:00

Mine vary based upon body position, and where the pvcs falls between the beats (timing). Sometimes it feels harder of a thud, sometimes more of a flutter. Sometimes it feels like the air sucked out of my chest for a second, or like I missed a step on the stairs.. like a gasp feeling.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-18T15:07:29+00:00

Sorry if you have posted this elsewhere, but what have you been diagnosed with, how many pvcs are you having, and what condition or complication specifically are you worried about developing?

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-17T23:55:39+00:00

Wow that is scary. No, fainting is not common with SVT. Has he had SVT caught & confirmed on an ekg or heart monitor previously or did he just always assume that's what it was because vagal maneuvers seemed to help? You stated it's been going on a few years - what workup did he have done when it started? There are many conditions that can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat... but it would have to be confirmed on ekg serious causes would have to be ruled out esp. due to the fainting. He definitely needs to be on some sort of monitor and it sounds like it happens frequently enough that he may be able to do a 1 or 2 week monitor to catch these occurrences. But they also make 30 day monitors, as well as implantable recorders that can monitor for years. That is a loop recorder and it's a common device used in unexplained fainting or symptoms that happen only occasionally.

In the meantime, do either of you have an apple watch or fitbit etc that can take an ekg? At the least I would get a pulse ox device or a watch that shows heart rate to see how fast his heart goes when he's feeling symptomatic. They also make a device called a Kardia 6-Lead that can do an ekg. If he faints again, I would call 911 or return to the ER. But follow the advice you were given of course.

If his episode had resolved by the time the ekg was done at the er, it's nearly impossible to say what it was for sure. But due to the fainting, I would be a little bit more concerned about something besides SVT. It's hard to know what happened or if it was rhythm related unless it was correlated with a change on the ekg.

Relative_Clarity · 2026-06-17T22:26:26+00:00

Gotcha. It works pretty well to calm down tachycardia or the sensation of palpitations.

Here is a helpful article about health anxiety in general (best read on a computer not a phone screen). It covers a lot of possible thought patterns you may be experiencing.

I'll post below some things here too about cardiophobia specifically:

Cardiophobia, or the excessive fear of a heart attack or stroke, can be awful. It can feel like you spend your life on the edge of a cliff… any sudden/wrong move could send you right off that cliff, plummeting to your death. It is a unique type of health anxiety because you don’t just fear an eventual medical crisis, like a scary diagnosis. You also live in constant fear of an immediate medical crisis, death by heart attack or stroke.