That's called SVT.  I don't recall exactly what the initials stand for but my wife has it.  We rushed her to the doctor last year when she woke from her sleep with a heart rate of over 200 bpm.  Needess to say, we freaked out.

The doctors will typically perscribe the beta-blockers for that although they have a tendancy to make a person feel tired all the time and can cause weight gain.  The doctors don't really say for sure what causes it but we feel that it's anxiety attacks.

If she has an attack, she can slow down the heart by holding her breath and bearing down within herself, squeezing her chest cavity.  My wife doesn't like the way she feels on the beta blockers so she doen't take them.

The doctors can perform an operation that tends to control the symptoms.  They go into the chest cavity with a minimally invasive method and block the nerve that sends the signals to the heart for a rate.  I, personally, would use that as a very last resort.

To help put you at ease, I have a brother with the condition and he's in his 50s and an aunt with the condition and she's in her upper 70s.  They are both doing fine.  My brother is on beta blockers and my aunt had the operation.

Best of luck

Steve

There are different conditions. You have to have your heart mapped so they can tell where the irregularity is coming from.   It sounds like it could be SVT like Robofish said.  That condition is Supraventricular tachycardia.  That is a condition that I have (had).  I had it corrected with an ablation procedure.  I was fearful of the procedure, but if I had it to do over again, I would do it in a heartbeat! I am 55 years old and I had the procedure done when I was around 45.  I had the condition for years.  It started when I was in my 20's and I didn't know what it was until I was in my late 30's.  I didn't have episodes very often, but as the years went by, the episodes increased.  I finally went to a heart specialist and he told me what it was and said it could be controlled with beta blockers.  That was true for me, for many years, but after a while I started to have episodes even while on the medicine.  That's when I decided to have the procedure and like I said, I would do it again, only sooner.  It helped alot and I have not had an episode since then. I do get a high heart rate every now and then, but it is never as high as it was before the procedure.  It probably is due more to menopause and hormonal reasons than anything with an irregular heartbeat.  Maybe you need to find a new doctor?  Where do you live?  I live in the Seattle, WA area.  I know a great doctor here.  I could ask him to recommend someone in your area.  I wish you all the best. 

If I were you I would bring her to Mayo Clinic in Rochester. They have top rates for Cardio Ablation in the U.S.  I too have Tachycardia, and experience heart tremors, my cardiologist however is just watching it because they believe it may be connected to my earlier problems with my heart in that I was born with a hole in the upper chambers of my heart.  It is called an Atrial Septial Defect.  Anyways, the docs at Mayo are great.  They will determine if the Cardio Ambilation is what she needs and if its not, they won't stop untill they have figured out what it is she does need.  The first cardio amblilations were actually done at Mayo.  So if thats what your up against, I would suggest going there.

As for information, go to www.childrensheartclinic.org.  They have great information on the heart.  This is actually the website for the clinic that I go to. Don't let the name fool you. While it is a pediatric clinic, they also treat adults that were brought to them as kids. I will see these doctors for the rest of my life.

Hope this helps,

Brianna

thanks everyone for your replies,  they helped alot but we found out its her whole sinus node and they are gonna try that medicine but the said it is risky and that if it doesn't work then it will be the surgery for the ablation or the pace maker.

    how are you , you have to know there are different types of diseases can affect the rate & rhythm of the heart it could acquired secondery to primary heart problem or for unknown reasons even it could be congenital

   you mention somthing about thyroid but you dident tell is it hyperactive or not because thyroid hyperactivity

associated with tachycardia. finally you must reassure and psychologically support her then look for a good doct

 with my best wishes

Don't know much about the heart condition, but I do know that if thyroid conditions are not treated, problems can follow in any of the organs.  So, the thyroid condition probably needs to be addressed with an Endocrinologist first I think. 

My son had "open heart" surgery when he was 6 for a ventricular septal defect.  When surgery was done they found an atrial septal defect (both are what are described as "holes in the heart").  He is now 27 and can do whatever he wants - although he has been doing whatever he wants since six weeks after the surgery.  Great surgeons and Cardiologists in New York Hospital/Cornell University.

Good Luck to you both and Many Happy Years Together!

Oops! Forgot to comment on the license.  I had vertigo episodes after a car accident and my doctor was threatening to "take away my license".  So I do know that the doctors can take your driver's license away.  Is it possible that the DMV staff misread the note from your doctor?  Because they usually receive notes that say the driver "can not" drive anymore?  It took a year, but my vertigo did finally go away.........