There I was cooking dinner and suddenly thought I feel a bit odd next thing I know I hit the deck and wasn’t on this planet for a couple of minutes. The only thing I hurt was my dignity!
I wear an Apple Watch so checked my heart rate, I know this prob only gives a rough guide but generally not to far out.
Was quite shocked to see heart rate had dropped to 40bpm I do have an erratic heartbeat and can go from 65bpm right up to 152bpm. It’s about 82 now which is fine.
Not sure wether to do anything about it or not or was it just one of those things, I’m not the sort to worry but do find this concerning.
J
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judes
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Hi judes. Why not give 111 a call or the BHF nurses tomorrow? I’m assuming you’ve got a known and monitored condition but you shouldn’t be collapsing like that.
Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve spoilt dinner when I first had probs with my eyes I put a jar of sweet and sour sauce with some beef mince. Disgusting don’t try it😂😂
I agree that you should seek advice. Can your watch tell whether your heart stopped? It sounds from your faint very much like a pause. I suffer from sinus node bradycardia. I wish I’d wrapped myself up in cotton wool after my first blackout in the kitchen. The second was at the top of the stairs and you can guess the rest 🤕 I was fitted with a pacemaker and now I’m right as rain. Please take extra care.
Hi Jude’s, you’re impressively calm about it, which is good - my anxiety usually only makes things worse
That said, please phone 111 as soon as you can. An unexplained faint (syncopal event) needs immediate checking out, i was told when I fainted 18m ago.
It may not be possible to physically go to a clinic but if it is, and is reasonably safe covid-wise, I’d imagine they’d want to do an ECG and check your blood.
Does your Apple Watch have the ECG function (series 4 or 5, I think)? It is a little after the faint, but you could try running this and sending the result to your doctor.
There may be a non-worrying reason why. Maybe you were dehydrated and that lowered your low blood pressure - that often makes me swoon. Maybe you are fighting a bug or virus - that with slight fever & dehydration made my husband faint once.
In all likelihood it is something simple but better to check. Hoping you just need to drink more water 😉
I was told when my HR was in the Low 30s there was a possibility my pauses came from that. The longest pause I had was 3 seconds, lucky I didn't fall over !! Do you take your Blood Pressure at Home ?? My Heart Nurse asks me take my BP and then stand up to take it again.
Do you have a Heart Nurse for your Heart Failure, and do you have a decent EF ??
I have been told also to watch what I am doing as Entresto is being increased, I believe that this medication that can make you dizzy by dropping your Blood Pressure. Bisoprolol also keeps the Heart Rate down.
I think I am right in saying Low EF Low Blood Pressure, Low Pulse = being very close to the floor !!
I had a faint, went to A & E to be checked out. Stayed for 24 hrs but didnt find any cause. Whilst on monitor I noticed my heart beat was dropping to 43 on the monitor and warning of low heart rate appeared on screen but was told all was well.
My wife suffered in a similar way, dizzy spells and faints, but when she went for ECG etc there was nothing found.
Eventually she had an extended episode with a pulse of 32. 999, blues and twos, and she was very quickly fitted with a pacemaker. That was several years ago, no incidents since then.
I'm not saying you need a pacemaker, but please make sure you sit down or rest when you have an 'attack', you don't want to fall over and break anything.
You need to seek help, but don't be surprised if they don't find anything, you will probably be fitted with a monitor which will check your ticker over an extended period.
My ef is now below 40, I don’t have a heart nurse but that was my choice we had a difference of opinion! I’m so stubborn sometimes and know what I want with regard to treatment, didn’t quite match hers. I have a very good GP
I have decided to keep an eye on things and if it happens again will do something about it.
I’m quite laid back about things and tend not to worry, what will be will be.
When I was an endurance athlete, and my heart worked OK, a pulse rate of 30 was OK.
When I had Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and my pulse rate was dropping to 35 at night it was not OK - my SPo2 dropped to 75, and, some days, I was waking up paralysed from the eyelids down! My late wife sometimes lay awake in bed at night wondering when my heart would beat again!
Your low ef would mean that a low pulse rate would be a problem.
I have an Apple Watch, and the ECG function has enabled me to identify AF triggers - it also monitors my heart rate overnight - so I will get a notification if my pacemaker fails (as did the last one, due to a flat battery).
It seems to me that you would be a candidate for a pacemaker.
Your ventricles are equipped with a survival emergency pulse generator. So if you are in a complete or near complete heartblock or LBBB then it takes over but your pulse would be under 40 bpm. This condition will require a pacemaker inserted.
Definitely worth getting it checked out - I also had a slow rate & was diagnosed with heart failure . I used my Apple Watch ECG function when I used to feel a bit faint or that I had done too much just to check if it was inconclusive or not to reassure myself as much as anything or to make me stop over doing it. I now have an ICD fitted
5 years ago I spent some time in ICU, 2 years later was in ICU again, in Italy of all places, missed the rest of my cruise! This was primarily a lung prob. Prior to this I had several strokes and blood clots all over the place.
In the last 18 months or so my heart has decided that it didn’t want to play anymore,I get very breathless, legs swell up and choices had to be made.
My choice was not to have any further intervention, as long as I was pain free and comfortable, I’m tired of being tired. I know I’m on borrowed time.
You lot have certainly had an effect on me, in the nicest possible way, haven’t really told anyone how I feel before.
It has happened yo me 3 times ,down on my knees,stand up,bang hit the floor,if your on bisoprolol speak to your GP OR HF team about reducing yor med,i was on 10 ml now 7.5,EF 30 % so don't want to reduce my enestro dosage,highest dosage,try not to worry and stay safe
If I had severe heart failure and an episode of syncope, I would be dialling 999, regardless of Covid 19.
I don't have heart failure, but 8 months ago, I had a similar episode to you. One minute I was loading some shopping into the back of my car and the next, I was on the floor with blood pouring out of my head. The head injury looked worse than it was, but the paramedic noticed I had an abnormal ECG. I was taken to hospital and a pacemaker fitted the next day for heart block. I am now getting better and better by the day. I would urge you to see a doctor ASAP because if you have a heart block or other arrhythmia, it could be fatal. Better safe than sorry.
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