Worried. what is wrong with me ?

[susieanna]

I gave up smoking about 4 months ago. I had been on nicotine gum. But was noticing a lot of palpitations. They seemed to be getting worse. And every day I’ve been getting them. I went Drs and she arranged ECG. And in Dec a 24 hr ecg thing. I deliberately stopped nicotine gum one day ago. All I’m taking now is one capsule nicotine inhalator which I’m making last the whole day. Anyway I had ECG today. I was horrified to read the results are not normal ! I know I have COPD. But the ECG shows LEFT ANTERIOR FASICULAR BLOCK. What is this ????? From my brief research today I’m hoping that this is at level 1. What could have caused this ?? I’m gonna request to see Dr urgently cos I want a referral to Cardiologist and I also need some sort of reassurance. Any information and advice is greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

congratulations on stopping smoking .

[susieanna in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou

[Alisbabas]

Hi,

Maybe get your thyroid checked just incase. Mine did this after quitting cold turkey, turned out it was underactive thyroid. I'm.not a doctor but just worth a check as quitting can do this my doc said

Thanks

Ali

[susieanna in reply to Alisbabas]

thanks. No problems re thyroid.

[susieanna in reply to Alisbabas]

I went dr ( I had to lie just to get to see one ).

She thinks nothing to worry about. But will forward the image to Cardilology for opinion. I’ll have the 24 hour thing done on 7th Dec . So I guess it’s wait and see for now

[Zbignieva]

Hi, was the diagnosis something that was given to you by a human or something that the ECG machine automatically printed on the report?

ECGs are great but can be very difficult to interpret.

Please don’t panic until you have a full investigation.

I wasn’t fully aware of this until I became a cardiac patient, but medicine is really quite good at taking care of a lot of heart conditions. Having something wrong with your heart is not a death sentence.

[susieanna in reply to Zbignieva]

well the nurse said the results were normal. But they were not. She gave me envelope to give to Dr. I opened it. It is the image of the ecg with the findings written down. Mmm. Ok. I’m trying not to. I do get them when I walk up hill or up stairs. It is that that concerns me mainly. Ok Thankyou. Yes I’ll wait for the results of the 24 hr Holt test/ see what cardiology say. If after this I’m not happy then I will demand a referral. Cos the one thing I don’t want is to be fobbed off. And for them to base this all on anxiety. I don’t think it’s anxiety . Not that that helps of course. Many thanks.

[Zbignieva in reply to susieanna]

If you are experiencing odd symptoms, then push for more testing.

We’re the results written by a human or printed? That is the issue as the ECG does interpretation itself and it is often wrong.

If you do feel like you are not being taken seriously, please mention that there is an issue with medical sexism and women present with heart issues differently than men.

Anxiety is being used in the same way hysteria was 100 years ago. It was about 50 years ago that a woman’s husband could withhold her diagnosis from her.