Please help in finding a EP

[Sweetsugar40]

Good morning all. Please can anyone help me in finding an EP in Leicester. I got very fast and irregular heart beats last End of August and then again in September. I was in hospital and after loads of tests the cardiologist team said they think I have PAF... They have put me on bisoprolol 5mg a day and clopidogrel which is not an anticoagulant. They said I don't need to be on anticoagulants as I have no other problems. I am 46 female. I have not had any heart problems since and only find that when I get palpertations due to menopause and hot sweats that my heart beat goes up to 70 bpm max. My heart rate is always in normal sinus. I am due to see the cardiologist in March. They did a 24 hour ECG and all is fine they also did a perfusion scan in 2 parts and all is fine. So what did cause my heart heart to go fast and irregular. And why did they say it's LIKE!! PAF but they are not sure. but my cardiologist did tell me if I go on holiday to let my insurance company know I have AF. Please help me as I am so confused, I had a holiday booked last November to Florida as we go every year and we did cancel it cause I got so frightened as the cardiologist said it could happen again and he did not advise going away till they did the tests. As you all can imagine I was so depressed and cried so much over Christmas. But now I am feeling a lot better and like I said my heart beats are normal from 50/65 bpm. So please if you knows any EP's in Leicester then please let me know and do you think I need to see one. Cause I need to know if I have AF or not. I will be going to the Leicester General Hospital in March. I am seeing the Doctor tomorrow so I can ask if she will refer me. Please help me as I am so confused and I need a holiday but am so scared to go anywhere now..... And if I get to hot or panic they I get anxiety and I can feel my heart beat getting fast but when taking my pulse it's just beating normally at 60/70 bpm....... SO WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE HELP THANK YOU....

[Sweetsugar40]

Just wanted to add to this that when my heart beat were vey fast and irregular last Aug/Sep they went anything from 180/280 bpm... But went back to normal after treatment via IV meds...

[BobD Volunteer]

There is a list by area on the main AFA website.

[Hidden]

Hi SS

We've all got AF or some type of arrhythmia on here so you'll find loads of help. I've had it for 20 years. It is very scary when you first find out but it can be dealt with and you can live with it. This forum is invaluable for getting to learn about what to do. I only joined six months ago, best thing I ever did, has changed my life quite literally.

First thing, if you can, is to try and reduce the worry and realise it's actually quite common. Jessy J has had it since age 8, and Olympic Atheletes have it. I think I'm correct in saying that atheletes are quite likely to get it later in life because of all their exercise.

If, just like me, you naturally get anxious if you have a bout, then you may find having some calming pills available to hand might be quite useful. If you think that might help I would see your GP. AF causes anxiety, and the anxiety causes AF, you have to break the circle. One night I had a really scary time, took a pill, calmed down within 30 minutes, then I knew from that point on it was my head causing the AF to become unbearable and I have hardly taken a pill since, simply because I know the reason. But they are addictive so only take very infrequently.

If you can't find an EP in Leicester, is Birmingham too far, excellent team there at the New QE. But hope you find someone closer to home. Seeing the EP will help you a lot because they are the people who know what they are doing. He/she will sort you out and get you on a proper pathway to deal with the problem.

Best wishes

Koll

[Sweetsugar40 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you BobD and Koll

I just spoke to someone on the AFA help line and he gave ma some names of EP's at Glenfield Hospital so I will be letting my GP know tomorrow so she can refer me. And yes knoll you are right being worried was making me very anxious all Oct/Nov and December. But I have started to pick up and feeling a lot better. I even went back swimming with my friend yesterday. Although I did not do my normal 50/60 lengths in 45/50 mins, but I walked in the pool for 20 and then did 10 lengths which I found was quite enough. I have not been back properly since October last year, but hoping to go back tomorrow and do the same. But thank you both again. One I see the EP and my cardiologist I will feel much better and hopefully book my holiday. And I need my heart to be ok as my son is getting married in August this year. And cause I am Indian and his fiancée is english we are having a white wedding and thing a big colourful Indian wedding all in the same week. So I need my energy..... So thank you

[mumknowsbest Volunteer]

You need to get a recording of your heart beating fast so that the know exactly what it is. Good luck in finding an EP

Eileen

[Sweetsugar40]

Well I went to see my GP to ask her to refer me to a EP at The Leicester Genral Hospital and she said she could not do that as I am seeing the cardiologist in March I have to ask him. As she did not want to go under him. Plus she said seeing an EP does not mean he will do an ablation, so I told her no I don't want an ablation I just want to know what kind of AF I have cause they told me when I was in hospital "we think you have AF" so to that she said "oh you have a history of PAF" I said "what" what history I thought to my self.... Anyway she said "it's Proximal AF which means it come and goes" I thought well even I know this.... So now I will have to wait till March when I see the cardiologist. And see what he says... Makes me feel like an IDIOT!! And make me think why did I bother...... But thank you all you have been so helpful

[Hidden in reply to Sweetsugar40]

Why couldn't she just cancel one appointment and make another. Seems pretty simple to me! Anyhow, if you're happy to wait no problem.