Hi, I’m on day 5 of cycle 1 of AC chemo. Noticed today that my resting pulse (running at about 70/min) has a little pause every now and then before it goes back into rhythm. Is this normal? My factsheet on AC says heart changes are possible, but doesn’t say what.
Phoned my out of hours emergency no (hospital onc ward) and all they said was go to A&E if I feel unwell, otherwise wait and ask my gp. I don’t feel ill and don’t fancy a stint in A&E but it is my heart… Anyone else had this?
Thanks,
Joan
Just bumping my own post!
I also just read that interaction between steroids and thyroxine (which I take for an underactive thyroid) can cause pulse irregularities, so I guess it could be complex.
Hi fimbo
I don’t know anything about your chemo regime, but just found this on the Macmillan website:
"Heart changes
This is very rare with standard doses but may occasionally occur with high-dose treatment. The muscle of the heart may be affected, usually temporarily. Tests to see how well your heart is working may be carried out before the drug is given, and sometimes before each treatment.
It’s important to let your doctor know straight away if you feel unwell or have any severe side effects, even if they’re not mentioned above."
But I suspect that is what you already know. Could anxiety be affecting your heartbeat? However, I should mention it to your oncologist when you go for you appointment before next chemo. Failing that, call the chemo unit and mention your other meds. I’m assuming you mentioned them before you began chemo.
Please ignore me if I’m repeating stuff you already know.
Poemsgalore xx
Thanks poemsgalore. I read that Macmillan stuff but it’s a bit non-specific, isn’t it? I decided not to go to A&E today as it’s not making me feel ill at all, it’s just really disconcerting. I know anxiety can make it worse, but I think there is definitely something physiological too. Was just hoping someone else had experienced similar.
Hello!
i had AC and am also on Thyroxine and suffered really badly with a racing pulse and palpitations. I remember being sat with my phone on occasions poised to call 999 as I was scared I was going to have a heart attack. It used to keep me awake at night. However my oncologist and cardiologist didn’t seem bothered in the slightest, so I just rode them out.
You should deffo tell your GP or onc to check there’s nothing dodgy going on. But hopefully it’s nothing too much to worry about - just very disconcerting when it happens.
x
Thanks Sandytoes - I read your post this morning and it relieved a lot of the anxiety at any rate. The problem seems to have subsided a lot today, to the point where if I hadn’t become so aware of it yesterday, I wouldn’t have noticed today. By comparison, I realise what a huge thumping it was making yesterday!
I will definitely mention it to my oncologist before my next cycle - it was very alarming and I don’t like thinking my heart was under strain. I imagine he’ll brush it off, though.