Pacemaker needed?

[Lydia1960]

Am having serious symptoms that suggest a pacemaker might be needed. Dizziness, feeling faint, severe chest pain, heart palpitations, weakness, extreme fatigue, poor sleep, feeling sick, shortness of breath, pulse rate up and down, sometimes over 100pm. All connected to chronic stress. This is suggestive of tachycardia or syncope. What tests would indicate these serious symptoms so that the GP can recognise that treatment is urgently needed. Had a blood test but that came back negative.

It has been suggested that all of these could be connected to diabetes, but it is clear there is more to it than that. Any advice on how I can convince the GP that surgery is probably needed, and urgently?

[Sina-6491]

Hello there.

I, as many of my friends on this forum will tell you, have had all of the above symptoms on more than one occasion. Which doesn't automatically lead to any kind of surgery. So please don't worry yourself by creating a diagnosis that isn't yet fact. Your symptoms could be a huge range of things. It just needs a little time and patients to investigate.

Evan if in the future you do indeed need some kind of medical intervention. The stress and anxiety you are putting yourself under now, is what is going to make you collapse. Not some illness that hasn't evan been diagnosed.

My advice, Keep a diary, document everything:

1 . What stress were you under at the time when you were having these episodes?

2 . Diet, food & drink, what did you eat or drink in tge 24/hours around the episode?

3 . Physical activity, what was you physically doing at time of episodes?

4 . Sleep patterns, are you sleeping well, or are you suffering from insomnia at all?

5 . Any meds unrelated to heart that you have taken before or around time of episodes. including things like simple parosetimol, if you have taken them several times in the 24/hour spell of episodes.

6 . Is there stress in your personal life such as with family, friends or neighbours?

7 . Is there stress at work, uni, college etc?

8 . Is there stressful events involved, moving home, new job, weddings, holidays, parties etc?

9 . Have you been ill with common cold, flu virus, headaches, backache etc, tgat gas made you vulnerable?

Document at least 24 hours around time of episode that you are worried about. Write down what your symptoms were at the time and how long they lasted.

This is then a clear history for your Gp. Book a double appointment if poss. Sit quietly to give your Gp space & time to read and take it all in.

Keep a copy for yourself and make sure your Gp is aware of this.

Then if you are still concerned your Gp isn't taken your worries seriously. Then ask to see another Gp for a second opinion.

If it is a possibility that this is down to anxiety rather than physical. Then your Gp should recognise that you need some support.

They could recommend you visit the practice nurse to descuss your worries more in depth. Maybe organise some supportive councilling to get to the bottom of it.

However, us guys on here can only go by our own experiences and the advice we have read in eachother's quires. We are not medically trained.

So if in doubt at all, at anyone time. If you strongly feel your chest pains are indeed chest pains. Rather than any kind of anxiety. Then you must get to A&E amediantly. You can ether get someone to take you, or call 111 or if you feel it is an emergency, then of course the obvious 999.

Please try to relax, maybe listen to some gently music or whatever it is you like to do to relax. Nice bath with a few candles is a fav of mine.

Just take care of yourself and keep us updated on how you are doing. Best wishes Jo xx

[Mary_Janet in reply to Sina-6491]

This reply really is excellent and a comprehensive reply that I can only support what Jo is saying

[Lydia1960 in reply to Mary_Janet]

Absolutely spot on Mary-Janet. A brilliant overall examination of what is needed to gather information on this particular topic of anxiety. Yeah, sure. I'll do that. Should provide some serious details for the doctor to ruminant upon. Thanks.

[Gabbi1966]

Hi, I have just had a pacemaker fitted after having very similar symptoms to you. I asked for a referral to a cardiologist he did all the regular tests but couldn’t catch anything but eventually implanted a heart loop recorder. The loop recorder showed the doctors in A & E what had happened as last week I fainted, my heart had slowed and stopped whilst asleep, an electrical fault has been diaognoised and pacemaker fitted to stop this happening. Hope this helps?

[gal4God]

I’ve just had a pacemaker for a lot of these symptoms. My heart rate is normal tho.