It all started on Tuesday. I had a bloated feeling and thought it was trapped wind? Took a Windeze and it seemed to help that feeling but then got a tingling in my face which was weird this then progressed to my shoulder's, arms and chest. It then seemed to ease and I just carried on. It was an effort all day to get my breath on the simplest of things but thought with lousy weather and just getting over a lurgy probably that?
Wednesday was a very usual day but breathing was still lousy, and that strange feeling and tingling was coming back. It was more an annoyance than a worry. Well, that was then starting to change fast and the tingling was getting a lot worse and my joints were aching far more than they had for some time. Tried to get an urgent appointment with a GP but after many attempts at trying to connect I was in a queue number 14! Once my turn was up, I asked for an urgent appointment to be told "Sorry you need to call at 08:30 tomorrow as we have no one available" (Never used to be like this before covid) By the end of this I had my dinner to eat which I did mostly but started to feel worse. The Wife insisted I call 111 This was met with all lines are busy due to the latest industrial action! (Ambulance Drivers Strike) After eventually getting through I spoke to a very nice lady who went through the usual sheets of questions. She mentioned that I seemed to be struggling with my breathing while talking to her so I told her that I am only 90% O2 and in AF which is not that unusual for me. She then asked for some time while she speaks to someone and put me on hold. By the time she come back my pins and needles had progressed to my chest. She went through the Stroke questioning which was negative. Asked me to hold once more? Did not seem to long and she told me that the Ambulance Control will call me! Sure, enough they were on the phone informing me that a specialist crew are on their way and made sure that they knew exactly how to find our house?
Once the Ambulance arrived to very nice paramedics were in my lounges and wiring me up. My blood pressure was through the roof (Surprise not) and my ECG was not looking good at all it seems. so, they hear my chest and a few more questions with another ecg. At that point they told me to put something that opens at the front and I am off to one of our main hospitals. They had given me 3 GTN sprays in total and that did seem to ease the pins and needles but not completely. I was taken into the RAT ward and looked at promptly by a Doctor. Another ECG and he took bloods. I was moved 5 times in total and seen by another doctor who informed me I had hypocalcemia and my AF was not good. I would have to have a drip of calcium and another blood test ASAP. I was on a monitor and the first drip (I thought only drip) was started and finished about 20 mins later. I thought that was nice and quick how long before my pins and needles stop? But then another nurse comes in with a litre bottle/bag of calcium drip and the settings meant it was an 11-hour infusion! Then they decide to move to another ward AMU. this went into .....
Thursday morning but in the early hours it finished they disconnected me and my pins and needles had gone! I could now get to sleep and I slept like a log. Usual hospital routine in the morning warm toast warm tea and more obs etc through the day. Doctor comes to bedside and states the blood test after my calcium infusion seems to have worked but you are also showing Magnesium deficiency! Then tells me how serious that was! some many hours later my smaller bag of magnesium comes but it is infused slower so a 5.5-hour infusion. Once more it finished in the early hours and once more, I slept like a log.
Friday: I thought I would have a chance of going home but my body thought otherwise. Not only was my heart rate going up and down 60 to 143 my O2 was 88 to 94. I was put on oxygen and basically told not going anywhere until that settles down. It took some convincing that the AF is not that unusual and my O2 is average 92/94 . So that was my target or I stay until it is sorted!
Saturday: They dropped the O2 bit by bit as I was improving until I got the bingo moment where they said I can go, but I have to change some of my meds as they think they were part of the problem so a long wait for them then I can go. Called the wife to pick me up and bring a coat etc. We were still waiting for med from hospital pharmacy. When the nurse was doing the other patients stats etc. He was a great guy and said Well I am here I will do one on you while you are waiting? Yes, you guessed it was not good so he left me after apologising to find a doctor. Back they come and she orders an ECG this was not so bad this time and the doctor insisted I mention the low O2 to my GP (I can see that being a bit of a battle) After 5 hours of been told my meds are coming, they came and off to home and bed we went. Thank you, NHS,
Be well
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Offcut
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Pleased to hear you were so well looked after Offcut after a bit of a battle to begin with. So pleased you eventually went home. Wishing you better days ahead and happy new year to you. Please take care. Xxx👍
Sometimes we just never know the answer. Pete went to A&E recently with breathlessness, chest tightness and low blood pressure. He was thoroughly checked, given fluids and Rivaroxaban as he now apparently has AF like me. They didn’t really know what was going on though and why his BP had plummeted. It wasn’t a heart attack anyway.
