Heart aflutter again.
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Yes the doctor in the ER did a diagram for us. He showed where the regular electrical impulse is to make a heart beat and then he drew a smaller second spot closer to where the impulse goes to the heart. Its the interfering second one which was the problem. I have an idea thats what palpitations are too but they only last for about 5 to 10 beats and they are gone again. Mine lasted hours.0
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Since I have had 2 ER trips in the past 3 weeks due to stress related Atrial Fibrillation here are my tips.
1. Wear something easy to get off, top, bottom and feet.
2. Make sure you catch a nurses eye when everyone else is bypassing you to the triage sign in because you can barely stand up.
3. Don't eat before going in. They may need to anaesthetise you for cardioversion.
4. Ask for a commode to pee well before they have planned to take you to resuss for a cardioversion. I was given a paper bedpan under me to pee laying down. Believe me when they have finished putting a liter into your arm all of that floods the little bit of cardboard.
5. When they administer 50cc of medicine into your arm before cardioversion, make sure the BP cuff is not inflating. It is very painful and the drug will not go in. Tell them and they will wait until the cuff goes down.
6. Make sure they take the pillow out from under your head before they sedate you and go to sleep with your teeth clenched so you don't end up biting your tongue when they do 'charge 200, clear!'
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Cardioversion sounds alarming but my own experience was fairly benign. My major concern was a tube down my throat which I thought just wouldn’t happen but with sedation I don’t even remember it. In recovery I was just fascinated by the steady heartbeat! Bit red over my chest but no other side effect. My cardioversion worked for about 15 months. Metoprolol now keeps my heart rate normal and the irregularity is limited. Just another bc side effect.1
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I've had it twice in 3 weeks but I didn't need a tube. I think I may have cracked a tooth though and hoping it settles down as the anxiety with a dentist is one of the times I did end up with Afib the next day. This time its been just after a visit with my GP who dismissed everything I asked at the appointment. I badly need a psychologist who can see me now, not in May or later. The psychiatrist I used to see has left town. I have PTSD, anxiety, depression and agoraphobia.
My Atenolol obviously isn't working for the heart or my anxiety although my GP says its ok at the time he checks my BP. Maybe because I have naturally low BP he doesn't believe I could have a heart attack? I had heart pains that day but he still sent me home. This after the internal hell I went through just to leave my house and get in to town to see him.
I am seeing a different GP this Saturday, one I have seen before. His accent is hard to understand but I believe he may be a better doctor.
The latest is I been getting squamous cell carcinomas cut out. My GP did biopsies (one of them finally after a year of complaining) and then with positive results sent me to the hospital theatre for surgery on 30th Jan. The Dr there couldn't understand why my own GP didn't do the surgery himself and told me I was a tax on the public system as a result so that upset me as well. Both scars are infected underneath and from time to time erupt pus from them but my GP on Monday dismissed that as well and said its a tension area and will take time to heal. No antibiotics. The ER doc said yes you need antibiotics but forgot to give me any so maybe on Saturday the new doc will finally give me some so I can move on from this skin cancer saga.2 -
That's disgusting, @Brenda5 .... ANY infection can cause/add to heart problems - even an infected tooth can kill you! They've finally realised this & are trying to get public patents to Dentists quicker, to prevent cardiac problems (some have to wait 6-12 months for a non urgent appt!)
God, I hope your Sat GP appt is better .... and even tho a difficult accent - worth sticking with, if you believe he gives better service. If you feel crook in the meantime, call 000. Hubby ended up in hospital for 4 days last week, from an infection that turned septic (he was delirious - within the space of a few hours of appearing 'normal' - Ambos were called.) ..... he ended up on 3 different ABs as the blood culture eventually showed it was a particularly nasty one that required a specific AB (not covered onPBS). take care buddy xx1 -
Good lord @Brenda5 ! WTF? Id be getting pretty shouty and stabby if I'd had a run like that.
Sacking medicos is not always a productive exercise; from experience it sometimes 'proves' I'm deranged and unreasonable. But it can rattle them up a bit. Nice women don't make a fuss, Ive been reliably informed.
You are obviously blessed with more patience than I. I hope things start looking up. Getting rid of your useless and condescending GP sounds like a good start. MXX1 -
New Dr, same clinic which is good because he can access all my past records. First appointment last Saturday he put me on antiobiotics, changed the heart meds from Atenolol to Metoprolol and did a referral to a psychiatrist. Second appointment yesterday he did a medical certificate for the centerlink newstart claim I have in so I can get a pension concession card so I can afford to the the Dr in the first place without paying $70 weekdays or $120 weekends. The psychiatrist will cost $500 and the appointment is next week. I have also been referred back to the cardiologist building as my old one left and I need a new one too. He won't be free either.
None of this Drs ducking out and abandoning me helps toward me trying to get a disability pension claim done for the 3rd time. I haven't been able to work since 2015 when this breast cancer saga started. Just makes me so angry and frustrated which doesn't help me either.
Good news is the Metroprolol seems to be working and my anxiety isn't quite as bad now. I looked up a side effect of Atenolol and it can be anxiety. Why the previous GP didn't twig about it way back when I asked to see a psychologist because I had agoraphobia come on suddenly I don't know.
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Hooray!!! Best wishes for next week and onwards.1
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Awesome - I am on a half a Metropolol (Minax) at night, after I got those severe palpitations a couple of years ago .... is it purely coincidence that so many of us go on to develop this???
Definitely sounds like you are onto a good guy xx
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My oncologist initially thought A/C may have caused my AF, but changed his mind. My cardiologist thought a combination of surgery and chemo caused it, but also changed his mind, mainly for the same reason, no improvement when chemo
ended. But it has improved, ever so slowly, over the years, so who
knows. I also acknowledge that AF is the most common form of arrhythmia in those over 65, so there may have also been a compounding age issue. But Metoprolol has been an effective and simple way of controlling my heart rate which also has improved my heart rhythm. With no side effects that I know of!1 -
My AF could be hereditary. Both my mother and my aunty have the same. Mine just got sped up after chemo. I reckoned it ages you 10 years.2
