Has anyone here ever had tachycardia as a side effect of their medication? My heart rate used to be in the 50s but lately my resting heart rate is anywhere from 120 to 150, which is very concerning. I had an ECG done and it came back normal. My pdoc isn't worried (and says it's not my meds) but my PCP is (and says it is my meds).
I'm on 200mg clozapine, 25mg amoxapine, 100mg lamotrigine, and 25mg topiramate.

Not sure about most of the meds bu my understanding is that the lamotrigine has some sedating side effects. So, perhaps then it isn't the medication.

How to treat the Tachycardia? I think treating it as Anxiety is the route to take. YOu need to develope coping mechanisms and strategies to keep in a 'tool box'. The 'Five Senses' approach and decatasrophizing aare great tools.

FIVE SENSES
when you are in a bad moment, imagine and visualize:
something to see - like a favourite phot
something to hear - like the sound of pasta shaken in a box
something to smell - like the smell of coffee
something to taste - like the flavour of your favourite gum
something to feel - like the touch of a towel

DE-CATASROPHISING
Make three lists:
1. worst case scenario
2. best case
3. likely
now consider the worst case and make a plan for if it happens

[BastetsMuse]

Originally Posted by escapeartist

Has anyone here ever had tachycardia as a side effect of their medication? My heart rate used to be in the 50s but lately my resting heart rate is anywhere from 120 to 150, which is very concerning. I had an ECG done and it came back normal. My pdoc isn't worried (and says it's not my meds) but my PCP is (and says it is my meds).
I'm on 200mg clozapine, 25mg amoxapine, 100mg lamotrigine, and 25mg topiramate.

I know that some medications cause blood pressure to increase; this could be related to your problem.

The weird thing is my blood pressure is actually low. I can't take certain medications, like prazosin, because my bp is so low if I take it, my bp will go so low I'll pass out.

[Icare dixit]

How do you measure it?

An ECG would pick up on abnormalities in your heart rate, so maybe your own measurements are flawed.

Smoking, caffeine (somewhat), running, sitting, standing all have an influence.

All meds would have an influence, some more so, some have less of an influence.

Arrhythmias are quite common after taking meds. So that might be what causes transient tachycardia. If it's severe, a mobile ECG may be used to see whether it requires you to take meds for it or whether to discontinue a med you are currently taking.

You might want to see whether your breathing is healthy: whether you get enough oxygen through breathing. If that's the problem, focusing on it might make it worse, which is a good thing as far as diagnostics go. You can also use a saturation meter.

Do you (sometimes) have panic attacks or do you feel like you might faint?

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by escapeartist

The weird thing is my blood pressure is actually low. I can't take certain medications, like prazosin, because my bp is so low if I take it, my bp will go so low I'll pass out.

It does sound like it could be hyperventilation.

Controlled breathing (exercises) can help. You should breath in more than out, basically. Slow down your breathing, especially when breathing out.

I've had the nurse do it in the doctor's office twice in the past month, and my pa's PT has a finger thing that I ask if she can check my pulse when she's around (every other day). My phone also has a heart rate monitor but I've only used it twice because it takes forever and I'm not confident in it's accuracy. They've also checked my breathing and I'm getting enough oxygen in as well.
I don't smoke, drink anything with caffeine, and most of these readings were just me sitting and as relaxed as I get.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by escapeartist

I've had the nurse do it in the doctor's office twice in the past month, and my pa's PT has a finger thing that I ask if she can check my pulse when she's around (every other day). My phone also has a heart rate monitor but I've only used it twice because it takes forever and I'm not confident in it's accuracy. They've also checked my breathing and I'm getting enough oxygen in as well.
I don't smoke, drink anything with caffeine, and most of these readings were just me sitting and as relaxed as I get.

The finger thing is the saturation meter. Might not be hyperventilation then.

You do have to wait say, 5 minutes before you can truly measure a resting state. Lying down is best (sitting is results in a higher heart rate than what would be considered resting state).

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

The finger thing is the saturation meter. Might not be hyperventilation then.

You do have to wait say, 5 minutes before you can truly measure a resting state. Lying down is best (sitting is results in a higher heart rate than what would be considered resting state).

Is sitting as opposed to laying down for half an hour really going to explain having a heart rate of 148?

[Icare dixit]

I'd suggest you use a non-consumer/medical mobile ECG for some time. Ask your psychiatrist or maybe your GP.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by escapeartist

Is sitting as opposed to laying down for half an hour really going to explain having a heart rate of 148?

Probably not. But it does matter quite a bit. Especially the waiting some time. 20 minutes, opposed to 5, can even make a difference.

Edit:
It also changes during the day.

Originally Posted by Icare dixit

I'd suggest you use a non-consumer/medical mobile ECG for some time. Ask your psychiatrist or maybe your GP.

Thanks.I'll ask them about it next time I see them.

Originally Posted by escapeartist

Has anyone here ever had tachycardia as a side effect of their medication? My heart rate used to be in the 50s but lately my resting heart rate is anywhere from 120 to 150, which is very concerning. I had an ECG done and it came back normal. My pdoc isn't worried (and says it's not my meds) but my PCP is (and says it is my meds).
I'm on 200mg clozapine, 25mg amoxapine, 100mg lamotrigine, and 25mg topiramate.

I've had a lot of weird heart stuff over the years - including random episodes of tachycardia recorded with a 24 hr. holter monitor. I can't even tell you how many tests I've had done because I was certain something was horribly wrong (my family has very bad heart genes), but they never found anything. It was probably related to anxiety, but I needed to have those tests to reassure me. If you are worried about it, even if it is 'just' anxiety, the worry is only going to make it worse. It's worth pressuring your doctors to take your concerns more seriously and look into it further, no matter what the cause.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Clozapine can have a cardiac side effect. I had to go off Seroquel and onto it really slowly/carefully because of it. I think it is called prolonged QT interval. A quick search without reading articles says it can cause tachycardia. And if you have prolonged QT then yes, it needs to have attention paid to it.

Don't trust a heartrate from a pulse ox; they are notoriously inaccurate for that unless it is a very expensive machine that most places don't have. The most accurate way to get a heartrate is to count it for 60 seconds.

I would definitely push to pursue this.

Do your PCP and PDOC work together at all. I gave permission for mine to communicate. Meds, side effects, heart rate, anxiety, heart attack, it's all very confusing and even though it's tempting to take internet advise, I believe your doctors should be helping you figure this one out. I'd be more tempted to take my PCP advise, because I don't trust psychiatry as much as I should. But really, I feel these docs should work together because you need to be reassured. (((Hugs)))

[Jensitive22]

I had the same problem for the short time I was on Latuda. Horrible involuntary muscle movements and a resting heart rate of 169 at the doctors office. They took me off the Latuda immediately and put me on lamotrigine and propranolol. No more involuntary movements and heart rate back to normal.

[Woolly Bugger]

If it were me -- and I'm not advising you what to do, because I'm a teacher, not a doctor -- but, if it were me, I'd go see a cardiologist as soon as possible. A pulse of 148 cannot be good for the long-term health of your heart.