Is there guidelines of how often you should see a cardiologist to check state of the heart when you have af, please? I have paroxysmal af, had about 3 episodes this year so far, possibly more if I count the short bursts. Then I had one yesterday, lasted about 8 hours, top rate went up to 178, the highest yet. I felt so uncomfortable I even thought I may need to go to a&e - which I haven’t done since the initial tia years ago. I haven’t seen a cardiologist for several years now 😊
Edit: I also got very hot and sweaty this time - and the house definitely wasn’t over heated!
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Tilly1957
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My cardiologist has discharged me and left it to my GP to treat which is pointless as my GP just says “you need to see cardiologist as they are the experts”! So despite me having AF + other heart problems I’m on my own with no follow ups 🤷♀️
How long ago was your diagnosis? I think mine was 5 years ago, it all seemed to settle down over the last couple of years but since the start of the year it’s raising its head again, and now feels worse when it happens. I don’t know if it’s relevant, but I was getting so hot during this episode! And I mean sweating hot 🤣 x
I’ve been at the cardio clinic for well over 6 years, seen 3 different cardiologists over time. It seems clinics are trying to lower patient numbers as this has happened to other people I know. I have a pacemaker so have to go back for pacing appts but otherwise I’ve been abandoned.
I see my Cardiologist annually - he sends a report to my GP whom I see every six months for a general check and prescription renewal. The Cardio always says if there is anything that is bothering me, I should see him in between annual visits.
My GP surgery is closed this week because of “the pandemic and staff shortage” yet again ! So there’s nowhere for us to go if problems arise ! When I go to my next pacing appt I’m going to complain !
Bantam I was diagnosed 7 years ago PAF , in all that time I have seen a cardiologist once and that was because I insisted. No yearly blood tests done ither. Just left to get on with it. I dont even have an AF nurse to contact. Been to A E a couple of times when episodes went on too long but I was just monitored and self converted. Fear plays a big part I think because you feel so alone in it all. Thank goodness for this forum. It helps a lot .
When your HR goes over 150 it can feel most uncomfortable and quite scary. We’re you on your own or was there someone there with you who could watch you?
As far as I am aware there are no guidelines for how often to see a cardiologist as most AF can be managed by a GP with guidance from Cardiology.
However, there are guidelines as to what sort of monitoring for how you are tolerating drugs you take, which again are a GP matter. I’ve been on Healthy Heart list in GP surgery since I diagnosed which basically means an annual check of bloods, BP, weight and a talk with the Practice Nurse. If anything comes up at that appointment a recommendation is made for follow up by the GP or to see cardiologist.
Trouble with the NHS is that it’s not one organisation and every hospital and district has differing protocols and resources in order to be able to monitor patients and AF is not considered a serious enough condition although it feels it to us.
If you episodes are worsening and you are concerned - which I think you are - make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible to discuss.
178 HR is quite high and if you are concerned in the future with a HR that high for more than a few hours then I would ring 111 or ask for Paramedics to assess rather than go to A&E yourself, especially these days as you could be sitting in waiting room for hours. I’ve always found the Paramedics are very helpful and used to assessing whether or not you need to go to hospital.
My local cardiology department have me on annual check which is usually these days a phone call with the consultant and I also have e mail contact with my EP in London. Your GP should be doing regular (annual ) blood tests for things like liver and kidney function plus sugar etc once over a certain age. or of on anticoagulants. AF per se is not one of those things that needs regular checks if properly controlled but should be recorded in a data base by you surgery.
Thank you . I have a feeling I may be heading towards discussing rate control meds or something with the gp. Biso kept the rate down but I felt so I’ll with it! 😊
Yes, I posted a lot about my bisoprolol issues! Current meds (xarelto & bendroflumethiazide) have been sufficient so far, but yesterdays episode was worse than normal. If/when happens again I may phone 111 for advice. I feel 8 hours at erratically high rates isn’t particularly good for my heart! X
I would definitely phone 111 if you are having high rates plus unusual symptoms. They will send you to A&E but in our area that means you don’t have to sit in a waiting room as you have an A&E ‘appointment’.
You may need to find out about your magnesium and potassium levels. When I was first in resus they found the bendroflumethiazide I had taken for years had stripped these and they stopped me taking them.
We had good long discussions, my gp and I, he has AF too, everything is stable, in between these infrequent episodes, but I will go back if I get another episode sooner rather than later . Thank you 😊
It seems to me to depend on where you live. I was diagnosed about 29 years ago and have been seen by cardiology every 12 months at the very least. For the past 10+ years it had been 2/3 times a year. Also depends on what drug treatment you are on as regular blood testing will be needed.
Hi, I haven’t seen my cardiologist for over two years now. I did speak to her on the phone once when Covid was really bad. But had no yearly check ups for about three years now. Had AF sconce 2010. Been really bad many times and had ablation and numerous cardio versions done. After all this time I think us Afibs know what to do if we have an attack. My medication is spot on know. Obviously change of lifestyle helps tremendously.
