My Home ECG reading? AF or Ectopics - Atrial Fibrillati...

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My Home ECG reading? AF or Ectopics

wendy6 profile image
25 Replies

As you may know from my recent posts Ive been having aweful time past 5 days with ectopics and palpitations. Ive been recording them and the photo attached is the typical of what Im having every minute of the day.

I think overnight I went into sinus rhythm - I found a 2mg of Diazepam from years ago and took it and it calmed me enough to sleep. But soon after getting up my heart was irregular again and has been all morning. As the day goes on it begins to hurt.

I know you are not medical professionals (well some of you might be) but could you look at my recording and say whether you think its AF or lots of ectopics/SVTs bunched together?

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wendy6
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25 Replies
Finvola profile image
Finvola

That looks uncomfortable, wendy. I don't see any p waves, so it looks like AF to me.

mjames1 profile image
mjames1

Looks like afib. I'd share this ekg with your ep ASAP and if you're experiencing unusual chest pain, I'd go to the A&E to get checked out.

Jim

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to mjames1

Thank you I'm in A& E now. 6 hour wait to see doctor...hope its worth it 🤞

mjames1 profile image
mjames1 in reply to wendy6

Yikes. That is a long wait, but they certainly will do a 12-lead and sort it out for you. Single lead ekg's have their limitations. Make sure you ask for your own copy of the ekg so that you will be able to share it with another doctor, if needed.

Jim

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to mjames1

Thanks Jim,I'm still here in A& E 10 hours now and counting. Seen Doctor...bloods all OK, Echo I had done last week all normal.

Doctor is going to discuss with Cardiologist re referral and if Holter is needed????

And as my HR is normal not fast so even though its irregular

They assessed as normal sinus rhythm with superventricular tachycardia

They are not worried about it.

mjames1 profile image
mjames1 in reply to wendy6

That's really good news and I hope the peace of mind was worth the wait. Holter sounds like a good idea although you have the single lead ekg more or less covered with the Kardia. That's two of our members in the A&E today, you and 'The Transporter'. One of Those days.

Jim

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to mjames1

Good morning Jim,I'm still in A& E kept waiting in chair in waiting room all night 😫🥱

Had chest xray. Going to see Cardiologist sometime in morning. So hopefully will be worth the ordeal.

Jalia profile image
Jalia

I would get this checked out . Certainly something going on which needs a professional to diagnose and treat.

Do bear in mind that we are always told that advice for any pain should be sought ASAP.

Jacquisp profile image
Jacquisp

Hi Wendy. I am still learning so couldn't say, but agree with the others that you should ask your Dr. Sorry you are struggling with this.

mwcf profile image
mwcf

Looks like ectopics to me. There’s 3 groupings/runs of 4 on that tracing that look identical. Some bigeminy, trigeminy and one run of maybe 6 or 7? I’m no doc but my own AF never looked like that. But I’ve had hours-long episodes of ectopics that did. And I sympathise it ain’t pleasant…. There appears to be too much organised grouped beating in the for it to be AF (classily defined as irregularly irregular). Whatever it is please get it checked out ASAP and keep us posted.

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to mwcf

Thank you I'm in A&E now..6 hour wait to see doctor 🙄 I hope its worth it 🤞

Kingfisher44 profile image
Kingfisher44

Hi Wendy,

I know just how uncomfortable that is! Thank you so much for sharing as people look at me blankly when I try to explain what’s happening. Mine started after my first ablation. At its worst every couple of minutes for days on end and then I will get a clear day and the relief! My chest tightens before each group and if they have been particularly strong it causes a ‘hiccup’.

I also get pains across the chest but the cardiologist has said there is no reason for this or he thinks something else is causing the discomfort- echo clear and ct scan clear. It is very frustrating and I worry something has been missed.

I did wear a monitor for 24hrs and was told mine were mixed - AF, tachy and eptopic. Sometimes I get all the tightening sensation with no rapid beats. Cardiologist said I described what he could see during the second ablation and called them pre AF episodes.

I really hope you manage to get some respite from yours and your doctor is able to help.

Take care

ECG
wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to Kingfisher44

Thank you, I can't get to see GP been trying since last Wednesday...so I'm in A&E now. Will be 6 hour wait to see doctor..hope its worth it 🤞

Kingfisher44 profile image
Kingfisher44 in reply to wendy6

Hope you don’t have to wait that long and you are able to get some answers and help when you do. It can be so frustrating trying to get appointments!

Buffafly profile image
Buffafly

Hi Wendy, did you see anyone and how did you get on?

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to Buffafly

Hello, I'm in A& E now, 6 hour wait to see a doctor, so hope it's worth it 🤞

SeanJax profile image
SeanJax

in a nutshell it looks to me as a brady tachycardia syndrome. Your heart slowed down below 40 bpm and the junctional rhythm took over and a group of qrs complexes took over and this group of heart beats look like atrial tachycardia than flutter to me, you did not give any indication about your past medical history or treatment to point us in the right direction. Anyway a pacemaker is recommended after a week of holter . See with your ep ASAP. If you are Uk to speed up go private or go straight to A&E. Your heart rate is to slow and a lot of pauses.

