I may have lost my chance for help, please advise?

[von123678]

I am labelled because of anxiety issues.
A 24 hr tape showed only slow or fast pulse, i got a 7 day one only because i pushed the issue.
I am unsure whether this tape showed up anything significant and if it doesn't no-one will help me anymore and I'm so scared.
When the monitor came off today i got strange feeling in my chest and took a major irregular episode which my dad felt, he is knowledgable as has had atrial fibrillation 20 years.

I took a quarter bisoprolol to see if helps but need be careful as pulse at times goes slowly and my bp is slightly low at 100/60.

Please advise

Yvonne x

[von123678]

Thanks for both your posts.
I just want the arrythmia to be spotted and for them to see that it is actually happening, then diagnose the cause after witnessing the symptoms or heart as it occurrs.
If the explanation is not serious then i will accept that.

By going out of town Annabelle, do you mean another nhs hospital or a private hospital?

I have had anxiety at least 20years and only ever had tachycardia with it.

Think he was unreasonable not checking my leaky mitral valve too x

Not working at mo and not overdoing things so not been consciously anxious, was tier two retired with my depression x

[is_something_wrong]

Hi,

I've read some of your posts.

I know you have anxiety issues. Most of us here at this forum, do.

Anxiety can mimic almost any heart disease, from angina pain, to arrhythmias, and even heart failure. You can compare it to a car. It's not easy, viewed from the outside, to see of it's the driver that pushes the gas and brake pedal unnecessary, or if the car has engine problems. The effect is similar. The cause is not.

Trust me when I say that mental issues can cause almost any heart symptom. I know, because I've experienced it. I've experienced panic attacks with heart rate so rapid and irregular that I was certain this was my last hour. At one point, my only wish was to get to a hospital to get my heart rate monitored at all times. I would gladly pay £200 (in your currency) to have a chat with a cardiologist.

I think the most important thing to do is to rule out dangerous arrhythmias. They all have one thing in common: Fainting. If you do not feel faint, it's a sign that your brain get enough oxygen; your heart pumps enough blood. If your brain can handle it, you can be 100% certain that your heart does too, unless you have severe angina. If your heart rate stays elevated (150+) for weeks, it's of course dangerous too, but I doubt this is the case here.

We all have short runs of atrial arrhythmia. As long as they're not sustained, and as long as you don't faint, it's okay. You may from time to time feel skipped beats; PACs or PVCs, and you may experience short runs of tachycardia. Even short runs of atrial fibrillation aren't dangerous, but if they are sustained, you should get an EKG done just to verify the diagnosis and get some treatment, but the treatment is essentially to reduce the discomfort. Trust me when I say, we all do.

(The source for this statement: Zareba, Non-invasive electrocardiology in clincal practice).

It's our excess adrenaline, in combination with autonomic imbalances, that is to blame for all this. It's not a disease, it's our natural way to respond to stress. But it's often a sign that you should slow down. Not because it's dangerous to your heart, but because it's the way your body tells you that you are stressed and that your mental health needs some cooldown.

In addition, you need to trust your doctors. They have the clinical experience, and they are most often right. Of course, they can be wrong. We all can. But they are extremely good at knowing what is dangerous and what is just annoying.

I hope this was somewhat reassuring.

[Annabelle1961]

Yvonne, we have chatted before.  I don't know how the medical system is set up in the UK, but is it possible to get a 2nd opinion?  Go outside your town and ask for the Lifewatch or eCardio monitor that tracks you 24/7 for 30 days.  This is how they found my afib, and I'm not saying yours is afib, just that this monitor is better at picking up any irregular heartbeats even the ones you don't feel.  Then you will have a for sure diagnosis!  It's your heart, your life, don't give up without a fight.  People can be anxious for all types of reasons....that doesn't mean that there will never be anything wrong.  Good luck to you and keep us posted.

[von123678]

I don't think i'll get another chance as i have a history of anxiety and had been to hosp a few times with anxiety attacks.

I never had irrregular pulse with anxiety and know for def its not that and it was the worst today its ever been.

I may need to go private and itll cost hundreds of pounds but im terrified.

\yvonne x

[CrohnieToo]

Yvonne,

My arrrhythmias, or at least those I was aware of started out occurring about once a month from March of this year thru August. My family doctor scripted a 30 day event monitor as I had declined a 24 hour Holter monitor due to the infrequency of the episodes I was aware of.

You may be experiencing something similar where the episodes you are aware of just didn't occur whilst you were wearing the 24 hour monitor - or even the 7 day monitor. The good thing about the 30 day event monitor from eCardio that was scripted for me is that it is not necessary for me to ever press the button and mark down what I was doing at the time. It just records any events and remotely sends them to eCardio. IF it is a "critical" or even "serious" event eCardio calls you and notifies your doctor. I was VERY surprised when I saw the cardiologist to find how many events occurred that I wasn't aware of. And dismayed that I had two events, both of which I was aware of, that were considered "critical" or "serious". The "critical" event a cardiologist called me and strongly encouraged me to go to ER. But by the time he called I wasn't aware of anything still going on and declined. The "serious" event a cardiologist called me and I told him I was no longer aware of any symptoms. He strongly suggested that I make an appointment w/my cardiologist.

I did do that and that's when I found out how many arrhythmias were occurring that I wasn't aware of. So when it was suggested that I start on coumadin I agreed, when it was suggested that I start Rhythmol I was less enthusiastic so I was started on cardizem instead.

Lest this just make you more anxious please be aware that MANY people experience arrhythmias which are NOT serious. I was amazed at how many I had that I wasn't aware of, none of which were serious or critical.