# DP's link to bradycardia/heart beat variability



## JaoDP123 (Sep 3, 2005)

I went to see a cardiologist three weeks ago to see whether or not decreased blood circulation was the cause of my visual distortion and the changes in my level of consciousness. It turns out that bradycardia (an inappropriately slow heart rate) can cause the tunnel vision symptom that is know to us. Of course any deficiency of oxygen to the brain can explain the altered level of consciousness as well. He determined that my heart rate was wildly variable and using an ultrasound, he assured me that my anatomically my heart was normal. Further supporting this is my failed tilt table test which indicates that my body has trouble regulating blood flow to my brain. The doctor said this condition is not all that uncommon and was pretty sure it is what i suffer from.

My theory on DP, for me at least, is that my heart rate drops to the point that I almost black out, I experience visual changes as well as other perceptual distortions- all of which are mentioned on these forums. I believe that during these near fainting spells my sympathetic nervous system reflexively kicks in with adrenaline and cortisols to keep my conscious. After my first heavily symptomatic spells of DP/DR my body has adjusted for my bradycardia/varying heart rate by keeping me on edge, in a state of shock, to prevent my blood pressure from dipping that low again and putting me in the constant state of anxiety I suffer from. It is interesting to note that my mother used to black out from time to time around my age, but never had the DP.

I am now working on increasing my blood volume by taking salt tablets and drinking more water. Beta blockers made me very tired so i had to stop them. Florinef is an antidiuretic that helps keep blood pressure up as well but i had side effects with it as well. I think my biggest challenge will be to prevent my body's conditioned anxiety.

Do any of you have highly variable heart rates? Has anyone here ever fainted during a bad case of DP?

This is the closest i have come to a diagnosis which explains most of my symptoms and the good news is it usually decreases as the person ages.


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## = n (Nov 17, 2004)

Yes i have had a very variable heart rate, linked to anxiety and especially cannabis consumption (long discontinued). At the worst i was convinced i would give myself a heart attack which of course made me yet more anxious and tense. One time i called an ambulance after convincing myself i was having a heart attack. As soon as the ambulance arrived i calmed down a great deal and started to feel very foolish.

The variable heart rate is not for me the cause though, but rather a relatively minor concommitant symptom.


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## JaoDP123 (Sep 3, 2005)

I recently had some autonomic testing done and failed the tilt-table portion, meaning that my circulatory system doesn't adjust very well to postural changes. I starting hyperventilating and sweating while my hear rate went to 140ish. This failure to regulate might be a hidden source of some of my anxiety. Interestingly, I have found that taking pseudoephedrine (the sudafed behind the counter) helps with this because it causes the blood vessel to constrict and keep my pressure a little more stable. I also have trouble with marijuana but I think that might be related to the paranoia it can cause, which of course is no good for someone with DP however i have wondered whether smoking weed everyday would eventually desensitize me from anxiety like exposure therapy.


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## kelanie (Dec 21, 2008)

I have not been an athlete for many years now and I exercise when I feel like it, hardly much. My dad has a pace maker, my grandpa and uncle died of a blood clot to their hearts, my 8 years old son has a heart murmur and gets chest pains sometimes. I have had 2 halter monitors, and the cardiologist diagnosed me with Braycardia. Could it give me a stroke, or a heart attack? Where they right? I have an ultrasound to my heart on the 21st of this month, as they got me in very quickly, and I will see a cardiologist. What is your opinion?


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