Question:
heart rythmn problems and breathlessness

I had a roux n y after a complication of ulcer surgery in 1985. I have severe anenmia and take vit b12 every month. I have a problem with fast heart rythmn and breathlessness, I take inderal with not much effect. During my pregnancies I HAD HEART FAILURE. I also have restless leg syndrome. What is the prognoisis or is it chronic exhaution    — annemariemcclellan (posted on April 24, 2007)

April 24, 2007
This sounds like you should be heading straight to the ER! Do not pass go, do not collect $200 etc! This is yr life and you have to think of being there for your babies...Good luck!
   — crystalsno

April 24, 2007
If you are not having problems right now, I would be calling a cardiologist first thing in the morning. I also have a fast heart rate, but inderal is a beta blocker and you heart rate should be slow. GET TO A DOCTOR NOW!!!
   — Diane C.

April 24, 2007
AMOS MOD NOTE: Call doctor or better go immediately to the ER!
   — bob-haller

April 24, 2007
girl, you need a specialist that can evaluate the entire thing, not advice from people who weigh once a week. Please find a specialist to help you out. Take care, Patricia P.
   — Patricia P

April 25, 2007
I had the roux n y in 2003 and have developed severe animia. I also had heart rythmn problems and breathlessness. I received infed iron treatment intraveniously in the hospital. My count is now 12.4 and I am not breathless and my heart has settled down. My primary doctor sent me to a hematoligist and this was his remedy and so far it is working. However, you should see a cardioligist for your heart problems and a doctor that can send for tests to rule out any bleeding problems(like a colonoscopy since this site can be a primary source of bleeding that might be causing the anemia). Don't waste time! You'll feel much better when find the problem and they fix it. I did see both just to make sure everything else was OK! (it was) A word to the wise......
   — PATTYGIRL

April 25, 2007
I take inderal as well for my headaches and it seems to help, I do not have (thank God) the rapid heartbeat or breathlessness. I do have restless leg syndrome (drive me nuts) but I put a bar of soap under my bed sheets and it stops right away, it works, told my friends, they tried it with out telling their husbands and it worked on their husbands as well. Good luck and see your doctor right away.
   — Chrisy

April 25, 2007
The symptoms that you are describing are consistent with severe anemia. 1. You heartrate will increase if there is not enough hemoglobin for the oxygen to bind to. The body recognizes that there is not enough circulating oxygen and therefore increases the heart rate to compensate. 2. The same with the shortness of breath. If you don't have enough circulating oxygen then your body will increase your respiratory rate to bring in more oxygen. 3. Fatigue... if you don't have sufficient oxygen circulating for healthy cell metabolism, the increased work load on your heart from the elevated heartrate and the increased workload (respiratory muscles) from the high resp. rate, you will be tired as your body is not ever getting any restful sleep as you are still working hard even at rest. 4. Your Vit B12 monthly injection may not be enough... try taking the sublingual form daily. Since it is water soluable, any that your body won't use will be excreted through your kidney and out anyway. Take iron supplements. Make sure you are choosing healthy high protein foods. 5. The restless leg syndrome can be a symptom of the low vit b12 level as the B vitamins are responsible for healthy nerve conduction, etc. 6. The heart failure during pregnancy while is not common, it is not rare either. You have to figure that you have a minimum of a 30% increase of circulating fluid volume while you are pregnant. If you are not in good health to begin with the physical stress of the pregnancy can cause alot of problems. Hope this helps....
   — Kari_K

December 16, 2008
I wish I had an answer for you, I am 3 years post op RNY and have recently developed the same symptoms with the rapid heard rate and breathlessness. I have seen various specialist and they are stumped as to the cause. I feel it is related to the surgery yet no one will admit it. I was watching a segment of Discovery Health on Gastric Bypass Surgery and one of the side effects was shortness of breath. They did not go into any detail, and I have been trying to find out if any one else has had the same problem. Carl89123
   — CARL89123