Once you get past 21 it all seems to happen does it not? My BP was through the roof which is unusual for me. I said to paramedics I do not like going to hospital as they seem to find something new which they did this time
That comment to Bob made me laugh. I'm the same, busy but couldn't actually list what I've been doing. The day just flashes by.
Good to hear from you again. Do you have to take supplements now to prevent the lack of minerals happening again? I've taken magnesium capsules for a few years as it's meant to help prevent AF.
I do have to change and been instructed on what I need from my GP? However, after 57 mins waiting to speak to a receptionist to get a telephone appointment, I am not 100% sure it will all be completed today?
Sorry you had such a scary time but sounds like you got sorted. Do find the jigging from one ward to another a bit of a pain but good they did appropriate investigations and you are home.
I am going to PH clinic in Sheffield soon (92 miles away) but they increased that (3 x 50mg daily) about 3 years ago and it improved/stabilised my PH. I would have concerns as I do not want to go back to how I was before diagnosis. I am WHO class iii high
I hope you continue on the mend. Pharmacy delays seem to be a dreadful issue in many hospitals and I know they frustrate the staff a great deal. I was kept waiting twelve hours in 2019 and I know it's still a major issue. It seems very wrong to me.
Hi Offcut, sorry to hear about your troubles but you may have helped me in the process. I too have AF and in addition have diverticular disease, gastritis and gallstones. In the last few weeks I have started to experience numbness in my hands which wakes me during the night. I have spoken to the surgery nurse who dismissed it as a positional problem when sleeping. However in the last few days my numbness is now being experienced during the day and has spread to my forearms and lower legs. I also have a cerebral fog decent on me and get confused. All of these symptoms come in waves and are accompanied by finding it more difficult to breathe but only during the wave and then returns to almost normal. When I read your post there was a light bulb moment as apparently hypocalciumia can be brought about by amongst other things stomach disorders. These disorders preventing the body from taking in the proper amounts of nutrients. I am currently waiting for a GP calling me.
One of the most common causes of hypocalcemia is rock bottom vitamin D coupled with low calcium intake. Vit D causes calcium to be absorbed from the intestines. As well as getting your gastritis sorted out you should get your vit D level checked as well.
That was à very interesting read and also extremely helpful for any of us who have similar symptoms . Glad it went well and sorry you are still breathless.Take care
Did they ever determine if you have hypoglycemia, Low blood sugar? The meds I am on state as one of the side effects that one won’t be able to tell if their blood sugar dropped. That is concerning because I have blanked out due to it getting too low and obviously when the sugar levels are too low it means you have too much insulin and that can cause a huge number of symptoms. Drs seem to pay a great amount of attention to diabetes but ignore those of us that are hypo. This is a concern. We actually have to eat like we are diabetics BTW. I hope you continue to stay on the mend.
I was/am diabetic but did have my blood sugars checked and they were well down into normal. (Had a very bad reaction to Metformin) Got it down with diet and try to stick to it.
same hear with metformin now on insulin and it works, back in october my inr was high 6.6 so told to see doctor then had lots of bloods done my a/c was low my 4 duatics had stopped working very bad diaorhh and worst pins and needles i have ever had that is when they called me in to hospital when they found out i had low calcium no magesium low vit d then my inr suddenly dropped , oh what fun (problemchild of 72 )
back in october i had had a blood test at gps then 8.15 pm had a phone call from h ospital told i have low calcium get to hospital now with overnight bag ,spent 24hrs in A&E before being taken to a ward given a small calcium drip and magnesium drink next day moved to high dependensy ward 12 drips of magesium and 12 hour drip of calcium fot 5 days . the pins and needles i had for 2 years was being treated for diabetes wrong like you AF heart failure metel valve mitra . one the treatment started pin and needles stoped heart calmed down tblets changed vitamin tablets increased as that had droped the my warfarin had droped some tablets stopped some changed some loweredmy comunity maatron as now told me my magesium had droped through the floor and another patient of hers as now got the same problem and being treated for diabetes wrong so to all those people out there if pins and needle get you magnesium checked first .😍
I was given a small bag of Something? Then the big bag of calcium 11 hours infusion that is when my pins and needles went then the smaller bag of 5 hour magnesium infusion. I have no plan of if I need to have regular blood tests?
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Constant feeling but nsr on ecg
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Feeling rubbish after ablation
It's a lovely feeling
What does AF feel like, and when should you go to a hospital?