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to SeanJax

Thank you for reply...I thought it looked like brady/tach cardiac. Possibly sick sinus syndrome 😟Anyway I'm in A& E now...6 hour wait to see a doctor so hope it's worth it 🤞

SeanJax profile image
SeanJax in reply to wendy6

it is worth the waiting time and they will speed up the process for you. Take care and well wishes. Bear with them the workloads

MaryCa profile image
MaryCa

No P Wave. Looks like AFib to me too

frazeej profile image
frazeej

Looks like classic afib to me. Very clearly the P waves are absent, and the irregularity is pronounced. Other than that, this is a really good looking trace-what device is it made on?

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to frazeej

Yes worried might be Afib or Brady/Tachycardia cardiac.The monitor make is EMAY have used for few years. Save readings on PC not phone. Is a bit clunky downloading and having to save each one as pdf in order to send or print.

It doesn't define different arrhythmia s though.

Just arrhythmia, bradycardia, tachycardia, missed beat.

Hello Wendy. I see Sinus bradycardia with short runs of SVT . There are some tiny P waves when you HR is very slow. SVT is HR above 150 and no P wave.

wendy6 profile image
wendy6 in reply to Sustainedvtach270

Hello,Interesting interpretation... I used to suffer from AF for 9 years before Ablation (6 years ago) and this just doesn't feel like AF.

HR is not fast. It does jump up and down from 50 to 100 through 30secs. But averages 75bpm.

I'm actually in A& E now with a 6 hour wait to see doctor 🙄

Has been 6 days now getting more and more anxious...need answers..... reassurance🤞

wendy6 profile image
wendy6

You were right DrDave,

So I went into A&E on Monday...was in there 22 hours on a chair! anyway ECG showed normal sinus with odd Ectopics and runs of SVT's.

NIGHTMARE 24 HOURS IN A&E - This time because I self-referred walked into A&E not via 111, I was triaged to UTC which I now know is Walk In Centre area with GPs and nurses only. Ive never been to this area before and mistakenly thought I had been fast-tracked past A&E because I had presented at checking with arrythmia, chest pains and dizziness telling them I’ve been suffering with this for 5 days!!!! So I waited in UTC for 4 hours, had an ECG they took 2 readings. Saw doctor who after looking at ECGs told me was definitely in arrythmia I need to go to A&E because she is a GP and will need bloods etc !!!!!!

I was given a folder with my notes and ECGs which I studied closely. It stated normal sinus, with SVTs. You keep your own folder in this A&E cos they move you about so much.

I waited another 4 hours in A&E, had bloods taken and was sent to Red Zone Major Assessment area (where I went last time in February for 14 hours) which is just a spin-off holding area from A&E, probably so they can keep their A&E waiting times within agreed times! I waited here in crowded waiting room with standing room only so people lying on floors from 10pm to 1.30pm next day . During the night I saw a nice junior doctor who took the time to listen to me, went through all my medical history, checked chest etc. said would request chest Xray as well. Said ECGs showed definite pattern of arrythmia, and I would see Cardiologist in the morning.

I felt optimistic...went back to my hard chair in waiting area. Needless to say, no sleep making heart even worse.

I had a man who came in drunk with bleeding face, lying at my feet for most of the night, I’m not exaggerating.

So, I waited - nurse came round with a mobile monitor every few hours taking BPs and vitals to check we were all still alive!

I checked with reception a couple of time to see when Cardiologists would come, they said could be any time from 11am to 11pm!

At 11.30am I got called in to see who I thought would be Cardiologist...but no it the same senior A&E consultant I saw at my last visit. I said Oh I think I saw you last time she said yes probably. She started talking telling me my heart is fine no need to worry, Echo I had done recently is good no heart failure etc, heart is in normal sinus rhythm, she in fact implied that I shouldn't have come into A&E, saying you know this dept is for urgent cases and emergencies!!! I said NO I saw the ECGs taken yesterday it clearly showed SVTs ....So I showed her my home monitor print outs I had taken for past 5 days ...and stressed that I have been in this arrythmia pattern 24/7 for 6 days now. She huffed and started to rummage through my paperwork but couldn't find the ECGs taken yesterday, she turned to her junior and said where are they? he went out came back no ECGs. So, she must have been looking at old ECGs in my file and on the system!!! She said they would take another ECG now then I could go home, told her junior to arrange this. I asked would I be able to see a Cardiologist today she said no. If needed will make a referral.

Told to go and wait, but I overhead junior doctor asking nurse to do urgent ECG she said not possible as short staffed so busy. I refused to go and wait in room again and hung around reception area. It was so busy in there chaotic in fact. After 30 minutes, I grabbed the nurse attention and pleaded I was feeling exhausted and dizzy from heart and lack of sleep. She managed to find a cubicle and monitor and begrudgingly did ECG. I then had to wait for doctor to review it. Again, told to go wait. but no seats available now, so stood for another hour!!!! so back to reception and pleaded for result. Same Junior doctor came out and told had reviewed and ECG clearly showed some arrythmia so they will request an urgent Holter monitor and cardiologist appt.

I’m still in same weird sequence of normal....ectopic....5 grouped SVTs...ectopic...normal repeat and this is continuous 24/7 with varying level of force according to how anxious I am.

But at least I now know that my no heart failure and chest ok. So will try not to worry and just try to keep calm and carry on despite heart telling me otherwise!

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