Flutteirng/quivering in chest then pulse stops for a few seconds

[helpimstuck]

Hello, very worried about my heart at the moment The last few weeeks I have been getting this kind of fluttering in my chest, like a quivering, it's definitely not palpitations as they feel different this is a new feeling i've never had before, also when it's happening I feel my pulse in my arm and the pulse misses a beat/stops for 2-3 seconds then returns to normal only until the fluttering returns, I am really worried about now, I have been a long time user of cocaine since my late teens (I'm now 35) I know I am an idiot but I won't go into detail of why I do that here, mostly mental health and depression etc. Sitting here debating whether to go hospital or not...

[Brandibell]

Hi, i am not one to judge as obviously nobody is perfect infact I don't really like that label either. As far as your heart is concerned I would log when it happens and see if the two are related.

If you develop chest pains then definitely get to the hospital or ring 999. It sounds like eptopics/arrythmia's.

[helpimstuck in reply to Brandibell]

Last time I could cocaine was on Friday night, it's been happening ever since at sporadic intervals, the last time I took cocaine was 2 weeks before the Friday and it was happening randomly over the course of those 2 weeks, it's been happening a lot tonight though, definitely going to go hospital I think.

Thanks for the reply.

[JaneFinn in reply to helpimstuck]

Hope you’re doing ok - please do let us know what they said. Thanks!

[helpimstuck in reply to JaneFinn]

Went to hospital and got an ECG done and all was normal including my obs, but I wasn't experiencing the fluttering during the ECG so it didn't capture anything.. they have referred me to my GP which I will contact today. Thank you.

[JaneFinn in reply to helpimstuck]

Thanks for letting us know - sorry they couldn’t catch the problem at the time of recording (that’s a frustration we’re all familiar with!) but at least there’s a level of reassurance that your baseline ecg and other obs didn’t flag up anything significant.

I hope you’ve managed to book to follow all this up with your GP? And if I were you I’d make sure it’s someone you feel you can talk to about everything that’s going on for you, so they can properly help.

Really wish you well - Do keep us posted x

[helpimstuck in reply to JaneFinn]

Thanks for the reply, I've yet to get an appointment as they are so busy at the moment and plus not doing face to face appointments so I am not sure how I go about getting this sorted.

[JaneFinn in reply to helpimstuck]

I feel for you... this is a nightmare time to get seen, isn’t it? I don’t know what it’s like where you live, but round here you can get a telephone appt with your GP without too much trouble. (If you say to the receptionist you’ve been referred to the GP following a visit to A&E, it might speed things up?)

The phone appt could be used to explain your symptoms and also your wider issues and concerns. What would happen here is that having spoken over the phone, the GP would then arrange the tests you need, and book to see you in person (with proper COVID precautions in place).

So if I were you’d I think I’d push for a phone Appt to get the ball rolling? Hope that works Good luck x

[helpimstuck in reply to JaneFinn]

I got an appointment in the end but I have to wait 5 weeks until I can get the 5 day monitor, which is ages away, heart could deteriorate badly by then, I am getting the fluttering and pausing daily

[JaneFinn in reply to helpimstuck]

Good to hear from you -thanks for the update

I’m glad you got an appointment. Did the doctor see you or talk over the phone? It’s hard having to wait for the 5 days monitor I know - it’s great you’re getting it, but it’s stressful waiting, when your heart isn’t feeling at all right

If you explained your symptoms fully to your doctor then it feels quite reassuring to me that they aren’t worried leaving things for a few weeks. They wouldn’t risk leaving it if they felt there was a chance your heart was deteriorating.

Like GrannyE said, if you could afford a Kardia device, it would capture the arrhythmia sooner, for you to show to the dr for diagnosis/ peace of mind, but I know £100 is a lot of money. (Though not a lot for what it does, if that makes sense!)

How are you feeling at the mo? Well done for getting the GP appointment - nothing is easy right now, is it?

Take care, Jane x

[GrannyE in reply to helpimstuck]

The only thing I can think of is to get a Kardia (about £100 on Amazon). Small gadget which you use in conjunction with your mobile phone. Then you can take your ECG when you feel fluttery (sounds like A/Fib to me) and you can show your cardiologist/GP what is happening and what you are talking about. Good luck with breaking your addiction. That will be a hard road but well worth taking as you know yourself.

[helpimstuck in reply to GrannyE]

Thanks for the reply, bit pricey for me at the minute so will try going through the docs. I am not sure if it's A/Fib as my heart rate isn't fast it's normally usual range, I was thinking it could be more ectopics.

[R1100S1]

Hi

Could be loads of stuff best go to docs ASAP for them to diagnose as we can’t do that.

Best of luck

[Tessie28]

Oh goodness, not judging you as a person but you so need to look after your heart. Could be ectopics, they are scary. Get seen as soon as possible and maybe look into the support you could get for coming off this stuff. Good luck

[Milkfairy Heart Star]

Hi helpimstuck

Do you feel you have had the support you need to help you with why you take cocaine?

Cocaine can effect the blood vessels in your heart causing temporary narrowing and vasospasms. This causes chest pain and other problems.

For this reason I suggest you go and get checked out as others have suggested.

I hope you can access the care you need soon.

[helpimstuck in reply to Milkfairy]

thanks for the reply, yeah I know how dangerous cocaine is to the heart, I do not have any support network around me and I am really struggling at the moment, I am going to try my hardest now to not touch it again. I do need help though.

[GrannyE in reply to helpimstuck]

Recognising that you need help is a good first step.

[valeriep]

Regular cocaine use has long been associated with heart problems. If you do seek medical help, be honest with the doctors about your lifestyle and ask for support in giving it up.

[MrCJames]

Could definitely be ectopics - lots of people experience them differently.

However what you really need is an ECG during one of these episodes, this may mean a portable ECG as a standard ECG only captures a few seconds or so.

[helpimstuck in reply to MrCJames]

Went to hospital and got an ECG done and all was normal including my obs, but I wasn't experiencing the fluttering during the ECG so it didn't capture anything.. they have referred me to my GP which I will contact today. Thank you.