Concern over heart issues affecting the brain, thought patterns, concentration etc.

[1234_6]

After suffering from sheer exhaustion tiredness for over a year, the hospital picked up Bigeminy during an ECG in spring last year - when reviewing chest pain after choking on food.

Finally saw Cardiology for 1st time in Nov when a follow up ECG showed bigemniy and frequent VE's. Heart ultra-sound scan was clear but holter meter showed VE's of 8%. Got put on 1.25mg Bisoprol to try & slow the VE's.

5 months later and i'm still awaiting a date for a Cardiac Perfusion MRI investigation and a follow up (i.e. my 2nd) Cardiology appointment date It seems to be that they consider it 'low risk' , especially as i hadn't noticed palpertations = 'long wait'.

I do function a bit better on the Bisoprol so now i'm just tired, and not constantly exhausted and falling asleep BUT I'm noticing more & more woozy spells, that i have trouble concentrating, that generally all thought processes are much slower and that i'm making errors in my work (including using the wrong words in conversations and documents and getting figures mixed up).

My BP which can get very high without meds is under contol (with 4 meds), but the diastolic pressure numbers now occassionally jump sky high (126, 150, 178) although only for a short while; & pulse rate still shows as irractic on the BP machine every now and again.

Pulse rate is around 56 to 61 (lowest its dropped to is 48 and 35), and oxygen level is 95% but falls to 92% fairly often (91% lowest noted so far) so it does seem to be the slow heart that's affecting my brain. (With a bit of menopause brain fog added in no-doubt!)

GP shrugged my concerns off with an 'everything slows down of the heart's not working'. BUT the fact that it's affecting my brain scares me far more than the heart issue itself.

Does anyone else get these concentration issues?

Does anyone else feel scared like me?

Does anyone have any suggestions what to do about it?

[banana1982]

My OH has terrible memory since his HA 4 years ago, he was initially concerned he had vascular dementia but I think its improved a little. But the Drs brush him off and never investigated. He's only 45 too so goodness knows what he's going to be like when he's older

[1234_6 in reply to banana1982]

Thanks for responding banana1982. I'm sorry to hear your husband has memory issues associated with his heart too & i wish you both all the best. It's helpful / calming just to know that it's not just me who gets such symptoms.

[devonian186]

Bisoprolol certainly divides people with some claiming it has a huge impact and others saying they tolerate it well with few side effects.

So it may be the medication having an impact or it may be something else. I don't know your age, previous state of health or fitness so difficult to advise other than to suggest a chat with your pharmacist might be easier than attempting to speak to your doctor. They might be able to suggest an alternative although that will need to be prescribed by your GP.

[1234_6]

Thanks Devonian186, I hadn't thought about doing that.

[chickeninthewood]

Sometimes those erratic numbers show when you are having pvcs

[Hidden]

Dear 1234_6

A warm welcome to you and your first { of what we hope } will be many posts on here.

It seems { you have to remember that I am not medically trained } that you are suffering some side effects of the medication, memory and brain thoughts are widely reported for many of them including vivid and lucid dreaming.

Certainly this needs to be investigated and I am afaied that may take a bit of pushing from you.

One place I found to be very helpful regarding medication is your own dispensing chemist who in my mind have better up to date information on medication and there interactions.

This would give you some 'ammo ' to hit your Dr with.

Email your surgery with your concerns, they have to answer within a time frame.

Good luck, your journey can certainly be made easier.

Take care

[1234_6 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your welcome and reply Blue1958.