Reveal Implant and Electrophysiologist

[daizy2]

Hello to all EP experts:

question 1)  why when the nurse downloads the reveal device to look as what I recorded during arrythmias, and prints out the outlines, she only quickly glances through them not really spending more than a few second on each page?  Could she not be missing some important small detail concerning the arrythmia if subtle?  She says that if she sees something significant, she will refer me to the electrophyisologist cardiologist

question 2)  are there any non invasive electrophysiology studies that can be done and how useful are these?  My understanding is that if the EP cardio initiates these arrytmias what is the point?  In other words, could he not trigger these arrythmias with anyone NOT suffering from arrythmias?  surely, it is best to know what triggers them as we each have different triggers if at all without them being triggered manually.  It sounds invasive and even dangerous.  

Thanks for sharing
Daizy

[micky0154]

does it monitor your heart and record 4/7 as im gettin one fitted ina  few weeks but am afraid if i pass out durin an attack i wont be able to instruct it to record

[maggiemag]

I really feel for you guys in the UK.  It must be so frustrating to have to wait so long for everything.  I lived in London a long time ago for about 10 months and absolutely love it!  But I am grateful for the system here.  Those in the States who are for socialized medicine would think twice or even three times if they had to wait so long for definitive tests to be done or even the correct tests like you!  You sound informed and that is great......you can be your own advocate.  The tech prolly did see the PVC's and considers them nothing.  The atrial flutter thing would be a concern, esp with the cardiomyopathy.  And I don't know why it should be in question unless the tracing just was not of great quality.  Keep on them and the answer will come!  I will be thinking of you in the meantime.

[daizy2]

The tech I spoke to said she could not see anything, yet I know for a fact that I did record PVCs (I have been having them for 10 years), yet she says she did not see anything!  She told me not to worry, and I said that I was not worried about these anyway, but just recorded them to ensure they were indeed PVCs.

She will not look at them again, she went just looked at these strips very quickly.  She said she does not have the time to look again.

I was very annoyed!

Also, the previous download, another tech said she thought she saw atrial flutters, but that she was not sure.  How can she not be sure?  The atrial flutters were either there or they were not.

She contacted the consultant electrophysiologist and an appointment was made for me 17 September.

It all seems very slap dash to me.  I live in the UK, and unfortunately, unless you nag and pester these docs, you get no real help because it is socialised medicine and they are short staffed, over worked, lack of resources and under budgeted.

here in the UK, more people die of misdiagnosis or not properly cared for than anywhere else in the industrialised world.

So, I have to be vigilant, well informed, and challenge whenever it seems that there may be a possiblity of sloppy work.

I have been recently diagnosed with cardiomyopathy and possibly heart failure.  My GP sent me for blood tests.  Imagine, instead of sending me to hospital for an echo and to see a cardio.  No BNP test of course, but for magnesium, pottassium and liver and kidney functionl.  I had to ask her for the mag and pottassium, she was not even going to do this.

In anycase, concerning the EP tech and the suspected atrial flutters, they either are or they are not, I can';t understand why she wrote in my notes atrial flutters? (and she wrote the question mark).

this is all so very dangerous with the cardiomyopathy etc....
Best wishes
Daizy

[maggiemag]

I have a Reveal implant.  When they interrrogate it, the tech prints out the strips.  If it would be something ominous, they would call him and I would see him asap.  Otherwise, he reviews all the strips at his leisure, and interprets them at that time.  The tech isn't the one with the final determination, at least where I have it done!  I wouldn't worry, plus those techs are very knowledgeable and extensively trained and have seen it all, thus are very qualified to make a judgement of a life threatening arrhythmia.  Hope this helps.