So went to a&e

Sorry to everyone for rambling last few days but as I can't get reply from anyone at Brompton, I took myself off to local a&e to get checked over.......taken straight in, told them what was happening showed my kardia traces, Dr said looks like AF to me, I said kardia classed one as normal one as unclassified, neither AF......he was little high, ECG was sods law normal so told nothing we can do your ECG is normal, whilst she was telling me this I had another run......told her, she said but the one I took is normal......so sent home with my heart misbehaving....going to get a cuppa get into bed and watch the election....😩😩😩

[Hidden]

Is that a good idea? You might get wound up and start throwing things at the TV.....not good for a dicky ticker 😉.....hope it soon settles

[meadfoot]

Juggsy I am so sorry you are having this issue. I had exactly the same Wednesday last week and went to the local hospital where I was staying, been there before some years ago with same type of symptoms.

I didn't get much joy either. My pulse was over 200 and the chest pain and faintness was dreadful. They said it wasn't fast af rather it was svt. Did the usual bloods, ecg etc etc. Then after waiting around six hours they decided they should have done a troponin blood test which I assumed they had already done. I was eventually sent home feeling dreadful but was back in nsr but have felt weird beats and a strange heart dithering ever since.

I intend sending my Kardia to my London cardiologist now I am back home for clarification. I haven't ever had an ablation so can't say that was the cause of weird rhythms.

It's so scary it makes us wonder how we will keep going with such symptoms, all we can do is support each other along with way and trust that our own medics who know us best will be able to point us in the right direction. Best wishes. X

[Hidden in reply to meadfoot]

I didn't even get that.......got a 20 sec ecg and sent on my way.......

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Hidden]

Juggsy, if in A&E they did an ECG and your heart rate was normal, what more would you want them to do right there and then? Bear in mind that A&E is for emergencies only and people go there to receive life saving treatment. Perhaps you need to get yourself referred to a heart specialist for a correct diagnosis as to what is going on now, but before then try to get yourself to your doctors surgery for an ECG as soon as your AF kicks off. Certainly save your Kardia readings too.

A large percentage of people live with the effects of AF. I have for at least 14 years and it's generally accepted that it's not life threatening.

Experience has taught me that anxiety will feed AF and keep it going. I wish I knew some magic words to re-assure you.

I have AF, it can be a hateful, scary condition at times, but the more you can ignore it and distract yourself from what your heart is doing, then the quicker it will return to normal sinus rhythm. It is highly unlikely to kill you. How I wish my episodes were short like yours, my attacks can last for months and are quite disabling for a few days or weeks when they start.

I repeat I've had this for at least 14 years, to start with when my heart kicked off and bounced around I thought I would surely die. My anxiety certainly fed it and made it 100 times worse. You are not new to AF, so please just get on with living your life as best you can and don't allow this condition to rule yours. At the same time put a plan into action where perhaps you could be fitted with a heart monitor for a week or so.

Wishing you well.

Jean

[Gertsen in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I agree. I had to go the Denmark for a meeting and the evening before I got AF. Told myself there was nothing I could do about it so carried on. Had AF for 23 hours - it went away climbing stairs to the 5th floor. I was tired. But quite pleased with myself for not panicking, I didn't get dizzy or faint but it was in the 140s on Kardia.

[Gedgemeister]

Out of interests, who did your traces, yourself. If so how and on what?

I sympathise. I'm going through a spate of higher incidents than normal, so what was a condition that interfered occasionally this last three months it has been a major pain. My symptoms are invariable irregular, last for 2-5 days . Last month was worse where whilst in AF the irregular rythym changed significantly at work which ended up with me in A and E via ambulance.

Your point about getting medical staff to realise the stress you're under during this is a valid one. It's the most uncomfortable feeling, but you seem to get the response "We'll, it's AF"

I'm concerned about the long term prognosis. I'm 57, if it's gets worse I'm not sure what I'll do.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Gedgemeister]

About the age my AF started then. I'm 74 now. Life goes on! What option is there? Every day you are on the green side of the turf is a good one. There are worse things to have believe me.

[Bagrat in reply to BobD]

Indeed friend's husband just diagnosed with Motor Neurone and far too many of my peers falling by rhe wayside with dementia.

[CDreamer in reply to Gedgemeister]

A&E is not the place to go for AF as it is not considered an emergency unless you have other symptoms and are in great distress so AT BEST you will monitored and at worst sit in a waiting room for 9 hours which is what happened to me last time I went to A&E.

Most GP surgeries should have an ECG monitor - that’s certainly how I got my first ECG confirmation of AF as I knew if I waited until I got hooked up in A&E I would have converted to SNR.

GP > Cardiologist > EP is the route to take - NHS route is a very long one unfortunately.

[Luludean in reply to CDreamer]

A and E have always been superb here in Cambridge. Yes you wait around but, there are people far worse off than oneself. Of your condition worsens you are seen immediately . Being in a caring environment ( bar Norovirus) is a positive step in dealing with one’s fears!

[Hidden in reply to Gedgemeister]

Have you been offered an ablation

[CDreamer]

Distraction is the only thing to do Juggsy. A&E wouldn’t have done anything without referring to Brompton anyway would they? Certainly that’s what happens here.

[Hidden]

If you cannot get through to Brompton (I presume you mean tonthe cardiac nurses)- you could always try ringing the cardiac nurses at BHF. They are extremely knowledgeable. They could advise on the most appropriate course of action given the problem.