Hello Ross2991,

This sounds like a rather unpleasant experience you've had with these heart palpitations. I hope that you will meet others here who have had this experience of heart palpitations while on chemotherapy. It might be worth discussing this with your medical team and seeing what they can suggest to help alleviate it. It's good news though that they have done additional tests and that these have come back clear. 

Our nurses are available on this free number 0808 800 4040 Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm if you wanted to talk to them at any point. 

I hope your heart rate goes down soon and that you find out the cause of this problem.

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

Hey I've just done 6 cycles of chemo had this all the way through, I've had all the checks as well all good. Think it's part n parcel of chemo.

I have downloaded an app called feeling good it helps you focus, its scarey eh, not nice give it a go it may help xx

Hi annemc

Thanks so much for your message it's really reassuring in a way to hear I'm not the only one!

Yes I've downloaded a couple of breathing apps and try to use them when it gets bad. I've also been given beta blockers for if it doesn't calm down after 15 minutes, and was given a blood transfusion as my Hb was really low.

Tbh the transfusion has definitely helped my energy and I'm feeling positive moving forward that I can deal with it if it happens again.

Thanks again for your reply

Wishing you all the best

Rose

Hi Ross2991 

It's so strange to read your post as I am in hospital as I message now with exactly the same thing. I've had all the tests and they have come back that I don't have any heart damage or disease to my heart or lungs. I had a resting heart rate before of 71 and it was around 110. More concerning was when I was walking around the house or up the stairs the heart rate would shoot up to 165-194. Because of this I was admitted. They have put me on beta blockers now and that's brought it down to 86 bpm resting. They have tested me for a rare form of pneumonia that the doctors refer to as PCP. It's a type of fungus that grows slowly in your lungs and doesn't display normal side effects of pneumonia for many months. But one of the side effects of this illness is tachycardia. i would ask your medical team if they have tested for that.
I would be keen to hear back from you though in any event as the doctors here are completely baffled and haven't heard of this before. But now I've found you so there is obviously something going on. I have breast cancer and I've been on FEC-T and Paclitaxel I've had 11 rounds of chemo but they cancelled my last one because of this tachycardia. 

Hi [@naosei]‍ 

So sorry to hear you've also been struggling with this.

Yes they did a echocardiogram, CT scans, ultrasound and bloods. I also had a 24 hour tape ECG completed whilst I was in the hospital.

Reassuringly they didnt find anything necessarily wrong with me which is a positive. But they think it is a combination of the chemotherapy and the fact I had a hemoglobin level of 70 when it should be 120. They gave me a blood transfusion on Friday before I was discharged and I did feel a lot better for having it.

They also moved my PICC line out two cm as they thought that might be tickling my heart but it seems to have made no difference unfortunately!

They also have given me beta blockers for if I get to a heartrate of 140 or more for over 10 minutes which has happened three times. 

I think the worst thing about it for me is the waking up in the middle of the night with it. I got myself one of those oximeter your put on your finger that gives pulse and oxygen saturation. I put that on when I wake up with it and it can be 170! It's horrible!

I can't say they tested me for that particular infection but I will ask about it next time I see my consultant.

They seem to think I might benefit from blood transfusions when I get particularly symptomatic, but don't want me to have them too frequently due to the risks involved and my age.

I really hope your symptoms manage to ease and you find some relief.

Please feel free to keep in touch on your journey and of anything comes of your investigations.

Rose

Hi [@naosei]‍ 

I know it's been a while since your post but just wondered how you're getting on? I'm really struggling with my heartrate these last few weeks. I've been given a couple of blood transfusions but I'm not sure they've helped - don't know if it's just the accumulation of fatigue getting me now but even walking around the house has my heart up. It's really a nightmare. When I am fully relaxed and asleep I can get down to a resting rate of 78 so I don't think they want me on beta blockers for that reason but equally I can't keep having it skyrocket the moment I get up to do anything. Did anything come of your tests?

Wishing you all the best

Rose

Hi  

All my tests came back clear. I don't have PCP or anything they can see wrong with my heart following CT, MRI and echo. They are confused and not sure what's happening. I have a cardiologist appointment on 10th January so hopefully I'll get more info then. 
I am still on beta blockers but they have upped my dose as it started to go back up again. 
My resting heart rate was 106 but with the beta blockers is now down again to 76. But as soon as I do anything, even something small like get changed, walk up the stairs in my house or walk from the car park to the hospital it shoots up to 130+ 

ive been doing some research of my own ready for my cardiologist appointment and have found a rare and little understood heart condition called 'inappropriate sinus tachycardia' and it sounds like I might have that. I will raise it with the cardiologist when I see them in January. I've also spoken informally with a cardiologist doctor (not from my hospital team just randomly met them in the street when I was struggling they came to see if I was ok)  who said maybe the docetaxel that causes nerve damage has damaged the nerves of my heart that regulate the electrical impulses that regulate the heart rate. That would make sense as I have neuropathy in my fingers and feet and it started after my second docetaxel in the summer and has got progressively worse since then. 
 

ask if you can see a cardiologist as well. 
 

as soon as I see the cardiologist I'll message you back to let you know what was said. I do hope you're ok. Have a nice Christmas 

Natalie 

Hi [@naosei]‍ 

Sorry to hear you're still in the dark about it but it's good you've got an appointment in the new year.

Yeah I came across inappropriate sinus tachycardia when I was doing a bit of researching myself and think that's a possibility that I have this too. It's a very good point about the nerve thing too - whilst I don't have bad neuropathy in my hands and feet I do think it's been affected somewhat by my chemo, I also get these ridiculously hot flushes of my face for several days after the chemo that burn my cheeks. But I don't have a temperature with them, so am wondering if that's nerve based too. 

Definitely something to think about. I see my consultant for my next chemo next Monday and I'm going to go and ask all about it and raise my concerns. They did the ECG on me in the hospital which showed tachycardia but of course in hospital you're mostly laying down so I'm not sure they really realize how bad it is for me day to day in my home environment where I have to get up and do things. 

Thanks so so much for the response, it's really helped me and in definitely going to suggest I see a cardiologist and raise my concerns.

Hope you have a lovely Christmas all the best

Rose

Hi Ross,

Im not sure are you still checking message here. I've come acrossed you post about tachycardia. How was it it at the end about Chemotherapy? Did they carry on? My heart beating so fast it really worried. Oncologist doctor think I might need to have it test but with Covid situation she don't know is it possible. I'm worried they going to stop my treatment. I'm woke up this morning still lay in bed I can feel my heart boom boom boom.... I'm so scared xxx

Hi Sosoblue, 

I'm new to this post but am experiencing palpitations after my docetaxel and I'm now having radiotherapy. I'm really sorry you're having a scary time - I am too. I hope you're ok. 
I got medical help when my palpitations wouldn't stop and my heart rate was 210 bpm. I'm now on beta blockers each morning.