Yes, lifestyle changes help a lot, and I know most of my triggers. I have a lot of low level ongoing stress at the moment and that could part of the issue. X
I pay privately to see my cardiologist once a year, even when there have been no problems. Each visit I gain more information, peace of mind for the checkup ritual including an NHS ECG and an update on the latest viewpoint. Happy to pay around £250 for this.
At 178, you should have been seen in A&E. This happened to me once and I was placed on Bisoprolol, which I am still on. However, I also opted to have two ablations. The first was a disaster since I suffered two subjural haematomas as a result of warfarin use but the second has been successful, in the main.
It didn’t stay long at that rate, spiked a few times . Bisoprolol really didn’t agree with me, nor a couple of others we tried - I think I also had a calcium channel blocker as well at some point. Not that I am troublesome with meds or anything like that 🤣 but he must groan when sees my name on his list for the day !
I'm seen annually, well phone call these days, by the cardiologist. I didnt get on with any of the beta blockers made me very ill. I was moved onto a calcium channel blocker Verapamil. Been good since. I doubt your GP could prescribe that without advice from cardiologist. Id ask to be referred back. Ringing 111 might help but Ive got say they only ever told me to go to a&e!! Lol....who used to keep me in overnight then send me to GP when they'd reopened! So you really need being referred back to cardiology to be reviewed.
I didn’t get on with bisoprolol, and whatever he prescribed next I told him it would make me I’ll, didn’t believe me, so when I rang the next day and asked them to let him know I had been violently sick all night 🤣 he then prescribed the med I asked for in the first place that I already knew worked for me (with consultation with pharmacist) I felt quite brave arguing with a doctor about my meds ! 😊
Hi Tilly 🙂 as I understand it once you are diagnosed with P-AF you only get to see a consultant or attend an arrhythmia clinic if your condition changes or you wish to discuss a change of treatment or medication.
The first 2 years following my diagnosis of P-AF I attended the arrhythmia clinic once a year to see a nurse then I was discharged to the care of my GP.
That sounds about right. Although it was my GP who changed my beta blockers (stopped) after I told him I wanted to. We discussed all the pro’s & con’s and tried different alternatives to help with rate control and bp , but I react to starch and done of the excipients in medications 😊
I have found that it's necessary to ask for hospital appointments, otherwise, once the basic NICE guidelines have been followed there is a tendency to do little. You can also find yourself discharged without being told as I did. I would have thought a yearly consultation with a GP would be a basic requirement with a referral to an EP if anything has changed. A lot can change in a year heartwise as I have discovered! There is also a worrying trend to say "go to A and E" when you report anything to a GP. I'm not sure if this is true, but when I spoke to ambulance staff recently they insisted that GPs didn't want to make home visits (because of Covid) and so used the A and E service as an alternative.
Mich as I appreciate the recommendation of a yearly review with GP, in reality the state of my GP Service has collapsed. These days they only see urgent, chronic are not looked at! They text everything else. Recently they sent text message stating I need blood tests.....however no one can tell me what these tests are even the doctors because they are computer generated. Shocking state of affairs. I dont know if other people have encountered this problem. Im resorting to a private GP.
Hi Tilly, After 2 - 3 years of PAF I found I had to go privately from the beginning as the waitlist on NHS was 6mths to a year. It was the best thing as it turned out. I am now going every 6 months- £120. He puts any scans ecgs etc on the NHS. It has given me peace of mind. My GP wasn’t very sympathetic as I had attended A & E in the beginning. I spose we each have to decide what is best for us. My cardio told me that I have every right to go between NHS and private. Also my stress levels are pretty low knowing I am being looked after.
West Sussex. I think my first consultation was £180. I hope you get sorted. It seems these days the NHS waiting lists are so long. I’ve been waiting a year to get an NHS appt. for cardiology hence I ended up paying even before that because it was so long. I don’t think AF is seen as very serious compared to some heart conditions so we have to wait our turn. At the moment my episodes are fewer than in the beginning.
A heart rate of 178 and duration of 8 hrs would warrant a trip to A&E. a follow up appointment would have been arranged. You risk going into VF with that. Do you have pill in pocket for such occasions. There is no routine follow up in this area(n e Essex) if you have meds and stable. It’s a case of see GP for referral if needed. I hope you get a follow up soon. Maybe try ringing cardiologists secretary to remind them that you’re out there needing an appointment
Hi, thank you. Going to be dim and ask what vf is? My head says ventricular failure? I am in Essex, Colchester or Ipswich are my closest hospitals. I was discharged back to the gp ages ago - I think I will dig out the letters. 😊
Ventricular fibrillation, it’s a recognised shockable rhythm, some people have cardiac arrest, some go into VF. I’m in sunny Colchester, always found A&E to be good if it’s ya ticker playing up. ❤️
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