3rd time referred to cardiologist

[worriedcats]

So again for the third time GP has referred me to a cardiologist I've had episodes of palpatations, dizziness, and what GP has said could be atrial fibrillation this has gone on for years and now the dizziness on standing has got worse heads pounding and I'm having vision problems tingeling or numbness in arms I also do a physical job that requires alot of heavy lifting Anyone had similar?

[22alfie]

Definitely get it properly checked out sooner rather than later.

[worriedcats in reply to 22alfie]

Thanks for the reply been to 2 cardiologists in the past nothing 🤷‍♂️ some pvcs be a long wait again now to see another having to sit down all the time after standing up

[Lcfc85]

sorry to hear what you are experiencing.. what is your blood pressure like?

It is very frustrating when you have these feelings and be told everything is ok. In your head you are thinking well something can’t be as I keep having these feelings. That’s exactly where I’m at aswell. I have appointment with the cardiologist next week which I’m actually looking forward to!

[worriedcats in reply to Lcfc85]

I'm on bisoprolol and candesartan for blood pressure sometimes high and sometimes low I checked last night and it was 117/64 What symptoms do you get ? Mine are mainly after standing up lasts minutes then goes off

I get dizzy, vision changes like I can't focus my eyes (like when you purposely cross your eyes only way I can explain it) have to sit down before I go down! feel tingeley

[Lcfc85 in reply to worriedcats]

mine is more chest related pains. I do get some dizziness. I think sometimes our minds play tricks on us as we are always subconsciously thinking about it and I think that then makes us have these symptoms at times.

I’ll have an episode of chest pain then I’m thinking is my jaw hurting, is more arm tingling etc etc

[worriedcats in reply to Lcfc85]

Quite sure I've had atrial fibrillation like the doctor has said at times dizzy,weak and feel sick have to sit when it starts even if that is on the floor never had it whilst had monitors on though apparently hard to catch

[Lcfc85 in reply to worriedcats]

ah ok. Hopefully they can get to the bottom of it for you

[JennyRx in reply to worriedcats]

what you’re describing is postural hypotension- a drop in BP after standing up which recovers after a few minutes. Not hypertension. Can happen with certain BP meds.

[worriedcats in reply to JennyRx]

Thanks for the reply I did my blood pressure whilst stood still and having symptoms yesterday 174/108 I've asked doctor too if it could be the bisoprolol or candesartan and he said no I was getting it before I was on candesartan when I was on just bisoprolol

[JennyRx in reply to worriedcats]

hmm very strange. I hope you get sorted very soon.

[MummaSoap]

Hi worriedcats

I have experienced the sort of symptoms that you’re describing although my vision goes “spotty”, clouds and then the image fades away (all within a matter of seconds). I also get tingling but then I get weakness down the one side primarily and have to get to the floor ASAP. My weak side will sometimes shake (a bit like a fit) or I will pass out altogether (luckily this has only been a handful of times and for a few seconds).

I wanted to offer you some solidarity, I understand how scary and debilitating it can be when it comes on. It sounds like yours is there much more than mine; I hope they can help get you sorted.

Just thought I would share some things that I do; when I’ve been sitting for any length of time or first thing in the morning, I move slowly into an upright sitting position, wiggle my toes, then do some heel lifts and then squeeze my calves. This was recommended to me by a physio (ironically when I was there for a different reason). I then get up slowly, pause at standing for a few seconds and then walk to where I want to go. It’s not full proof but it has definitely reduced the episodes that I get. I also try to stay well hydrated because that can make it worse for me too.

Wishing you all the best, let us know how you get on with the cardiologist.

Soap

[Harbourview]

Sorry to hear about your problems and hope they get to the bottom of it soon. I’m newly diagnosed with AF thanks to my Versa 3 . It sent alerts to my phone and recorded all of the readings. The main cause is being sedentary at my desk and not exercising or moving …sending hope that it’s able to be managed with medication and lifestyle changes.

[Engineer46]

Worriedcats, in an earlier post you mentioned a problem with balance. There are two main symptoms for what we normally refer to as "feeling dizzy" and it's helpful to the GP if you can distinguish between them. Hopefully, your GP asked you to describe your symptoms and didn't accept "dizziness" as sufficiently precise.

The first symptom, and the one that many people on this forum relate to, is feeling faint on getting up quickly. This will often be due to temporary low blood pressure due to the change in your position and is called "postural hypotension". However, I haven't spotted low blood pressure being mentioned in your posts, so this may not be your problem.

The second symptom, relating to balance, is experiencing a short period of vertigo when changing position quickly, often when waking up and moving from lying down to sitting up in bed. With this symptom you don't feel faint (as if you are going to pass out) but you feel very off balance, the room appears to be swirling around you and you know that if you tried to stand up you would probably fall over. After a short time (perhaps just a few seconds) the feeling passes and you can go about your day normally. The symptom doesn't recur until the next time you rise from a prone position, usually the next morning.

This is an inner ear problem that can be cured without medication. You can check this for yourself because it will only be affecting one ear. Lie on one side in bed for a minute then sit up and see if you experience vertigo, then lie on the other side for a minute and sit up. If you only experience vertigo when lying on one side and not when lying on the other, there is a simple procedure called the Epley Manoeuvre that you can carry out at home in a few minutes and should resolve the problem. Your GP can advise on this or can carry out the procedure for you. Of course, if you don't experience vertigo at all then this isn't your problem!

Best wishes,

Paul

[worriedcats in reply to Engineer46]

Thanks for the reply it's definitely not ears it's not like the rooms spinning it's a faint feeling I'm not ruling out it's the tablets either possibly the bisoprolol as symptoms seem to have got worse after doctors put me on a higher dose but the doctors keep saying it's not

[Engineer46]

It's good that you can rule out one possible cause. One point on blood pressure is that we all have White Coat Syndrome that makes our blood pressure rise when in a clinical setting! You need to check your BP at home when rested to get a better picture of what the problem may be.

Best wishes,

Paul

[cappachina]

Hi Worried cats My cat Cappachina says do not worry its bad for you but seriously you said you have a heavy job is there any chance you have a shoulder neck or spine problem going on I have aortic stenosis so have dizzy spells with that but I also have shoulder and neck problems which sounds like your description the othernight I was reading in bed and felt as if the room and I were sliding sideways The two kinds of dizziness are quite different and I now know which is which Not sure if this is of any help to you but make sure they get to the bottom of it not knowing is the worst thing out

[Csoguy1]

Hi, a few years ago I started to have dizzy spells and horrendous headaches/migraines. Being stubborn I didn’t get this checked for around a year, but the headaches became so frequent I got it checked. Turned out my blood pressure was crazy high for my age and I ended up being diagnosed with malignant hypertension. The first medication I was put on lowered my blood pressure, but the headaches stayed, so they changed my pills to Ramapril and the dizziness and headaches went away really fast.

Around a year later I started to get numbness and tingling in my arm/shoulder and a constant achey/painful chest. After the usual checks and scan the cardiologist diagnosed me with angina and heart disease. She also believes I’ve had a heart attack in the recent past from the ecg’s and scans. I’m not sure how she would know this from those, but I’m completely new to all this heart issue stuff.

Possibly a medication change could help, or another underlying issue is the problem. Any way I hope all this gets sorted for you soon.